My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
Poetry is one of the ancient arts, and it began as did all the fine arts, within the original wilderness of the earth.
Mary Oliver, A Poetry Handbook
I no longer celebrate the in coming New Year by partying and then suffering with a hangover in the morning. I am going way overboard this year and celebrating at home with some shrimp cocktail. Have a safe and enjoyable New Years Eve. If you do dance on the tables, please post a video. We can all use the laugh. 😁
Cold morning. Another one of those nights, awake at 3:00 am. It said 5 degrees at 5:30 am. Saw the moon and drove to Reservoir Ridge for some full moonset photos. I was given this image on the way home and liked it better. It gives you more of a feeling of what kind of morning it was. Someone has been energetic enough to clear the snow off the ice and created a nice skating rink in the foreground of this image. The Canada Geese were along the open water and in the water enjoying the weather. Not me. When I got back in the car the dashboard said it was 1 degree. I didn’t question it.
snowstorm has passed
mws
now clear skies and sunshine
bench in cold shadows
Slept in late so I got out late. Headed to Rolland Moore Park for a few winter images. I’m always a sucker for solitary benches and found one. Roads are icy this morning. So, I drive according to what I consider safe (slower than others). I am aware I can irritate some drivers who think I drive like an old man. But, that’s okay because I am! 😁
an open journal
mws
blank pages fill with words
new fountain pen
Cloudy and overcast skies with possible snow flurries later today. May be one of those days for a hot chocolate or tea and a good book. Or, writing with a new fountain pen.
sun rises in the east
mws
beams of light embrace nature
welcome the new day
Morning sunrise at Topminnow Natural Area. This is one of the newer natural areas and is still not open to the public. The city is presently restoring this old gravel pit and planted about 10,000 wetland shrubs in 2015. It is named after one of the native fish species that will be reintroduced there (plains topminnow). A good start to my day!
I was given this image on my walk yesterday afternoon at Reservoir Ridge Natural Area. They were riding just off the trail so I squatted down and took a half dozen images as she lined up with the sun. Got my exercise in with the walk and enjoyed the sunshine. Hoping everyone had a wonderful Christmas.
christmas sunrise
mws
gift of two new friends
dawn of a new day
“I have begun to look past reason, past the provable, in other directions. Now I think there is only one subject worth my attention and that is the precognition of the spiritual side of the world and, within this recognition, the condition of my own spiritual state. I am not talking about having faith necessarily, although one hopes to. What I mean by spirituality is not theology, but attitude.”
Mary Oliver, Upstream
I’ve mentioned before how I am experiencing more nights and mornings of disturbed sleep. Here is an example from a week ago. I awoke at 2:00 am, wide awake. I finally got up around 3:30 am and journaled for a half hour. I quietly prayed, taking in deep breaths. I finally got up, dressed and had my quiet centering prayer. Grabbed coffee then drove to Pineridge Natural Area to watch the sun rise. It was dark when I pulled up in the parking lot. I counted eight magpies perched on the branches of a barren tree and silhouetted against the predawn sky while the faint light accented the frozen reservoir. As the sun began to rise above the horizon the magpies leave their perch in search of food. I take a dozen photos but mostly just watch it all happen. Everything around me begins to brighten as the sun brings forth this new day. I watch a flock of geese fly above the horizon then divide in two groups and circle in search of fields to graze in. Nature on display. A few minutes later the sun has fully risen. Its warm rays are extending out to everything. The warmth feels good to my cold hands and feet. I’m in agreement with Mary Oliver that time in the spiritual side of the world tweaks of my attitude.
Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas. 🎁
Here is my attempt at a photo of the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. I tried going to both Arapaho Bend and Running Deer Natural Areas for photos but half of town was already there. So I ended up taking this last night at about 5:54:03 pm on County Road 90 between County Roads 13 and 15 in Weld County. Exposure data 35mm f4.0 @ 4 seconds, with a tripod. My first long exposure with the Fujifilm X-T3.
horizon of colors
mws
with quiet and solitude
pre-dawn on the farm
I am blessed to have the natural areas so close and with easy access. Yet, this morning I felt the desire to drive eastward, into Weld County. For I can also experience the quiet and solitude my soul needs out here. Taken this morning near Weld County Road 15 and County Road 78. And, I talked myself into stopping at the Bean Cycle on the way back into town for a mocha latte to bring home. This retirement life is pretty exciting!