My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
When I started my adventure in photography, I was suddenly introduced to the world around me. I can’t believe I have been so blind for too many years.
Laura Tate Sutton
I so relate to her quote. Anyway, the weather forecast is for rain beginning mid morning and continuing through the day. So with that forecast in mind I rose early and headed to Pineridge Natural Area. I sat on that same rock, the hard one, hoping nature would offer bright colors among clouds. I was not disappointed. I think of that old adage, Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailor’s warning. Hope you have a wonderful day.
Warning: Here comes a rant. Just over 22 years ago a terrorist attack on the World Trade Center began a devastating war, and I use the word war loosely here. This two decade long conflict has had a huge cost in money and lives. In this post I will set aside the money numbers with my rant focused on the human costs. In terms of human costs the numbers are staggering and these numbers are estimates. One report states the total number of deaths is 167,000 people killed by direct war violence in Afghanistan. I find that to be 167,000 too many. Which brings up my focus of this post: violence does not bring peace.
I read from the Save the Children website that almost 33,000 children have been killed and maimed in Afghanistan over the past 20 years, an average of one child every five hours. Even if that number was half as many it’s shockingly too high. Again: violence does not bring peace.
September is National Suicide Prevention Month so I thought I’d mention a few numbers on suicides of veterans. Since Sept. 11, 2001, just over 30,000 veterans have died by suicide — four times more than the number of U.S. military personnel who died in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. That also comes out close to one veteran every five hours. I find it dumbfounding that we can support the idea of putting a uniform on a young person then training them to kill, placing them in combat situations and not expect them to have psychological trauma. Once again: violence does not bring peace.
Even if the numbers presented here are incorrect by 90% they are way too high. They affect me at a deep level. Not sure it was a good idea to write this post but searching for these numbers has reinforced my conviction that: violence does not bring peace. Let’s try something else!
… the truth is that we simply don’t know — we don’t know where life ultimately leads, we don’t know what we want or what to want, and we don’t really know ourselves.
I’ve mentioned before my belief of how little I think I think I know. Yet there are times when some sense of knowing does rise within me. This knowing is not about having an answer or solution to a problem. It’s a knowing that somehow changes my perspective on life, this world, people, and myself. I find this knowing to be one of the adventures in life, a place of growth. I am slowly learning small bits of who I’m not and who I’m becoming.
A contemplative practice is any act, habitually entered into with your whole heart, as a way of awakening, deepening, and sustaining a contemplative experience of the inherent holiness of the present moment.
James Finley
His quote opens up a lot of possibilities in living a spiritual journey but also apply to photography. I have a daily contemplative practice of prayer and meditation. When I skip them, cut them short, my day is off. I miss things, out of sorts, quick to anger, restless, wandering in my thoughts, judgemental and more. My daily contemplative practice keeps me centered in living life, what I call the present moment.
In my photography his definition of a contemplative practice does two things for me. One is that I gain experience in my craft, where practice helps me become more adept at using my gear. Secondly, it provides me the opportunity to be in the present moment where I’m able to see the dragonfly, or the baby cottontail hiding under a bush, or hear the chickadee sing, or notice the light beam striking a rose or the orange sunset beaming light over the Front Range. I believe a contemplative practice allows me to receive the gifts of nature for my photography as well as in my spiritual journey. I like being in the holiness of the present moment. Now coffee!
Get a good pair of walking shoes and… fall in love.
Abbas Attar
Kyger Open Space is an approximately 150-acre parcel west of downtown Windsor. The property contains a water storage reservoir and associated pump infrastructure, open fields, drainages and wetlands, and paved and unpaved trails. These trails are flat and easy to walk, my kind of trails. And, it’s a good location for cloud photos!
I’m off to the tennis courts to practice taking action photos, then get in some reading and journaling. Meet a friend for lunch later today. Have a great Friday!
one way to learn patience is to become a photographer, here’s how
first… arrive early at a favorite location set up your camera and tripod and don’t forget to bring along a hot cup of your favorite coffee or tea then enjoy the calm waters, the cool breeze receive all the gifts nature is offering
next… awaken to the miracles she offers, such as small wavelets drifting on the open waters the great blue heron who stalks the shoreline a glimpse of a hungry fish rising to the surface clouds constantly reshaping themselves with the pink then red then orange colors
then… be sure to pay attention to the whispers rising within you, they are very important some call it prayer, some call it meditation why not call it both
now… say thank you and listen as your words of gratitude drift to the far shore, so, there’s no need to pray for patience just become a photographer and let nature teach you patience
Another morning and I wake with thirst for the goodness I do not have. I walk out to the pond and all the way God has given us such beautiful lessons. Oh Lord, I was never a quick scholar but sulked and hunched over my books past the hour and the bell; grant me, in your mercy, a little more time. Love for the earth and love for you are having such a long conversation in my heart. Who knows what will finally happen or where I will be sent, yet already I have given a great many things away, expecting to be told to pack nothing, except the prayers which, with this thirst, I am slowly learning.
Nature is a mirror in which I am reflected, because by rescuing this land from sad devastation [through recreating it in photographs], I am in fact trying to save myself from my own inner sadness.
Mario Giacomelli
This quote hits a sensitive spot because I am a witness to the sad devastation of nature. While out photographing the cloud formations during the afternoon thunderstorms this past week, I began reflecting on all the places I have photographed over the years which were free of signs of man’s intrusion. Sadly, I have been a witness to many of those scenes which no longer exist. Later, while studying this image I felt a feeling of inner sadness that someday this scene may be a housing development or warehouse or whatever. So, there is a stirring within me as the photographer Mario Giacomelli suggests, to seek out more portraits of Nature. She is so beautiful and as an artist she continues to create more beauty, while we destroy what she creates! And, I believe she is willing to have her portrait taken.
I had never heard of Mario Giacomelli before. One reason is because the raw expressiveness of his images are not appealing to my style of photography. However, I will suggest this link for you read a bit about him and his photography. Have a wonderful Sunday!!!
And, it’s a good location for cloud photos! 
