Home On the Range

    Well, I did see deer and antelope on my trip to Denver. Denver is located at the foothills of the Rockies and part of the Front Range. The animals here are, of course, different from in the Willamette Valley. Most notably and numerous is probably the prairie dog. I live in the suburbs and most of the undeveloped land here is only undeveloped by people, the prairie dogs have developed cities. I didn’t see any of these ‘dogs’ up close until Kathleen came to visit. My brother and sister-in-law bought Kathleen a ticket to Denver as a present for my birthday. So we spent three days together at the end of June. It was wonderful.
    While we were together, we visited the Butterfly Pavilion, located in Westminster, Colorado. The pavilion opened in 1995, and was the first standalone non-profit insect zoo in the United States. The 30,000-square-foot facility is on 11 acres of land. The main exhibit is an indoor rain forest filled with 1200 free-flying tropical butterflies. After visiting the rain forest, we took the .5-mile nature trail just outside the Pavilion along Big Dry Creek. Here we saw prairie dogs up close. They are squirrel-esque without the fluffy tail, clearly rodents and I find them charming. We also saw double crested cormorants in the creek, hunting fish.

Snowy egret

    On my daily commute, I see herons and egrets near the South Platte River. Often as I arrive at the hospital, there are little cottontail bunnies on the grounds. The hospital has nicely kept grounds. Across the busy street in front of the hospital is open land. The prairie dogs have built their homes. On the evenings when I’ve been on call, I’ve watched coyotes trot along the open ground. Twice I think I’ve seen a red tail hawk on the telephone lines.

    And at my brother’s house, there is a red fox that comes by on her night route. Several times a week I get to see this beauty past by the house highlighted in the streetlights. The fox passes through several streetlights like Jimmy Durante did at his show’s closing. If you remember this, it will really date you.



    These creatures remind me that I’m in a new place doing new things. They also remind me to pause and connect with all of God’s creatures. Each time I see these beautiful creatures, I think to slow down and to appreciate my own creatureliness. The little bunnies crouch and become so still as I approach. The color of their fur matches the rocks, the colors of the underbrush. The prairie dogs whistle to each other describing my approach. We are all God’s creatures, connected through our Creator. Noticing the fauna around me enriches my experience. 

Coyote!!

Double crested cormorant

Night Heron in flight