My online journal sharing interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
the antelope grazes
ms
in a golden field of grass
yet always alert
On my drive the other afternoon I came across four antelope enjoying the warmth of the sun while grazing. I stopped and watched them, aware they were watching me. With respect we kept our distance of more than six feet. Have a super weekend!
“It’s not possible to save the world by trying to save it. You need to find what is genuinely yours to offer the world before you can make it a better place. Discovering your unique gift to bring to your community is your greatest opportunity and challenge. The offering of that gift — your true self — is the most you can do to love and serve the world. And it is all the world needs.”
Thomas Berry
“This new day has greeted us with no rules; unconditional opportunity. Do not dilute the power of this new day with the hardship of yesterday. Greet this day the way it has greeted you; with open arms and endless possibility.”
Steve Maraboli
In darkness I drove east of town to watch the sunrise and distance myself from the city noise: trash trucks, sirens, traffic, landscapers and others. I felt tired but felt the need to stay open to any possibilities the new day may bring. Joyfully I encountered a group of five antelope (pronghorn) along Weld County Road 90. They are always on alert and in my experience they normally quickly run, keeping plenty of distance. So, for them to not run away while keeping a watch on me, was different and provided this photo opportunity. Not the best image because I used a handheld telephoto lens, out the car window, with the car running. No matter, I’ll take the experience I was offered. The sky is still filled with the smoke and will be for the next few days. May you have a wonderful Thursday.
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Met my friend, Diane, at Gardens on Spring Creek. The gardens are an impressive 18 acre facility. Great for us older kids to enjoy! We brought our own coffee and met in the parking lot. They have this set aside time for members to have the garden all to themselves on certain days from 8:00-10:00 am. Today was one of those days. What a wonderful world it is. They also have a butterfly pavilion but it did not open until 10:00 am. Another time.
Had this little one come right up to me as if I was suppose to feed them. Hope you are having a great day!
“Some people talk to animals. Not many listen though. That’s the problem.”
A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
A while back I had a cottontail approach me and instead of saying my normal welcome such as “hello” I kept silent. We just watched one another, remaining present to each other and the moment. This was unusual behavior as they do not stay still very long. I wonder, was it due to the fact I did not talk but kept quiet. Anyway, I’ll continue to practice remaining quiet, listening and see what happens. Pooh may be on to something here.
Storm clouds were on the eastern horizon enticing me to head out of town to find open areas for an image or two. Before I knew it I was on a course heading north to the Soapstone Natural Area. I did get a few cloud images but I also was gifted with a few unexpected images of this beautiful landscape and a few bison images.
This natural area is the biggest one the City of Fort Collins maintains. It is 48 square miles of wide open vistas, nearly pristine grasslands, miles of trails and cultural resources. The trails are a mix for hiking, biking and horses. Thankfully they have restricted access to some areas to keep them free of man’s destructive tendencies. During excavations in the 1930s by the Smithsonian and Colorado Museum of Natural History they conclusively dated human habitation in in this area to at least 10,000 years. You can go online and find many stories about the early homesteaders, mostly ranchers and sheepherders, in this area as well as the American Indians.
In November of 2015 they introduced a herd of bison on over 1,000 acres of pasture land which is inaccessible to the public. However, the main entrance road, Rawhide Flats Road, and Cheyenne Rim Trail, follow along the edge of this pasture which gives an opportunity to observe them and even get a few photographs, if they are close enough. I find these animals so intriguing.
And of course this area is a haven for my favorite bird the meadowlark. It is also a place for many other birds, such as red-tailed hawks. The Fort Collins Audubon has a bird checklist that’s two pages long. You will find coyotes, fox, rabbits, prairie dogs, deer, antelope, and elk and of course a few snakes. I don’t go there often enough and it is always an uplifting experience for my soul when I go. It’s nice to come home with a few images but just spending time there, listening to the silence, transforms me in some wonderful way. Experiencing nature’s touch.
ominous storm clouds in the east
ms
rain, hail and wind hidden within
we watch in silence, the hawk and I
Seems this squirrel is greeting me at Mugs Coffee shop about 80% of the time. They usually are among some shrubs on my right then scamper across the sidewalk in front of me and shimmy up the same tree. So, I’ve started walking into the coffee shop with camera in hand hoping to get a photo. This morning was the first time I was able to get them to pose long enough to get a decent image. Happy Sunday! 😁