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

    This Simple Prayer

    December 31, 2022
    Sunrise over Dixon Reservoir at Pineridge Natural Area – June 2022

    I want to end this year of blogging with an image from this past year that depicts where I took my camera on a regular basis. My focus over the past year was spending time in the natural areas and coffee shops with my journals and camera. This connection with nature and people has been invaluable for me.

    This year’s end has brought me unexpected challenges for my physical and emotional healing that needs to be met in this coming year. Seems much of our world is in a similar crisis, facing challenges for its own healing. I believe we must fundamentally reconnect to a God of our understanding, to nature, to one another, and ourselves for any healing. Seems many in my circles, young and old, are awakening to this reality. I also hope many will awaken to the reality that we are created out of love to be love. So, I’m moving into the new year with a thin thread of hope that all will be well! Hope just may be the key in transforming our world. Each sunrise offers a new day, a new beginning, a promise of hope, and an opportunity of living a life of love. Maybe the world needs to begin more days witnessing the new sunrise and contemplating their connection to creation. 

    I’ll end with this simple prayer: May we live a life of serenity, courage, wisdom, strength, compassion, healing, love, the help of family and friends in facing the reality of life. I love you!

    I hope you have a wonderful coming year full of good health, family time and sunrises. Happy New Year!

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  • landscape,  mountains,  sunsets

    Today’s Gratitude

    December 29, 2022

    I am grateful today that my family did a wellness check on me this past week. I was taken by ambulance and admitted to the hospital on Friday (12/23) due to a UTI infection that moved into my blood system. I knew I was ill and was assuming I had influenza or even covid. Negative on both those tests. I have a bruise on my forehead and right hip which indicates I may have fallen. My CBC numbers were, and still are, all over the place, none were in their normal range. I had high white blood cell count, low red blood cell count and my platelet count was at the bottom. An EKG showed the heart valve replacement I had 4 years ago is only functioning at about 60-65%. So for the next 6 nights I was poked and probed in an effort to monitor my blood and look for origins of all my issues to medically address them. I didn’t know I was that sick, I was that sick. We are addressing the infection as quickly as we can along with the heart valve issues. 

    So I spent Christmas in the hospital, which was not on my radar. I was discharged and home by about 6:30 pm Wednesday night (12/28). Took me a while to recognize the silence of my condo again, compared to the bustle of a hospital. I’m very anemic, have little energy and will be weak for a couple more weeks until my body heals and the numbers get back to normal. More tests are being scheduled then probably have the valve replaced via a TAVR procedure. I may not post much over the next few days/weeks as I regain my energy back. I don’t want to make this long but there are a couple people who watch my blog and I wanted to let you know why I have not posted here for a few days. Hope all is well with you and you had an enjoyable Christmas. ❤️

    The above image was taken back on 12/16/22 along Weld County Road 88.

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  • clouds,  John O'Donohue,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  poems,  sunrises

    Listening

    December 18, 2022

    Like the joy of the sea coming home to shore,
    May the relief of laughter rinse through your soul.

    As the wind loves to call things to dance,
    May your gravity be lightened by grace.

    Like the dignity of moonlight restoring the earth,
    May your thoughts incline with reverence and respect.

    As water takes whatever shape it is in,
    So free may you be about who you become.

    As silence smiles on the other side of what’s said,
    May your sense of irony bring perspective.

    As time remains free of all that it frames,
    May your mind stay clear of all it names.

    May your prayer of listening deepen enough
    to hear in the depths the laughter of god.

    John O’Donohue

    Another cold morning of 5 degrees at 6:30 am. Sometimes on mornings like this I wonder if I need to move to a warmer climate. Then realize we really do not have days like this very often. Even though you may hear me whine I still can manage to rise before dawn, have my quiet time then go to sacred places to experience the predawn light and sunrise or meander to a coffee shop or both. I live a good life with all its difficulties and joys. I have much to be grateful for. And when I do hear myself whine I am able to listen deeply enough to hear and experience God laughing with me and within me. I’m then not as cold. The image is pre dawn light at Pineridge Natural Area taken last week because this morning I only meandered to the coffee shop. 😂

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  • leaves,  Plants,  poems,  poetic journal,  quotes,  winter scenes,  writing/reading

    So Let Go

    December 17, 2022

    life is to be lived
    it’s our gift to the world
    so let go, fall freely

    and become who we were created to be

    mws

    It was bitter cold this morning, 7 degrees when I left the condo for coffee shop. Yet, clear blue skies and sunshine dominated the day. Today was winter graduation for some at Colorado State University so it was hectic around campus and a good reason to stay home. Expecting it to drop to 7 again tonight. Thankfully no wind. Stay warm and have a great day tomorrow. Live life!

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  • landscape,  mountains,  sunsets

    Cold and Windy Day

    December 16, 2022

    It has been a cold and windy day and expect another one tomorrow. I saw a high of 34 today but know in my bones it felt like it was -50 degrees. Drove out east on Weld County Road 88 this afternoon because I thought I could see something like this, the sun setting over the mountains on a cloudless sky. Seems the wind blows more when you are standing on the open prairie with no wind breaks. In for the night and nibbling on grapes and Port Salut on Wheat Thin crackers. Hope everyone had a good week and hope you have a wonderful weekend! Stay warm and dry.

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  • Documentary/Street,  rants,  street photography,  writing/reading

    My Reality of Life

    December 15, 2022
    Mural in Old Town Fort Collins – 2019

    This morning I noticed a young man in his early thirties strutting into the coffee shop1I am aware that I was immediately judgmental of him but this brought up some wonderful questions to ask myself and journal about it.  His entrance was noticeable because of his tough guy walk. The demeanor offered a feeling of toughness, don’t mess with me attitude. Nor was I the only one who turned and noticed. As he ordered his drink it was then that I noticed he was packing a gun on his right side. So, the next time I see a police officer walk into a coffee shop wearing their weapons I’ll check to see if they have the same strut.

    Anyway, this gave me some fodder for my journaling and also stirred this posting. What or who is he afraid of? Was his reality of life that foundationally scary and insecure? Did he feel the half dozen customers were possible enemies and that he needed to protect himself at any cost? I personally have never in my 20 some years of coffee shop life encountered a wild beast in a coffee shop. I have seen a dog or two. About the only life they could point a weapon at is another person.

    My reality of life presents something different. Seems I have more fear, and am at a greater risk, from the driver who is trying to text message and drive at the same time than I do of being shot in a coffee shop. And, I also have more fear of politicians, corporate executives, and the wealthy who will do anything to attain more money, power and control due to the fear they will lose what they have or not attain what they want. And, in all honesty, I have a fear of the person packing the gun and how they will use the weapon under a stressful situation, will they use it with reactionary fear.

    To end this post I must say we have no idea of the life experiences, the physical, sexual, verbal, emotional abuse and violence, others have had in life that presents their reality of life as threatening. So in my journaling and writing of this post I find gratitude for the life I have lived, the safety and security my family and community gave me and continue to give me and the innate goodness I see in this world. Reaffirms my belief that packing a gun will not prevent violence or put an end to violence and damn sure it will not bring peace.

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