• clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  sunrises

    Then things changed…

    The day began as I watched the predawn colors on the eastern horizon then the sunrise from the ridge above the reservoir. I sat on the bench watched and listened. An owl, perched on the dead cottonwood tree, sharing with the world their joy for this new day. I enjoyed the warm sunshine and a light breeze we had all morning, drinking coffee and reading on the porch. It is what’s known as a perfect Colorado fall day. Then things changed… 

    By mid afternoon dark clouds had moved in, temperatures began to drop and the cold wind brought its power and authority to our attention. I put on a coat rather than a jacket and stepped outside for my walk. The cold wind stung my face and my nose began to run. The wind blew the still clinging leaves from their branches and sent them sailing in every direction. Some danced around me as if I was that important. My body knows this feeling as we move more into the later stages of fall and the promise of the colder season that quickly approaches, winter. Did I mention it’s cold?

  • clouds,  fall season,  landscape,  Plants,  seasons,  trees

    Healing Music to My Soul

    I’ve been in a funk for 4-5 days. Realized I have not taken a photo in 4 days nor been to any of the Natural Areas to greet the sun in weeks. So unlike me. To solve that I made my way to Reservoir Ridge Natural Area for some writing and just sitting there listening. A robin began singing to me and the wind was blowing through the elm and cottonwood trees. It’s healing music to my soul. As I’ve mentioned before the fall colors are splendid this year.

    I have also talked to the nurse at the doctors office about the effects the blood pressure meds are having on me and the doctor is supposed to get back with me. I don’t like how I feel with this medication. I’m tired and lightheaded and even have some shortness of breath. My blood pressure numbers are good but we are expecting more than that.

  • coffee life,  coffee shops,  fountain pens,  journaling,  writing/reading

    Huskee Cup Review

    This past summer I received an unexpected package from Amazon. It had my name on the package but I did not order anything and thus it was unexpected. It turned out to be a Huskee Cup from the coffee gods. I did find out later who the specific coffee god was. They had seen my post about these cups. So, after a bit time using it this is my Huskee Cup review.

    First, I will say I like the cup. It is appealing to me in its looks. I also like how it feels in my hand. It is light as a feather. But, I am not in agreement with their claims on their website. They chose polypropylene for at least half of the cup material for reasons they specify on their website. Their reasons are the following: It produces a durable product that can withstand the rigours of the café environment. It produces a cup whose materiality complement and highlight the innovative design features. It creates a material that can be recycled, reused and re-purposed at the end of its life in an environmentally friendly and efficient way.

    They claim the cups materiality increases the cup’s thermal retention properties, while it’s fins protect your hands from the heat of the drink by minimising the surface area your hands come into contact with! In my experience so far I have found that with no insulation properties in the polypropylene it is not capable of keeping my drink hotter longer nor keeping my hands from getting hot, as their websites states. Their claims do not seem valid from my experience. I have since read other reviews with the same claim.

    Having said that, I like the cup and use it. It’s kinda Kool. The coffee shop Lima Coffee Roasters serves their coffees in them and the customers all seem to like them. It is also a conversation starter when I take it to other coffee shops. I offer a thank you to the coffee gods for the gift.

  • Black and White,  Candid Portraits,  People/Portraits,  quotes,  street photography

    A couple of questions to ponder…

    New York City – 2008

    “I’m a child of God, and being a child of God, I’m essential, and no one has the right to limit, or the power to limit, my ability to be somebody.”

    Ruby Sales

    “What would our world look like if everyone believed and were given the ability to be somebody?” Please spend a bit of time with that question. Which then leads to the next question, “Does our inability to believe we are essential lead us to think of others as inessential and treat them as less than?” I find it important to ask myself those questions and then how do I live the answers to those questions? Sorry but I actually asked three questions. 😁

  • fall season,  grass,  Plants,  seasons,  Uncategorized

    Fully into Fall

    I needed to scrape frost off my car windshield in order to meet a friend for coffee yesterday. Even though it was cool the warm October sun allowed us to sit comfortably outside. When I returned home the red fescue grass along the edge of the ponds was glowing in the mid morning sunlight. Later I sat outside, watched that 2 1/2 foot tall grass dance for me in the afternoon light and journaled. Last night was our third frost warning in a row. Yes, we are fully into fall in Colorado.

  • Avian,  fall season,  quotes,  seasons

    Enoughness

    Someone used the word enoughness this past week and it has stayed with me. I am one of those people who always seem to want “more.” So, when she said enoughness, it struck something within me. After some research on it I found the most common definition was: “the state or condition of being enough; sufficiency; adequacy.” But maybe a better definition for me would require changing the word being to becoming, making it dynamic rather than passive. This makes enoughness a part of the journey in life, where I’m content with today, while trusting that tomorrow will also have its enoughness. Living in enoughness we can experience joy and true fulfillment with what we have. There is no need for more, just content in the very moment. Forgive me as I continue to play with words, what they mean to me at this time in life and how I can articulate them, or not.

  • fall season,  leaves,  Mary Oliver,  Plants,  quotes,  seasons

    More

    “I am one of those who has no trouble imagining the sentient lives of trees, of their leaves in some fashion communicating or of the massy trunks and heavy branches knowing it is I who have come, as I always come, each morning, to walk beneath them, glad to be alive and glad to be there.”

    Mary Oliver

    Good morning! It is a bright sunshiny morning. Awoke to frost on the car as winter draws closer. This image is from my walk yesterday afternoon and shows more of the colors nature is giving us this year in the city, which has been beautiful. However, it will not be long and these colors will be gone for this season. Winter will bring the greys and browns then followed by blankets of white. Already been to the coffee shop and indulged in a mocha and lemon cranberry scone. Happy Monday!