My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
It is a wholesome and necessary thing for us to turn again to the earth and in the contemplation of her beauties to know the sense of wonder and humility.
Rachel Carson
Almost the end of December and we have not yet had measurable snow in Fort Collins. Thankfully the high country have received snow but it has skipped us. Where’s the snow?
Silence gives answers…
Rumi
Silence provides answers whether I’m looking within during a time of prayer/meditation or the silence encountered during a conversation with a quiet winter snowfall.
Generous listening is powered by curiosity, a virtue we can invite and nurture in ourselves to render it instinctive. It involves a kind of vulnerability – a willingness to be surprised, to let go of assumptions and take in ambiguity. The listener wants to understand the humanity behind the words of the other, and patiently summons one’s own best self and one’s own best words and questions.
Krista Tippett, Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living
Over the years I’ve discovered how poorly I listen. Some of the discovery is from encountering people who are poor listeners, enabling me to see the reflection of myself in them. Becoming a better listener allows me to be the student rather than thinking I need to mansplain it. I agree with Krista that listening is a virtue we can invite and nurture and overtime becomes instinctual. It seems to me listening is the very foundation to any healthy relationship with another human and all of creation. With that in mind, my curiosity begs to ask the question, what do we learn when listening to the silence of a winter snowfall?
This morning we awoke to overcast skies, light snow again and cold. Yet, I could just see a bit of glow in the east so drove to Pineridge Natural Area. I could see the snow squall moving to the northeast, the city shrouded in the aquall. It was quiet and peaceful up there. Saw three mule deer passing along the trail just below me and saw a fox.
I listened to a podcast between two professional landscape photographers talking about SEO (Search Engine Optimization). I’ve never really thought much about SEO because I never thought of myself as a professional photographer so why bother. But after some reflection I admitted the real reason was sloth. So I did some reading on it to try and understand it better. Now I have a headache!
As predicted we received another 4-5 inches of snow yesterday afternoon and into the night. Awoke to wonderful sunshine and shadows but had to be out in 12 degree temperatures to photograph it. However, we are already up to 25 degrees and snow is melting. 😁The snow brings us much needed moisture and this type of snowfall is so beautiful to take in.
Fresh snow from yesterday’s storm with blue skies and sunshine was what I needed this morning. Weather app says we could see more snow tomorrow. Lows tonight will be in the low teens again. Have a great day!
We have at least 3 inches of snow here in town while, the mountains got much more. Heavy, wet, slushy, with icy and slick roads this morning.
It seems this savings times thingy really works. The saying goes: spring forward and fall back. Well we seem to have jumped all the way to Christmas of 2021. Sheesh!😁
Even though I don’t like the cold anymore, it’s 28 degrees, the beauty of fresh snowfall is breathtaking. Have a great day and stay warm!
fresh blanket of snow
ms
covers cold open meadow
demanding silence