On Wildflowers

 

"Wildflowers are the loveliest of all because they grow in uncultivated soil, in those hard, rugged places where no one expects them to flourish."  Micheline Ryckman 

If life was yours to live over again, what would you change?

"Let me drink from the waters where the mountain streams flood

Let the smell of wildflowers flow free through my blood

Let me sleep in your meadows with the green grassy leaves."

Bob Dylan,  'Let Me Die In My Footsteps'

"Wildflowers can't be controlled, and neither can...a soul boundless as the sky, and a spirit as free and wild as the ocean." Melody Lee

"No matter how chaotic it is, wildflowers...still spring up in the middle of nowhere."  Sheryl Crow

"Wildflowers don't care where they grow."  Dolly Parton, 'Wildflowers'

"I knew I had to say hello (hello, hello)

She smiled up at me

She took my hand and we walked through the park alone

But I knew (I knew, I knew, I knew, I knew)

She had made me happy (happy, happy)

Flowers in her hair, flowers everywhere" The Cowsills

"If we could but see the miracle of a single flower, clearly our whole life would change"  Gautama Buddha

"The fairest thing in nature, a flower, has its roots in earth and manure."  D. H. Lawrence

"Mere color, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways." Oscar Wilde

What I appreciate the most about wildflowers is their seasonal brevity.

The world is a mess. Thus, it is our task to sow enough wildflowers to choke out the "weeds." 

Wildflowers are wordless poems... 

Wildflowers thrive on diversity and community. So should we...

"She is like a wildflower; beautiful, fierce, and free.” Unknown

“Like wildflowers you must allow yourself to grow in all the places people thought you never would.”  Lorde

For many, columbines are considered the fairest bloom in Colorado. They prefer hardscrabble hillsides, the rockier the better. Perhaps we should take a lesson from their struggle to take root in such a hostile environment. Ultimately, hardship affects the loveliest blossoms.  

Diversity in the garden makes for the best honey. Same with society...

Silverton, far below under the watchful eye of Ohio Peak

With no goal in mind, we settle for a ridge walk that affords views of Silverton.

 

Silverton, in its valley nest, where Kendall Mountain stands out directly above town.

There's an old mining days footrace in Silverton that carries over to this day called Kendall Mountain. In the old days miners were not bound to a set coarse so they could attack Kendall's 13,000 plus feet of elevation. First one back to Silverton wins. It was a bloody affair. Today's race follows a loose and rocky Jeep road that circles up and around to the back side of Kendall Mountain, stopping just short of the summit which must be scrambled. In our racing days Bobbie and I raced Kendall several times, swearing each time, "Never again." But, like childbirth, a year goes by and you forget the pain. Coming down was the hardest part, believe it or not. It's still a bloody affair in that regard as the first aid tent has its share of fallen runners with bloody palms and faces after taking a tumultuous tumble while racing helter-skelter back down to Silverton on a precipitous, stoney Jeep trail. 13 miles of Hell, roundtrip.

Not all ridge lines are "knife-edge"

There's nothing like running ridge lines above timberline, with 360 degree views. A good place to keep an eye out for oncoming thunder and lightning storms.

A strollable mountain meadow

Just a few of the Big Mountains south of Silverton...not shown 2 more 14ers, Eolus and Windom, which we summited while on a 4 day backpacking trip which began and ended by being dropped off and picked up at the trailhead by the Durango/Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

Another lovely day, another lovely hike—bike—swim—climb.

Peace Out from Lovely Ouray,

Mark and Bobbie