October 2010 Free Desktop Wallpaper Calendar

October's calendar is Lake Agnes located in the Colorado State Forest near Cameron Pass. Although hard to see, this alpine lake has an island off to the right side of the photo which makes it unique among mountain lakes. The elevation of Lake Agnes is 10,663 feet and it is usually accessible only part of the year. This is a wonderful hike to take if you visit Colorado. It is a beautiful and remote trail, but accessible and easy to do if you are in reasonably good shape. And since it is in the Colorado State Forest you may also take your leashed dog, a bonus for dog lovers!

download your free desktop wallpaper calendar for October 2010 here

Easy Instructions
After clicking on the above link
you will be at my Flickr page. Simply click on
"Download the Original size of this photo."
The file will then download to your desktop!

Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

Venetian Stroll Las Vegas Style

The day was perfect. It was warm but not hot by Vegas standards with a mild breeze blowing. Our destination was The Venetian Hotel. We walked through the milling crowds all with the same purpose; having fun. There are many ways to accomplish this and one of my favorites is shooting photography. As I looked down the colonnade there was a lull in the constant foot traffic and I quickly took this photo. Then the wave of people surged once again into the frame. It occurred to me that this ebb and flow is much like nature. Sometimes you have to allow things to unfold to catch the perfect moment.

Venetian Stroll
Two people are dwarfed by the beautiful classical colonnade architecture at the famous Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, NV.
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Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

Elk Meadow

This time of year in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, you might hear a high pitched whistle coming from the alpine meadows. It is the sound of a bull elk calling to claim his harem and challenge other bulls. The sound makes me think of autumn campfires and coyote cries taking me to another era in time, one long long ago. My spirit craves this and I find myself wandering with the herd keeping watch and feeling alive. Sights sounds smells mingle in the primal musk of procreation and life. Nature continues.

Elk Meadow
A bull elk is found walking through an alpine meadow. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
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Elk Flower
A bull elk is grazing on purple flowers in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
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Elk Herd Resting
An elk herd is resting in a high alpine summer meadow with snow patched mountains all around. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
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Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

Lily Love

It was one of those mild summer days that left dew on the wildflowers and grass, a rarity in Colorado's dry climate. As I sat on my favorite rock gazing into the distance at the "Valley of Contentment," my focus turned to a nearby sprinkle of white in the still green meadow. I got up to investigate and found two beautiful Sego Lilies. I had never seen them in this area before and wondered if it was because of our wetter than normal summer. So I had to look them up and found that they are also called Mariposa Lilies and can come in a variety of colors. I am always astounded at the beauty I find in nature, growing totally untended. My garden flowers never seem to measure up to the delicate beauty of the wildflowers that spring up with no help at all in the extreme climate of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Nature is still the master gardener.

Lily Love
This flower photo of a delicate white wildflower, the Sego or Mariposa Lily, was found in the Northern Colorado Rocky Mountains.
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Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

Viva Las Vegas!

We are back from Las Vegas and we had a great time! It has taken us both some time to switch gears and get our feet back under us. For anyone that has been to Vegas you know exactly what I mean. There is no place quite like it. Think about it. An entire city built just for entertainment. And they have it down.

View from our room at the Four Seasons.

We stayed at the Four Seasons, the top floors of Mandalay Bay, and loved their resort. The pool was quiet and relaxed with constant pampering, even cucumber slices for your eyes. We spent almost every afternoon there and it was heaven.

Pool at the Four Seasons

In the evening we would prowl the strip looking for the perfect martini and dining experience. By the third day we were ready for hamburgers in our room, which we did for our anniversary, and could not have been happier!

Ric in front of New York New York Casino in Las Vegas.

Fountain at Bellagio.

Ric at the Venetian.

We also got to see Cirque du Soleil's "O", Cher, the lions at MGM Grand, the dolphins and tigers at the Mirage, and a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon, which was our favorite thing.

Waiting for Cirque du Soleil's "O."

Papillon Helicopters is a really great outfit and our pilot, Mike, is a great guy. He took time to give us a great tour, pointing out landmarks and features on the way to the Grand Canyon. I loved every minute!

Yes! I am the copilot! That's Mike behind me. World's best pilot.

Ric and I in the Grand Canyon with a helicopter taking off behind us.

I hope you enjoyed the snapshot vacation! I will be back with your "regular programing" in my next post. Cheers!

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Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

Red Ruffles and Dew Drops

A crimson flower opens to the early morning light, sparkling with morning dew like a Hollywood starlet wearing a gown of rhinestones and red satin at a movie premier. She is a flashy flower standing out in a crowd of tiny wildflowers in soft pastel hues on my summer deck. And like most ingenues her time is brief. As my demure houseplants come in for the winter she is left looking more and more ragged to face the first frost alone. But when she was in her prime she was a show stopper!

I hope you enjoy my "Red Ruffles and Dew Drops" photo and check back with me next week. I will be out of my Colorado photography studio for a week and am headed for Las Vegas. It is once again the week of our anniversary and we are off for some fun and relaxation. See you next week!

Red Ruffles and Dew Drops
A deep red zinnia flower catches the sparkling drops of morning dew on each perfect petal.
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Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

September 2010 Free Wallpaper Calendar

We are on the cusp of autumn. Here in the Rocky Mountains, the kids are back in school, the aspen leaves are turning, and the blankets are going back on the bed. Fall has always been my favorite season. Maybe it is the memories of the smell of a fresh box of crayons for school that I still can not resist. Maybe it was the crunch of leaves under foot and jumping into a big irresistible pile of them. Maybe it was bundling up in a soft sweater and drinking cocoa. I think perhaps it is all of that. How about you?

download your free desktop wallpaper calendar for September 2010 here

Easy Instructions
After clicking on the above link
you will be at my Flickr page. Simply click on
"Download the Original size of this photo."
The file will then download to your desktop!

Etsy JulieMagersSoulen