• Candid Portraits,  coffee shops,  People/Portraits

    Happy Halloween

    Maggie and Jack – Love their smiles

    I’ve never been too excited about Halloween and that’s true today. However, I know that there are many who feel differently and celebrate the day with enthusiasm and style. I’m making another assumption but with masks as a requirement for much of the world we probably will see more people dressed down from previous years, or not. Anyway, enjoy your Saturday and the candy corn pieces.

  • gratitude,  haiku,  leaves,  Plants,  seasons,  snow,  winter scenes,  writing/reading

    Unspoken Words

    Patterns of frosty leaves this morning on my walk

    grateful for the gifts
    rising from within the soul
    unspoken words

    ms

    Reflecting this morning on the gift of words that appear on pages when I journal. This led me to reflect on the words I read from the blogs I follow, the words that rise within you. When you share what you’re feeling, your experiences, what you see, and the joys and struggles of your daily lives, I see them as a gift of unspoken words now heard. So, thank you!

  • architecture,  seasons,  snow,  window,  winter scenes

    Bring it on

    Winter scene from my bedroom window

    A much needed snowfall began falling last night and has fallen all day. Along with the snow comes the cold. We’re at about 12 degrees now and will be in single digits tonight. I say much needed snow because it will help in quelling some of the fire activity from spreading. It will not however put out the fires. Forest fires will smolder under snow then blow up again after the melt. I do find it interesting to hear people being excited about the snow because of the fires. Normally people are put off with the first major snowfall as it means the coming of winter and cold. What I hear today is, “Bring it on!”

  • coffee life,  journal,  writing/reading

    Words will appear

    Journaling with a Cross pen and a good journal (2012)

    One day back in 2008 I found a Townsend Medalist Rollerball Pen made by Cross on the streets of Crystal City in Washington DC. It was very similar to this one except it was all silver. It was probably one of the nicest writing instruments I’d every used at that time in my life. By having a fine writing instrument I began to journal more and more often. I used it for a few months and then I lost it. I found the exact pen except with gold trim at Reagan Airport a couple weeks later and bought it. That’s what you see in this image. I’ve since moved on to fountain pens for an even more enjoyable writing experience.

    For me there are three factors that have helped me in my journaling. One is to have a nice writing instrument. The second is to find a journal you like, physical size and paper weight. The third is to carry them both with you at all times and use them. Words will appear.

  • clouds,  landscape,  mountains,  Rocky Mountain National Park

    Apocalypse

    East Troublesome Fire seen from Running Deer Natural Area

    This is my second post today because I wanted to share the sad affairs we are experiencing due to the fires in Colorado. I took this image today about 1:00 pm. The East Troublesome fire that began a week ago, erupted on Wednesday afternoon due to high winds, plenty of beetle killed pine and very dry conditions. It jumped from 19,000 acres to over 125,000 acres by Thursday morning, a rate of about 6,000 acres an hour. The town of Grand Lake was evacuated yesterday evening. As of 1:00 pm this afternoon the fire had jumped the Continental Divide and was burning in the upper reaches of Rocky Mountain National Park. They have confirmed active flames in Forest Canyon just west of Moraine Park. It has now clearly jumped the Continental Divide and is burning on both east and west sides of the Divide. Estes Park has been put on mandatory evacuations. People are evacuating so Highway 36, 34 and 7 are a mess. I saw a video a while ago of elk heading east, they’re evacuating also. The sky looks apocalyptic.