early predawn sky
ms
morning bird songs are silent
quiet fills the air
listen to the inner voice
heart now filled with gratitude
Predawn Sky
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- Avian, Canada Goose, clouds, gratitude, landscape, natural areas, Plants, reflections, sunrises, trees
Listening to Nature
I have friends vacationing in Hawaii with kids and grandkids. I’m a bit envious of them sitting on the beach working on a tan. All the photos they’ve sent include big smiles. Yet, this morning while visiting the Top Minnow Natural Area, I was reminded by the red-winged blackbirds and the meadowlarks of just how beautiful it is right here. They were reminding through their joyful songs to be grateful for where I’m at and what I have. These two Canada Goose told me the same thing. I’m learning to listen to the wisdom of nature more often.
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Listen with my inner ear
clouds speak with brilliance
ms
telling of the day that was given
watching silent sunset on the farm
may I never be too busy
to listen with my inner ear“Poetry is not a luxury. It is a vital necessity of our existence. It forms the quality of the light within which we predicate our hopes and dreams toward survival and change, first made into language, then into idea, then into more tangible action. Poetry is the way we help give name to the nameless so it can be thought. The farthest horizons of our hopes and fears are cobbled by our poems, carved from the rock experiences of our daily lives.” Audre Lorde
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Notice the Cold
Snow began yesterday afternoon and continued through the night. My guess is 4-5 inches total. However, it was warm enough to start as a wet snow which created a layer of ice under the remaining snowfall. I found it quite icey to walk in, almost falling once. The above image of the doors and stairs is the school of business sciences building at CSU about 7:10 this morning. No footprints in the snow yet.
Thankfully it is not very cold although we will not get above freezing. I do enjoy the art winter creates. I didn’t even notice the cold but found myself being grateful for the beauty.
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Dang, it’s cold!
Most people don’t look…
Henri Cartier-Bresson
the gaze that pierces – few have it –
what does the gaze pierce?
The question mark.It was -8 degrees at 6:30 am. That’s too dang cold. Wearing wool socks, two pair. Made a French press but it was cold before the first sip. And, it’s snowed. It may sound like I’m whining because I am. I also have an attitude! Our countries unrest doesn’t help the attitude. The thought crosses my mind to sell my condo and move south. Whining! So, about 9:30, after it had warmed up to -4 degrees, I headed to the natural area. Needed time in the sanctuary of nature as it’s therapy for this negative thinking I find myself in. I needed to gaze at the world around me rather than the four walls of my condo or the prison of my thinking. Found the parking area empty, fresh snow and shadows as the sun began to break through. I immediately began to feel better!
A friend sent me a short reading that reminded me of the value of beginning our day with gratitude. I realized that sure wasn’t how I began today. So, I restarted my day with a gratitude list in my journal. Beginning to feel even better but still cold.
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expressing gratitude
morning sun enters through my window
mws
warms my soul with its abounding grace
grateful and blessed for this life I live
filled with love of family and friends
solitude and silence the foundations of my life
it’s the staff I need to walk through life
raises me up when I fall, again and again
where I discern my chatter from your words
prayer and meditation my daily practice
a lifeline to grasp when I begin to wander
lifting the spirit when life weighs heavy
opens a door to knowing beyond thinking
it’s been said that if the only prayer we say
is thank you, that would suffice
so I’m thankful for this wonderful life
happy thanksgiving to you! -
Unspoken Words
Patterns of frosty leaves this morning on my walk grateful for the gifts
mws
rising from within the soul
unspoken wordsReflecting this morning on the gift of words that appear on pages when I journal. This led me to reflect on the words I read from the blogs I follow, the words that rise within you. When you share what you’re feeling, your experiences, what you see, and the joys and struggles of your daily lives, I see them as a gift of unspoken words now heard. So, thank you!
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A bit of gratitude
Window light in my bedroom “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!
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Living in Gratitude
The sun rising on a November morning “If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
On Tuesday I heard of separate tragedies that ripped the lives of two families apart. I’m unable to put my feelings into words. So, after my prayer and meditation I bundled up, grabbed my camera and headed to the bus stop. A spirit of gratitude began to arise with each step I took. I no longer was aware of the cold but yet very present to the moment. I began to see so much of the world around me and not just with a photographer’s eyes. Today the sun arose on both those families but their lives will never be the same. Yes, I’m living in gratitude.
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Gratitude for Memories
Morning sunlight on my kitchen table -2019 I also feel gratitude this morning for all my family. I have memories of times past with them. My cousin Linda died yesterday from brain cancer. So, this morning I have memories of times spent with her as a child and as an adult. No more pain and suffering in her life. In my own way I pray for her husband, children and grandchildren.
