Nature Toddlers program a real hit!

On Friday, April 25, MPEC kicked off our second year of Nature Toddlers. About 20 little people and at least that many of their bigger relatives participated in a delightful session that included a short hike, exploration, animal puppets, games and songs. A cool but sunny day offered a lovely opportunity for all to enjoy, experience, and learn about the natural world. What a joy to see these young children, tomorrow's voters and consumers and leaders, learning to love and feel comfortable in Nature! Thank you to all the parents and grandparents who planted these seeds of loving the Earth in these toddlers by attending this program. Our next 2 sessions are scheduled for Fridays, May May 23 and June 27, 10am. Call 485-4444 for more details.

April storm brings a foot of snow to the park!

The mud was gone, the snow was just about all melted, the land was beginning to green up, and now an April storm changes all that. About a foot of wet snow blankets the land. Some melting and settling of the new snow brings a bit of estimation to the actual depth, but I have an accurate moisture content of 1.30". Total snowfall for the season is now up to 130" (a foot above average). Yesterday, before the storm hit later in the afternoon, a grey fox was hanging around MPEC and allowed Ranger Jeff a few good photos (here's one of them). I just returned from the pond with this photo of the slushy water and snowy landscape. All this moisture should mean an excellent wildflower season. We have 3 wildflower hikes coming up so we can enjoy them: Sunday, April 27, 11am; Saturday, May 10, 9am; and Sunday, June 1, 9am - call (719) 485-4444 to register.

As March Becomes April in Pueblo Mountain Park!

The month of March brought 34.5" of snow, bringing the season's total to 113.5" - just a few inches shy of a full winter's average snowfall. The frequent moisture has the park's wildflowers poised for a good season, as least as it looks right now. I took a pleasant hike a few days ago along the Tower / Mace Trails loop and shot some photos of a few plants along the way. Pictured are a couple of small flowers already in bloom, kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ssp. adenotricha) and spring beauty (Claytonia rosea). Also pictured are what dwarf daisy (Erigeron pumilus) and some member of the mustard family look like a few days before their first flowers open. A careful eye will find these and other plants putting the park's spring wardrobe on.