• nature,  Plants,  quotes

    This is a simple fact

    July 28, 2025

    Many do not have enough
    Because a select few have far too much.

    The people are difficult to control
    Because there is someone trying to control them.

    The people are poor and starving
    So they have little to lose in revolting.

    The subjugation of the poor naturally
    leads to the overthrow of the rich.

    This is a simple fact.

    Tao Te Ching (75) By Lao Tzu Rendered by: Julian von Bargen, John Braun, Jr., David Warkentin

    Teasels are one of those plants the invasive human considers to be an invasive plant. Man considers them invasive because they are capable of crowding out native plant species. Which begs the question, “Who is the native plant?” Seems they are native from somewhere and long before man. They have a purpose in life just as everything. The roots and leaves are used to make medicine. People apply teazle to the skin for wound healing, arthritis, and scaly, itchy skin (psoriasis). Anyway, in my eyes they provide beauty, photo opportunities, and their seeds are an important winter food resource for some birds, notably the European goldfinch.

    As you can see I am slowly reading through a translation of the Tao Te Ching that is touching me at my core. It was written in the 4th century BC and the words are just as prevalent today. It is central to both philosophical and religious Taoism. I found that if I took the above refrain and substituted nature for people it rang just as true for me. Looks hot everywhere so I hope you are staying cool!!

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  • landscape,  quotes,  storm clouds

    A perfect day…

    May 1, 2025

    I spent some time on a walk around the Environmental Learning Center yesterday. The sky was putting on quite the display of clouds as predicted rain began moving into the area. I had not been there since January and a lot had changed. The Poudre Trail bicycle path now runs alongside the center then heads east all the way to Greeley. I was also surprised to see how much dead and fallen trees there were inside the center. I loved the solitude! The rain did come, a nice gentle moisture rich rain. Even had some thunder with it. This morning is bright with clear skies and sunshine. Perfect day to ride to coffee.

    By my intimacy with nature I find myself withdrawn from man. My interest in the sun and the moon, in the morning and the evening, compels me to solitude.

    Henry David Thoreau
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  • landscape,  Poudre River,  winter scenes

    A Morning Walk

    January 3, 2025
    Winter colors along the Poudre River at the Environmental Learning Center
    A pair of Bald Eagles near Arapaho Bend Natural Area
    Blue sky and fog over Beaver Pond at Arapaho Bend Natural Area
    The bleakness of the Environmental Learning Center
    A whitetail doe framed and staring me down at the Environmental Learning Center

    I had an invigorating ride in the fog this morning to meet Jeff for coffee. About 10:00 am I drove to the Arapaho Bend Natural Area and then over to the Environmental Learning Center. I needed to take my camera for a walk and did that at the ELC. I had not been to the ELC in a while and was shocked. Everything seemed so bleak to me, dead trees were down everywhere. It’s usually lush, green and vibrant. The last time I was there was there in June of 2023. I settled in for a walk of the Wilcox Trail, about 1.5 mile loop. By the time I headed home for lunch, I had seen seven eagles, two hawks, and a dozen whitetail deer. So I enjoyed my bicycle ride, my mocha, my conversation with Jeff and my walk in nature.

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  • clouds,  landscape,  sunrises

    Everything is better now

    June 2, 2023

    For those of you who slept through the announcement or didn’t get the email, it’s National Donut Day . I must confess I missed it and had to be reminded by my sister in a text message. And since I didn’t want to carry around that guilt all day I felt the need to buy a donut once I got to the coffee shop. So, I’ll carry that guilt around all day. 😁 Everything is better now!!

    The clouds were putting on quite the show for us this morning. I personally don’t want to miss anymore opportunities to see them, life is too short. We also had rain during the night and light rain was falling when I got out of bed. I took this image on my way to the area around Arapaho Bend Natural Area and the Environmental Learning Center. A few years ago there was a cement plant just to the right of this scene, and noisey. I personally believe this is a much better view. Seems the birds think so also as I had barn swallows flying all around me, geese on the water’s edge and on the water, meadowlarks and robins singing to the world. I’ve had the gift of seeing eagles there earlier this spring. Anyway, Happy Donut (Doughnut) Day!

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  • clouds,  grass,  landscape,  natural areas,  Plants,  quotes,  trees

    Walking the Path

    May 17, 2019

    “Perhaps for the first time we have a limited sense of what it means to be silence, instead of actively seeking or longing for the silence we think we lack and trying to make space for silence in our lives, as if this silence were not already silence but some sort of object to be sought and found.”

    Martin Laird

    This is from yesterday afternoon on a walk at the Environmental Learning Center along the Poudre River. I go there for the quiet, probably not often enough. I found three young people who had strung hammocks among a grove of trees, were playing music and staring at their phones. We were not using the ELC I read earlier in the day that we do not seek silence as much as we are to be silence. I like that idea and will need to ponder that for awhile, in silence. You”ll find the reading below.

    Storm clouds filled the sky to the south and west but no rain. Teh clouds and a cool breeze made it almost a perfect temperature. Loved the musty smell of the woods and all the birds singing. The Poudre River was full and running hard from the spring runoff. I was glad to see few mosquitos or flies.

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  • clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  trees

    After the Storm

    June 1, 2018
    Passing Storm
    Passing Storm

    We had dark ominous clouds move through Fort Collins this past Wednesday afternoon. I drove to the east side of town near the Environmental Learning Center to watch the clouds, the lightening strikes and thunder. Yet, not one drop of rain as the storm headed south and east for the plains. They got plenty of rain. I love the show nature puts on. 

    Each day of life is a gift. However, today is a bit more more special as it is my parents 69th wedding anniversary. 🙂 I love you two!

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  • fall season,  landscape,  natural areas,  trees

    More Bluer Skies

    October 17, 2017

    This pat weekend was lovely. Afternoon temperatures reaching the mid 60’s and nighttime temperatures down to freezing. The cold nights and humidity brought frost to everything in the morning. Saturday morning included some fog where I could not see across the pond.

    Starburst on a beautiful fall afternoon.
    Starburst on a beautiful fall afternoon.
    Whitetail deer live along this riparian area of the Poudre River
    Whitetail deer live along this riparian area of the Poudre River

    A restlessness on Sunday afternoon beckoned me to drive the 5 miles to the Environmental Learning Center and walk the outer loop with my camera and journal. Very few people were out so the quiet in nature was healing and soothing. Clear blue skies and the sound of rustling cottonwood leaves along with the calls of blue jays was all the music I needed. A couple of whitetail deer kept an eye on me as I walked along the trail near the Poudre River.

    The colors of late fail always brings me a smile.
    The colors of late fail always brings me a smile.

    We also had a days of high winds so a lot of trees have become barren and naked with the loss of their leaves. However we do have a few lingering fall colors. The winds also clear up the smog and gives us these Bluer skies. Enjoy the rest of your week.

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