• lake,  landscape,  seasons,  winter scenes

    Mental Reset

    February 21, 2021

    “Keep close to nature’s heart and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean…”

    John Muir

    What a beautiful day for us. Temperatures reached the mid 40’s, blue skies and sunshine. Almost good enough to make a trip to the Dairy Queen. I watched the sunrise at Pineridge Natural Area this morning, a good start to any day. This afternoon I made a trip back to sit in the sun and journal. I took the long way home over Horsetooth Reservoir, up Rist Canyon, down Stove Prairie to the Poudre Canyon and back into town. A good mental reset! This is a view of Horsetooth Reservoir along the east side. Love the patterns of the ice.

    I also got my second COVID-19 immunization yesterday. I’m cured now.

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  • Fujifilm X-T3,  Fujifilm XF16-80mm f4.0,  lake,  landscape,  mountains,  natural areas,  quotes

    Cloudless Sky

    September 3, 2020

    Evening light on Dixon Reservoir yesterday

    “Let the truth be in your hearts, as it will be if you practise meditation, and you will see clearly what love we are bound to have for our neighbors.” Teresa of Ávila, The Way of Perfection

    I needed to get another 3,500 steps in yesterday afternoon so I drove to Dixon Reservoir and walked around the reservoir to get them in. The sun had dropped below the mountains making it much cooler as it was a hot day. It was different today as we had almost no clouds for the whole day. Rather unusual for us.

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  • Candid Portraits,  Fujifilm X-T3,  Fujifilm XF16-80mm f4.0,  lake,  landscape,  lifestyles,  natural areas,  reflections,  shadows,  sunrises

    What the heck

    August 20, 2020

    Getting ready for some morning fishing time

    On one of my walks at Dixon Reservoir I noticed this man just getting started with some fishing. The rising sun offered me a wonderful silhouette so I paused, took a deep breath, composed, took five images. Probably three too many but what the heck. For me the mood of this image tells a story about this man’s love for fishing.

    My bicycle ride to and from Mugs coffee shop takes me across the campus of Colorado State University. I was surprised this morning at the number of parents dropping off students at dorms. I’ll guess 90% were wearing masks but I imagine that will change when mom leaves. It also brought more awareness of the vast differences we have in our attitudes towards this pandemic. What the heck, maybe these freshman need to become fishermen, standing six feet a part. Yes, I know, I’m thinking out loud again.

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  • lake,  landscape,  natural areas,  sunrises

    A Laid Back Kinda Day

    August 19, 2020

    This morning’s sun reflecting off Dixon Reservoir

    Awoke early, had my quiet time, made a french press then drove up to Pineridge Natural Area. Quiet up there and had the place pretty much to myself. The smoke from Cameron Peak Fire is very noticable in this image, especially in the color. The fire is now over 14,000 acres with over 500 firefighters attempting to control mother nature.

    I had some journaling time at the natural area then did a short walk to get the heart rate up. I meet Joe for coffee this morning then cleaning around the condo. It’s gonna be a laid back kinda day. We need days like this.

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  • Humor,  lake,  landscape,  musings,  natural areas,  rants,  trees

    Twitching my nose

    June 13, 2020

    The old barn at Kingfisher Natural Area

    I spent time at one of the natural areas this morning. Peaceful, serene and for me a great way to start my day. Driving home a young man in a large black CJ7 Jeep come up beside me rather fast, speakers blasting. When he pulled up beside me at the stoplight my car began to vibrate and my bones began to vibrate due to the volume. It was at that moment all serenity and peace evaporated. I quickly began to fantasize for a twitching nose like Samantha from the Bewitched television show and twitch my nose to blow those speakers. I’d show him! Yes, I go there once in a while. Have a great weekend! 😠 

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  • clouds,  lake,  landscape,  mountains,  natural areas,  sunsets

    Time at Prospect Ponds

    May 28, 2020

    Storm clouds at Prospect Ponds last night

    After the nice rain yesterday afternoon I ventured out to Prospect Ponds to check out the clouds. Pulled up in the parking lot and was met with a double rainbow in the east. I stayed a while and walked among the ponds. Watching a young man teaching his girlfriend how to fly fish. Listened to the red-winged blackbirds and watched them catching insects in flight. And, of course fought a useless battle with the mosquitos. I stood ready as storm clouds were building up against the western horizon offering the beauty of nature painting on it’s delightful canvas sky. 

    A double rainbow at Prospect Ponds

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  • clouds,  lake,  landscape,  natural areas,  prairie

    Storm Clouds in the East

    May 21, 2020

    Storm clouds on the Colorado eastern plains

    You could not help but notice how beautiful the clouds were on my walk yesterday afternoon. When I got back to the condo I decided to take a few images of those clouds at the Pineridge Natural Area. I discovered it’s very different at 6:00 pm than at 6:00 am. The parking lot was full of cars. People were walking and riding bicycles on the trails and the rest were fishing. The darker clouds at the horizon look to be rain. I would estimate these clouds are somewhere around 40 miles in the east. I could see a bolt of lightning every once in a while.

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