• natural areas,  Plants,  quotes,  trees

    if only we have eyes to see….

    February 25, 2021

    There is a secret hidden in the heart
    a treasure as close to us as our breath
    a mystery living in the midst of our soul.

    Finding it is simple, but may be hard,
    since to do so we must abandon the self
    we thought we were and seek the gift

    that is always ours: this inner spark
    that no darkness can finally extinguish,
    though it keeps us from knowing it.

    This gift is always present to us, if only
    we have eyes to see. And when we do,
    we will find its radiance in everything,

    and at all times, this light that blazes
    on in a darkness that cannot put it out,
    this secret that finds us when we risk

    abandoning ourselves to this presence.

    Meister Eckhart’s Book of Secrets

    We received about 4-5 inches of snow yesterday evening and through the night. I heard that the Denver Metro area received as much as 10 inches. I cleaned off the car then drove out into the winter wonderland.

    The above poem is the prologue from a new book called Meister Eckhart’s Book of Secrets by Mark Burrows and Jon Sweeney. It is a followup book to one called the Book of the Heart. It is their work of converting Eckhart’s writing into poetic meditations. Eckhart did not write poetically but in many ways, as they suggest, “his thought was profoundly poetic.” The romantic in me and my spiritual path have allowed me to enjoy the first book so giving this one a chance.

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  • Black and White,  Camera Equipment,  fountain pens,  Fujifilm X-T3,  John O'Donohue,  Photography,  quotes,  writing/reading

    Giving Thanks

    February 10, 2021

    A gracious mind has compassion and sensitive understanding. It is without greed; rather than concentrating on what is absent or missing, it is able to celebrate and give thanks for what is present.

    John O’Donohue, Beauty: The Invisible Embrace

    It’s 10 degrees outside. Drove to the natural area for the quiet and to journal. Did not stay long, though. Grateful to be warm and inside. Overcast sky and a few snowflakes have been sited. It has that cold wintery feel. And, it’s going to be cold for the next 4 days or so, very cold. I have coffee, chocolate, peanut butter, a new book of poetry (Devotions by Mary Oliver) and plenty of fountain pen ink. I’m good and giving thanks. Stay warm.

    The above image was shot with the Fujifilm Acros film simulation. The Fujifilm website describes Acros as: a recently introduced black & white mode that’s richer in clarity and sharpness, and was inspired by our NEOPAN 100 ACROS film, which was known for its fine grain, rich gradation, and outstanding sharpness. Like the MONOCHROME mode, it’s also available in yellow, red, and green versions, but ACROS also has an embedded graininess that matches the film emulsion original. I like it.

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  • Mary Oliver,  poems,  writing/reading

    Bought a New Book

    February 8, 2021

    On Meditating, Sort Of

    Meditation, so I’ve heard, is best accomplished
    if you entertain a certain strict posture.
    Frankly, I prefer just to lounge under a tree.
    So why should I think I could ever be successful?

    Some days I fall asleep, or land in that
    even better place — half asleep — where the world,
    spring, summer, autumn, winter —
    flies through my mind in its
    hardy ascent and its uncompromising descent.

    So I just lie like that, while distance and time
    reveal their true attitudes: they never
    heard of me, and never will, or ever need to.

    Of course I wake up finally
    thinking, how wonderful to be who I am,
    made out of earth and water,
    my own thoughts, my own fingerprints —
    all that glorious, temporary stuff.

    Mary Oliver (From Blue Horses)
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  • fountain pens,  haiku,  writing/reading

    Something New

    December 28, 2020
    The limited edition Gold Marbled Pelikan M200 fountain pen

    an open journal
    blank pages fill with words
    new fountain pen

    ms

    Cloudy and overcast skies with possible snow flurries later today. May be one of those days for a hot chocolate or tea and a good book. Or, writing with a new fountain pen.

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  • coffee life,  coffee shops,  fountain pens,  journal,  Mary Oliver,  quotes,  writing/reading

    The Beginning of Devotion

    October 20, 2020
    Upstream by Mary Oliver

    “Teach the children. We don’t matter so much, but the children do. Show them daisies and the pale hepatica. Teach them the taste of sassafras and wintergreen. The lives of the blue sailors, mallow, sunbursts, the moccasin flowers. And the frisky ones–inkberry, lamb’s quarters, blueberries. And the aromatic ones–rosemary, oregano. Give them peppermint to put in their pockets as they go to school. Give them the fields and the woods and the possibility of the world salvaged from the lords of profit. Stand them in the stream, head them upstream, rejoice as they learn to love this green space they live in, its sticks and leaves and then the silent, beautiful blossoms. Attention is the beginning of devotion.” 

    Mary Oliver

    I bought a new used book which arrived on Saturday. It’s title is Upstream by Mary Oliver and a series of essays. So far I’m liking it and relate to her spiritual connectedness to nature. So, fair warning you may see a few quotes from the book.

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  • coffee life,  coffee shops,  quotes

    Meditation

    September 27, 2020
    Reading up on haiku at the coffee shop

    “Meditation is offering our genuine presence to our selves in every moment.”

    Thich Nhat Hanh

    Had a nice quiet time this morning. It was windy and overcast when I left the condo this morning. Wind was blowing leaves across the grass and street, making them dance. It has that feel of fall. An hour later, the sun was bursting through casting rays of light across golden leaves. Quite beautiful! Could see some light rain about mid-day. The high for the day is expected to be 56 degrees. Yes, a fall day.

    We have another forest fire burning north of us in Wyoming called the Mullen Fire. It’s burning aggressively, starting 10 days ago, and has now burned up to 68,000 acres and no containment. The smoke from that fire plus the Cameron Peak fire made it difficult to see at any distance yesterday evening, made everything smell like a camp fire and ash and soot descended on almost everything. Several years ago my parents built a nice cabin in Mountain Home, Wyoming. This is near the Mullen fire and the area is now in a mandatory evacuation. It would hurt to see the cabin destroyed even though they sold a few years ago.

    The Cameron Peak fire is now the third largest forest fire in Colorado’s history. Not the record we want to boast about. Wind gusts of 50mph have caused it to increase, now at 124,000 acres. The fire has burned east past the Shambhala Center, a Buddhist retreat center but crews were able to protect the temple at Shambhala. The three communities of Red Feather Lakes, Glacier View and Crystal Lakes are still under mandatory evacuations.

    I need to catch up on reading and commenting on my blog feeder, so that is my intention today. I will also practice a bit of haiku and continue to read. And, I will for sure enjoy more meditation.

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