My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
It has threatened to rain most of the afternoon but we’ve received only a few drops. We really need it! However the clouds have definitely cooled things down. We have had rain during the past two nights but again nothing measurable for us. Last night Nature put on an exciting thunder and lightning show. I could see the flashes even with my eyes closed and on a couple of occasions felt the thunder. The above image was taken yesterday morning just before leaving for the coffee shop. I could have just as easily taken it this morning as I saw the same scene. It again shows how easily I am drawn to shadows and lines.
Edited with Lightroom and enhanced with Jetpack Image Editor
There is a section along Spring Creek where water backs up creating this calm pond-like area. For me it offers a feeling of mystery when looking into the depth of this area. It is a complete ecosystem teaming with life we cannot see. I ride slowly through this area because of the feeling it offers me and stopped several times for photos. But this morning I stopped and took a few images with the intention of playing with them when I got home using AI. I worked on them in Lightroom then settled on enhancement with the Anime style in WordPress. I added the white egret because last week I saw one feeding in Spring Creek not too far from this scene. I did not stop for a photo because I didn’t want to disturb them. So, I asked Jetpack to add the white egret. I added a frog to the seen but before I knew it the egret had eaten them. So far most of the results I like and post here are using the anime and fantasy styles which create a completely different image from the original and dramatically transforms them. I’m still not sure how I feel about all this stuff but I am getting a kick out of it and finding some creative juices. It’s much cooler today but still warm.
Sunlit oak leaves and dancing fireflies in the forest while a tiny elf sleeps
It’s a hot day, reaching 100 degrees at about 2:00 pm. I did however enjoy my ride to and from the coffee shop this morning. Always a great way to start my day. I took an image last Thursday morning of the sun bursting through oak leaves just outside the coffee shop. I like the original image but for the fun of it I asked Jetpack to enhance it and was amazed how it changed it. It removed the street and house from the background and created a fantasy forest, added dancing fireflies, something I did not expect! I then asked it to add the sleeping elf. I really like the way it turned out and maybe because it adds a cooling feel on this hot day. I must also admit this AI editing feels very strange to me. Again I hope everyone is staying cool.
Edited with Lightroom and enhanced with Jetpack Image Editor
The practice of observing the living world and taking inspiration for human ways of living from its model is an essential element of Indigenous science. It embraces the reality that there are intelligences other than our own, from whom we might learn.
Robin Wall Kimmerer, The Serviceberry
As I waited outside the coffee shop one morning last week, I spotted this dandelion boldly living its life to the fullest. So I knelt down low pressed my shutter button and thanked it for its presence. Interesting to notice the dandelion knows where and when to rise up and greet the morning sun. I’m thinking that’s pretty smart!! It will be another hot day, so please stay cool.
Stopping is an essential part of the spiritual life. If we cannot stop, we cannot see our True Nature. When we stop, we begin to see clearly, and we can appreciate the wonders of life. We can see that there is no separation between ourselves and the world, and we can marvel at the oneness of all things. To be fully present in the moment, we need to stop letting our mind race ahead to the future or dwell in the past. We need to let go of our distractions, our worries, and our busyness.
Thich Nhat Hanh
One thing about bicycling is the tendency to be more present to the now and not as much time in my head. So this cloud scene required me to stop this morning and take in the beauty and wonder of nature. And, I wasn’t late to the coffee shop.
“There is beauty in silence and there is silence in beauty and you can find both in a bicycle!”
Mehmet Murat ildan
The gift of riding. That’s a simple statement but I think it needs to be expanded on. I had been looking at bicycles because I began having issues with my back when I walked more than 5k steps. This August it will be two years since I purchased my e-bike. From that purchase a new world opened for me and the gifts began appearing. So here are some reasons I consider riding my red steed as a gift. It includes good cardio exercise since it does not bother my back. I do not have to deal with the insanity and congestion of traffic. I spend less money on gas, put fewer miles on my car and I pollute less. I am spending more time in the elements of nature. This was a surprise because the riding puts me in nature rather than being enclosed in a car. To enhance the experience of nature I enjoy taking the Spring Creek Trail, even though it’s a longer ride than across campus. In taking that trail I’m experiencing more of the sounds, sights and smells of nature. While riding I am in the midst of the beauty and the silence of nature. For me it is the gift of a spiritual experience and a wonderful way to start my day.
I bought the Trek Verve+ 1 bicycle. I did a lot of research into what I wanted before settling on this bike because I felt it met my needs as a Class 1. It has a small rear hub 250W motor with 40NM of torque. That easily gets me up any hills around here. The battery is rated at 250Wh, is integrated in the downtube, and lets me get about 32 miles on a charge. It has a Shimano 8 speed shifter, which has more gears than I need or use. I handed them my credit card after the return of my first test ride!
The original image for this scene was taken this morning on my bicycle ride home from the coffee shop. I am standing at a concrete detention wall that creates a small pond used for water control. I must say the bicycle ride home from the coffee shop, almost two hours later, was much hotter than the ride to the coffee shop. Today is expected to be in the upper 90s and I can feel it now. Same forecast for the next 5 days. And for anyone interested I found out Dairy Queen was closing about 45 franchises due to some franchise issues, primarily Alaska, Texas and Montana. Luckily the closures do not affect my area. Whew!! I hope you stay cool and calm today!
I am thoroughly enjoying my morning rides to the coffee shop along Spring Creek Trail. This morning I stopped and took this image while standing on a small bridge over the creek then put it though the Jetpack image editor to come up with this AI generated image. I used anime style with enhancement. I did ask it to add the sunbeams and show more of the creek. I feel it gave a decent representation of the original scene. Anyway, it was fun to play with. It is another hot day for most of the country so I hope you enjoy or have enjoyed your day!
