• clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  mountains,  quotes

    Transformed

    June 30, 2025
    Light rain falling in the mountains

    The spirit of the wilderness is solitude. We go alone to meet the divinity within us. The wisdom of the wilderness comes from God interacting through creation to touch our very soul. We emerge from our journey with a new identity grounded in God. Transformed, we discover we have been given back to ourselves.

    Debra Donnelly-Barton

    I have mentioned before on this blog how I go to places where I can touch and be touched by nature; physically, emotionally and spiritually. There is always a shift in my thinking, words and actions when I am able to spend time in the local natural areas, the early mornings of a local park, riding my bicycle on a nature trail, or the solitude of wilderness. When I do, I find a renewed connection to the Creator of this beautiful world we all are a part of and a greater awareness that I’m a part of nature. Her use of the word transformed in the quote is spot on for me. I just ain’t the same when I return home.

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  • clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  nature,  quotes

    In Awe of Creation

    June 29, 2025
    Photo-bombed by starlings

    To sit in awe of creation, to listen to, observe, appreciate things greater than yourself, to understand the volition of the natural world, is to be contented and nourished with things as they are, not as they should be, not as we want them to be. This is a happiness without need of more. Global capitalism is insatiable by design. The natural world is not.

    Christopher Ketcham
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  • nature,  Plants,  quotes,  trees

    “the little joys”

    June 28, 2025

    This is our modern curse: A century of conspicuous consumption has trained us to be dutiful citizens of the Republic of Not Enough, swearing allegiance to the marketable myth of scarcity, hoarding toilet paper for the apocalypse. Along the way, we have unlearned how to live wide-eyed with wonder at what Hermann Hesse called “the little joys” — those unpurchasable, unstorable emblems of aliveness that abound the moment we look up from our ledger of lack.

    Maria Popova
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  • clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  nature,  quotes

    Refrains of Nature

    June 26, 2025
    Panorama of four images

    Those who dwell, as scientists or laymen, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. Whatever the vexations and concerns of their personal lives, their thoughts can find paths that lead to inner contentment and to renewed excitement in living. Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of the birds, the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for spring. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature–the reassurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.

    Rachel Carson in THE SENSE OF WONDER
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  • bicycling,  coffee life,  Food,  latte art

    Bike to Work Day

    June 25, 2025

    Today is Bike to Work Day in Fort Collins. They have nearly 90 morning stations and 12 afternoon stations, hosted by over 150 local businesses and organizations, who are planning to pop up all around Fort Collins. Breakfast will be available until gone or between 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and afternoon stations will be open from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. As Jeff and I sat at Mugs we got to watch and notice all the colors, shapes, and types of bicycles as well as colors, shapes, and types of bicyclists. Dogs riding in baskets, kids pedaling as fast as they can, old codgers meandering along, Tour de France wanna-bes, tandem bicycles with one rider (in the front seat), an incumbent tandem bicycle, some first time riders and old geezers who don’t ride to work anymore. I was surprised to see the variety of bikes and people. Bike mechanics were also available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

    Today was our barista, Dean’s, last day at Mugs. She is moving back to Omaha where she is from. We are sure gonna miss her, her smile, and her latte art. Thundershowers are predicted for this afternoon. Hope you have a wonderful day!!

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  • bicycling,  quotes

    Still processing!

    June 22, 2025

    I took this image on my ride through the CSU Oval for coffee this morning. I have noticed this scene before but this is the first time I stopped to accept the photo. I did enjoy the BBQ yesterday, ate too much, loved time with family and so very grateful for my grandson-in-law’s safe return from his deployment in the Middle East.


    Find contentment within.
    Be aware of how you affect your surroundings.
    Allow freedom to flourish around you.
    Do not impose or dominate.

    This is what it means to be sustainable.

    Tao Te Ching

    I am processing my feelings about this country’s actions taken yesterday. Finding many unanswerable questions running through my mind. How much escalation of hatred have we against Americans? How many more casualties of war have we just brought on? Anyway, there seems to be an extreme attachment to power, control, hatred, and inflated egos. We have proven for centuries that violence against someone (a country or nation) will not cause them to succumb to our will but only harden hearts. I’ve said enough. Still processing and thanks for listening to my ramblings! It has been another hot day here.

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  • clouds,  landscape,  quotes

    True Silence

    June 21, 2025

    True silence is calm being. True silence is appreciating the moment for the moment. Every breath a connection to my life force, my essence. It is the grandest music I have ever heard.

    Richard Wagamese

    It’s been a hot day! I met Eric for coffee this morning and saw this vista near Prospect ponds on the way home. I had to stop because of the one puffy cloud. And, meadowlarks were singing when I got out of the car. I drove to Cheyenne for a BBQ at my granddaughters home. Her husband has just returned from a year’s deployment so we wanted to celebrate that he’s back safely. I ate way too much food, enjoyed the family time and was grateful for the water misters.

    My MacBook Air M4 arrived on Thursday at about 1:00 pm. I began the transfer a half hour later. When it first began it said it had just over 34 hours remaining. Then 5 minutes later said 37 hours. The reality was more like 2 1/2 hours. All went smoothly and everything seems to work fine. I can see a major speed difference with this laptop in Lightroom. Probably will make me a better photographer in editing. Nah! Well, maybe.

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  • computer,  flowers,  Plants

    Out for delivery…

    June 19, 2025
    Foxglove

    Well, I ordered a new Macbook to replace my 7 year old one. I received an email this morning saying it is out for delivery today. I am going to back up and transfer the data myself so if I’m silent for a couple of days it’s cuz I’ve probably encountered a pilot error (Maybe two).

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  • flowers,  Plants

    Fallen in Love

    June 18, 2025
    Cashmere Sage

    Yesterday afternoon we had a monsoon rain and pea sized hail. After everything settled down, the air smelled wonderful. I then made a trip to the CSU Flower Trial Garden and may have fallen in love with a new flower. Please enlarge this image to check out the tiny hair follicles and this plant’s beautiful color. Cashmere sage is a perennial flower grown for its clusters of flowers. These showy lavender-pink blossoms are arranged in tight whorls on slender stems, and appear in summer over soft green, broad leaves. Google says the tiny hairs can deter insects and other animals from eating the leaves by making the plant less appealing or hindering their movement. The fuzzy texture created by the trichomes can help shade the leaves and reduce water loss from the plant’s surface. In some cases, the hairs can help absorb and retain moisture from the air, especially in dry environments. Who would have known? I’ve learned something new!

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