Recently in Breckenridge Neighborhoods Category

Wildlife on Main Street

Here are some recent pics snapped over the last four days of the Mama Fox and her three kits. The photos were taken near my office at about 8 a.m. Sunday morning. 

The mama is very diligent, but she sure as hell picked a rotten spot to whelp a bunch of pups.  The third kit, the runt, was out this morning ready for a photo shoot.  In the group shot, below, the runt is the little one on the left. It is a bit smaller and a whole lot more scared.  It keeps running back to the burrow entrance next to this old red shack where people park their cars not 4-feet away from the den entrance.

Hiking on the ski area in the summer, I always count on seeing foxes. I've also seen them run through neighborhoods right in town.  But this sighting, well I guess this is really a sign of SPRING in the mountains.

Snow may still be falling, the highway may get clogged up with people who have removed their snow tires, but nature keeps right on schedule.

Spring in Breckenridge.

They used to call it Mud Season. That's being generous.

Mud is around when it's nice enough to melt. April and May storms -- after the ski resort closes -- seem so redundant.

Everyone -- no matter where they live -- knows the feeling: we appreciate the moisture when it rains, or in our case snows, but really long for, can't wait to feel some, might plan a vacation soon to find some warm sunshine.

Just a little reminder to appreaciate the days hiking in the mountains, riding bikes and getting on the water. It seems so far away when the view from my deck is non existent and the icicles are hanging low and dirty with debris the wind picked up from dust storms in Arizona.

Time to pick up a good book.

Downtown Breckenridge in January. The Blue River, frozen and covered with snow, is in the foreground. To the right of the flag is the central park in downtown Breckenridge. This corridor, and the pedestrian bridge over the river connects Main Street to the Riverwalk (Events) Center.

Next week the 20th annual snow sculpture competition will take place at the Riverwalk, and the snow blocks are being formed now. So they will be ready for 13 teams from 7 countries: Czech Republic, China, Canada, Lithuania, Mexico, Russia, and the U.S. Teams from Alaska, Idaho, Minnesota. Loveland (CO) and a Breckenridge team.
 
These forms will make 12 foot blocks of snow (12x10x10), no power tools are allowed. And the teams of three or four people will have from Tuesday until Saturday noon to complete their work.

USA Today calls it one of the top 10 ways to celebrate winter due to the awe-inspiring yet fleeting art gallery that is created outdoors.