• grass,  Plants

    Blowing in the Wind

    Bluestem blowing in the wind

    Today is the Autumn Equinox. The word “equinox” comes from Latin aequus, meaning “equal,” and nox, “night.” On the equinox, day and night are roughly equal in length. The equinox is a seasonal signpost in Earth’s orbit around the sun. During the equinox, the Sun crosses what we call the “celestial equator”—an imaginary extension of Earth’s equator line into space. The equinox occurs precisely when the Sun’s center passes through this line. When the Sun crosses the equator from north to south, this marks the autumnal equinox; when it crosses from south to north, this marks the vernal equinox. After the autumnal equinox, days become shorter than nights as the Sun continues to rise later and nightfall arrives earlier. These shorter days bring cooler weather. You can feel the chill in the air. This ends with the December solstice, when days start to grow longer once again.

    And, we had the Harvest Moon two days ago. As I mentioned yesterday it was so bright in the morning that it cast shadows across the meadow at Pineridge Natural Area.

    • Information on the Equinox was stolen from the Farmers Almanac and EarthSky
  • Black and White,  coffee life,  lifestyles,  Mary Oliver,  poems,  sunrises,  writing/reading

    Another Poem

    Mocha latte after morning at a local natural area

    Catbird
    From one branch to another, or across the path,
    he dazzles with flight.
    Since I see him every morning, I have rewarded myself
    the pleasure of thinking that he knows me.
    Yet never once has he answered my nod.
    He seems, in fact, to find in me a kind of humor,
    I am so vast, uncertain and strange.
    I am the one who comes and goes,
    and who knows why.
    Will I ever understand him?
    Certainly he will never understand me, or the world
    I come from.
    For he will never sing for the kingdom of dollars.
    For he will never grow pockets in his gray wings.

    Mary Oliver

    This is the last part of a poem by Mary Oliver called Catbird. I relate to this part of the poem because I have experienced such moments with Goldfinches, Robins, and Chickadees. I especially like where she writes, “Since I see him every morning, I have rewarded myself the pleasure of thinking that he knows me.” Yes, I talk to birds!

    It is a cold fall morning with 43 degrees. I saw where Berthoud Pass had an overnight low of 18 degrees, so it’s actually warm here. After yesterday’s winds the cloudless skies are beautiful. This mornings full moon cast shadows across the meadow at the natural area. Now a mocha latte. Have an Awesome day!

  • clouds,  haiku,  landscape,  sunrises,  writing/reading

    Brush Stroke of Pink

    light brush stroke of pink
    kisses clouds on canvas sky
    a gift of nature

    ms

    Scenes like this at Pineridge Natural Area are one of the perks for waking early. As I watched this miracle unfold I wondered what if would be like to lie in bed, snuggled under warm blankets, looking out at this scene each morning. Then I realized this awe and wonder moment I’m experiencing is because I’m standing there as a part-of nature rather than some observer laying in bed. The owl greeted me again, asking me “who-hoo” I am. Or, maybe they were asking me if I’m in touch with “who-hoo” creates these scenes each morning. I believe I know! I’ll be here again!

  • flowers,  Photography,  Plants,  quotes

    Maya Knows

    “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”

    Maya Angelou

    Personally some defeats in my life knocked me down and I stayed down: defeated. Yet for some defeats I was able to get back up, try again, and more often than I want to admit, sometimes failed again. I remember when I labeled my defeats as who I was, a failure, and in many areas of my life. But, over time we do begin to grow up and with the help of others I’ve since learned I am not my failures. Each of those defeats has been a lesson in life when I pay attention and vitally needed for my growth. Maya knows what she’s talking about. Have a super Awesome Sunday!

  • coffee life,  coffee shops,  fountain pens,  gratitude,  journal,  Mary Oliver,  poems,  writing/reading

    Warm Socks

    “Poetry is a life-cherishing force. For poems are not words, after all, but fires for the cold, ropes let down to the lost, something as necessary as bread in the pockets of the hungry.”

    Mary Oliver

    My car said it was 43 degrees at 5:18 this morning. Hearing reports that the aspens are putting up some very nice colors in the higher elevations. Awoke early and spent an hour at the natural area this morning in almost complete darkness and silence. Brought along a book of poetry to provide some warmth. Yet, I was still chilled by the time I arrived at the coffee shop. As the fall season moves on I will adjust more to the colder mornings and not be near as chilled. However, I was grateful for warm socks and a mocha latte!

  • clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  quotes,  Reservoir Ridge Natural Area,  sunsets

    Peace Within

    “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

    Ralph Waldo Emerson

    This is the time of the year when mornings begin to get cooler and afternoons stay hot. We call it fall. Met with a friend this morning at Pineridge Natural Area to watch the sunrise and sip on our chai lattes. We wore jackets. Made a crockpot of vegetable soup this morning before I left the condo and shared that with another friend at noon. When it reached 92 I decide it was time to visit Reservoir Ridge Natural Area. Without a jacket. As I took it all in, nature provided a nice wind to bring relief from the heat and provided some soothing sounds and sights for me to enjoy. A blue jay squawks from the cottonwoods behind me. A starburst shoots through the trees. I’m noticing leaves beginning to change colors. A hawk circles above. Clouds lazily drift overhead. Soon the sun dropped behind the mountains and I felt the coolness of the air. As this busy day comes to a close I reflect on both the good choices and poor choices I made today. And, I smile because there is a peace within. ❤️