saddened by the thinking
ms
of so many that violence is
a solution for peace
or a solution to anything
nor is violence a show of
masculinity or strength
it only breeds its own poison
the innocent pay the price
may we not be just the
indifferent and silent….
yesterday I sought solace
within my journal pages
seeking words for comfort
to calm my inner turmoil
then I remembered the words of
one of our peacemakers
Thich Nhat Hanh believed
that there is no way to peace…
peace is the way
haven’t we proved violence
is not a solution
maybe Thầy’s right
just maybe…
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Bitter Cold Morning
It was 0 (zero) degrees this morning when I left the condo at 6:33 am. As I dusted off the powdery snow from the car I wonder how many neighbors were questioning my sanity. Then I thought about how connected we really are to nature and the part I play in it, how I am bundled up and prepared for the weather, how beautiful this wintery seen is, and most importantly, how good my mocha latte will taste. Yes, there is a bit of insanity in my life. However, there is much less insanity than a few years ago. 😁
About this image. It was taken by a lovely young lady at Mugs at CSU coffee shop. Unfortunately I failed to get her name so I could give her credit. The overcast sky and light reflecting off the snow gave this a nice light. She did a great job! I want to use it in an ongoing series of images that include myself, the journal, the fountain pen in the act of journaling. I already have images of the journals and pens taken over the years and will continue to add more. But I have very few of them that include me in the act of writing. Some images I can do it with a tripod and timer but this image required another person pressing the shutter button. The purpose is to share why I have been journaling almost daily for over 30 years. Now, if it was just a wee bit warmer, say 70 degrees warmer!!!! Oh, and my toes are cold.
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My Friends
“There is no friend as loyal as a book.”
Ernest HemingwayBetween my camera, my journal, my fountain pens and a book, I would say books are in the top four. And, if I’m carrying my Kindle Paperwhite I’ll have to include a small digital library. Not sure I can say if any one is more important than the other but they all have become my friends. After writing that I also want to include the book of nature. I consider her to be a loyal friend, also.
Clouds and snow have now settled over the mountains above 6,000 feet. Interesting how they say we could expect “snow accumulation of 4-8 inches, with 6-12 inches in the foothills.” Pretty much covers it all. So, I have a pot of Cream of Chicken Noodle soup cooking on the stove. Should be ready around 1:00 pm if you’re heading over this way.
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Morning Cortado
scrape frost off windshield
ms
find my way to coffee shop
morning cortado -
All is a Miracle
““People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child—our own two eyes. All is a miracle.”
Thich Nhat HanhIt is so easy for us in our society to miss the miracles, big and small. For some there is no concept they exist. Wonder how many of us would we see the miracles if we put down our smartphones?
-
One of the Regulars
he orders a coffee
ms
bagel and cream cheese
sits at his favorite table
reads from his phone
his space his time
how he starts his day. -
Believing in Love
“Hope is not about proving anything. It’s about choosing to believe this one thing, that love is bigger than any grim, bleak shit anyone can throw at us.”
Anne LamottI began writing this post yesterday after returning from the coffee shop where I enjoyed the above mocha latte. Felt the need to write with this keyboard and not just in my journal or bring what I journal to these pages more. Anyway…
After quiet time I drove to Pineridge Natural Area to enjoy the predawn colors. I never took my camera out of the bag but sat in the silence taking in as much as I could. Guess you could call it recharging. The eastern sky was cloudless with the exception of one fluffy patch to the north. They predicted snow to begin overnight and continue into today. They were right on as it is snowing now.
I’ve read a couple of Anne Lamott’s books and find her able to express in words some of the bleak shit of my life experiences better than I can. But, I also find that true with other authors I quote on this blog. Not everyone will relate to their words or mine and I’m beginning to feel comfortable with that. Hoping you can bare with me as I continue to put my words and images out into the cyber world. And hopefully you may notice some improvement in both my writing and photography. After all, my barista did not make latte art like this on her first attempt.