My online journal sharing interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
it is a serious thing
Mary Oliver
just to be alive
on this fresh morning
in this broken world.
Violence never brings peace nor does it solve problems in our world. It’s insanity when we think fixing a broken world or disturbed mind can be accomplished through violence. It’s insanity when some keep trying it again and again. It’s insanity when we encourage such thinking. It’s insanity when we fail to speak up against it. There is another way.
“Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again.”
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Contrivance? Now that is a big word for me. So, I had to look it up. It means: “deliberately created rather than arising naturally or spontaneously.” For the image above, the microsecond after pressing the shutter button this scene was gone, never to exist as it was in that one moment of time. I see that as a gift given for a short period of time so I must accept it at that moment.
It’s -1 degree right now. Not expecting it to be above 10 degrees until Tuesday. We also have a dusting of snow. Stay warm!
A gracious mind has compassion and sensitive understanding. It is without greed; rather than concentrating on what is absent or missing, it is able to celebrate and give thanks for what is present.
John O’Donohue, Beauty: The Invisible Embrace
It’s 10 degrees outside. Drove to the natural area for the quiet and to journal. Did not stay long, though. Grateful to be warm and inside. Overcast sky and a few snowflakes have been sited. It has that cold wintery feel. And, it’s going to be cold for the next 4 days or so, very cold. I have coffee, chocolate, peanut butter, a new book of poetry (Devotions by Mary Oliver) and plenty of fountain pen ink. I’m good and giving thanks. Stay warm.
The above image was shot with the Fujifilm Acros film simulation. The Fujifilm website describes Acros as: a recently introduced black & white mode that’s richer in clarity and sharpness, and was inspired by our NEOPAN 100 ACROS film, which was known for its fine grain, rich gradation, and outstanding sharpness. Like the MONOCHROME mode, it’s also available in yellow, red, and green versions, but ACROS also has an embedded graininess that matches the film emulsion original. I like it.
leaving my condo, had a glimpse
ms
of pink clouds on eastern sunrise but,
chose instead a mocha latte in a comfy chair
sat with morning sunshine and shadows
watched over by the rhinoceros
I experienced the flu like symptoms of the Pfizer vaccine yesterday afternoon. So, I went to bed around 8:30 pm and slept like a baby. One of the best nights of sleep I’ve had in quite some time and feel really good this morning. As I left the condo there was no way I would make it to the natural area in time to capture the pink clouds and thus settled on the comfort of the local coffee shop with the rhinoceros.
“The greatest single antidote to violence is conversation, speaking our fears, listening to the fears of others, and in that sharing of vulnerabilities, discovering a genesis of hope.”
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
It’s a cool 33 degrees with light snow falling. I most likely will not be sitting on my porch this morning to journal and read. Sitting in the recliner wrapped in a blanket sounds more enticing. The latest report shows the high winds yesterday helped the Cameron Peak fire to grow to over 100k acres with more mandatory evacuations. Made a French Press and ate a bowl of Irish Oats, now off to the recliner. 😊
Feels like fall this morning. Air is crisp. Sunlight seems vibrant. Dew sparkles on the grass. People wearing sweaters and jackets. Students walking to class with backpacks, water bottles, earbuds and wearing the latest fashions in masks. Happy September 1st.