Since I last wrote...

Me on Devils Playground

Mike feeding a wild bird.

a marmot peeking out from the rocks.

I have been so super busy! I have done so much since I last blogged!  I have hiked from the Crags to Devils playground which is above the tree line over 13,000 ft in altitude!  The air is thinner at that elevation and there isn't enough oxygen for big trees to grow.  Some people who aren't used to the altitude get very dizzy and breath oxygen they bring up with them in cans.  I tried some myself...  I didn't notice a difference.  Where the trees stop growing is called the timberline.   It's called the Devils Playground because the rock formations have a lot of iron in them and therefore when thunderstorms roll in, it's hit by lightening over and over again. Mike had wild birds eating from his hand.  There are also these animals called marmots and they live very high up in the mountains among the rocks.  They are very cute and they chirp to each other.  It sounds like really loud baby chickens peeping.

me showing you the Autumn leaves

me sitting on a cairn

this is me trying to breath!

I hiked September 1st around Catamount reservoir and crossed the dam. I even saw a real Columbine (Colorados state flower) growing wild on a hillside!  The trees here have started changing colors for Autumn, it's going to be sooo pretty!  I'm already feeling the air starting to be cooler.

Me and a pretty weed.

Me sitting on the dam. The reservoir behind me.

Me and the little Columbine flower.

Wednesday we hiked to the Crags and down a different way this time.  There wasn't much time for pictures because we had a really fast group of hikers with us!

Me sitting in a hollow tree! 

Thursday, September 6th Danielle and I climbed the Manitou Incline.  It is 2,768 stairs.  It is about one mile long, but it goes up 2000 feet! Danielle's legs were super duper tired and I was swinging from her hat and having a great time!  When we got to the top we took the Barr Trail another 3.25 miles back down to the parking lot.

At the bottom ready to start!

At the top!

At the end! 

Today was September 8th and I finally got to hike Seven Bridges.  It isn't a very long hike, only about 4 miles, but there are really 7 bridges over a small creek and it's shady and wooded and beautiful. Well, this blog may not be arranged very well, but I'm going to post my pictures for you anyhow because I don't want to fall any farther behind!  I hope you like seeing the pictures of my latest adventures! Comment below!

Me on bridge number 6!

Me under bridge number 7!

Introduction: I am Toodles, the giant ladybug.

Hello!  I am Toodles the ladybug!  I'm not really a lady, I'm a boy.  I just met my human friend recently and she has been taking me on all sorts of adventures!  Her name is Danielle and she loves to go outside and do different things and she takes me with her! She loves to hike and go out on lakes in a kayak!  I get to learn all sorts of things about nature and science and I get to climb trees and meet animals!  I have a wonderful life and I wanted to start a blog so that I can share my adventures with you!  This past weekend I went out on a really big lake called a reservoir.  It has a dam and holds water that goes to peoples homes.  Danielle took me out in her kayak and we saw a birds nest built in the rocks, a really cool spider web with a spider living in it, some cool birds and flowers and nature.  Danielle said I could ride on the top of her hat.  She talked to me and I was so surprised to see how big the rocks were! We were camping in the mountains for her birthday and it was so much fun.

I'm going to try to write once a week about all of the things I have done during the week.  Feel free to comment, but remember: If you don't have something nice to say, it's better to say nothing at all.  I want this to be a nice blog as ladybugs are harmless to humans so I want all those here to be harmless to each other.  A little more about my kind:  there are about 5,000 different species of ladybugs in the world.  We are small beetles and people in other countries often call us ladybird beetles.  We eat aphids and other plant eating pests so we are good for gardens and farms.  You can read more about ladybugs at kids.nationalgeographic.com .

I like to ride on the dashboard and sometimes I ride on the visor, or even in the cup holder. It's always good to have someone to talk to. My friend Danielle is an excellent talker, and I am an excellent listener.  When she takes her truck on bumpy dirt roads and I am riding on the dash I jump and bounce all over the place.  These are some pictures of me riding in the truck and on Danielle's hat while kayaking this weekend on the reservoir.  I hope you like the pictures of me.  Leave me a note in the comments if you want to and I will try to write again soon! Have a great day and be kind!                                                                          

 Love, Toodles