• clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  quotes,  sunrises

    To Love Life…

    December 13, 2024
    Predawn at Pineridge Natural Area

    Life is everything. Life is God. Everything changes and moves and that movement is God. And while there is life there is a joy in consciousness of the divine. To love life is to love God. Harder and more blessed than all else is to love this life in one’s suffering, in innocent suffering.

    Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace

    After my quiet time and a bowl of Irish Oats I made a trip to Pineridge Natural Area to enjoy the predawn and sunrise on this Friday the 13th. It has been a while since I’ve ventured up there for sunrise. Instead, I’ve been spending more time riding the bicycle and at the coffee shops. I made a good choice as the clouds to the south were glowing pink and red. And, it was quiet and calm which quiets and calms my soul. I realized how much I missed these moments with nature.  Who knows, maybe nature missed my presence also. Our cold days have left most of Dixon Reservoir with a layer of ice. I then met Jeff for coffee and conversation and will meet Don and Elizabeth for lunch later today. Yes, to love life while we still have time!

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  • bicycling,  quotes

    Thanks

    December 12, 2024

    Whoever invented the bicycle deserves the thanks of humanity.

    Lord Charles Beresford

    It was 23 degrees when I rode my bicycle to the coffee shop. I missed the past two mornings because it was below 20 degrees, windy, and humid. I’m not tough enough to go any colder. This image was taken from a foot bridge on the Mason Trail over Spring Creek. As I’ve mentioned before I am able to stop almost anywhere along the trails for photo opportunities, which I can’t do in my car. I also am closer to nature scenes on the bicycle trails.

    In reference to the quote I am at a place in life where I have much more appreciation for whoever invented the bicycle. There are several claims on the invention but the first verifiable claim for a practically used bicycle belongs to German Barón Karl von Drais Sauerbronn1, a civil servant to the Grand Duke of Baden in Germany. Drais invented his Laufmaschine (German for “running machine”) in 1817, that was called Draisine (English) or draisienne (French) by the press. Karl von Drais patented this design in 1818, which was the first commercially successful two-wheeled, steerable, human-propelled machine, commonly called a velocipede, and nicknamed hobby-horse or dandy horse. I wonder what he would think of the e-bike and our bicycle trails. Anyway, I offer thanks to whoever!

    1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_bicycle ↩︎
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  • Candid Portraits,  coffee life,  People/Portraits

    Good luck, my friend!!

    December 11, 2024

    This is Curtis, one of the irregulars at Mugs and actually worked for Mugs at one time. He’s an awesome young man with a beautiful soul which is why I like to hang with him. He graduates this month with a degree in Construction Management. He’s already had a couple of interviews for jobs that hopefully will pay him millions of dollars. I personally hope he finds a good job locally so I can still meet with him once in awhile and also so he can be close to his family. Good luck, my friend!!

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  • bicycling,  clouds,  landscape,  quotes

    Morning Clouds

    December 9, 2024
    Clouds seen from the Mason Trail on my bicycle ride yesterday morning.

    If you learn to love books, you will never be lonely. You will always have something to look forward to at the end of the day, first thing in the morning, on a trip, at the beach or anywhere else you can read.

    Anne-Marie Slaughter, The Velocity of Being

    For me, I would include coffee shops, natural areas, city parks, laying in bed or my recliner, and as she says, anywhere else I can read.

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  • clouds,  landscape,  quotes,  sunrises

    Surrounded by Pink

    December 8, 2024

    “The quality of our being is the basis of all our actions…The quality of our presence is the most positive element that we can contribute to the world.”

    Thich Nhat Hanh

    This morning’s ride to coffee found me surrounded by pink. This is looking west across the intramural fields on CSU campus just before sunrise. So glad I was present and stopped. The Old Town Mocha I had later was just what I needed to warm up.

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  • Arapaho Bend Natural Area,  quotes,  reflections

    Transformed by the Journey

    December 6, 2024
    Setting sun at Arapaho Bend Natural Area – Nov. 2023

    To journey without being changed, is to be a nomad.
    To change without journeying is to be a chameleon.
    To journey and be transformed by the journey is to be a pilgrim.

    Mark Nepo, The Exquisite Risk

    I love the idea of transformation by the journey. And the journey I am referring to is an inward journey. I tried the geographical change but that didn’t work. I spent way too much of my life being a chameleon and that didn’t work. It has only been in the last few years that looking inward has become a door into an accurate self-awareness. Who I thought I thought I was, was not accurate because the glasses I was using to see myself needed to be replaced. My inward journey has included self-examination, prayer and meditation which have become an unshakable foundation in my life. It’s a regular part of my daily practice and I enjoy being a pilgrim!!

    Hope you enjoy your weekend!

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