• landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  sunrises

    The Offering of Hope

    Sunday morning sunrise

    Third day in a row of almost cloudless skies. Rather unusual for Colorado. I watched as the orange globe rose above the horizon, casting its sunbeams on everyone. Nature repeats this each morning yet it is never the same. This morning it’ a’s an offering of hope, the promise of new beginnings, and a prayer for world peace. Enjoy your Sunday!!

  • Arapaho Bend Natural Area,  landscape,  natural areas,  reflections,  sunrises

    Predawn Colors

    early morning light
    nature choosing her colors
    predawn delight

    mws

    My day began earlier than usual and not by choice. I awoke precisely at 4:31 am. Not sure my body said that’s enough sleep or some inner voice was telling me to get outside and accept the gift of the new day. Maybe I need to listen to that voice more often. After scraping ice from the windshield I chose to drive east towards Arapaho Bend Natural Area. I like coming to this natural area as it’s easy to get to and the ponds provide an opportunity for reflections. As I’ve mentioned before the only negative here is having the traffic noise from the interstate, which is just beyond those trees. I felt excitement well up inside me and a tinge of promise as I drove closer because of the shape of the clouds. When I arrived at the south pond I quickly set up my camera and tripod just as nature pulled out her red paintbrush and began creating on her blue sky canvas. I stood along the water’s edge sipping on my pour-over coffee with a “giddy grin”. Have a wonderful Tuesday!

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

    One of my favorite…

    Sitting on this rock, watching the sunrise with awe and wonder. The grass around me is wet from the mornings dew and also from the rain we had yesterday. The temperature is perfect. There is almost no wind. I take sips of my chai latte, listening to a meadowlark perched atop the fence singing its morning praise. The sun rises behind the clouds, offering hints of pink and letting me know the new day is here. I’m grateful for this moment, this place, this experience, this life, all the green that surrounds me, the clouds, the new day, even the cold hard rock I’m sitting on. This is one of my favorite times of the day… one of my favorite places…

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

    This Sacred Moment

    A man who works with his hands is a labourer. A man who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. A man who works with his hands, his head, and his heart is an artist.

    Francis Of Assisi

    While scraping the car’s windshield in the dark this morning I could hear the geese on the pond announcing to the world the approaching new day. I was well aware of their secret, which is why I crawled out from warm covers and made my way to Pineridge Natural Area. I regularly make my way to this sanctuary in nature, needing to experience these sacred moments. I am filled with gratitude for the dawn of this new day, its promises, and the mysteries of what it holds. Now time for a cortado. May you also enjoy the unfolding of this day!

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

    Before Sunrise

    “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!

  • flowers,  Plants,  poems

    The Storm Has Passed

    Salsify found at Pineridge Natural Area last week

    There is buried within us
    a beauty hidden so deep
    that we would think
    it would sleep forever.
    But there are those,
    whose eyes so luminous shine,
    they reflect upon our universe
    the light of the Divine. 

    Reflection by Edwina Gateley

    High winds began around 7:00 pm last night. About the time I went to bed we were experiencing lightning, thunder, rain and hail.  Made for a rather noisy night. This morning it is overcast, gusting winds and cold at 48 degrees. Does not feel close to what we’d expect of a June morning but the storm has passed.

    I sit here watching the trees sway with the wind. As clouds move east, patches of blue sky appear allowing the light of the sun to peek through clouds. I choose to see it as a promise of a brighter day.

    I have met people whom the poet is describing and what a difference they make in this world. They are the ones who shine their light when the darkness of the storm is all we see. I believe more people are shining that much needed Divine light in our world. So, I choose to see that as a promise this morning. Maybe the storm of our troubled world has passed over.