• Arapaho Bend Natural Area,  clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  poems,  poetry,  reflections,  sunrises,  writing/reading

    The Power of Practice

    To live a life grounded in God
    you don’t need information;
    you need to be informed by
    the spark of divine presence
    you always carry within you.
    But you’ll have to practice
    this, with concentration,
    like you would if you were
    learning a skill or art.

    Meister Eckhart’s Book of Darkness & Light

    To grow in this craft of photography requires practice. At the present moment I have over 90,000 images in my archives. A rough guess would be that less than 5% of them are good images. I’ll define good as images I’d want to print, frame or sell. And, I post many images on this blog that I would not define as good but want to share them anyway. There is something about them I like. Which means I have a large number of keepers that are lessons and teachers. The lessons they teach may not be something I understand while looking at the image on my computer. Some lessons may be unconscious and only known or understood until I’m in the field and something intuitive, that spark within me, tells me to change my composition or some technical aspect of my equipment. And, that is the lesson practice offers!

    This morning’s clouds, predawn colors and reflections at Arapaho Bend Natural Area were a good way for me to start this day. My only hiccup was making an 8 ounce pour-over rather than a 12 ounce pour-over. 😂 I hope you also have a good day in whatever you do!

  • clouds,  landscape,  sunrises

    The Grandeur of God

    “The world is charged with the grandeur of God.”

    Gerard Manley Hopkins

    This scene was taken along Weld County Road 90. I drove around this morning in search of new locations to experience and photograph sunrises which offer wide open spaces, solitude, and silence. As I stood there knee high in grasses, a Dove cried out its mournful sad song while a Meadowlark sang to me. A coyote crossed the road and I must have seen a dozen Red Tailed Hawks. And one proud white tail buck stared me down. It is quite isolated, which is one thing I am looking for. I may have found what I was looking for. So be warned you may see more images from this location. Since it’s about 35 miles round trip it’s not going to be a daily visit. Anyway, I am grateful for this morning’s sunrise and the visible grandeur of God. Hope you have a wonderful day!

    Sorry for placing the horizon so close to the center (Well not that sorry.). 😂

  • Art,  clouds,  Creativity,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes,  sunrises

    A Second Post…

    Poets have always been the ones to see most deeply into the human soul, because they are the ones most unafraid of knowing their own depths.

    Maria Popova

    Yes, this is my second post for the day. Nature is like a poet in that it is not afraid to show its depths and knowledge as an artist using the sky as a canvas and clouds as its medium. This image was taken about 50 minutes after the previously posted image.

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

    While the city still sleeps…

    The God of creation goes on creating us.

    Joan Chittister

    I awoke early this morning, way too early. Unable to go back to sleep I made a pour over then headed to Pineridge Natural Area. I would spend the next hour and a half in this sacred place while the city still sleeps. A couple of baby cottontails dashed across the road when I pulled into the parking area. After parking the car I could see the silhouette of bats darting in the dim light feasting on insects. A croaking frog belted out from the shallows of the reservoir. The meadowlarks now share their songs of joy. I had maybe an hour before sunrise so I moved to the north end of Dixon Reservoir because nature was gathering a few clouds in the northern sky. After taking a few predawn images I moved to a spot along Dixon Canyon Road and set up my camera looking out over the reservoir where I wanted to watch and photograph the sunrise. As I left this sanctuary an hour later the clouds had filled the sky and the beauty of the new day’s sunrise was more than I expected. This is one of the predawn images and I will post one of the sunrise images later. Next I had a wonderful conversation with Dan and an Old Town mocha latte at Mugs coffee shop. It has been a lovely morning but I do believe there will be a power nap later today. May you have a fabulous day!

  • insects,  John O'Donohue,  quotes

    The Wanderer’s Soul

    While each place has its own beauty, no particular place can claim to settle the wanderer’s soul.

    John O’Donohue, Eternal Echoes

    If you ever want to observe a wandering soul look no farther than the world of insects. Most wander in pursuit of food, to mate and to avoid predators. I have found the only way to photograph dragonflies and damselflies is to set up my camera and tripod then wait. With enough patience those wandering souls will pass through your viewfinder. Hoping you are enjoying your Saturday.

  • fog,  landscape,  quotes

    Full of wanderlust…

    Wanderlust in Red Fox Meadows

    … this morning. We were gifted with a foggy, cool morning here in Colorado. So, I again wandered from the comfort of my condo to walk among the wet grasses of the meadow. My body and soul needing to feel the cool air, to be awakened, again. Each venture into nature is my place of discovery, where I feel like I’m spending time with a good friend. Yes, my soul is full of wanderlust. I like that word. And, speaking of a friend. I will meet my friend Lyndsi later. It’s been a while so we will catch up and share a hug (or two). May you have a wonderful and safe day! 

    The soul is full of wanderlust. When we suppress the longing to wander in the inner landscape, something within us dies. The soul and spirit are wanderers; their place of origin and destination remain unknown; they are dedicated to the discovery of what is unknown and strange.

    John O’Donohue, Eternal Echoes
  • haiku,  horizons,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  reflections,  sunrises,  writing/reading

    The Morning’s Clouds

    nature’s gift
    painted on a canvas sky
    the morning’s clouds

    mws

    I found a place to settle along the ridge, just below the road and above Dixon Reservoir. I lowered my tripod to be just at eye level and sat there among the bluestem grass, rabbitbrush and sage brush. My low perspective was much like that of the cottontails or coyotes. I was surrounded by silence and the spicy, bitter yet inspiring fragrance of the sage. And, Oh, those clouds! I took in slow deep breaths and soaked in the gift of being alive. Within me a prayer stirs and a desire that all the world would experience and partake of these moments nature offers. I could have sat there all day but…the day calls.

    I took this image about 8 minutes earlier. This is the predawn sky and the first one is sunrise. Meet Mark for breakfast at 9:00 am then have the staples removed from my head. Rain predicted for later this afternoon. Have a super Awesome day!