Denver from Red Rocks

Blow this up to very good effect. The Denver airport, 15 miles east of Denver, is visible on the horizon toward the right.

Sunrise in Denver

Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art in Denver

The Kirkland Museum in Denver has three major collections: a retrospective of Vance Kirkland's paintings from all of his several periods; a collection of more than 3300 pieces of decorative art, furniture and glass, by the great designers of the 20th century; and a fine collection of Colorado art.

When you visit Denver, do not miss this museum!

http://www.kirklandmuseum.org/ 

This is Vance Kirkland's studio.  He worked on larger canvasses by laying them flat on the table, applying paint from above while laying in the straps. The paints he developed couldn't be applied on a vertical canvass, and these straps solved his problem of how to reach to the center of large canvasses. You can see an early skate board just to the right of the step ladder. He put his canvas on boards and so was able to move his paintings easily as he worked. He signed many paintings on more than one edge because he wanted them to be viewed from any side and not be limited by where he happened to put his signature.

Silverback Lowland Gorilla at the Denver Zoo

Megan and Baby Reticulated Giraffes at the Denver Zoo

Denver Zoo: Amur Tigers

These four cubs were born to Koshka, mother Amur (or Siberian) tiger, at the Denver Zoo last May 31. 

Four cubs add considerably to the small population that remains of this highly endangered species.

When the cubs weren't napping, they were stalking and ambushing mom.

We are lucky to have in Syracuse two male Amurs, father and son. One year a female came to visit and produced a cub. Neither the female nor the cub stayed here permanently.

Amur tigers are suited for northern zoos, as they live naturally in a harsh climate. Thus a trip to the zoo in winter is always rewarding.

Click on these photos to very good advantage.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Wapati or American Elk

We saw nine male elk together in this open area just inside Rocky Mountain National Park above Estes Park this morning, resting and grazing. They were only mildly alarmed by us. What a sight! 

We drove about 6 miles further into the park, reaching an elevation of 9691' at Many Parks Curve. Beyond here the road across the top of the park to Granby is closed from October to June.

We were foiled in our desire to see big views of the Rockies by an intermittent translucent icy fog. There was blue sky in breaks, and near views of Ponderosa Pine, valley parks and rocky knobs. 

The temperature was below zero, so the snow-packed roads were not slippery. 

Now we're back in Denver, waiting to see how the huge storm from Oklahoma to New England will affect Megan's flight plan tomorrow and mine on Thursday.

I expect to be back home and shoveling out most of Friday.

I. M. Pei in Boulder

This is the campus of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder CO, designed by I. M. Pei.

Syracusans know I. M. Pei as the architect of the Everson Museum. 

Early in his career he designed a large complex to be sited at the top of a mesa just south of Boulder. It sits just in front of the iconic Flatirons, nearly vertically uplifted red sandstone on the eastern edge of the Front Range of the Rockies. Sadly on this day the view was clouded in.

The Center is worth a trip for the I.M. Pei history and the interesting museum about the earth's atmosphere.

Ski Eldora

Megan and I downhill skied at Eldora west of Boulder. The new shaped skies, wider and shorter than the skis I learned on oh so many years ago, are fun. Those old brain pathways for skiing are still there from the days at Snow Ridge and Stowe, and the weather was perfect, clear, mild and windless. 

It is possible that it was the finest skiing I have ever experienced. 

Denver Botanic Garden

In the middle of winter, the Botanic Garden is full of interest. It didn't hurt that we caught the next to last day of a huge Henry Moore exhibition of sculptures spread over the entire garden.

Museum of Contemporary Art Denver

Monumental knitted sculpture hanging beneath a skylight.

(click to enlarge, to good effect)

Denver International Airport