My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
Whether we and our politicians know it or not, Nature is party to all our deals and decisions, and she has more votes, a longer memory, and a sterner sense of justice than we do.
Wendell Berry
Evening sunset taken a couple of weeks ago on County Road 19, just east of Fort Collins.
I thought I would show you with these images what a walk around my hotels provide for images. These 4 images were all taken at the same hotel on the same morning and all within about 45 minutes. I get in some exercise and look for images. The hole in the fence was what I saw. I took 4 images.
A drive out east on County Road 15 showed lots of corn fields with some very tall corn stalks. Everything is green out there from all the irrigation with a coolness not found in the city limits. Kinda nice place to be. I’m off on a 3-day trip today, see when I get back.
The city has worked on the Red Fox Meadows Nature area over the past 3-5 years. I just happened to be near the area and noticed the added improvements and turned car around to check it out. They have improved the walking path from the muddy trails to pea size gravel, added some fencing and signs in the restoration areas and a bathroom. I was impressed. I was also impressed with the sun as it rose above the trees to start it’s task of warming up the day. And, this park is only three blocks away. I’ll be back!
With the small amount of rain the High Park fire is dying out. The inciWeb site says, “Firefighters continue coordinating making assessments with local authorities for orderly re-entry to evacuated subdivisions. Crews are removing hazard trees along main public roads to improve public and firefighter safety. Much of the fire shows no smoke, but substantial heat remains throughout the fire. Firefighters are searching out remaining hotspots throughout the fire and putting them out. ” Those are great words to hear. And, it is nice to look west and not see smoke.
Yesterday was a full day. Fellow photographers Cindi Smith, Susan Thomas and myself took a drive up to Mt Evans. Wonderful views of our state from 14,000 feet. Cooler temperatures and bit of rain and sleet had us putting on jackets. On our way back down we indulged in some homemade pies at the Echo Lake Lodge. Once back in Fort Collins I headed out to the Arapahoe Nature Area for some quiet and to watch the sunset. I was not disappointed. Hope everyone has a good weekend.
When people confine themselves to their prisons made of asphalt, concrete, glass, bank accounts, office cubicles, new cars, large homes, malls, theaters and our inflated egos, we have no concept of what our natural world offers us. I believe some people feel they are bigger than the world, own it and have the right to destroy it. The word that comes to mind is entitlement. Yet, we really have no idea how insignificant we are in the scheme of nature. How many of us focus on what we can take from the world not what we can offer back to the world? What direction would our world be moving towards if more (idealistically everyone) were to connect with nature? Touching nature does not need to be a week long back packing trip. It can be a walk in a natural area or wildlife refuge or the local botanical garden or your own garden or a farmers field. I like how John Sexton says it in the quote I posted a few days ago, “…I feel quiet, yet intense energy in the natural elements of our habitat. A sense of magic prevails. A sense of mystery. It is a time for contemplation, for listening…”
… but this one is the mate to the boot from yesterday’s post, which was the next post down the row.