My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
new poetry book
ms
words offered to the soul
old chipped saucer
Bright sunny morning here in Colorado. It’s 51 degrees but the 7 mph breeze makes it feel cold to me. Coffee time and writing at Bean Cycle. Reading a book from a new-to-me poet called named Ted Kooser and his book called Delights and Shadows. Meet up and catch up with friends later today. I live a simple life but full.
They are repairing some major potholes to the parking lot at Reservoir Ridge Natural Area. One of those holes you could disappear in. On Friday when I visited I parked outside the gate and walked along the fence to get this image. This is a very different perspective than most of the images from the natural area. I like the mystery in those shadows. Happy Mother’s Day!
“Solitude is where I place my chaos to rest and awaken my inner peace.”
Nikki Rowe
“I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think.”
Rumi
Horsetooth Reservoir sits on the west side of the city of Fort Collins in the foothills. It runs 6 1/2 miles north to south and is about a half mile wide. The reservoir was created by the construction of four separate large earthen dams, all completed in 1949 and all modernized with a seismic retrofit in 2000-2004. The reservoir has a capacity of 156,735 acre-feet, a total shoreline of 25 miles. Not quite the Great Lakes.
I gave you all that information to let you know I love the clouds! They are the subject of both image! They are the reason I drove up there yesterday afternoon. I am standing along the east side of the reservoir on a road called Continental Road which travels the full 6 1/2 mile length of the reservoir. I am between two of the four dams looking out across the city after the rain moved out onto the eastern plains.
Then I spent the early part of the morning at Pineridge Natural Area. Fog shrouded the city and eastern plains. The have been 6 pelicans hanging around the reservoir for the past couple weeks. This morning they were scattered about rather than huddled together as I normally see them. So I suspect they may be social distancing or one of ’em farted. Gotta love those clouds!
… we are receiving some much needed rain this morning. It began raining just after I went to bed. Sometime during the night I could hear it pounding against my window. Awoke to lovely puddles of water. The little boy within was enticed enough to want to jump in them.
A light mist was falling as I walked to the bus stop. About an hour later it was a steady rain again. I sat in one of the lounge chairs at the coffee shop, looking out the window and watching the refreshing gift descending. Like snow there is a certain silence in gentle rain, when we pause and listen. I listened this morning. Everything smells fresh and new. I feel the coolness on my body and there is rejoicing in my spirit, even a giggle. Have a wonderful day!
“Let’s just sit quietly and listen to the secrets the rain wants to tell us.”
John Mark Green
This morning during my journaling time I began to list the jobs I have had in my life. I found it an interesting exercise into the past and recommend it just for the fun. One of the jobs I had for a short time was selling the Grit newspaper while I was in grade school. This paper required me to buy the paper and then have to sell them to make a profit. Hated it! I was not the salesman. Too much of the introvert to knock on doors. The recollection of those days invited me to look up Grit and see if it was even in print and read its history. Here is a link to the history from the company website. I found the information below from Wikipedia on Dietrick Lamade and his philosophy for the paper. We could sure use that philosophy today! Anyway it was a nice trip down memory lane for me.
Grit displayed news and features aimed at rural America, and climbed to a weekly circulation of 100,000 by 1900, following an editorial policy outlined by Dietrick Lamade during a banquet for Grit’s employees:
Always keep Grit from being pessimistic. Avoid printing those things which distort the minds of readers or make them feel at odds with the world. Avoid showing the wrong side of things, or making people feel discontented. Do nothing that will encourage fear, worry, or temptation… Wherever possible, suggest peace and good will toward men. Give our readers courage and strength for their daily tasks. Put happy thoughts, cheer, and contentment into their hearts.
We have overcast skies and a temperature of 36 degrees at 6:00 am. We may see rain later this evening. Let’s hope so!
looking out across the meadow
ms
my mind restless and troubled
seeking the quieting of my spirit.
as the sun sets over the mountains
nature empties herself completely
finding the quieting of my spirit.
This simple poem was inspired by one of Mary Oliver’s poems. She spent time in nature on an almost daily basis which is motivating me to do the same. At times I feel regret for those times I could have spent in nature. I wonder if time in nature inspires me to write or if my writing inspires me to spend more time in nature. Have a great day!!
P.S. We have water falling from the sky. People are telling me it’s called rain. ☔
Waking early I took my camera to Pineridge Natural Area to watch the sun rise. It was cold this morning at 36 degrees. A frigid breeze was enticing the brown grass of the meadow and rabbit brush to joyfully dance together. I was greeted with a meadowlark singing its song of happiness, then joined by a second meadowlark. A couple of robins perched themselves on the fence in front of me and joined in with their glad tidings. I watched a goose smoothly paddle across the reservoir leaving behind its v-shaped wake. A pair of mallards circled above as if not sure where to go. A half dozen white pelicans used their webbed feet to silently float along the north end of the reservoir in search for food. I wonder if that’s where the big fish are?
I offer thanks as I am never disappointed with the gifts nature gives me at these sacred places and times. I like to call these times gifts but they seem to be more than that. Could it be nature’s invitation to share our presence in all of creation? Maybe these times are the most natural thing we can do with nature. By now my hands were cold and I could picture in my mind wrapping them around a hot mocha latte. It has been a good start to a wonderful Sunday! May you have also have a wonderful Sunday!