My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
With prayer and meditation I begin this day
and words from within are heard in this silence.I sit at my desk looking out the window
and a gust of wind intrudes in the silence.Sunlight begins to peek through grey clouds
now shadows move across the wall in silence.I open a book to a favorite page
where words speak to me but in silence.My pen moves across the blank page
mws
and I notice, there’s much to hear in silence.
I’m pretty much in a self induced quarantine, maintaining physical distancing. I think I’m adjusting to doing without my lattes and coffee shop community, although it is not easy. Morning coffee is made with a french press and I bought some different coffee beans that I really do like. In many ways it’s nice to spend a bit more time at home. I’m also getting in a walk or two each day for physical health and sanity.
Right now I’m in my wicker rocker looking out the bay window of my bedroom that faces southeast. The sun has just crested the neighboring apartments so I now have bright sunshine in my face and almost done with my cup of coffee. So,what to do with a full day ahead.
Some of you may not believe this but I have a corner in my living room where a pile of stuff is slowly growing in height and width. I’ve always told myself the reason I have not picked up this pile in the corner of my living room was because I didn’t have the time. Well, I now know that is not the reason. 🙂 Maybe today. Or Saturday.
“It may be that when we no longer know what to do,
we have come to our real work
and when we no longer know which way to go,
we have begun our real journey.The mind that is not baffled is not employed.
Wendell Berry
The impeded stream is the one that sings.”
Each day has something new to offer us. Call it a mystery if you want, we just have to look.
“Self-care is never a selfish act – it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer others. Anytime we can listen to true self and give the care it requires, we do it not only for ourselves, but for the many others whose lives we touch.”
Good morning. We have overcast skies and a strong wind blowing from the north, gusting to 31 mph. So, it’s a hold on to your hat kind of day. My Gortex jacket sure didn’t keep the cold wind out on my walk to the coffee shop. But, then that makes me walk faster, the coffee or tea really hit the spot and my barista’s smile seem warmer. Have a great day, my friends!
It was snowing when I took this image at the Legacy Lounge in the Lory Student Center last week. You couldn’t see the mountains but today we have have clear skies and it is now 54 degrees. That’s warm to most of us this time of the year. But, that will change tonight as a front moves in and we get another 1-2 inches tonight and tomorrow. This student had his laptop open but he was looking at his smartphone. A common scene nowadays.
“Let’s work to enjoy every sunrise and every sunset
Beth Frates
to the maximum degree possible,
soaking it all in, mindfully.”
I believe each day is a chance for gratitude, not that I do that each morning. It’s progress I’m after. This morning started out with a red sky in the east but has been cold and overcast with a chance of snow. So that red sky offered a moment of gratitude. I am also grateful for this small little condo I have. It is a cozy one bedroom, one bath place of about 760 square feet. It’s just right for a slothful bachelor to keep “sorta” clean. I am grateful for the wicker rocker I’m sitting in that looks out from my bedroom bay window. This window faces south/southeast so with morning sun coming in I have a place for quiet time in the sun. Yes, feeling some gratitude this morning. Stay warm!
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”
Winter means more time indoors. Winter time means longer shadows. Winter means more crockpots of hot soup. Winter means dressing warmer for the bus stop and morning walks. Winter means crawling between the sheets at night with cold feet. Winter means reading more books. There are more but…
Took the bus to Old Town the other night and walked around with my camera. This is not all that sharp as I was hand holding it. You can see on the left side of the image how the lights are lit up in town. I will try and take a few images of the lights during this Christmas season. It was a bit on the cold side and thus the reason no one was sitting outside and I’ll blame that for the blurr, also.
A refreshing rain began falling yesterday morning just as I was leaving a local coffee shop. When I pulled up in my condo it was pouring, so I sat in my car to wait out the rain. I found it peaceful for the next 10 minutes. As I sat there my mind wandered back to the coffee shop I had just left and to one of the regular customers there.
He sits at the same table almost 6 days a week from 7:00-10:00 am, reading one of the larger national newspapers, from front to back, and sipping on a large iced tea. Of course he is known by both the baristas and the customers. The other regulars will keep the table reserved for him in case he’s late and he has conversations with other customers on a regular basis. My wandering mind was thinking about how differently we spend our time in the coffee shop, and I imagine that’s true outside the coffee shop. I prefer spending my coffee shop time visiting with a friend, reading an uplifting book, writing in my journal, and fighting the battle to spend as little time on the internet as possible but I almost never read the newspaper. I would rather fill my mind with positive images and thoughts, which is an unreachable ideal. A smile came across my face and I laughed at myself because my idea of coffee shop time would bore him, and probably many others, into a glazed-over-stupor. As I thought about it more, he’d also be bored sitting in my car listening and watching the rain. Sheesh, can my mind wander and not just when it’s raining! 🙂