My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
I took this image on my walk at the Riverbend Ponds this morning. And what a glorious morning it was. However I think this goose did not have the same impression of the morning as I did. There was a lot of squawking going on and all one sided. I had to laugh as I thought through the following conversation in my head.
Second Goose: “Stop swimming away from me. I’m not done talking to you! Do you hear me?”
First Goose: “Am I going to have to deal with this all season? All I want is some quiet.” Sigh!
Male and female Redhead (Aythya americana), in case you didn’t know. As I was finishing a walk I noticed these two on my pond. Ran in and got a longer lens then sat outside and watched them for a while. We doe not see them that often so I needed to look up a bit of information on them. They are primarily a diving and dabbling duck and unfortunately are on a decline due to hunting and loss of habitat. Their favorite habitats are hanging around marshes and prairie potholes of western North America. The male is the one I spotted first due to the striking colors and bold lines. Interesting fact is that following the breeding season, males go through a molt which leaves them flightless for almost a month. Before this happens, they leave their mates and move to large bodies of water, usually flying further north. The following year they find new mates. Man, what a hassle that would be. And, I’m not talking about the molting as the hassle. 🙂
Masala chai is a flavored tea beverage made by brewing black tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs. Originating in South Asia, the beverage has gained worldwide popularity, becoming a feature in many coffee and tea houses. Since I find myself drinking more chai lattes I decided to know more about the tea. Bear with me is I bore you for a minute.
So, what sort of spices and herbs are used. The spice mixture uses a base of ground ginger and green cardamom pods. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise and/or fennel seeds, peppercorn, and cloves. Allspice is sometimes used to replace or complement the cinnamon and clove. They top off the drink with nice foam. Sorry but they do not normally serve them with whip cream. I’ve seen some coffee shops sprinkle cinnamon powder on top which adds a bit color and personality.
In many Eurasian languages, chai or cha is the word for tea. This comes from the Persian chay, which originated from the Mandarin word for tea chá. Despite this, in many Western languages this spiced tea is commonly referred to as simply chai, which can lead to conflation. For this reason, the term chai tea, although redundant (as all masala chai is tea), is sometimes used to indicate spiced milk tea as distinct from other types of tea.
Numerous coffee houses use the term chai latte or chai tea latte for their version to indicate that the steamed milk of a normal latte is being flavored with a spiced tea concentrate instead of with espresso. By 1994 the term had become commonplace. This is the type of chai I prefer to have: the concentrate with steamed milk.
I admit I do not go to coffee houses just for the drinks. But, I do go for the ambiance and community that evolves in and around them. Each is unique, taking on the personality of the owners, the baristas and the customers. That means I also bring my own gifts into the scheme of it all.
Another one of my most photographed trees that happens to be on someones property. I stake claim to the tree because I may have more images of it than the property owners do. I’ve worked this tree from different perspectives, in different light and in different weather, and all from the road and bar ditch. I shoot over the barbwire fence and under it. I’ve walked up and down that bar ditch a few times and know it pretty well. But, every once in a while I see everything differently. Which tells me one of the aspects of returning to familiar places is all about finding the unfamiliar.
I drove to Loveland to meet my sister for Sunday morning coffee and one of her special hugs. Sure needed the hug as my dashboard said it was 8 degrees. As I drove by Lake Loveland I was pleasantly surprised to see fog sitting above the lake. With the geese huddled up along the edge of the open water and the sun just coming up, I had to stop, take it all in and pull out my camera. This was not going to be a drive-by morning! Even though it was only 8 degrees I’m glad I stopped. And, when I got to the coffee shop my sisters hug was even more precious to me. Just after I got back in the car and started to drive away the geese lifted off. That would have been an awesome image. Next time.
… makes for the start of a good day. Even with a head cold and hacking cough I rose early yesterday and headed out to the Arapahoe Bend Nature area to greet the morning sun. I find the quiet and beauty in nature to be a healer for what ails me. I was still coughing and hacking when I got back to my condo but sure felt better.
When asking yesterday what light people enjoyed, Paul mentioned morning and evening light. I agree and when you look back over my archives there are plenty of sunrise and sunsets shots to choose from. Being a morning person and enjoying time in nature also draws me to this time of the day. Many people are just getting up or on their way to the cubicle so not many people or traffic to deal with either. I setup my camera and tripod then took a sip of my hot chocolate when these two Canada Geese make their way into my scene. I smiled, took the images I wanted and thanked them. (Yes, I talk to birds.)
So, the snow started yesterday and as of this morning we have about 4 inches. Have a Super Saturday!
… since I posted anything and then I have to put up a photo of yours truly. I’ve been on the road and fighting a head cold so not much time spent shooting or on the computer. My ears have been plugged since last Sunday when I tried to fly. That was not going to happen so I had to call off the trip. A couple doctor appointments and not much improvement. Snow is expected this evening and into tomorrow. So where’s Spring? Hope everyone has a good weekend.
I like the light in this image. Which asks a couple questions. Do you have a favorite light? If you look back through your archives is there a specific light you seem drawn to?
The above image I took along the east side of Horsetooth Reservoir yesterday evening of the Galena Fire. It is way too early to begin having forest fires, especially after last year. They suspect this was cause by man which makes it even more painful. Let’s hope we do not have the same season as last year. In the lower right portion you can see some of the flames as the flare up.
Looking North into the Fire
This image is taken from the south looking north towards the fire. This south end has several homes and the harbor area for the reservoir. As you can see the smoke is drifting to the east and settling on the city of Fort Collins. Everything smells like smoke and we can find ash on our cars in town. Have a super weekend.
It is light that reveals, light that obscures, light that communicates. It is light I “listen” to. The light late in the day has a distinct quality, as it fades toward the darkness of evening. After sunset there is a gentle leaving of the light, the air begins to still, and a quiet descends. I see magic in the quiet light of dusk. I feel quite, yet intense energy in the natural elements of our habitat. A sense of magic prevails. A sense of mystery. It is a time for contemplation, for listening – a time for making photographs.
