Each soul must meet the morning sun, the new sweet earth,
Ohiyesa
and the Great Silence alone.
The Great Silence
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Sunrise over Dixon Reservoir – July 2022 -
The Love of Sunrise Reflections
It was unusually quiet this morning at Pineridge. Seemed like everyone slept in late. Almost no one at the natural area and no traffic sounds from the city. A few magpies and blackbirds along the shore were excitedly chatting about the colors in this mornings sunrise. It was a peaceful and silent time to me. I was loving and being loved by the reflections in the water.
Just as the sun broke the horizon, a light breeze out of the northwest sent small waves across Dixon Reservoir. Yet, the water still offers it’s reflection. I stood in awe and wonder as a lone pelican gracefully and silently flew over the water. How do they do that? Nature is amazing. After allowing nature to fill me with love and refreshing my soul I headed home. I had my prayer and meditation time, put on a crockpot of 16 bean soup, then rode the bicycle to meet Jeff for coffee and conversation.
“Love is the inheritance of mystery that we leave to the universe—the proof that consciousness is more than chemicals and fire, but rather a song that sings the why and how of all creation. Love sings it now and will sing it until the end of time.”
Steven Charleston -
Taking Care of the Soul
“When you practice solitude, you dedicate yourself to the care of the soul.”
Stephen BatchelorI took care of my soul this morning with solitude and silence at Pineridge Natural Area. Afterwards I made my way to Mugs for coffee where there was a lot less solitude and silence since classes at CSU started today. It was a surprising 68 degrees this morning when I left the condo. The moon was just dropping behind the mountains when I arrived. Bats silently circled above me. Grateful for these moments. This is an HDR image of two images at +/- 1 stop. I like how it turned out.
I’m roasting up a pan of vegetables with andouille sausage this morning. I’ll let you know how that turns out. While having my mocha, I wrote in my journal that I felt like crying and wasn’t exactly sure why. But as I began to write this post at home I realized my mom died 3 years ago today. Makes me believe the soul knows. Hope you have a wonderful Monday and week!!
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The Beauty and Mystery
Storm clouds over Dixon Reservoir To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which shall never be seen again. The heavens change every moment, and reflect their glory or gloom on the plains beneath.
Ralph Waldo EmersonNo matter how often I come here, each photograph is one that has never been seen before. That is the beauty and mystery of nature. That is the beauty and mystery of our photography. What an amazing gift! Enjoy your weekend!
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Morning Clouds
An image from the parking lot at Pineridge Natural Area looking out over Dixon Reservoir just after sunrise. Clouds are one of Nature’s most beautiful mediums for creating art, and it never ceases. I also believe they are one of the ways Nature speaks to us. There was nothing spectacular about the clouds this morning. Yet, they touched my soul. And, so I found myself smiling after morning time with a few clouds in the eastern sky. Enjoy your Friday!
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What Can’t Be Defined
Sunrise at about 6:01:13 am Despite what dictionaries would have us believe, this world is still mostly undefined.
John KoenigThe wind blows from the west, it’s cold penetrating my windbreaker. A small flotilla of pelicans drifts along the reservoir’s shore. I watch the sun quietly rise above the horizon announcing the new day’s arrival. There’s a serenity over the meadow, wrapping itself around me. I hear the song of one lone meadowlark and a couple of chattering magpies who are not lost for words. Yet, I am lost for words in this experience. Expressing how nature affects us seems impossible. Truth be it’s more about the gift of experiencing it, rather than words. Yet, the poet puts words to paper in their attempt to define what they experience and see. The artist also puts brush to canvas in their attempt using visual words. Makes me wonder if the meadowlarks and magpies are just as lost for words but simply doing the best they can. Maybe it’s all about the attempts by poets, artists, magpies and dictionaries to define what can’t be defined.
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Our Gifts and Needs
When we arrive on earth, we are provided with no map for our life journey. Only gradually, as our identity forms and we get an inkling of who we are, do possibilities begin to emerge that call us. It is one of the weightiest decisions: to decide what to do with our life. The challenge is to find a way of life that will be in harmony with our gifts and needs.
John O’DonohueToday’s life journey started with prayer and meditation then moved on to include time at Pineridge Natural Area. The stunning clouds had a softness to them where I wanted to reach out and touch them. There was also a hint of pink in them when I first arrived. The quiet over the meadow was only broken when the blackbirds would sing along the shallows of the reservoir. I was given a special gift as a break in the clouds allowed the sun to send a ray of sunlight upon the earth. I have a crockpot of cabbage and sausage cooking, enjoyed a mocha latte and a barista smile! Who knows, maybe a nap later. Enjoy your day’s journey!
