Animo: Grandscapes

There is so much to photograph in the mountains. I often think that people must be in awe when they drive into the village of Grand Lake which is only about four blocks long with the largest natural lake in Colorado, located one block over from main street. Highway 34 from Rocky Mountain National Park to Granby offers a scenic drive through ranch country.

Grass is rare up here, just mountain grass that needs no mowing.
This small beautiful garden belongs to a friend and I just love it.

We have an extraordinary view and have only a glimpse of
our nearest neighbor from the garage area.

Almost every area of Grand Lake offers a view. Every house
has a terrace or patio or both.

This is cattle country with working ranches and dude
ranches spread out through the mountains.

Rain moving in over the lake.

Hardware store in Grand Lake with slab lumber and natural stone.
Grass on one side and a large boulder on the other side create the
feeling of being in the country, although it is on main street.

This blue spruce outside the old log community center looks
silver.

The gazebo in the park on main street is always filled with
vacationers having a picnic, reading a book or just resting
from all the sight-seeing.

This one room A-frame is an original structure
and is a business on main street. Charming!

Our unusually warm summer combined with drought conditions is causing much concern. We have a ban on all outside fires to include camp fires and cooking with charcoal. Smoking a cigarette outside your home or car can warrant a $600. fine. Thank goodness the vacationers are still coming and finally we have some rain.

This is a warm temperature for our
area at 8,400 altitude.

We often see these signs posted along highway 34. Mostly likely, you will see a line of cars pulled over to the shoulder and people out of their cars with binoculars and cameras. Most people have no idea how dangerous a moose can be and get much too close.

Cottages on Grand Lake range from small to large, old and new. Some are purchased as tear-downs but the new structure must fit the original footprint. This cabin is small but straight up and beautiful large logs.

Everyone loves outdoor living and plans for it with large decks and terraces. With afternoon rains that blow in, the weather often doesn't cooperate for dining al fresco.

Now that we have lost so many lodge pole pine trees to the pine beetle infestation, Aspen are popping out everywhere. They need a lot of sunlight.

Grand Lake has a wide contrast in architecture. The new home above is laid out on several lots that had original cabins, like this one next door. This charming cabin was built in the style of the Grand Lake early days with slab lumber.