My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
“Our language has wisely sensed these two sides of man’s being alone. It has created the word “loneliness” to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word “solitude” to express the glory of being alone.” Paul Tillich
The wind, warm days, and low humidity is stirring the embers of the fire. We can see, smell and feel in our throats the smoke from the Cameron Peak fire. The good news the crews have been able to make headway to prevent the fire from growing even bigger. Could see more moisture in 2-3 days. I took this a couple days ago when we had less smoke. I found this very uncomfortable rock to sit on and watch out over the meadow. This is the view.
“I am still a consumer; the consumer world was the world I emerged into, whose air I breathed for a very long time, and its assumptions still dominate my psyche—but maybe a little less each year….There are times when I can feel the spell breaking in my mind….There are times when I can almost feel myself simply being.”
Bill McKibben
I must confess consumerism has been a struggle most of my life. I easily fall prey to the daily bombardment of marketing, always suggesting I purchase something I don’t need and can’t afford. There, also, has been a long history of buying today with tomorrow’s check. Mix these two together and we have trouble. For the past several years I buy only with money I already have and for things that are needed rather than wanted or enticed with. It’s taken a few years but I feel the spell is also breaking in my mind. So, I relate to his quote.
Last week somewhere around this spot a white tail doe bounced through the field heading towards the trees in the background. This scene looks very different than last week because the hay was up to her back, guessing it was 3-4 feet tall. The hay has been cut, baled and most of it taken and stacked in some hay barn awaiting the coming winter. Something else different in this scene is one of “my” meadowlarks sitting on the fence post, singing a good morning song. Also enjoyed the sun’s rays shining through the clouds.
Beware sign at the trailhead leading into Reservoir Ridge Natural Area
This sign is located at the beginning of the trailhead, giving a fair warning. I have a friend who runs some of the trails along the foothills and says they have been seeing more snakes as we get closer to July and things warm up. These signs are important for those who are not familiar to the area and it’s dangers and a reminder to those who forget. I have only seen a couple of them over the past 20 years while exploring the trails. It’s a good idea to make a little noise just so they will scurry away.
“On the deepest level, problems such as war and starvation are not solved by economics and politics alone. Their source is prejudice and fear in the human heart; and their solution also lies in the human heart.”
The trail leading into Reservoir Ridge Natural Area
I took a walk at a new natural area called Reservoir Ridge Natural Area. The map at the parking lot told me the loop I took was 2.8 miles. My Fitbit told me 6,551 steps, or 2.9 miles. My research when I got home said there are 9.6 miles of trails within the natural area. I was blessed with meadowlarks, red-winged blackbirds, a hummer, swallows and robins offering me music without the need of an ipod. One jogger told he saw a couple of bobolinks. Impressive fields of prairie grasses like waves across an ocean. I need to research these grasses and other plants I encounter as I have a tendency to look at them and say, “Ah, how pretty,” then move on. The clouds were gorgeous, constantly changing. Shadows falling across the mountains, constantly changing. I was impressed with this natural area and could find it a great place to get in some exercise in nature. There was several large trees throughout the area with one looking like it had a hawks nest with young ones in it. I couldn’t tell for sure without binoculars. I expect you will see more images from this location.
Going to meet a friend today for lunch at a local park, if it doesn’t rain. Have a super Awesome Monday!
You could not help but notice how beautiful the clouds were on my walk yesterday afternoon. When I got back to the condo I decided to take a few images of those clouds at the Pineridge Natural Area. I discovered it’s very different at 6:00 pm than at 6:00 am. The parking lot was full of cars. People were walking and riding bicycles on the trails and the rest were fishing. The darker clouds at the horizon look to be rain. I would estimate these clouds are somewhere around 40 miles in the east. I could see a bolt of lightning every once in a while.
Pineridge Nature Area today on a foggy and misty morning
My restlessness this morning took me to Pineridge Nature Area to joined up with the meadowlarks, Canada Geese, barking prairie dogs, a perched hawk, again. I pretty much had the area to myself. I’m not sure restless is the word or not but that’s what I’m going with. Seems I have been a restless person for many years. Why? I ask myself that simple question a lot. I remember the awareness I had the first time I grabbed my backpack, headed out the door and realized I had no particular place in mind. I was just wanting to go. I journaled about this almost nomadic impulse this morning. I feel much of my seven years working as a flight attendant was rooted in a form of nomadic life, as almost each night was a different city.
For many years my daydreams have revolved around traveling in a small RV, solo. My parents spent a few years living as snowbirds as did sister and brother-in-law. They all enjoyed it. Yet, what I’m speaking about is living nomadically, no home to return to after a couple months on the road. It would be home. However, I am not in a good financial position to live the nomadic life in a class B van. It would require selling my condo, purchasing a used RV and investing the balance of my home equity. Am I willing to take such a risk? Just throwing some thoughts out there.