Gratitude is founded on the deep knowing that our very existence relies on the gifts of other beings.
Robin Wall Kimmerer
Latest news this morning shows the Alexander Mountain FIre to be held at 9,668 acres and is 74% contained. The Stone Canyon Fire is 100% contained. Grateful the skies are returning to their blue color! I found this bee enjoying their time on a sunflower the other afternoon at the CSU Experiment Garden. I really need to thank them more often for being the gift they are and not just as a photographer’s subject.
We must regain the conviction that we need one another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and that being good and decent are worth it. We have had enough of immorality and the mockery of ethics, goodness, faith and honesty. It is time to acknowledge that light-hearted superficiality has done us no good. When the foundations of social life are corroded, what ensues are battles over conflicting interests, new forms of violence and brutality, and obstacles to the growth of a genuine culture of care for the environment.
Pope Francis, Laudato Si: On care for our common home
“The great transition of our times, of all times, is to see what we don’t yet see.”
Paula D’Arcy
The sun shines brightly this morning. The air is brisk, laying down a thin blanket of frost, so typical of an early spring morning. As I walked up to the coffee shop, squirrels and birds were joining in a celebration of this new day. Brought a smile to my face! I placed my hand on the door handle but did not open it. Instead, I listened and watched the world before me. I needed to see what I don’t yet see. Hoping you have a wonderful Sunday!
Rubber rabbitbrush occurs in the cold deserts of the Colorado Plateau, throughout much of the Great Basin, and in warm deserts of the Southwest from lower-elevation Sonoran to subalpine zones. Rubber rabbitbrush favors sunny, open sites throughout a wide variety of habitats including open plains, valleys, drainage ways, foothills, and mountains. It is particularly common on disturbed sites. Rubber rabbitbrush is cold hardy, and tolerant of both moisture and salt stress. There are several plants along the edge of my ponds between the grass and pond. They attract a wide array of native insects, including butterflies and small bees. It is one the few native plant species in the Intermountain West that provides habitat for pollinators during the late summer and fall months. Love the bright colored yellow that makes them stand out. In general, wildlife and livestock forage only lightly on this species during the summer, but winter use can be heavy in some locations. Fall use is variable, but flowers are often used by wildlife and livestock. A few leaves and the more tender stems may also be used. Surprisingly rabbits seldom dine on them except in winter but love to hide in them.
The inner spirit is who I really am. My body is alive in this nature and exists in its frame. I do not need to be spiritual to find this. I only need to stop believing that the ego, the small self, is me. If I do, a different knowing emerges which has a largeness and a certain beauty. It is an expression of power and love beyond the usual definitions. To live in its knowledge is to know yourself to be free.
from A NEW SET OF EYES by Paula D’Arcy
This is fern-leaf yarrow, and is an upright, clump-forming yarrow that is native to the Caucasus, Iran and Afghanistan and is in the sunflower family. Interestingly one name listed for them is nosebleed. (?) It is considered an invasive species by some states in the US. And, man is still not on that list. I find these plants in almost every natural area I visit. I really like how they look and the pollinators seem to like them also, as you can see with the heavily laden bee in this image.
I’m in a place in life where I resonate with the above quote. This process of uncovering who I really am, this knowing who I am, is exciting and freeing. Interesting that this bee does not consider what political party to belong to, what church to attend, what it’s favorite band is this week, and the other stuff we place in our lives. It lives in the knowledge of what it is and the life it is meant to live. It is free!
It’s interesting that I have used the word interesting three times in this post. Now four. 😂
Wandered about the CSU Flower Trial Garden. Even though it’s near the end of the season for them it was a good way to spend a warm sunny fall afternoon.
Met my friend, Diane, at Gardens on Spring Creek. The gardens are an impressive 18 acre facility. Great for us older kids to enjoy! We brought our own coffee and met in the parking lot. They have this set aside time for members to have the garden all to themselves on certain days from 8:00-10:00 am. Today was one of those days. What a wonderful world it is. They also have a butterfly pavilion but it did not open until 10:00 am. Another time.
Had this little one come right up to me as if I was suppose to feed them. Hope you are having a great day!
