An online journal sharing my interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, spirituality and asking deep questions.
A saguaro in contrast to a blue sky. It is also in contrast to our weather here in Colorado. We are in our 4th or 5th day of rains, gentle rains. Ponds and rivers are full and muddy. The ground is soaked and feels like you’re walking on a sponge. It is cold with temperatures dropping down to freezing tonight which means we have the potential for snow. Weather man says 1-3 inches of snow by tomorrow. Stay warm!
“We must make the choices that enable us to fulfill the deepest capacities of our real selves.”
Thomas Merton
I’m heading north for Colorado and home. Will drive through Arches National Park on the way and scout things out. Maybe we can have a meet-up there.
“What day is it?”
It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
My favorite day,” said Pooh.”
― A.A. Milne
I decided to stay one more day and head back tomorrow. So this morning I headed out to meet the rising sun and was greeted by a choir of birds and one lone howling coyote.
At our best and most fortunate we make pictures because of what stands before our camera, to honor what is greater and more interesting than we are. We never accomplish this perfectly, though in return we are given something perfect–a sense of inclusion. Our subject thus redefines us, and is part of the biography by which we want to be known. – Robert Adams
Early one morning my dad and I waited to see if the covey of quail would make an appearance and scamper across his back yard. Well, they did not show up but I did get a photo of the cactus back lit by the morning sun. This is one of my favorite times of the day.
This mornings sunrise was completely different than the day before. Clouds filled the sky and the stars were not to be seen. I arrived at a new location and was greeted with the same quiet as the previous morning. The quiet is amazing to experience, especially for us city dwellers. But before I knew it the desert awoke with the songs of cactus wrens breaking that silence. I would not see the sun rise over the horizon on this morning. Yet, nature gave me a small bit of pink to enjoy.
I should be picking up Paul Lester today and taking him up to Mount Evans, 14,000 feet. This way he can look to the east and see all of Nebraska he just drove through. We hope to meet up with John Strong for a bite to eat sometime in the afternoon or evening.
It was still pretty dark when I arrived along Peralta Trail and stars sparkling in the clear skies. After turning off the engine I was surrounded by an eerie quiet. All my senses were perked. Shortly before sunrise I was greeted with the yelping of coyotes and the songs of the cactus wren. The desert was awakening. I looked compositions that would show the rugged terrain along with the plant life of this desert region. Seems like my eyes were constantly roaming. I was not sure exactly where the sun would rise but had a good guess. I felt lucky to be where I was with the ocotillo and the saguaro as the sun began breaking the horizon. This was the reason I woke up early.
When I arrived at my parents house I noticed my tripod head had come apart and some of it was missing. So when this image was taken I was clamping my camera to the head with a c-clamp and watching it like a hawk. We found the missing part the next day as it had fallen off when I get out the car in my dads garage. All is better now. 🙂
This was taken after the snow storm had passed through the night. Nature has again created a winter scene for us to enjoy. For me the plowed and shoveled snow of our cities is not a pretty sight. These piles of snow with their sand/salt mixture and various liquid anti-icers and de-icers is not pleasing to me. I would rather see the winter scene as nature made it. I’m also not one to enjoy the cold that comes along with natures winter art but the scenes, even the simple ones, bring a smile to my life.