My online journal sharing interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
The experience of spirituality involves recognizing new and different realities, especially the qualities of the gift-experience, appreciating not only the gift itself but also the sheer freedom and generosity contained in a genuine gift. We need to give ourselves gifts.
I stand in the midst of creation’s wheel
Steven Charleston
And watch in wonder the quiet majesty of its turning.
We are in the care of a love without limit or definition
Under the protection of a love that never looks away.
It is Monday morning and we have fresh snow on the ground, clear blue skies and sunshine. I am grateful to be a witness to this beautiful winter wonderland. Today I am missing my mother who would have been 92 today. I also can say I miss her with a love that is without limits. Not sure I would have said that as a teenager which makes me grateful for my growing maturity. I’m also grateful for the belief that there is a caring love (and I speak of love as an action word, not a noun) that never looks away. I have experienced such love in family, friends and nature. So, I pray today for the gift of sharing with a love I’ve experienced which is without limits and never looks away.
I find myself referring to this site as a blog rather more often than a website, whether in conversations or writing. I began to wonder what the difference was. Seems the only real difference between a blog and a website is that blogs are updated on a regular basis with new content, which is displayed in reverse chronological order. While typical websites are static in nature where content is organized in pages, and they are not updated frequently. I place myself in the blog category. Some people have blogs that are just a part of a larger website. Some photographers I know have blogs within their website. And some have a separate website and a separate blog.
A bit of research on Dr. Google shows that blogs evolved primarily from personal online diaries and journals in the mid-90s. Then someone built a couple of blogging platforms, Blogger.com and later WordPress.com. Now there are a multitude of platforms that can be used to create both a website and a blog.
I knew almost nothing about a blog until a friend suggested I start one when I began working as a flight attendant. I laughed him off. Then something happened in October 2008 and now look at me some 15 years later! I can easily spend an hour or two a day writing and reading blogs. Much more over the past few weeks while “remodeling” this site. Anyway, I am quite comfortable referring to this website as a blog. 😂
Got my COVID vaccination yesterday and feel achy and tired this morning. No morning sunrise or visit to a coffee shop. Slept in late. Today will be a rest and recovery day.
I enjoy the special touch the Bean Cycle offers with my mocha. After adding the mocha and espresso in the cup they begin pouring the steamed milk. When the cup is about a quarter full with steamed milk, they stop and sprinkle a dash of chocolate powder on top of the already poured milk. Next they fill the rest of the cup with more foamed milk adding those two or three hearts, showing their craft. To me the chocolate powder adds a tough to the looks and I love how the powder mixed with the foam sticks to my mustache. ❤️ So, sometimes I start my morning with this gift. Seems to make the day run smoother. I hope I was able to fully espresso how they make this special touch.
Well I pushed the button yesterday afternoon for a new look to my website. It is much cleaner than my previous website and it also uses more of the screen. Seemed like the previous theme was narrow and left a lot of blank gray space. Please let me know what you think of it. And, please tell me what you find wrong with it. There are two different image sizes for posting. Not sure I like either one. Wish I had something in between and will keep looking into that. My next issue is with my galleries. Sure don’t care for what I had perviously. Enjoy your Sunday!
I’m now sitting in a coffee shop across from the tire store. I had to change a flat tire this morning on my way to the natural area. So, I drove over here to get it fixed. Surprisingly this is the first flat on this car in the 11 years I’ve had it. No one to blame I tried to make a u-turn and ran up on the curb. Put a good sized hole in the tire and hope I did not destroy the rim. The mocha latte is good and I didn’t get my pants dirty. Not how I wanted to start this day but I’m adjusting. I needed to have new tires put on before winter and so now is probably the time to do it.
Hope you have a wonderful day!
If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy,
Mary Oliver
don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty
of lives and whole towns destroyed or about
to be. We are not wise, and not very often
kind. And much can never be redeemed.
Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this
is its way of fighting back, that sometimes
something happens better than all the riches
or power in the world. It could be anything,
but very likely you notice it in the instant
when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the
case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid
of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb.
This past weekend I shot some senior portraits in Red Feather Lakes. While I was there I made another trip on Elf Lane. As I got out and walked among all the elfs and assorted other characters I suddenly, but not unexpectedly, experienced joy. Thought this little frog and princess needed to have their photo taken.