Happy To Design

It's Outdoor Wednesday!!!

Hello my friends! Ohhh...I could hardly wait for Outdoor Wednesday this week! I have wanted to post some of the photos from our latest adventure...a camping trip to the Rocky Mountains last weekend! Also, this is my very first time to participate in this fun filled Wednesday event! Ohhh yes...I'm a newbie! Hehe!

Thank you, Susan for hosting Outdoor Wednesday!!! For more information about Outdoor Wednesday...please visit our sweet hostess Susan over at A Southern Daydreamer! While you are there...you will find a list of all the other Outdoor Wednesday participants!

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.....Weekend in the Colorado Rockies

Photo above: Home Moraine Campgrounds

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Wow...we finally made it! Honey and I had been trying for sometime to get up to the mountains for a camping trip...we finally decided that if we were going to go this summer...we'd better do it! The temperatures up there really begin to cool off this time of the year...we enjoyed cool brisk days in the 60's and the 40 degree nights were perfect for "snugglin' with my honey"! Hehe!

I don't know about you...but time spent in the mountains is my idea of the perfect getaway!!! Talk about a real treat for all five senses! It's difficult to find a more beautiful setting...those regal mountains towering overhead in all of their splendor! The sweet sound of a mountain brook as it makes its way down the mountainside...the notes of the songbird in the distance...the mountains provide a serenade incomparable to anything else! Ohhh...and the scent...clean, fresh mountain air combined with the scent of pine and mountain flowers...ahhh, just breathe!!! The feel of river rock beneath your feet...the water of the cool, brisk stream flowing over your toes...the warmth of the sunshine on your face...heavenly!!! And there's nothing like eating bacon and eggs that has been cooked over a campfire...with a little bit of campfire coffee to wash it down!!! Ohhh yes...now this is the ideal getaway!!! Total relaxation!!!

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Poudre Canyon, Colorado and Home Moraine Campgrounds
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This beautiful mountain canyon known for it's narrow gorges and wide smooth surface glens is located just northwest of Ft. Collins on Hwy. 14. Part of the Roosevelt National Forest runs through this canyon and provides camping access in several campgrounds. We left Friday to find a good camp site...however all the RNF campgrounds were already full. We found a fabulous, private owned campground called Home Moraine located just above the RNF camping areas. Home Moraine was perfect!!! It was hardly occupied...in the area we chose, there was only one other camper! We practically had the place to ourselves...it was so peaceful and quiet and no bothers with park employees making their daily rounds! An extremely clean and well kept bathrooms and showers were nearby! Ahhhh....perfect!!!

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"Home Sweet Home"

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Our camp trailer is an older model but just perfect for a fun getaway! It has everything we need...a full sized bed...kitchen with running water, stove & oven, and a bathroom! Yeeehawww! I love camping but I'm too old to really enjoy that "roughing" it stuff!!! Hehe!
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Front Yard With a View!!!

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We had a very nice picnic table right in our front yard...located only 8 ft. from our camp trailer. As you can see...just on the other side of the table, down the inbankment, is the river! It just doesn't get any better than this!!! We could hear the rushing sound of the stream inside our camper...it was heavenly!!! I spent many a hour just sitting in my comfortable camp chair enjoying our "front yard" view!!!
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Evening View From Our Front Yard...
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Evening View: Looking Up the River
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This may be one of my favorite photos...the sun was just about to set! Just look at the beauty of this tree lined stream! Can you spot my honey in the distance? He was already checking out the fishing...Hehe!
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The Cache La Poudre River
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The Cache La Poudre river is a tributary of the South Platte river in Colorado. The name of the river means "hiding place of the powder" in French. It refers to an incident in the 1820s when French trappers, caught by a snowstorm, were forced to bury part of their gunpowder along the banks of the river.
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The river runs crystal clear...in these photos it takes on a brownish hue but that was due to being able to see the rock lined, river bottom, through the crystal clear water!
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Friday Evening: Honey trying his hand at fishing!
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Stream fishing can be a challenge...especially when the river is running fairly shallow! The Cache La Poudre river is home to several different species of trout: rainbow trout, brook trout, and brown trout to name a few...can be found here. Fly fishing in these waters has become quite a sport!
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Ohhhh look...Honey caught a fish!!! Oh, what a handsome fellow...and I'm not talkin' about the fish...wink!
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This is a Brown Trout...Isn't It Pretty?
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I love the golden color and the bright orange speckled dots...so pretty!!! This guy was about 12" long. Honey threw him back but held him out just long enough for me to get a photo! Thank you, honey! Honey caught 6 brown trout...but put them all back in the river! Hmmm...no fish tonight!
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The Huge Rock Cliff
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This huge rocky cliff was located just on the other side of the river...right in our very own front yard! WoW...what a view!!!
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A Better View of the Rocky Cliff
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Up Close and Personal! Hehe!
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All three of the above photos were taken Saturday! It was a beautiful, sunshiny day!!!
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Trees, Trees, Trees...and More Trees!!!
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I really enjoyed all of the beautiful trees!!! There were so many different varieties: The Blue Spruce, Douglass Fir, and Rocky Mountain Juniper stood so tall and regal...while the mountain breeze blew ever so softly through the airy stands of fluttering Aspens and Cottonwoods!!! It was absolutely divine...I guess you can call me a tree lover!!!
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More Trees...
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Ohhhh My...Just Look At All Of Those Lovely Shades of GREEN!!!
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You know...I was just thinking...as I was looking through all of the tree photos, one of the reasons that I love trees soooo much is because they are GREEN...and green is one of my favorite colors!!! This is another one of my favorite photos...so many beautiful hues of green!!!
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Tree Bark...
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Hehe! Okay...call me strange but I also love the look of different kinds of tree bark! I think it's the texture...the varied browns and the Aspen's have white bark...so pretty! I love the look of the smooth, shiny green leaves with the rough texture of the tree bark...such a lovely contrast! God sure knew what He was doing when He created all of this beauty!!!
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Mountain Wildflowers!!!
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It's a little late in the season to find all of the different varieties of mountain wildflowers but there were a few sweet flowers left! I picked a few...the yellow and lavender daisy looking flowers are very, very small...they were so petite and delicate looking! But ohhhh...just look at the vibrant sunny yellows and that sweet soft lavender...absolutely gorgeous!!! I laid this little bouquet on top of our red cooler for a photo...the contrast of the bright yellows against the red cooler...made for a pretty backdrop!
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We had a fabulous time! Long leisurely days turned into quiet evenings spent playing Scrabble...hehe! Yes, we played Scrabble every night after the sun went down. This was truly an unforgettable mountain retreat for me! I loved every little moment of it!!!
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Well my friends...I hope you enjoyed our mountain getaway photos! Sure wished that you could have been there...you know that photos never really do things justice! If you ever get to Colorado...you really should add Poudre Canyon to your list of "Must Sees"!!! I can guarantee you won't be disappointed!!!
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Thank you so much for coming by today...please leave me a comment and let me know that you were here! I'd love to visit with you!
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Love ya'll,
Chari