• Black and White,  clouds,  gratitude,  landscape,  mountains,  quotes

    Everything is a Gift

    April 16, 2023
    Colorado Front Range a week ago

    “Everything is a gift. The degree to which we are awake to this truth is a measure of our gratefullness, and gratefullness is a measure of our aliveness.”

    Brother David Steindl-Rast

    It is cold this morning, requiring me to scrape frost off the windshield. But blue skies and sunshine. Enjoy the gift of this wonderful day!

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  • John O'Donohue,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes,  sunrises

    Before Sunrise

    March 19, 2023

    “One of the most beautiful gifts in the world is the gift of encouragement. When someone encourages you, that person helps you over a threshold you might otherwise never have crossed on your own.”

    John O’Donohue

    I was up early this morning, way before sunrise. Made a chai latte after quiet time then drove to Pineridge Natural Area for pre dawn light. It found it unusual to see frost on the grass but almost none on the cars. When I arrived at this spot, I was met with the silence of nature, very little wind, clear skies and cold. Its gift to me is peace, serenity, hearing an unspoken prayer and offering healing of my body and soul. It also holds the promise that today is going to be a good day. Weather app says we could see 50 degrees today. Let’s hope so as there is a feel of spring here.

    I am limited to lifting no more than 10 pounds for the next 2 weeks. My backpack with camera and lens weighs about 5 pounds and pretty sure my journal, fountain pens and kindle paperwhite, keep me under the limit. It will be another day to relax, rest and heal. Strange to think this is my 5th day since surgery. Praying you have a wonderful day!

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  • Art,  latte art,  poetry,  writing/reading

    The Gift of a Smile

    January 4, 2023

    Made a trip to the coffee shop this morning for
    a much needed dose of medicine in my recovery

    I was greeted with the beautiful smiles
    of Logan and Nate, over two weeks without them

    Nate brings me this cortado with his special touch,
    a cute pigs face made of frothy milk, now I smile

    Soft music lets the din of people’s conversations to dominate
    comforting me with voices and smiles from people I do not know

    I watch as a woman, pregnant with child, sits at a nearby table,
    reading her book with a cup of coffee, its steam rising in the sunlight

    I journal from my favorite chair where the sun warms me,
    these sacred moments somehow bring comfort and serenity

    So this morning I accepted the gift of a smile from my baristas
    holding their smile within me and offering the gift of my own smile

    Yes, the gift of a smile…

    mws

    PS: Sorry for the poor depth of field in the image.

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  • clouds,  landscape,  quotes,  sunrises

    Love the Gifts

    November 5, 2022

    “That is not the way it should be. Good leaders wait to be called and they give up their power when they are no longer needed. Selfish men and fools put themselves first and keep their power until someone throws them out. It is no good to have a way where selfish men and fools fight with each other to be leaders, while the good ones watch.”

    Kent Nerburn

    Drove to Windsor early this morning to meet Eric for coffee and conversation. Had to stop and take a few images of the predawn sky. Love the gifts of creation. Early this afternoon I sat at Mugs in the warm sunlight. Leaves fall and dance all around me. It is a beautiful fall day. Nature is all around us when we look. Meeting a friend at 4:30 pm then an evening of reading. Hope you are having a good weekend!

    I voted for the good ones today.

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