My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
“You’ve got a handful of years to do your work, don’t you dare waste those moments whining instead of creating something amazing.” David Duchemin
David was on a rant the other day which is where the above quote was taken from. Some rants will turn people away while some can be life changing moments. I enjoy his rants as they are not demanding of others but offer ideas where a quiet listener can receive enlightenment. It was one of those “Hmmmmm” moments for me, so please hear me out. I promise not to rant.
“Don’t settle for hours in front of a large screen TV when you can have a larger life.” David Duchemin
They suggest 111.3 million people tuned in to see the Superbowl. This number went up to 114 million for the half time show and the final moments of the game showed 118 million viewers. Not sure how they come up with those numbers but that’s not what this post is about. My focus is on those large numbers of people glued to their large screen TVs. I just wonder are we missing out on a larger life?
Ever wonder what an animal is thinking as they make eye contact and stare? In this case I assume he is not thinking about the political debates, his taxes, his 401k, or who won the Super-bowl. His focus is on the world around him, which includes us. This world is where he finds shelter and food, the necessities of sustaining life. He is part of nature. He stares at me trying to determine if I’m a predator or abserver, a danger or not. However, I do smile as it doesn’t look like he’s that worried about eating. 🙂
Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean. John Muir
It was not a good day. They happen, ya know. Sometime in the morning I felt this restlessness rising within me. I lost my anger on a couple of trivial things, calling inanimate things names, as if they could hear and understand. My focus was all over the place. I walked into the kitchen for something and could not remember why I went there (still can’t). These are signals for me that my spirit and soul are in need of more time in nature. So, with a sunny and warm day I made my way to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR. I knew a long walk was the needed therapy. I had just read a post by Dave Showalter whoincluded an image of one of the approximately 50 eagles that have been seen at the refuge. No eagles were spotted but it was just what I needed. John Muir looked to nature as a temple, a place where he encountered his Creator. So, I guess I needed to wash my spirit with a walk in nature.
I spend way too much time on the computer. I wonder if I’m a blog addict ( notice the quiver in my voice). I think it all started when I joined a small community of photographers sharing their images on a site called pBase. I enjoyed seeing others images and enjoyed the feedback on my images. Loved those at-a-boys. I then started buying more equipment, spent more time in the field and making great plans for a career as a pro, bringing in the big bucks. I joined a couple more photo websites. Next came the world of blogging and the spiral began increasing. I started spending more time on the computer in my attempt to be a better photographer. That was all good but I could easily get lost in my computer, leave the present world of real relationships, working on projects, eating and sleeping. It is amazing how deep and dark that hole of cyber-space is. Two to three hours later I would find my way out, shaken, dazed and confused. The tea pot had boiled dry, the sun had gone down and I’d missed meeting up with Patricia. Could be why I’m still single. Anyway, here’s the little tree I’ve discovered.
The morning this image was made I woke up late. The sun was shining through my window. I took a shower and dressed ready to start the day. I walked into the living room and noticed the sky was now cloudy and large snow flakes were falling. Making sure my windows were not dirty, I went back to the bedroom window and saw the same thing. I knew I shouldn’t have washed the car! Anyway, by noon the clouds broke and the light was magical. Grabbing the tripod I headed east to see natures art and get away from the city. What a gift it is!
As a side note: we’re getting a nice dose of winter this morning. It started snowing late last night and is expected to continue into tonight and tomorrow. Forecasting 5-10 inches along the front range. They cancelled my first flight this morning and now report this afternoon. It’s a morning for a cup of hot chocolate, another gift. Stay warm!
I enjoy traveling and recording far-away places and people with my camera. But I also find it wonderfully rewarding to see what I can discover outside my own window. You only need to study the scene with the eyes of a photographer. – Alfred Eisenstaedt
While visiting my parents a couple of weeks ago, we stopped by a friend of theirs to see a massive garage he was having built. I roamed around his home with my camera and did some scene studying. It feels to me that changing this to sepia tone also changes the tone of the story in image.
Earls post about the crossings cause me to remember this image I took back in December. It was taken out the window of my hotel in Alexandria, Virginia. I was drawn to the light and patterns. I like how other photographers, or events, can inspire us with ideas or in this case, trigger a memory. I had worked on the image but was not pleased with it so I did not post it until now. Thanks, Earl!
