Our living is determined not so much by what life brings to us as by the attitude we bring to life;
Khalil Gibran
not so much by what happens to us as by the way our mind looks at what happens.
Afternoon Walk
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This was taken 4 days ago on my afternoon walk. -
It’s Mysterious
Taken on my walk around Dixon Reservoir this evening forest fires destroy
leaving a path of darkness
yet new life will dawnit’s mysterious
the laws of nature baffle
senseless to logicmws
The Lewstone fire is at 100% containment. People returned home yesterday. The Cameron Peak fire is over 21,000 acres and 0% containment. But yesterday evening they had a few showers which helped them. Today the skies are much clearer. We can see the mountains again.
This afternoon I took the 1.8 mile walk around Dixon Reservoir. Eerily quiet for the first half hour I was there. I was able to finish John O’Donohue’s book today, Walking in Wonder. Plan on starting a Mary Oliver book of poems next. Hope you have a great evening and wonderful day tomorrow.
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a gift received
Morning sunshine and coffee at Mugs on Laurel warm sun beams appear
offering another new day
so live it fullywith camera in hand
eyes open to the present
the gift is then receivedmws
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The Light of Our Souls
The morning sun making its appearnce through the smoky sky “Our role in life is to bring the light of our own souls to the dim places around us.”
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Here we go again…
Helicopter with bucket heading to the latest fire, the Lewstone Fire Yesterday afternoon a new fire began in the Rist Canyon Area. It began as a brush fire and is located about 12 miles from my condo. The above image was taken yesterday evening around 6:40 pm at Reservoir Ridge Natural Area, a favorite hangout for me. Here is what that scene normally looks like at sunset. This is in the same vicinity of the High Park fire back in 2012 that burned over 87,000 acres and killed one woman. Needless to say the air quality is horrible at the present moment. We are now getting smoke from our two fires and but also the smoke from California fires are now moving into the area, even reaching as far east as Nebraska.
If you look closely in this image you can see the helicopter carrying a bucket of water to the fire. They have brought in firefighters from the Cameron Peak Fire in an attempt to gain control as quickly as possible. But, we are talking about nature which we have no control over. Last report I saw this morning the fire had grown to 140 acres at 11:00 pm last night with 0% containment.
The Cameron Peak fire is now over 19,000 acres and at 0% containment. Weather conditions are not good. Temperatures are expected to be in the 90’s the next five days with no precipitation. I’m inside this morning with my door closed because of the smoke. Not burying my head in the sand but trying not to take in any more smoke and soot than necessary. Probably not going to run a marathon today but I will try to get my walk in.
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We do not give up hope
This morning’s sun wanting to shine through Smoke hovers over the city
mws
The foul smell of smoke, now choking
The amber color uninviting, otherworldly
So quiet, birds sing in silence or elsewhere
Despairing mood in this darkened world
Close my eyes, pray for a brighter day
Open my eyes, but nothing changed
I go for a mocha, stare at blank pages
I sit in the quiet, seek the light within
Wishing it will shine on this gloomy day
Now write words, they keep me in the present
Even in this blackness we do not give up hope -
Sometimes
An late afternoon walk at Arapaho Bend Natural Area in 2017 SOMETIMES
by David WhyteSometimes
if you move carefully
through the forest,
breathing
like the ones
in the old stories,
who could cross
a shimmering bed of leaves
without a sound,
you come to a place
whose only task
is to trouble you
with tiny
but frightening requests,
conceived out of nowhere
but in this place
beginning to lead everywhere.
Requests to stop what
you are doing right now,
and
to stop what you
are becoming
while you do it,
questions
that can make
or unmake
a life,
questions
that have patiently
waited for you,
questions
that have no right
to go away. - Candid Portraits, Fujifilm X-T3, Fujifilm XF16-80mm f4.0, lake, landscape, lifestyles, natural areas, reflections, shadows, sunrises
What the heck
Getting ready for some morning fishing time On one of my walks at Dixon Reservoir I noticed this man just getting started with some fishing. The rising sun offered me a wonderful silhouette so I paused, took a deep breath, composed, took five images. Probably three too many but what the heck. For me the mood of this image tells a story about this man’s love for fishing.
My bicycle ride to and from Mugs coffee shop takes me across the campus of Colorado State University. I was surprised this morning at the number of parents dropping off students at dorms. I’ll guess 90% were wearing masks but I imagine that will change when mom leaves. It also brought more awareness of the vast differences we have in our attitudes towards this pandemic. What the heck, maybe these freshman need to become fishermen, standing six feet a part. Yes, I know, I’m thinking out loud again.
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A Laid Back Kinda Day
Morning sunrise through a smoke filled sky at Dixon Reservoir Awoke early, had my quiet time, made a french press then drove up to Pineridge Natural Area. Quiet up there and had the place pretty much to myself. The smoke from Cameron Peak Fire is very noticable in this image, especially in the color. The fire is now over 14,000 acres with over 500 firefighters attempting to control mother nature.
I had some journaling time at the natural area then did a short walk to get the heart rate up. I meet Joe for coffee this morning then cleaning around the condo. It’s gonna be a laid back kinda day. We need days like this.
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Getting Better At It
Mocha latte from the Bean Cycle Last week I visited the Bean Cycle in Old Town. As I’ve mentioned before I don’t go down there much due to the pandemic and my budget can’t afford a mocha latte everyday. But, sometimes you just have to venture out. In the background is Penny, one of the owners and who made my drink. I like to go upstairs where I can find a bit more quiet and a soft cozy chair. She filled it to the brim with her latte art which makes it difficult to carry up stairs without spilling but I’m getting better at it.
