• landscape,  natural areas,  Reservoir Ridge Natural Area,  sunsets

    Feeling Gratitude

    November 10, 2023
    Sunset at Reservoir Ridge Natural Area

    After watching this evening’s sunset I realized how much I have to be grateful for in my life. I’m even grateful I can say that as often as I do. Even though I am not wealthy, I have enough to live comfortably. Even though I am aging and have a couple of health issues we are addressing, I have a healthy lifestyle. I have amazing and growing relationships with family and friends and those who are both. I have a spiritual life that I embrace and nurture. I have a coffee life that has become part of my family. I have these beautiful Colorado sunsets and sunrises that touch some deep place within me. I am grateful for gloves. I am grateful for all who read this post. Gratitude fills me this evening. Going to share this evening’s sunset with you and hope you have a wonderful weekend! A second post today.

    Read More
  • quotes,  reflections,  spirituality,  sunsets

    A question to ponder

    November 7, 2023

    If we ever want to be happy, then, we need to move beyond the level of simple material satisfaction to the development of the spiritual dimension of what it means to be human. We not only need to find out what we do best and do it to the utmost. We also need to ask ourselves again why we were born. What is it that we have that the world needs and is waiting for us to provide?

    Joan Chittister
    Read More
  • landscape,  natural areas,  quotes,  sunsets

    Wisdom of Pooh

    November 4, 2023

    “Some people care too much. I think it’s called love.”

    Winnie the Pooh

    I spent some time at Arapaho Bend Natural Area yesterday evening. So glad I did. This image is taken near a small bench where I setup my camera and journal. There was almost no wind so the water was just like glass. Every once in a while a fish would rise to the surface, sending small waves to the shores. Several flocks of Canada Geese flew overhead letting the world know of their happiness. I loved watching the sun proudly shine its last rays of light on the end of the day. Such beauty offered to everyone. I was filled with gratitude. I will return. Because, as Pooh says, it’s called love. I’m off now to meet Eric for coffee and conversation. Have a wonderful weekend!

    Read More
  • quotes,  shadows,  sunsets

    Sacred by Our Participation

    October 24, 2023
    Sunset shadows at Cobb State Wildlife Area a few days ago

    “… we will recover our sense of wonder and our sense of the sacred only if we appreciate the universe beyond ourselves as a revelatory experience of that numinous presence whence all things came into being. Indeed, the universe is the primary sacred reality. We become sacred by our participation in this more sublime dimension of the world about us.”

    Thomas Berry

    I upgraded the fonts plugin so I could change the title font and size. Whadda ya think?

    Read More
  • mountains,  quotes,  sunsets

    I just take ’em

    October 23, 2023

    God makes the pictures, I just take ’em.

    Ed H. Urqhardt

    With an almost cloudless sky on Friday evening I wanted to try for a blue sky sunset taken from the eastern plains. I drove to Cobb State Wildlife Area. I watched and photographed a lovely sunset but the sky was not the blue I wanted due to a prescribed burn near Red Feather Lakes. On my way home I stopped and took this image to show the fire. You can see the smoke rising from the mountains on the right side of the image. Even though it was a small fire it filled the sky with its ugly gray/brown color. Yet, I cannot be disappointed because I was given this image, just as it is. Or, as the quote says, I just take ’em.

    Read More
  • horizons,  landscape,  mountains,  quotes,  sunsets

    Holiness of the Present Moment

    September 3, 2023
    Colorado Front Range Sunset – 2011

    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!

    Read More
  • horizons,  landscape,  mountains,  Plants,  poems,  poetry,  sunsets,  trees

    I like that…

    July 12, 2023

    I, who live by words, am wordless when
    I try my words in prayer. All language turns
    To silence. Prayer will take my words and then
    Reveal their emptiness. The stilled voice learns
    To hold its peace, to listen with the heart
    To silence that is joy, is adoration.
    The self is shattered, all words torn apart
    In this strange patterned time of contemplation
    That, in time, breaks time, breaks words, breaks me,
    And then, in silence, leaves me healed and mended.
    I leave, returned to language, for I see
    Through words, even when all words are ended.

    I, who live by words, am wordless when
    I turn me to the Word to pray. Amen.

    Madeleine L’Engle, “Words”

    Those prayers of my youth for help have evolved over time to become more about gratitude, listening and staying present. I like that. Prayer has become much more than the words I say and more about the words I hear, yet are unheard. I like that. I can also say the same thing with my journaling, blogging and my photography. Each is becoming what it is meant to be. I like that. My friend shared this poem with me. I found it to resonate with me so I wanted to share it with you. This is last night’s sunset along Overland Trail. Directly behind me is a pond with a wonderful chorus of croaking frogs. I like that. Moments like this have become prayer to me, no need for my words. Well, maybe “Thanks.”

    Read More