It was about 8:45 am when I left the coffee shop. But I again avoided going home and found myself at Pineridge Natural area. I sat on the bench with my journal and pen looking out over the meadow. The cloudless blue sky allows the mid morning sun to warm my body. Deep within me I know I come here because of the impact nature has on me. I take in the sights, the sounds, the smells that are so different from what I experience at home.

I also come here because there is an abundance of songbirds in this area as they avoid the intrusion of man’s repulsive machines and smells. And as I journal, I see and hear Goldfinches, Bullock’s Orioles, Western Kingbirds, Mourning Doves, Red Winged Blackbirds, Flickers, Bluejays, Chickadees, Robins, and Sparrows. If they are not singing they are entertaining me with their acrobatics. And of course, my favorite is the Western Meadowlark, who I never hear at my condo. All the crosstalk may sound like gibberish to some but it’s music to my ears. I watch two flotillas of White Pelicans drift along the shores of Dixon Reservoir. One on the north end and one on the south end. I hear a Great Blue Heron croaking, but I am unable to see them. A red tail hawk effortlessly soars in circles above me on the wind currents, but never flapping their wings. The prairie dogs bark out their warning as dogs lead their owners by a leash along the trail. My soul is refreshed!

And, I’ve not even touched on the evidential beauty of the plants that dance in the wind around me. Wait, are those coneflowers waving at me? Yes, they’re wishing me a happy 74th birthday.

Perfectionism is a mean, frozen form of idealism, while messes are the artist’s true friend.

Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird

As many of you already know, one of my favorite times of the day over the past few years has been those times we refer to as twilight or predawn, right before sunrise. In my eyes these times are a continuation of my morning prayer and meditation. When I am able to start my day with nature in the pre-dawn, my intentions for the day will be in a much better place. I will therefore handle challenges and messes of the day much more gracefully. Notice I did not say I handle them perfectly, just much more gracefully. 

As many of you know, I also post a lot of sunrise images. Some are decent enough to share here. Some will not be close to printable images. Some were such a mess they are  gone, discarded into cyberspace, never to be seen again. Yet, every image I’ve taken has been an opportunity to learn. Admittedly, I’ve repeated several of those lessons. This begs the question, do these messes make me an artist? I’m going with yes.