A beginning is ultimately an invitation to open towards the gifts and growth that are stored for us. To refuse to begin can be an act of great self-neglect.
John O’Donohue
After quiet time at home I started a crock pot of vegetable soup. Then enjoyed an early morning mocha made by Hannah. Was able to get in some reading and journaling before meeting Mark for breakfast. Hannah and I both agreed she did a good job with her latte art and improving each day. Believe they call it practice. Christmas was good this year. Spent time with family and friends and those who are both. Not sure how you faired but I over indulged in food consumption, enjoyed myself while consuming though but paid the price. So, I was miserable later in the evening, both Christmas eve and day.
John O’Donohue’s quote says a lot in those two short sentences. We are quickly closing in on the end of the year which means a beginning of a new year. What will it hold? Reflecting on this past year I am grateful to have had both gifts and growth. I’m now wondering what gifts and growth will we encounter this year? Maybe lots of both.
This is a five image handheld panorama of Dixon Reservoir this morning about 10:30 am. The high winds over the past 48 hours have moved all the smog and crud sitting along the Front Range out to Kansas and beyond. And it still blows. Sure makes things look bright and clear. Going for a walk!!
4 Comments
Faye White
Beautiful pano! Yes, the new year beckons. What will we promise to do and more importantly, what will we promise not to do. 😉
Monte Stevens
Aah, you ask a very important question, what we will promist not to do. I hope you have one Awesome year full of wonderful gifts and surprises.
Tom Dills
Interesting that you used a John O’ Donohue quote. I just started reading his Anam Cara, although I am only through the Prologue. I want to take my time with it, as it looks like it will be the kind of book to read a bit and then pause to think about it. I am looking for ways to maintain a positive attitude next year, and keep all the negativity in a (figurative) box in the back of the closet.
We managed to keep from overindulging too much. Kathy wisely opted out of the cookie baking this year. Christmas Eve dinner was the family at a favorite restaurant where we all shared reasonable small plates. On Christmas day we cut up a ham and made it available for sandwiches or dinner depending on who dropped in when. The leftovers will become ham and bean soup! We missed the cookies but the scale has been happier!
The hand-held panorama is quite impressive! I know it isn’t the first one you have shown, but it proves how well our tools with to produce such a wonderful photograph.
Happy New Year!
Monte Stevens
Anam Cara was the first of his books I read. I also enjoyed Walking in Wonder and To Bless the Space Between Us. He is easy for me to read but I do have to read slow and chew on it for a while. I see his books as one to reread periodically. I like that he writes both poetry and prose. Seems much of his prose is poetic. I hope you enjoy his writing!
My hat is off to you for not overindulging. I failed miserably at any control. I did have good intentions. I turned down the offer to take home food at all three places. 😂 Leftovers are something I do a lot!!
Yes the panoramic tool in Lightroom does a fairly good job for my purposes. I would not use it if I was selling large framed images but using an wider lens for that.