Bassam Park a New High

Michael Merideth took this great shot in Bassam park. I marvel now at the fact that I grew up here! This is where "woodsies* took place when we were in high school. I soooooo took it for granted then.

Now I notice the medicinal plants, the dragonflies playing by the Beaver ponds, the stillness, the achingly beautiful colors of lichen against pine. I went off by myself to hike through the fields and climb some of the hills. The old fallen trees were such a striking matte grey juxtaposed with the sage greens of the valley floor. The colors and contrasts were phenomenal. It was a lush as that part of the country can get, yet I could feel the haunt of arrid, scrub land not far off. By October the whole landscape will be myriad shades of straw and brown.
I think this is what I remember most, the monochromatic winters, either all white or brown.

Below is our good friend Kari 20 years later! Three of us, myself, Kari and Scott, graduated from Buena Vista High School and managed to travel, find happiness, move back to Colorado and start families.

If we knew then what we know now...

We would have been even more reckless! We would know we survived into adulthood and that would have made us dangerous.

Our camera was on the wrong setting but I kind of like the effect.

*woodies are woodland events where excessive underage drinking and other illegal activities occur under the cloak of night and moonlight!