My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
“The health of the eye seems to demand a horizon. We are never tired, so long as we can see far enough.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nature
I had to smile this morning with the reflections off Dixon Reservoir at Pineridge Natural Area. And, I must say I love that inviting distant horizon. I wonder just how far I can see from this vantage point. Such a quiet morning to enjoy on this December day. They say snow is on its way later Monday and into Tuesday. Then have colder days later into the week. I hope you have a wonderful Sunday!
The gift of a new day (I touched on that in Thursday’s post) always offers the opportunity for something new to experience that will only happen or begin on this day. I’m so much more aware of that than in my youth. So here is a list of some opportunities that pop into my mind as I write this post, which could be totally different next week. It’s short because I’m expecting each of us to add our own.
So, new days are for writing our first poem, begin or finish our autobiography, face the blank canvas of our first painting, bake our first pie and be brave enough to eat it, write our first song or maybe just the chorus, take dance lessons or dance in the rain, find the courage to ask her out for dinner, give our granddaughter her first driving lesson, develop our fist black and white print, watching our first sunrise in the desert in a state of awe, running our first marathon or accepting the fact it ain’t gonna happen at this age, begin a new adventure as we are never too old, plant a vegetable garden, learn to ride a horse or a unicycle or snowboard, and the list goes on and on….
The clouds looked inviting early this morning so I made my way to Pineridge in hopes of some colors in those clouds. But the colors I was hoping for did not materialize which happens when I set my expectations too high. Anyway it was wonderful to be there. I did return with cold hands and toes which always seems to make my mocha latte, made by Nate this morning, even better.
Blue Hour at Claymore Lake
I found myself in a funk while writing yesterday afternoon. So, with the sun still shining and about an hour left before sunset, I headed to Reservoir Ridge Natural Area to sit with all of creation and, also, to watch the sunset. I found what I needed. I am aware that when I leave I always need to carry home with me what I find there.
Some time after the sun has set, we enter the period of twilight called the nautical stage where everything around seems to turn blue. They call it blue hour because the sunlight’s blue wavelengths dominate due to the Chappuis absorption caused by ozone (you can check it out). I love this blue color and one of the many reason I gravitate to the twilight hours.
On a sad note, today is the 81st anniversary for the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It is a day to remember the lives lost on that day (both sides, military and civilian), the families of those who lost loved ones, and the millions of lives needlessly lost over the next four years of war. President Roosevelt in his speech the following day called it a day which will live in infamy. My prayer is that day of infamy be a time for the world to wake up to the fact that we have never found peace through war.
… I had my heart surgery, where they replaced my aortic valve. So, I thought I’d share my gratitude list with you today as it follows the theme of my last posting:
Thankful for a healthy heart and it’s as full as it is
Thankful for time with family and friends
Thankful for the opportunity to enjoy the things that have become such a gift in my life such as time with nature, photography, blogging, conversations with family and friends
Thankful for my prayer and meditation times
Thankful for my journals, fountain pens and the words I uncover with them
Thankful I can experience and enjoy each new sunrise and sunset
Thankful for another day to venture into a coffee shop to visit my favorite baristas
Thankful for the chance to read poetry, which I’d never done before
Thankful for the chance to try my hand at poetry, haiku
Thankful for the chance to create more of my photo books to share my photography and my words
Thankful for my home and the remodeling this past year
Thankful for blueberries in my Irish Oats 😂
Thankful for DQ Blizzards 😂
Thankful for my camera upgrade 2 years ago and a lust for the next upgrade 😂
Thankful that what I have is enough and in all honesty do not need anything more than what is already in my life
Thankful that there are still those who embrace love, compassion, serenity, joy, hope, peace and …. ❤️
Living in a consumer society, as a consumer, means I am bombarded daily with the idea I do not have enough. And, that’s simply not true! The Rule of St. Benedict counsels contentment, that what we have is enough. But, along with being content is the idea of gratitude. I have the practice within my journals of writing a gratitude list on a regular basis. Along with that practice I also include a simple pray of thanks throughout my day as I look for the gifts offered. When I look back over those lists I see less and less material goods and more of the intangible things in life and includes so many of the simple things. So this morning I was grateful for time at Pineridge Natural Area and this predawn scene. It was a good start to this day and reminds me that everything is a gift! Sorry it’s a bit blurry but I shot it handheld at 1/20 sec in the wind and at 20 degrees. Grateful for my old gloves! Happy Sunday!
