5/02/2011

May begins in a wintry fashion!
















I woke to a wintry landscape yesterday morning, May 1, as around 4" of snow fell overnight. Adding in this morning's 0.3", the seasons' snow total is at 74.3". This is 65% of the average 115" of snow that the park has received each snow sesaon over the past decade or so, so we are going into the spring/summer seasons pretty dry. That being said, the park has received exactly an inch of moisture spread over the past nine days, so the wildflowers are receiving some water as spring kicks in. I hope to get out on the trails to take a look, but I expect the recent moisture may have the flowers looking a bit better that I originally thought they'd be this spring, considering the stingy snowfall. Kinnikinnick, larkspur, toadflax, spring beauty, bladderpod, dwarf daisy, chiming bells, mahonia (holly grape), wild onion, sugarbowl, low penstemon...these are a few of what may be adding color to the landscape as May takes hold. I took these photos last evening from my deck across from the park as a snow squall was moving in...as we say, spring snows bring spring flowers in Pueblo Mountain Park.