An online journal sharing my interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, spirituality and asking deep questions.
in pre-dawn light
mws
eyes pierce the world of darkness
silent predator
Awoke to a dusting of snow with more possible later this evening. I made my first venture to a coffee shop yesterday with my sister and came home a bit worn out. It was a good experience for me. This early morning image of the owl was taken in 2006 along the Peralta Trail in Arizona while on a visit to see my parents.
Every creature is a word of God and a book about God.
Meister Eckhart
I journal almost everyday looking for words to take form on blank pages. Sometimes they make sense, other times they don’t and some days they do not appear. Same can be said about this blog. But I continue to sit with pen and paper in anticipation of words about life. I also embrace the words creation offers me when I listen with my ears, eyes and especially my heart. I find Mary Oliver’s poetry, and others, is about their communion with nature. There is a conversation going on. They know it. I read where many indigenous people have conversations with nature for many generations. If we were to go with Eckhart’s idea that every creature is a word of God and a book about God then what an opportunity for us to experience.
After quiet time I usually check my weather app. This morning it told me it was 55 degrees with cloudy skies and possible rain. It is very easy for me to tell myself there is no need to go to the natural area because the cloudy skies will not offer a good image and believe that lie. Glad I did not listen to what I think I think I know but ventured out anyway. I was given these lovely clouds for going. I also was able to experience the soft gentle call of an owl from the ridge behind me, listen to mallards squawking on the reservoir as they made gentle v-shaped waves on the water and saw a couple of bats darting above me. I knew I’d made a good choice.
I’ve been going up there for the past 18 months on a regular basis. It has become a part of my morning ritual. About six months ago I began to see a young lady who would come up maybe 4-5 times a week. She grabs a yoga mat then walks up Overlook Trail to greet the morning sunrise. We now wave to each other as we have become part of the natural area. This morning before she headed up the Overlook Trail I said good morning and let her know I could hear the owl somewhere on the ridge. Said she saw them yesterday morning and “who-hoo, who’d” back and forth with them. Yep, glad I didn’t listen to my thinking this morning.