My online journal sharing interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
I miss the morning sunrises of the Colorado plains. I would rise early and drive east looking for solitary objects to place against the sometimes vibrant or pastel colors along the horizon. I find myself drawn to the trees that stands naked and exposed on cold wintery mornings.
While visiting my parents in Gold Canyon AZ, I decided to rise early and drive out to Peralta Road on the south side of the Superstition Mountains for some sunrise shots. I was given more than just a sunrise as I discovered this owl perched on a saguaro. I believe it is a Great Horned Owl and is probably searching for one more morsel before finding a cool place to spend the day. There is something special about being there just before sunrise.
In case you may not know, leaves don’t just fall from trees they get booted off. Here is an interesting article on why a tree cuts them loose. The leaves supply food for the tree and once that has ended they will provide a source of food with their decomposition, returning nutrients to the soil. These nutrients can then be taken up by the roots of living plants enabling them to grow and develop.
This leaf did not make it to the forest floor, it landed on one of the boardwalks at Inniswood Gardens. There it will be picked by the winds of nature and dance with other leaves finding it’s place in the vital ecosystem it belongs in. It’s all part of the system.
I parked my rump on a bench along the foot path in Inniswood Gardens to watch the half dozen squirrels in front of me as they scampered along the forest floor in search of food. This time of year you will find them busy searching for and storing nuts and acorns near their dens for the coming winter months. The carpet of leaves has hidden some of their much needed food so their search for food has the feeling of a game. You can hear the rustling of leaves as they stick their noses under the carpet of leaves in search of their treasure then quickly lift their heads and move to the next location as if to say, “Nope, nothing there. Maybe it’s over here.”
Every so often they seem to be playing a game of tag with one another but I soon realize they are being territorial as they chase one another around. Their work at this time of the year is a necessity and feels hurried, yet they seemed to also be having fun and no one gets hurt. I enjoyed watching.
Men cannot understand Truth because they cling to self, because they believe in a love self, because they believe self to be the only reality, whereas it is the one delusion. The Way of Peace by James Allen
This is a wonderful quote, “So stop worrying about which brand is best — and start using your camera to find out what life is like on the other side of the shutter.” It can be found in this post from Black Star Rising.
Working as a flight attendant I get to see people who are afraid to fly. They will have a tight grip on the armrest, breathing is short, eyes are open wide and constantly searching all that is around them, ears are alert to every sound. Once the aircraft lifts from the ground their bodies tighten and become rigid. Fear is in control.
Fear runs ramp-id in our world, cheating some of us from living life to its fullest. The biggest regrets in my life have been those times I failed to try due to fear of failure, which is failure. I wonder how many images I have missed because I was white knuckling it. Each day I have the chance to experience life outside my comfort zone and maybe learn something wonderful. It’s all about letting go and trusting.