At Rabbit Mountain

Saturday weather was great and I was way overdue for painting outdoors. I set up at Rabbit Mountain and painted two pictures. The greens on the trees are just starting to appear. It looked very spring-like in an austere Colorado sort of way, and sort of overcast. Rabbit Mountain used to be called Rattlesnake mountain long ago and it is not uncommon to run into one along the trails. So, I was particularly watchful when setting out through the grass, since the snakes are out of their winter dens now that it has warmed up.  I saw many people out enjoying the trails, lots of birds and prairie dogs, but no snakes. Two days later a woman was bitten by a rattlesnake while hiking this same trail just up the road a little farther. She had to be airlifted out.  I'm glad I didn't run into any. This first picture I faced south looking down the valley. Looking South, 9 x 12.