• clouds,  landscape,  snow

    Living Life

    April 19, 2025

    After two days of overcast skies, cold, rain and snow, the skies are clearing. And, the weather app predicts we are going to see warmer weather this coming week. A morning drive out to Reservoir Ridge Natural Area after coffee lifted my spirits. Loved seeing a touch of blue sky peeking out from behind clouds and listening to meadowlarks singing from the meadow. It was a moment to experience real life, cold and all, and grateful to be alive. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

    What is saving my life now is the conviction that there is no spiritual treasure to be found apart from the bodily experiences of human life on earth. My life depends on engaging the most ordinary physical activities with the most exquisite attention I can give them. My life depends on ignoring all touted distinctions between the secular and the sacred, the physical and the spiritual, the body and the soul. What is saving my life now is becoming more fully human, trusting that there is no way to God apart from real life in the real world.

     Barbara Brown Taylor
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  • landscape,  mountains,  quotes,  sunsets

    Enjoying this season of my life…

    April 16, 2025

    If your mind isn’t clouded by unnecessary things,
    this is the best season of your life.

    Wu-Men, translated from Chinese by Stephen Mitchell

    The list of unnecessary things my mind can grab onto seems almost infinite. My imagination, dreams, and creativity are gifts when I work to make them reality. However, learning to let go of those that are unnecessary allows me to more fully enjoy this season of my life.

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  • clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  quotes,  sunrises

    The miracle is…

    April 14, 2025

    I sit quietly on a rock looking out over the meadow and Dixon Reservoir.
    I feel gratitude for this morning sanctuary, this sacred and holy place.

    With my journal and pen in hand, I try to express what I am seeing and experiencing.
    My sense of hearing is alert to the chatter of the magpies and the songs of robins and meadowlarks.
    I feel the gentle but cool breeze that reminds me it’s still early spring.
    I’m noticing the color green beginning to dominate in the trees and grasses of the meadow.
    I watch the ever changing and beautiful clouds along the eastern horizon
    as they add a feeling of mystery to this moment.

    Within me is a knowing that what I’m experiencing is an expression of the Divine
    and the miracle is that we are here at all.1This was inspired by the quote “The miracle is that we are here at all” by Richard Wagamese, Embers: One Ojibway’s Meditations

    mws
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  • flowers,  Plants,  quotes

    It Just Blooms

    April 13, 2025
    Daffodils

    I spent part of late yesterday afternoon at the CSU Flower Trial Gardens. With my camera and tripod I meandered around for awhile. It is still early in the season so they do not have much planted. And, even though it was a beautiful day there were not many people there. But, I left with the hope of what is to come and the desire to spend more time there this summer. It is not that far of a bicycle ride and there will always be little gems to find. And for me there is also a gift that flowers offer with their beauty, peace and silence. And in today’s competitive world more time among Creation’s gifts is needed for the spirit.

    “A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.”

    Koshin Ogui
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  • clouds,  landscape,  mountains,  quotes,  reflections,  sunsets

    The Substance of Silence

    April 12, 2025
    Late afternoon at Lake Loveland

    But there is greater comfort in the substance of silence than in the answer to a question.

    Thomas Merton

    When I was younger my friends and I would ride our bicycles to Lake Loveland and fish. Our quest was for crappie and perch that gathered along the trunks of the trees in the water. If memory serves me we would use simple little jigs and it was pretty easy pickings. I have very good memories of those days. And amazingly we did not have smartphones to document it. Nor did mom send us a text message telling us dinner was ready. There seemed to be more silence back then. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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  • latte art,  quotes

    Our Code Word

    April 9, 2025
    Rosetta

    God is our code word for everything that is wondrous and mysterious and hidden at the heart of our deepest heartache, and most childlike delight.

    Mirabai Starr

    If I really want to stretch Mirabai’s definition I could replace “God” with “Old Town Mocha” or “coffee life” or “latte art.” I hope that assumption comes across as childlike and not childish! Either way Adriana did a great job on this rosetta.

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  • clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  sunrises

    Behold This Day

    April 8, 2025

    Behold this day. It is yours to make.

    Black Elk

    It’s always a good way to start my day by watching the dawning of a new day. It helps me to filter out the bulls**t the world will throw out there. So, after making a chai latte I made my way to Pineridge Natural Area. There is something healing and nurturing about sitting above Dixon Reservoir and being a witness to its gifts. Yes, the day is ours to make.

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