golden grass stands tall
ms
drinking of the snows moisture
teaching us patience
Teaching Patience
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- fall season, grass, landscape, mountains, natural areas, Plants, quotes, Reservoir Ridge Natural Area, sunsets
Our Deepest Calling
“Our deepest calling is to grow into our own authentic self-hood, whether or not it conforms to some image of who we ought to be. As we do so, we will not only find the joy that every human being seeks–we will also find our path of authentic service in the world.”
Parker PalmerI believe this authentic self Parker talks about is something more than being the sports hero, rock star, truck driver, doctor or whatever fantasy we’ve had. He also suggests it’s a calling and not something we attain. Nor is our authentic self found in our attempts to be accepted in some way, to fit in. Seems we need to do some self-examination to be who we were meant to be. This was taken at Reservoir Ridge Natural Area on a sunny beautiful Saturday.
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A Poem and A Photograph
Every day
Mindful by Mary Oliver
I see or hear
something
that more or less
kills me
with delight,
that leaves me
like a needle
in the haystack
of light.
It was what I was born for —
to look, to listen,
to lose myself
inside this soft world —
to instruct myself
over and over
in joy,
and acclamation.
Nor am I talking
about the exceptional,
the fearful, the dreadful,
the very extravagant —
but of the ordinary,
the common, the very drab,
the daily presentations.
Oh, good scholar,
I say to myself,
how can you help
but grow wise
with such teachings
as these —
the untrimmable light
of the world,
the ocean’s shine,
the prayers that are made
out of grass? -
… the best photographs are yet to be made
Above all, it’s hard learning to live with vivid mental images of scenes I cared for and failed to photograph. It is the edgy existence within me of these unmade images that is the only assurance that the best photographs are yet to be made.
Sam Abell -
Why?
There are moments when troubles enter our lives and we can do nothing to avoid them.
Paulo Coelho
But they are there for a reason.
Only when we have overcome them will we understand why they were there.A cold morning. Have some cleaning around the condo from all the mold mitigation work done. Everything passed so I’m back in the condo. Want to repair a couple things then paint inside before I have the vinyl plank flooring installed next month. Enjoy your day! Why? Because I said so!
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Golden Light
there’s a calm over the meadow
ms
feeling the warm rays of golden light
illuminating the mountain brome
nature creating abundant beauty
and with gratitude rising within me
start this new day on the bright sideA late arrival to Pineridge Natural Area but just in time to catch the sun cresting the horizon. Followed quickly by a warm golden glow illuminating everything. I sat on the bench to journal but when nature provided this glow on the mountain brome, I had to pull out my camera. Have a great day!
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Everything is a Gift
Big Bluestem grass Everything is a gift. The degree to which we are awake to this truth is a measure of our gratefulness, and gratefulness is a measure of our aliveness.
Brother David Steindl-Rast -
Pink and Gold
The most beautiful things in life are not things.
Unknown
They’re people and places and memories and pictures.
They’re feelings and moments and smiles and laughter.
I read yesterday something that resonated with me, “… nature heals. big time.” I know I go to nature for healing of many things. There is a solitude and silence there not found in the city. But the quote also caused me to reflect on things I do to help me move through any troubling state I can find myself in. When I feel anxious it’s time to walk or hike. When I’m angry or resentful I can let go of those thoughts by “taking a photograph.” When I get caught up in mental chatter I find relief through “meditation and quiet.” When confusion and the need for discernment ties me in knots then I can untangle myself through “journaling.” All of these simple things I can do at any place but nature is such a pull for me. Loved the gold and pink I found last night in these two images.
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Blowing in the Wind
Bluestem blowing in the wind Today is the Autumn Equinox. The word “equinox” comes from Latin aequus, meaning “equal,” and nox, “night.” On the equinox, day and night are roughly equal in length. The equinox is a seasonal signpost in Earth’s orbit around the sun. During the equinox, the Sun crosses what we call the “celestial equator”—an imaginary extension of Earth’s equator line into space. The equinox occurs precisely when the Sun’s center passes through this line. When the Sun crosses the equator from north to south, this marks the autumnal equinox; when it crosses from south to north, this marks the vernal equinox. After the autumnal equinox, days become shorter than nights as the Sun continues to rise later and nightfall arrives earlier. These shorter days bring cooler weather. You can feel the chill in the air. This ends with the December solstice, when days start to grow longer once again.
And, we had the Harvest Moon two days ago. As I mentioned yesterday it was so bright in the morning that it cast shadows across the meadow at Pineridge Natural Area.
- Information on the Equinox was stolen from the Farmers Almanac and EarthSky
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Last Night’s Setting Sun
You only get one sunrise and one sunset a day, and you only get so many days on the planet. A good photographer does the math and doesn’t waste either.
Galen Rowell
