My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
Nothing of the inherent beauty of life will be found in the grasping for life’s gadgets.
Joan Chittister
One of the reasons I come here is because there isn’t much traffic, no sirens. I’m standing in the middle of Weld County Road 90 about a quarter of a mile from the Weld County and Larimer County lines. With no traffic there is no city noise pollution. Instead there are plenty of birds to sing for me and the breeze feels wonderful. Have a wonderful day!
Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings while the dawn is still dark.
Rabindranath Tagore
There is a marsh along Weld County Rd. 13 that I like to visit for bird photos. I park the car in a pull off area then walk along the edges of the marsh with my tripod and camera looking for Red-winged blackbirds and Yellow breasted blackbirds. I watch and listen. Bird photography requires a lot of patience, something I need more of, in all areas of my life. So it’s a good practice for me. The agility of birds fascinates me, especially the smaller ones. They are quick and mobile so getting an image in focus is a task all by itself. Thus the need for patience. Once this female red-winged blackbird landed on the cattail and graciously pose for me, I needed to wait for a few seconds to let the cattail stop bouncing. Had to have some faith that would happen.
Have a great day!
“To live a spiritual life requires that we choose the values that will ground our hearts, stretch our vision, and give new energy to our hopes.”
Joan Chittister
I enjoyed a quiet predawn at Arapaho Bend Natural Area this morning. I was the only one there other than the geese, some Great Blue Herons along the far shore and a couple of pelicans. None of us was very talkative.
We had more rain and thunderstorms yesterday, in fact the weather was severe on the eastern plains. However the weather brought winds helping to clear out the smoke and haze. Quite the contrast this morning. Nature seemed to take a deep breath, relax and gives us the gifts of a clear predawn sky, a sunrise and the promise of a new day.
After spending time in these sanctuaries I feel the inadequacy of offering any words expressing the feelings I experience, yet I try. If there is one word to express my feelings it’s gratitude. Pretty simple. Such a beautiful world we live in when we take the time to experience it. Now going to meet a friend for a late lunch. Have a great day!!
Storm clouds are a reminder of how small we are in this world. They remind us that we’re not in charge. They also remind us that we can witness their gift by standing in awe of its power and beauty. But first we have to stop and look.
Sitting on this rock, watching the sunrise with awe and wonder. The grass around me is wet from the mornings dew and also from the rain we had yesterday. The temperature is perfect. There is almost no wind. I take sips of my chai latte, listening to a meadowlark perched atop the fence singing its morning praise. The sun rises behind the clouds, offering hints of pink and letting me know the new day is here. I’m grateful for this moment, this place, this experience, this life, all the green that surrounds me, the clouds, the new day, even the cold hard rock I’m sitting on. This is one of my favorite times of the day… one of my favorite places…
Western Meadowlarks seek the wide open spaces of native grasslands and agricultural fields for spring and summer breeding and winter foraging. I find them along the weedy sides of roads, marsh edges, and mountain meadows on the eastern plains and along the foothills. They seem to share the marshes with the red-winged and yellow breasted blackbirds. Which make sense as they are in the blackbird family. Since their diet consists mostly of insects and seeds they really are almost everywhere. As you can tell in this image this one has dinner already. They were perched on fence post as I drove along Weld County Rd. 15. Their song is my favorite of the song birds. It just resonates with me. I was surprised to hear it sing even with the worm in it’s bill. Again, have a super day!
Yesterday evening I spend some time at Reservoir Ridge Natural Area lounging in my Big Agnes Camp chair and journaling in the quiet. While writing I could hear something rustling in the bushes about 20 feet away. I paid little attention, assuming it to be a rabbit. However, later when I got up to stretch and walk around I discovered it to be this five foot long bull snake curled up in a rabbit brush. I’ve never seen a snake in a bush before, but always on the ground. So I now know that the scales on a bull snake’s body help it to climb plants and even trees without arms or legs. My excitement to end my day. You can click on the image for a larger view. Today is smoky and cloudy with possible rain later.
eerie sunrises the past few days as
ms
we continue to experience the smoke
from the Canadian forest fires
weather app said clear skies
but what that really meant
was we had no clouds
from a nearby fence post
a meadowlark sings benediction
greeting the dawn of this new day
from a place of prayer, hope
and a heart of gratitude
I accept the gifts offered
Happy Birthday Sheree!!!
There is One Holy Book, the sacred manuscript of nature, the only scripture which can enlighten the reader. . . . All scriptures before nature’s manuscript are as little pools of water before the ocean.
Hazrat Inayat Khan, “There Is One Holy Book”
This was taken yesterday morning at Pineridge Natural Area. You can see the smoke along the eastern horizon, looking dirty and ugly while blue sky above. Today the smoke is worse and there is no blue sky to be seen. We are unable to see the mountains in the west. The National Weather Service says the smoke is too high in the atmosphere to cause any respiratory concerns but it is visible. If you are interested here is a link to the Canadian Wildland Fire Information website. It is interactive and will show some interesting facts on the fires. The fires are the result of a heat wave pattern — described as an “omega block” by meteorologists. So, if we read nature’s manuscript correctly it is telling us that man’s impact on the climate is taking a toll. Just saying!
Meeting my grandson, Daryian, today for lunch at Hooters. His idea and should be fun. I hear they serve food there, also.