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

    I live a good life!

    March 24, 2024
    This morning’s sunrise

    The starlings have noisily invaded the leafless deciduous trees along the eastern bank of Dixon Reservoir. I listen as their rabble rousing concert echoes across the meadow. Then without warning they stop. I look up, confused with the silence. Suddenly at some unknown signal they begin again, filling the sky now with their gossip of which garden or park they will invade next. When they go silent again, a group takes flight filling the air with their black wingbeats. Some consider the starlings to be invasive and destructive but the truth be, it’s nothing compared to man!

    Fully awake now and with my spirit refreshed, I move on to a local coffee shop. I share my story of the starlings with Adrianna while she makes my mocha. With her smile, our conversation and a warm mocha I begin to warm up. I live a good life!

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  • clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  trees

    Turning to Another Door

    March 23, 2024

    At the beginning of the twenty-first century, to feel alone or want to be alone is deeply unfashionable: to admit to feeling alone is to reject and betray others, as if they are not good company, and do not have entertaining, interesting lives of their own to distract us, and to actually seek to be alone is a radical act; to want to be alone is to refuse a certain kind of conversational hospitality and to turn to another door, and another kind of welcome, not necessarily defined by human vocabulary.

    David Whyte

    I like solitude. Yet, I also need contact with people, which is one of the primary reasons why I include coffee life with my mornings. Yesterday was a funky day inside my head. Felt frustrated, restless, irritable, even lost. I wanted to be left alone. So, through habit or need, I chose to find a place in nature. So, I spent time with the meadowlarks, the silent clouds, the whisper of the wind, and my good friend, this solitary tree I visit on a regular basis. The setting sun casts a warm glow over the grass. My funk faded and a calm settled within me, but sure it will return at another opportune time. I’m glad I’m unfashionable and turned to another door! Hope everyone stays warm and dry. I awoke during the night with a sore throat and now have a niche little head cold. It will be a day for rest and soup.

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  • Arapaho Bend Natural Area,  landscape,  moon,  natural areas,  quotes,  reflections

    The Beat of the Universe

    March 21, 2024
    Full moon reflecting in Beaver Pond at Arapaho Bend Natural Area

    The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature.

    Joseph Campbell

    My early goals were often set by parents, church, schools, society and hidden dreams. These goals set me on certain paths. Not everyone’s path is the same so realize I am only speaking about mine. 

    My parents instilled within me the goal to marry and have children. I did that. The church of my youth suggested I be a hellfire and brimstone preacher. Instead, I chose to raise hell. School offered me a couple goals: to be the hero at the football game, which never happened. And the other was to attain an education, build a career, and go into debt on a 30 year home mortgage, which did happen. Then, 20 years later I got a divorce, sold the home, changed careers, and was still unhappy in my career. 

    However, none of these goals nurtured the questions that were being asked within me; “Who am I? What do I have to offer the world? How do I make the world a better place? How do I participate in the world?” Once I entered my early fifties these questions began to shout for acknowledgement. Thus began the journey of discovering who I am, and who I am not. On this path I’ve uncovered a few things I do have to offer the world and believe there are many more yet to uncover. I am reevaluating my goals and their impact on others, nature and the universe. Seems Campbell may have narrowed it down, “to make my heartbeat with the heartbeat of the universe and live as if I am a part of nature.” I can see that as a goal and a prayer. May I live it!!

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  • clouds,  landscape,  quotes,  storm clouds

    The Spell of Clouds

    March 16, 2024
    Storm clouds from March of 2014

    A cloud is a spell against indifference, an emblem of the water cycle that makes this planet a living world capable of trees and tenderness, a great cosmic gasp at the improbability that such a world exists, that across the cold expanse of spacetime strewn with billions upon billions of other star systems, there is nothing like it as far as we yet know.

    Maria Popova

    What an amazing statement she makes, “there is nothing like it as far as we yet know.” Something to ponder. I’m not sure I was as fascinated with clouds when I was younger as I am today and maybe due to my indifference, lack of interest as a youth. I know photography has changed my view of the world. I also know that as I draw closer to taking my last breath I see this world with eyes of attention, interest, respect, feeling and wonder. Having said that, I must confess all clouds have a spell on me and I’m okay with that.

    Now that the snowstorm has past, today has offered us a cloudless blue sky with sunshine and warmer temperatures. The quickly melting snow has filled the holding ponds outside my condo. The geese and ducks sound excited about that. If tomorrow’s weather is the same as today, the remaining piles of dirty plowed snow will quickly disappear. Hope you are having a good weekend. Enjoy your St. Patrick’s Day!

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