• landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes

    Grateful

    April 13, 2024

    “Each person is a special gift of God to the world. His or her life is designed by God to make a difference in how the world is. That influence on the world will come by the person getting in touch with her or his inner life and making a gift of that inner life to others.”

    The Enneagram: A Journey of Self Discovery

    Took this image a couple weeks ago and just now got around to posting it. I do love the blue in Dixon Reservoir and those waves left by the geese.

    I did some study about 25 years ago on the Enneagram and found it interesting as well as helpful. There are several approaches to using it. My purpose was to understand my compulsive behavior and learn how to change those. It runs along the line of the Myer-Briggs personality types. I happened to pick up one of my books this past week and read back through some stuff and thus the quote. I like the idea that a person can make a gift of their inner life to others. The world needs more of that!

    Met my friend Eric for our Saturday morning coffee and conversation. I find it a good way to start my weekend but it is also a good close to our week. The drive is calming when I take the backroads. It is expected to be a warm spring day. Already up to 68 degrees. So, I’ve already had a chai latte, met with Eric, and a Dove’s dark chocolate. Pretty good day so far! I am grateful.

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  • Avian,  landscape,  meadowlark,  poems

    For Solitude

    April 10, 2024
    A meadowlark perched on the fence sings from the light of its soul

    May you recognize in your life the presence,
    power and light of your soul.

    May you realize that you are never alone,
    that your soul in its brightness and belonging
    connects you intimately with the rhythm of the
    universe.

    May you have respect for your own individuality and
    difference.

    May you realize that the shape of your soul is
    unique, that you have a special destiny here,
    that behind the facade of your life
    there is something beautiful and eternal happening.

    May you learn to see your self
    with the same delight,
    pride, and expectation
    with which God sees you in every moment.

    John O’Donohue from “To Bless the Space Between Us”
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  • clouds,  landscape,  sunrises

    The Silo

    April 6, 2024

    Come forth into the light of things, Let Nature be your teacher.

    William Wordsworth

    Drove to Windsor this morning to meet Eric for coffee and conversation. Always a good way to start my Saturday. The dark clouds overhead seemed ready to burst with rain at any time. There was a break along the eastern horizon and seemed to suggest I needed to stop. I watched the sun slowly rise, wanting to play hide and seek behind the clouds. The sun’s radiance causes a silhouette of the silo on the distant sheep farm. I intentionally underexposed to reduce the sun’s brightness and to add a mysterious feel. I like how it turned out. Rain is expected throughout the morning along with high winds of 35-55 mph and gusts up to 75 mph. Looks like it will be a “hang on to your hat” and “put the patio furniture away” kinda day. Enjoy your Saturday!

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  • clouds,  landscape,  mountains,  natural areas,  quotes,  Reservoir Ridge Natural Area

    Our Love for the World

    April 5, 2024

    “If we can be fearless, and be with our pain, it turns. It doesn’t stay static. It only doesn’t change if we refuse to look at it. When we look at it, when we take it in our hands, when we can just be with it and keep breathing, then it turns. It turns to reveal its other face. And the other face of our pain for the world is our love for the world, our absolutely inseparable connectedness with all life.”

    Joanna Macy

    The morning I took this image the weather app said +19 degrees but my aging body felt like it was more like -19 degrees!! The number is insignificant as it was bitter cold for me on this March morning. The cold is more painful than in years past. However those blue skies, low lying clouds and sunshine called me to be fearless and venture out to Reservoir RIdge Natural Area. The experience was exhilarating both physically and spiritually. Yes, I do have a love for this world! More rain/snow possible in the morning with very high wind gusts of 80 mph. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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  • clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  trees

    The Gift of Words

    April 4, 2024
    One of my favoritest cottonwood trees

    I just finished reading a second book by George N. Wallace. I mentioned his other book here, which was a collection of poems and essays. This book I just finished is all poetry, Enjoying the Work. I have found his writing humorous, while at times causing tears to well up in my eyes, and he does not use metaphors that cause me to wander off in stray thoughts as I try to figure out what he is saying. In his introduction he writes how poetry is therapeutic, helping him to see the beauty of an approaching thunderhead, it also mercifully dilutes the bile arising as one witnesses injustices, or ecological wounding, and hopefully permitting wisdom, love and clear-eyed resistance to prevail. I found it an easy read for me. He inspires me to write. I am thankful for his gift in words. I’ll buy his next book when it comes out.

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  • clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes,  sunrises

    Letting go

    March 29, 2024

    Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If, in our heart, we still cling to anything – anger, anxiety, or possessions – we cannot be free.

    Thich Nhat Hanh

    I had a peaceful quiet time at home then things went downhill… When I arrived at Pineridge Natural Area there was a car sitting crossways into the area entrance. It was a young couple there to watch the predawn and sunrise, and couldn’t blame them. However, they did not move so to get in I needed to go around. There was enough room but it meant I would need to drive at the edge of the road and through a couple of potholes created during our last rain. It was all manageable. A half hour later as I left for the coffee shop they were still sitting there and the car was still running. First resentment I needed to let go of! Driving to the coffee shop someone in a new Audi wanted me to get to the coffee shop quicker than I wanted, so I let them go around me. They were sitting there waiting for me at the stoplight. Second resentment I needed to let go of! When I arrived at the coffee shop my laptop would not allow me to reach my website, however my phone could. Technology had me flustered again. Third resentment I needed to let go of. I looked at my watch, it was only 8:21 am. Sigh! On the positive side, we are expecting some much needed rain today. And, with the purpose of being a student of life and desiring to live with freedom, it seems to be starting out as a day for teaching me lessons on letting go. I did enjoy the predawn colors at the natural area (once I got in). Have a wonderful Friday!!

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