Early Spring Evergreen Erected along the grassy shoreline, a statuesque heron hunts discreetly in the evening light. The virtuous, great blue displays extraordinary patience while stalking prey in the muddy shallows. It’s barely spring at Evergreen Lake so there’s not much activity except for an occasional ruckus raised by the red-wings. While I was in […]
“Desert Gateway” Colored Pencil Offering sanctuary from the furnace of sweltering heat, a chain of blue mountains streaks across the background of a fiery landscape. The desolate environment is stark, harsh and lonely. Despite its beauty, the desert is a brutal place that can bring your demise at any moment. Not only is the severe […]
“Bighorn Sheep Winter” Colored Pencil Rocky Mountain thunder cracks across the gray, November sky. Heard for miles around, the stirring echoes are from the violent clash between massive combatants who are desperate to prove their masculine dominance. The battles may last for twenty-four hours but the exhausted victor earns exclusive mating rights. The weapons of […]
Grevy’s Zebra The Grevy’s zebra is struggling to survive on the dry savanna of East Africa. They subsist on what meager grasses and shrubs are available in the semi-desert. Water is so scarce that the zebras sometimes have to go five days without a drink. In such a forbidding landscape, social structure is non-existent. It’s […]
Lake Minatare Built on the edge of Nebraska’s sandhills, Lake Minatare is a secluded oasis of clear water and dense woodland. More than a century old, the remote refuge is an irrigation reservoir supplying water to the North Platte Valley farmers. The great, blue aqua fir is encircled by a hedge of cottonwood trees that […]
“Cult of the Sun” Colored Pencil Warm, autumnal sunshine permeates the interior of Poudre Canyon, illuminating a kaleidoscope of dazzling colors. The splendid scene is set ablaze with an array of fiery tones that are barely balanced by the rolling, blue river. Sturdy stands of yellow cottonwood brace both sides of the composition as patches […]
The ranch It’s a smoky dusk in western Nebraska and as the spectral light begins to dissipate, the checklist of laborious chores comes to completion. Life on the ranch is hard as illustrated by battered grain bins and ragged hay bales but at least it’s not winter when the weather is brutal. The rhythm of […]
Steve Canyon is an American Hero Born in New York, quarried in Indiana, and erected in Colorado, there is a forgotten monument to honor a chiseled war veteran who captured the imagination of our country 63 years ago. On the corner of Miner Street and Colorado Boulevard, one of the greatest action heroes of all-time […]
The Liebster Blog Award probably originated in Germany A couple of weeks ago I learned that my friend Judi Salzillo from 50 & Fabulous nominated Impression Evergreen for a Liebster Award. What’s the Liebster Award you may ask? The Liebster is a form of special recognition that bloggers bestow upon their fellow bloggers. A way […]
Bergen Park Trail The Bergen Park Trail is a distinct walkway that circumnavigated a very old swath of ponderosa pine forest. The giant trees blot out the sun but some especially resilient rays of light pierce the canopy of sharp needles. The subtle luminescence is responsible for the soft shadows that creep across the summer’s […]
“Dragon Duel” Colored Pencil “Riddles my weapons. Answers my shield. Though you battle with wit, I’ll never yield.” Slowly the clamped teeth loosened. The watching dragons collectively sighed in disappointment. But the confrontation was not over. “My wit is quite sharp,” responded the leader, “as sharp as my claws and teeth. One wound means your […]
Fawn One of the things I love about living in the mountains is observing the wildlife. We routinely see elk and deer grazing in the townsite. The highlight of every spring is the mule deer doe that comes back to the yard and gives birth to twin fawns. They must feel safe in this locale […]
King Cobra King cobras live mainly in the rain forests and plains of India and Southeast Asia. They are comfortable in the trees, on land and in water, feeding mostly on other snakes with the rat snake being their preference. King cobras can reach 18 feet in length, making them the longest of all venomous […]
Great Blue Heron On a chilly winter day near Nebraska’s North Platte River, a great blue heron swooped in searching for prey. After a brisk feather-ruffle, it proceeded to patiently stroll along the shoreline of an icy pond. Sharp eyes scanned the water’s surface for small fish. With its sinewy neck coiled into the shape […]