Yep, I live a couple blocks from a college campus.
House with a View
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Their Favorite Chair -
Patience
Reading Her Book I would venture to say many of us could use some improvement on our patience. I think aging has improved my ability to wait patiently more. Life does not need to be rushed as much as I think it used to. I could take a lesson from this woman as she patiently waits and reads. You can also note she came prepared, which helps.
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The Changes are Here
Aspen Leaf Tis the season for fall colors. The days are getting shorter so the trees are preparing for the coming winter. As the trees begin to shut down their food-making factories, the green chlorophyll disappears from the leaves. As the green begins to fade we start to see the yellows, oranges and reds. As the fall colors appear, other changes are taking place. At the point where the stem of the leaf is attached to the tree, a special layer of cells develops and gradually severs the tissues that support the leaf. At the same time, the tree seals the cut, so that when the leaf is finally blown off by the wind or falls from its own weight, it leaves behind a leaf scar. I enjoy this time of the year because of the color changes and the variety of patterns we see on the leaves. They say that each snowflake is unique, no two are alike. I wonder if that is true for the leaves. I’m fascinated all the designs nature has been working on. Nature stays pretty busy.
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Crescent Moon and Reflection
Crescent Moon and Reflection Here is another pre-dawn image from the Arapaho Bend Nature Area. I arrived earlier than expected so I walked along a narrow path to the North end of the pond, where I took the image. I spotted something dark on the path that startled me as I walk along in the dark. I chuckled when I realized it was a pile of horse manure. Nothing to be frightened with. Within seconds I found a second smaller pile, only this time I did not see it. Yep, I stepped in it. The life of a photographer. 🙂
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Make Sure to Read the Sign
No Parking -
Calm Waters
Arapahoe Bend Nature Area The beauty of calm waters in pre-dawn light.
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Can’t See Where I’m Going
Boardwalk and Cattails There is a popular saying that the “destination is the journey.” However, most of us have some pre-visualization of a destination and not much of the journey. We’re focused on the dream home, the career, the perfect family, a life of travel, status, money, whatever it is. Then, after all the planning and starting out on the journey we find we are unable to see the destination. All we’re experiencing is the journey. We thought we know where we’re going, but this is not what we had in mind.
Well, we started out on the dirt path and before long we found a fork in the road. Where did this come from? It was not in our plans. We decide to go left. Before long we find ourselves on a rickety boardwalk surrounded by cattails rising above our heads. We begin to question our decision to go left. There is no destination be seen. We’re not sure about this boardwalk or where it’s leading us? Will we run out of boardwalk? Should we turn back?
But, you know what, we made the choice to make this journey so let’s see where it leads. We just might enjoy the journey more than we expected. After walking a short distance we begin to realize the cattails are providing shelter from the heat of the day. We notice the dragonflies zipping in an out of the cattails and a sunflower plant rising above the cattails. Even though we can’t see him, we hear a Red-winged blackbird singing somewhere among those cattails. He is soon joined by a chorus of croaking frogs. And, we imagine they are encouraging us to move onward. A spider scurries to get out of our way. We realize we are not alone on this journey. Before long the boardwalk makes a curve and we enter into an opening. A bench awaits us and the clouds join the setting sun to makes today a beautiful journey. As much as we plan, the journey may not be exactly as we planned or expected but we feel inside we’re on the right boardwalk. Wonder where the rest of the boardwalk goes? It does go right.
