• flowers,  Plants,  quotes

    A Great Poem

    July 26, 2024

    “Re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul and your very flesh shall be a great poem.” 

    Walt Whitman

    And why not? How many of us will or have said I’m an engineer, a doctor, a salesman, a photographer, a Buddhist, a poet. Or worse yet? How many of us are told that we’re a sinner, or stupid, or too short, or worthless, and believed it. Maybe Whitman’s right, we will be a great poem or even prayer or maybe a saint, when we listen to the voice of our own soul.

    Read More
  • clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  trees

    The Gift of Words

    April 4, 2024
    One of my favoritest cottonwood trees

    I just finished reading a second book by George N. Wallace. I mentioned his other book here, which was a collection of poems and essays. This book I just finished is all poetry, Enjoying the Work. I have found his writing humorous, while at times causing tears to well up in my eyes, and he does not use metaphors that cause me to wander off in stray thoughts as I try to figure out what he is saying. In his introduction he writes how poetry is therapeutic, helping him to see the beauty of an approaching thunderhead, it also mercifully dilutes the bile arising as one witnesses injustices, or ecological wounding, and hopefully permitting wisdom, love and clear-eyed resistance to prevail. I found it an easy read for me. He inspires me to write. I am thankful for his gift in words. I’ll buy his next book when it comes out.

    Read More
  • coffee life,  coffee shops

    A New Book of Poetry

    March 22, 2024

    This morning’s eastern sky offered a few scattered pink clouds on a light blue canvas for those of us who were awake at that hour. As the colors faded I made my way to the coffee shop where my barista, Emma, greeted me with a smile and made me a mocha, both bolstered the start of my day. I brought along a new poetry book to read, written by a retired professor from Colorado State University. So far I find his writing down to earth, easy to read and have had a wonderful belly laugh at a couple of his poems. He writes about the 50 plus years of farming and ranching he and his wife have enjoyed in northern Colorado. He seems to have some good things to say that many in our world need to hear, such as, “when working on something side by side (be it Fencelines or other things)… (our) differences tend to blend into similarities.” It also has some wonderful artwork in it! Enjoy your Friday and weekend!

    Read More
  • coffee life,  fountain pens,  journal,  musings,  quotes,  writing/reading

    Follow in Their Footsteps

    January 17, 2024

    “And at some point, I thought, well, I’ve been really lucky to see many, many places. Now, the great adventure is the inner world, now that I’ve spent a lot of time gathering emotions, impressions, and experiences. Now, I just want to sit still for years on end, really, charting that inner landscape because I think anybody who travels knows that you’re not really doing so in order to move around—you’re traveling in order to be moved. And really what you’re seeing is not just the Grand Canyon or the Great Wall but some moods or intimations or places inside yourself that you never ordinarily see when you’re sleepwalking through your daily life. I thought, there’s this great undiscovered terrain that Henry David Thoreau and Thomas Merton and Emily Dickinson fearlessly investigated, and I want to follow in their footsteps.”

    Pico Iyer

    I do not remember being encouraged to read when I was younger, although I probably was. I know I recoiled at reading assignments in school and writing those frightening book reports. But now I find it fascinating how much I enjoy and want to read. Not sure if this is because I have more time to read, I’ve found subjects I’m interested in, or found authors who seem to put into words what I can’t. It’s most likely all the above but primarily because I find this inward journey exciting. And, words within books help me along this path of discovery. I find words become seeds which take root over time, transforming us in becoming who we were created to be. It is a gift to read and be inspired to write my own words as I follow along in their footsteps.

    And today we celebrate my dad’s 95th birthday. I also want to follow in his footsteps. What a gift!

    Read More
  • clouds,  landscape,  quotes,  snow,  sunsets,  trees,  winter scenes

    My Wishes for You…

    December 25, 2023

    When we live as if everything is sacred, which it is if you really think about it, we relate to the things in our environment in a much more responsible way.

    Jane Reichhold

    Not sure I can adequately list all that I wish for you but here is a short one… Wishing you oodles of joy, happiness, peace, good health, Dove’s chocolates, the miraculous gifts of each new day (sunrises, sunsets, rainbows, butterflies), a heart bursting with love and hope, a heart of gratitude, family times, new adventures, DQ Blizzards (at least the small size), the gift of the songbirds morning canticle, innumerable hugs, moments of silence and stillness, listening to your inner voice or the sound of the wind or the quiet voice of silence, more time with nature, a book or poem that nurtures your heart and soul, the lyrics of a new or an old song that touches you at some new and deep level, new friends, times of quiet prayer and meditation, and to live as if everything is sacred!!! ❤️

    Read More
  • Black and White,  quotes,  writing/reading

    The Bridge of Words

    December 18, 2023

    Once a child has learned to read alone, and can pick up a book without illustrations, he must become a creator, imagining the setting of the story, visualizing the characters, seeing facial expressions, hearing the inflection of voices. The author and the reader ‘know’ each other; they meet on the bridge of words.

    Madeleine L’Engleo
    Read More
  • coffee life,  fountain pens,  journaling,  quotes,  writing/reading

    A Grateful Heart

    December 12, 2023

    “Union with God is not something that needs acquired but realized.”

    Martin Laird

    It has been overcast and cold all day. After quiet time and a bowl of cereal I took the bus and walked to Mugs for my mocha which helps me get in my steps and exercise. I was greeted with a big smile from my barista, Jess. Met with high school classmates for our monthly lunch today then met with a friend at 1:45 pm at my place. Had a wonderful phone call with Duane after that. And, maybe snow later tonight.

    I have been reading from a few new authors, and enjoying them, as well as rereading some books. I’ve found it true that we never read the same book twice. And, now that the colder weather is here I will probably be reading more. I have a couple more books coming from new authors which I really am excited to read.

    As I look at this image I realize that it depicts how I’m living my life now. It includes my coffee life, my journaling, my reading and in the background, my camera. The coffee life provides a social outlet for me, time with friends and making new friends. It is not just about the mocha latte, although that’s an important part of it. Journaling is my way of documenting what is unfolding in my day, to continue to ask deep questions, and enjoy the pleasure of writing with fountain pens. It is also a letter to myself and the union with the Divine within me, what Meister Eckhart calls the Ground of my Being. And, I see books as seeds of discovery that hopefully take root and bring transformation within me so that I can become all that I was created to be. The hidden part of my life that is not seen in this image is my camera. It is through photography that I have come to see the world with the photographer’s eye, while accepting all the gifts of living this life. And, finally the essence of this image depicts some of the tools I use on this Spiritual Path I’m walking. Yes, I have a grateful heart this evening. Stay warm!

    Read More