• coffee life,  fountain pens,  journaling,  People/Portraits,  writing/reading

    Sacred Instruments

    August 16, 2026

    I consider my journals and fountain pens as tools that enrich my life. They provide an ongoing spiritual impact on me, seeing them as sacred instruments. I’m aware that when I pick them up to journal in a public place such as a coffee shop, bookstore or library they present an image or statement about the life I live. But the true reason I journal is bringing to life a few words expressing my thoughts, ideas, dreams, and feelings. And, I have to smile when I see people with journals and pens in hand writing words on their blank pages. I secretly wonder what they are writing. What thoughts or images are being envisioned in their minds. Are they writing a short story, novel, poetry, letter, or maybe writing about me watching them.

    A reflective moment

    This Gemini generated image made several weeks ago begs many questions for me. Are the words she is finding on her pages voicing the grieving of the loss of a parent or a spouse, or feeling the experience of a new man in her life, or the excitement of her first great-grandbaby that’s due in a month, or reflecting on her life’s journey of 76 years, or maybe a time to pause and listen to the rain while watching the world pass by? Maybe it’s all of it! But it really makes no difference what story my imagination can create because it encourages me to continue my journaling. Something I like in this photo after spending some time looking at it is how gently she holds the journal and the pen. Maybe they are sacred instruments to her, also.

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  • coffee life,  coffee shops,  dessert,  Food

    Pedro’s Coffee

    August 14, 2026

    We had a very good rain yesterday afternoon, and a much needed rain. So this morning, we have high humidity and the possibility of more rain and thunderstorms this afternoon. This morning we changed things up and Jeff and I met up at a coffee shop called Pedro’s Coffee. They had these chocolate glazed donuts with little sprinkles on them in the display case that was too tempting for me not to pass up. And I will say the Americano was good but the donut was gooder. And as always so was the conversation. If you’re hot stay cool. If you’re getting wet dry off. If life is perfect, smile!

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

    A nice start to this day…

    August 13, 2026

    Within each of us there is a silence, a silence as vast as the universe.
    And when we experience that silence, we remember who we are.

    Gunilla Norris

    I have not been to Pineridge Natural Area in quite some time so I changed that this morning. It is supposed to rain later today, which means there would be a chance for colors with clouds at sunrise. I parked, turned off the car and was met with silence. I was given a bit of pink color along the horizon and the air was clear of smoke. Dixon Reservoir was calm and offered a nice reflection. I took a few photos then left to meet Jeff at the coffee shop. Sunrise and silence, coffee and conversation with a friend, always a nice start to the day.

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  • Dewdrops,  leaves,  quotes

    Capable of Great Love

    August 10, 2026
    Edited with Lightroom then enhanced with Jetpack Image Editor

    We can make a difference when we draw on our courage and creativity to stand up for our beliefs. Our small actions carry a cumulative power that can shift the planet onto a more positive course. We only need to tap our innate creativity and connect with expression not only through a particular medium like paint or clay or words; the other medium we all have to express our creativity is our lives. As human beings, we’re innately creative, capable of great love, and creatures of community. When we draw on our natural gifts and act together, we have enormous power to ease suffering and invent new possibilities for a better world.

    Kim Ridley

    I post a lot of quotes here. I struggle sometimes to post long ones because too many words can confuse, distract and make a difference in how the reader understands what the author intended. The above quote is an example. What I was moved by in the quote was the fact that mankind is capable of great love, while knowing in my mind mankind is also capable of great hatred. But, I will keep my focus on hope and belief in great love! I hope you are having a great day!!!

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

    Their Noise Machines

    August 4, 2026
    Sunrise at Pineridge Natural Area – August 2025

    “There are some places so beautiful they can make a grown man break down and weep.”

     Edward Abbey

    It has been a rather cool day, a pleasant change from the past three weeks. I had blood draw last Friday and met with my hematologist this morning to go over those numbers. She was pleased with my numbers because they are stable. So all is good. They are working on the parking lot so we have had constant noise now for two days. The email said they will be done tomorrow. Seems man sure does enjoy their noise machines.

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  • flowers,  Plants,  quotes

    … life could be otherwise

    August 1, 2026
    Columbines from my sisters back yard – 2015

    “If we think we are our thoughts and feelings, we go through life simply reacting to what is going on around us, with little awareness that we are even doing this or that life could be otherwise.”

    Martin Laird

    Hope you are staying cool!!

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  • fountain pens,  JetPack,  quotes

    Writing

    July 31, 2026
    Edited with Lightroom then enhanced with Jetpack Image Editor

    Write only if you cannot live without writing. Write only what you alone can write.

    Elie Wiesel

    This is a beautiful glass blown fountain pen holder that was given to me as a gift. The fountain pen is a Meisterstück gold-coated 149 by Montblanc that was also given to me. It is a piston filling pen and has a handcrafted Au750 gold nib. The pen and nib are much bigger than my Pelikan so it’s not as comfortable a writing pen for me. I did clean it up today and put some Pilot Yama-guri ink in it. We will see how it feels using it for a while. It is going to be a hot weekend for us here in Colorado.

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  • flowers,  landscape,  mountains,  sunsets

    Colorado Sunset

    July 30, 2026
    Sunset along the Colorado Front Range

    Back in August of 2015 I house sat for some friends for a week. It was a strawbale house on 20 acres in the eastern plains and a lovely place of solitude. This was one of the sunsets I enjoyed while there. I’ve heard the sunset is the sun’s fiery kiss to the night. Seems appropriate for this late posting. May you sleep well tonight!

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