• landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes,  sunrises

    Capacity for Gratitude

    July 15, 2024

    What is the duty of humans? If gifts and responsibilities are one, then asking “What is our responsibility?” is the same as asking “What is our gift?” It is said that only humans have the capacity for gratitude. This is among our gifts.

    Robin Wall Kimmerer

    Sometime during the night flashes of lightning and thunder filled my room and raindrops tapped against my window. Not sure I slept very well after that. As I lay there I realized how few sunrises I see this time of the year. Daylight savings now has the sun rising a bit too early for this older body. I was unable to return to the land of dreams and deciding not to fight it, I threw the covers off about 4:03 am and began the day. 

    When I arrived at Pineridge Natural Area it was a warm 68 degrees according to my car’s dashboard. A refreshing and gentle breeze caressed my face as I sat on the bench to journal. A few light clouds hovered just above the eastern horizon offering a mix of pink and silver that eventually gave way to an orange sunrise. Darker clouds rose above the mountains in the west, hinting of possible rain later today. A baby cottontail nibbles on leaves near me and Magpies chatter endlessly. After a while I took the camera for a walk, looking with the child’s eye. Before leaving, I rubbed sagebrush between my fingers, wanting to carry its scent with me into the day. I felt a rush of gratitude flow through me. I then headed for the coffee shop, hoping to share this gratitude with others. It’s been a good but early start to this day. Hope you have a great Monday!

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  • clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes,  sunrises

    Miracles and Insights

    July 11, 2024

    The difference between confusion and ‘don’t know’ is that confusion can only see one way out and that way is blocked, while ‘don’t know’ is open to miracles and insights.

    Joyce Rupp

    The years of my life spent in confusion were often based on the presumption that I knew and if I didn’t know, I could quickly find out or fake it. Today I am willing to admit there are many more things I don’t know than I know, or think I think I know. So much more enjoyable to ask questions and be open to miracles and insights. Know what I mean?

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  • Arapaho Bend Natural Area,  clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  natural areas,  quotes,  sunrises

    Sunrise at Arapaho Bend

    May 8, 2024

    A simple lifestyle is quite simply an act of solidarity with the way most people have lived since the beginnings of humanity.  

    Richard Rohr

    It takes a lot of gumption this time of year to photograph sunrise scenes. because that sun comes up too early. So, I again missed this morning’s sunrise. I realize the powers that be who decided daylight savings was a good idea were not photographers. Anyway here is a sunrise from May of 2020 at Arapaho Bend Natural Area.

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  • clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes,  sunrises

    What Can’t Be Defined

    April 30, 2024
    Sunrise at about 6:01:13 am

    Despite what dictionaries would have us believe, this world is still mostly undefined.

    John Koenig

    The wind blows from the west, it’s cold penetrating my windbreaker. A small flotilla of pelicans drifts along the reservoir’s shore. I watch the sun quietly rise above the horizon announcing the new day’s arrival. There’s a serenity over the meadow, wrapping itself around me. I hear the song of one lone meadowlark and a couple of chattering magpies who are not lost for words. Yet, I am lost for words in this experience. Expressing how nature affects us seems impossible. Truth be it’s more about the gift of experiencing it, rather than words. Yet, the poet puts words to paper in their attempt to define what they experience and see. The artist also puts brush to canvas in their attempt using visual words. Makes me wonder if the meadowlarks and magpies are just as lost for words but simply doing the best they can. Maybe it’s all about the attempts by poets, artists, magpies and dictionaries to define what can’t be defined. 

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  • landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  sunrises

    Morning Prayer

    April 24, 2024

    “I pray to the birds because they remind me of what I love rather than what I fear. And at the end of my prayers, they teach me how to listen.”

    Terry Tempest Williams

    I listened to it raining during the night so I was surprised to see an almost clear sky this morning. Since I woke early I made my way to Pineridge Natural Area to enjoy the beginning of a new day, bringing my camera just in case. Listening to the choir of meadowlarks and robins this morning lifted my spirits, setting the tone for the day. Listening seems to be a theme for me this morning, so I better listen. I stopped at Starry Night later and enjoyed a mocha latte made by Hannah. I listened as she excitedly shared about the blossoms on the tree outside her bedroom window, even showing me photos. And, I listen as they play In My Life by the Beatles. Hope you have a wonderful day!

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  • clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes,  sunrises

    True Wisdom

    April 17, 2024

    Of course, a great deal of our onslaught on Mother Nature is not really lack of intelligence but a lack of compassion for future generations and the health of the planet: sheer selfish greed for short-term benefits to increase the wealth and power of individuals, corporations and governments. The rest is due to thoughtlessness, lack of education, and poverty. In other words, there seems to be a disconnect between our clever brain and our compassionate heart. True wisdom requires both thinking with our head and understanding with our heart.

    Jane Goodall, The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times

    A drive to Pineridge Natural Area this morning and a few minutes of computer crunching produced this panorama of 8 images (handheld I must add) over Dixon Reservoir. I missed a sky full of pink because I was late. But being late made no difference because being there for any part of sunrise with Mother Nature is the experience. Not only did I enjoy this view but the meadowlarks were in full concert in the open meadow. It was a wonderful way to start my day. I will meet my friend Mark for breakfast in about an hour. I resonate with Jane Goodall’s last line in this quote, “True wisdom requires both thinking with our head and understanding with our heart.” My comments on that statement could take another post or maybe a conversation with friends at the coffee shop. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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