The Windmills of Colorado

"The Windmills of Colorado" sounds poetic doesn't it? There are a whole lot more windmills in the Midwest since the last time I wandered through the area, Two of these pictures were taken from the ground... the rest from the air.

Anyhow, along with the driving & whatnot, I'm in the midst of a programming project that has to be prioritized ahead of writing long diatribes... so just some pictures for a while until I get caught up with other stuff.

These pictures were taken near Limon, Colorado, a small town about 90 miles SE of Denver. I drove there from Castle Rock, CO. It is a lovely drive that stars out in the Rocky bits of Castle Rock then glides through miles of rolling hills covered with fragrant Ponderosa Pine which then open up into subtly terraced scrub & grasslands for the remainder of the drive. About 7 miles north of Limon, there begins a plateau where the cultivated crops are multi-tasking with the windmills. It seems they extend at least 20 miles to the north and east from there.

And, by the way, if you are ever in Limon, stay at the Safari Inn. It is beautifully maintained and updated older motel...sparkling clean, small & tidy. It is run by a couple that has owned it for 19 years. There is a pool for kids and it is very very well-priced. I can't say enough good things about this place.

While the previous week the sky had been murky & hazy a few days of strong winds & intermittent rain presented me with blue skies & fluffy clouds as a backdrop.

On one of the days I was out testing the camera drone I had fairly clear skies.

Rain & storm clouds... all of the way beyond the horizon.

The installation of windmills extends at least 20 miles to the north-east from here. This is shot from the southern edge of the plateau where the windmills are installed. On the plateau the soil is richer and is planted with field crops. In the foreground... the incline to the basin the land is used for grazing and hay.

Windmills running into the distance.

More stormy weather, more windmills. The clouds became progressively more interesting that day.

During the night I was out walking. The weather had moved to the east and far off I could see the lightning flash and flair into the black sky. Off to the west, storms were wreaking their violence over the rockies.

That there is millet in the foreground. a somewhat deeper green than the corn crops nearby.

And a self-portrait to boot! That little black speck next to the little grey spec at the bottom is me. This is the slope that least up to the plateau of the windmills.