My Colorado


© Mary Ann Walsh

Congratulations Mary Ann Walsh of Grand Junction, this issue’s Photo Contest winner. Mary Ann took this photo of Akiti Arch with her Kodak Z650 camera while hiking with her son Daniel. Akiti Arch is just one of the 11 arches found in Rattlesnake Canyon west of Grand Junction.

The Day Traffic Stopped
By Kay Grove

I recall an incident that took place quite a few years ago while driving home from work. I came to a stop light at Drake and Lemay. Traffic was at a standstill because a mother duck was trying desperately to herd her little brood across this busy intersection.

The mother duck was trying to lead her ducklings to the nearby pond but she couldn’t get them over the high curb. A large bus was stopped on one side of the street, and several of the little ducklings ran under it. One man got out of his car, reached under the bus for the ducklings, and took them over to the sidewalk to be with their mother. Then another man and woman got out to help the other ducklings that could not traverse the curb, and reunited them with the rest of the family. Not a car moved until this scene was complete. Those of us who were able to watch the rest of the “show” saw the mother duck lead her little brood to the water.

People began to honk their horns, and open their windows to show their happiness for the little duck family. I sat there and thought—only in a friendly city would you see this kind of thing take place—people stopping to help the little mother duck, and then to scurry around to gather up the family.

I am sure everyone who was privy to that picture went home with a warm feeling knowing that not only do we care for the people in Fort Collins, but we care for the little helpless animals as well.

My husband and I are retired now, but I still have that wonderful image of the little duck family being helped by the citizens of this great city.

SUBMIT A STORY:My Colorado features original work by our readers that captures the uniqueness of our state. Entries must be approx. 200 words. Send to editor@colorado.aaa.com. If we use your story, we’ll send you $60. Please include a daytime phone number and mailing address.

SUBMIT A PHOTO: My Colorado photography is intended to reflect AAA Colorado members’ travel experiences. Photos must be horizontal and taken in Colorado by an amateur photographer. No professionals please (including photographers who sell their work to the public online, in galleries, or by other means). One entry per person, per edition, will be selected by the EnCompass editorial staff. If we pick your entry, we’ll send you $60. Because we receive so many entries, we only accept them by email. Please send your high-resolution photo (300 dpi min.) as a .jpg attachment to editor@colorado.aaa.com. Don’t forget to include details of where and when you took it!

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