• coffee life,  coffee shops,  seasons,  snow,  winter scenes

    A quote, a bit of snow and a scone

    This is Howes Street just off the CSU Oval. Roads were very slushy this morning.

    Love is not something we give or get; it is something that we nurture and grow, a connection that can only be cultivated between two people when it exists within each one of them – we can only love others as much as we love ourselves.

    Brené Brown

    This past weekend we had two days of 60 degrees and sunshine while this morning we have 24 degrees and two inches of snow. It’s still falling. However, it is a wet spring snow so plenty of much needed moisture with it.

    Coffee of choice, scones and conversation

    I had coffee and conversation with David this morning at one of our favorite coffee shops. Of course with the snow and cold the scones were mandatory. David is from Copenhagen which is a bicycle friendly city and where cars have a much smaller footprint on people’s lifestyles. So as usual, David rode his bicycle to the shop.

    Scene near Overland Trail
  • fountain pens,  journal,  musings,  writing/reading

    A Shift in the Universe

    I finished reading this book about a week ago. It took me several weeks to read it as I needed to verify a lot of the information they presented, which really turned out to be a good exercise. The authors describe themselves as urban mobility advocates, and they live such a life. What was provided was helpful in my understanding of how our country is so automobile centered in both how we live life and how we build our cities. This couple moved from Canada to the lowlands of South Holland, a country that has been in transition from automobile dependency to mass transit, bicycle and walking infrastructure since the 1970s. What they and Holland propose would require changes many in the US would resist. I’m not sure how I discovered their book, this is their second book, nor why I bought it. Maybe a major shift in the universe. Maybe it’s because I watch 75-100 cars pass while I wait at the bus-stop, each with one person in them, and this is during a 5 minute wait. I’ll write more about this later as I have a few thoughts that need formed and writing is a way for me to work them out. Hope you had a good weekend!

  • coffee life,  coffee shops

    Costumes

    I met a friend Friday morning for coffee and conversation. The couple I visited this past week are mutual friends so plenty to share. As you can tell my barista was showing off her talent on my mocha latte.

    Yesterday was the Tour de Fat in Fort Collins. It is a costumed bicycle parade followed by a party (beer) at New Belgium Brewing with music, entertainment, contests and games. What is cool about this bicycle parade is the children who dress up and ride with mom and dad. Needless to say I saw some very strange people riding bicycles. 😂

  • Art,  Art/Design,  lifestyles,  Plants,  trees

    The New Look

    Back on December 31 I wrote about changes I was having done on my condo. Thought I would post an image of what it is starting to look like now. I put up four new prints on the north wall of my living room last week. Nothing big, very simple and went with a tree theme since I like trees. You also get a look at the new vinyl plank flooring I had put in.

    In this second image I have turned to my left so you can now see the office, a second bookcase and the bicycle garage. What is new, besides the flooring, is the desk, bookcases and the two chairs. Pretty simple, quick and easy to clean.

    We received about 4 inches of snow here yesterday and into the night. Awoke to a brisk 9 degrees, clear skies and bright sunshine. The Cream of Chicken soup turned out awesome and was perfect for the snowy day. Will enjoy leftovers today.

  • poems,  poetry,  quotes

    Connected to all things

    Colorado sunrise from October of 2005

    If we look at the Path, we do not
    see the Sky..

    We are Earth People on a
    Spiritual Journey through the Stars..

    Our Quest, our Earth Walk..
    is to look within,
    to know who we are,
    to see that we are connected
    to all things, that there is no separation,
    only in the mind!

    Lakota Seer

    As a young man I spent a lot of time in nature which included walking and riding a bicycle almost everywhere. I spent almost no time in front of a television. I am grateful for that childhood. At some point I attained the coveted drivers license and life took on a new direction. I did less walking and driving and less time in nature. I then began chasing a career that put me in front of a computer, within a cubicle and less time in nature. I began to spend less and less time in nature to the point where I lost a connection to nature. I viewed it as separate from me. More than 20 years ago there was a shift in seeing that we are connected to all things. Getting back into photography and practicing a spiritual life were key elements in that shift. There is a desire within me to have more of that connection and thus the reason this poem strikes a chord with me.

  • bicycles,  Candid Portraits,  coffee shops,  Documentary/Street,  lifestyles,  Transportation,  winter scenes

    It’s cold this morning here….

    Tis a bit cold this morning

    … but the good news is we’re suppose to reach a high of 23 degrees to day. After seeing this on my phone app, I bundled up and headed for the bus. There was no desire to scrape ice and snow off the windshield of my car and deal with traffic or parking. This storm brought us 4 inches of snow, making everything have that beautiful winter scene. But, dang the cold! Anyway….