• animals,  clouds,  horizons,  landscape

    More quiet machines

    May 30, 2020
    Clouds and grazing cattle from yesterday afternoon

    I was not in a good place yesterday. I felt frustration because of the state of our environmental crisis, loss of so much of our natural world, our political mess, economic mess, the entitlement mentality of individuals and corporations, the anger and violence  in our world, and my own insecurities and fears along with my own feelings of entitlement. My journal is one of the tools I use when I become aware of these shadowy mental states. So, I took time in the afternoon to write about it. As words began to appear, I noticed a lot of wants and little gratitude for what I already have. Seems my appetite to want “more” crops up again, even in these troubled times, even when so many are struggling, even when I have all that I need.

    Yet, through my writing I became aware the root of my frustration is: the noise. Silence has become a precious gift in my life. So, the noise of man’s machines that have grated against me for years, seemed to be even louder, more intense. Part of that has been the reduction of noise during this lockdown. I think I’ve mentioned this before but sometimes I just want to run away. So I did, even knowing there is no away.

    The above image is as close to away as it got for me, about 7-8 miles east of town. I pulled over to watch and listen to nature, letting it all sink in, soothing, healing this troubled soul. The birds were singing and the grass eating cow machines were busily working. There is a twitter  quote by Neil deGrasse Tyson that says a cow is a biological machine invented by humans to turn grass into steak. What’s really cool is it’s a quiet machine. Why can’t we have more quiet machines? I didn’t want to go back to town.

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  • clouds,  lake,  landscape,  mountains,  natural areas,  sunsets

    Time at Prospect Ponds

    May 28, 2020

    Storm clouds at Prospect Ponds last night

    After the nice rain yesterday afternoon I ventured out to Prospect Ponds to check out the clouds. Pulled up in the parking lot and was met with a double rainbow in the east. I stayed a while and walked among the ponds. Watching a young man teaching his girlfriend how to fly fish. Listened to the red-winged blackbirds and watched them catching insects in flight. And, of course fought a useless battle with the mosquitos. I stood ready as storm clouds were building up against the western horizon offering the beauty of nature painting on it’s delightful canvas sky. 

    A double rainbow at Prospect Ponds

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  • clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  rants,  writing/reading

    Every day

    May 27, 2020

    Clear blue skies in eastern Colorado sunset

    I noticed this morning an increase in visual pollution
    as three contrails were etched on the blue sky.

    A question arose, instead of going back to what was,
    what if we kept the blue skies clear, every day?

    I like clear blue skies.

    ms

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  • clouds,  Humor,  landscape,  natural areas,  Plants,  poems,  poetic journal,  poetry,  sunrises,  trees,  writing/reading

    Couldn’t Sleep

    May 24, 2020
    Predawn clouds with the morning sun.

    Awoke way too early then struggled to get back to sleep, seem to have more of those nights over the past few years.

    So, I crawled out of bed at 4:00 am, had my quiet time, made a french press then headed to the Arapaho Bend Natural Area; may need a nap later.

    At 5:45 am most people are still wrapped in blankets so it was quiet except for the birds, they always rise early; always in a seemingly good mood.

    The weather people predicted a cloudy day, then rain later, so I took the chance for a sprinkling of clouds in the east; I was awake anyway.

    I like the solitude of my life, living alone, plenty of quiet, yearning to live near a natural area, always one of my daydreams; it could come true.

    Then I’d rise early each morning to greet the sunrise while listening to the free concert and tire you with too many sunrise images; See!

    ms
    Sunrise at Arapaho Bend Natural Area
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  • clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  poems,  poetic journal,  writing/reading

    This Gift of Wonder

    May 23, 2020
    Storm clouds on the canvas

    Fascinating, clouds on the horizon
    causing me to stop, to feel them deeply
    within, yet so far in the distance.

    Such power visible on the canvas sky
    hail, rain, thunder, lightning
    forever playing with color and form.

    With awe, I watch the creator create
    while I, a child caught in enchantment 
    accepting this gift of wonder.

    ms

    Happy Birthday, Sheree. You are such a gift of wonder! I love you! ❤️ 

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  • landscape,  natural areas,  Plants,  trees

    Much more nurturing

    May 22, 2020

    Morning sunburst through the trees at Red Fox Meadows

    My mornings are a restless time for me. Once I’m up I have my quiet meditation time, my own form of prayer and read from an assortment of different books, then make coffee. But for years there is some part of me that feels like I need to go somewhere. Coffee shops filled that restlessness for many years. Now that those shops are not available my pattern has shifted to more time at the natural areas near me. Some I walk to and some I drive to. I find these to be a calming and peaceful moment and know them to be much more nurturing for my soul than the coffee shops.

    Red Fox Meadows is easy walking distance for me. It has a stream that runs through it, open meadows and a couple of small groves of trees. In one of the groves of trees is a mound of grass that I will sit upon to read and journal. This image is from inside the grove of trees and taken about 10:00 am.

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