Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
Albert Einstein
Yesterday was a cooler day with refreshing rain and more rain is forecasted for today. It is overcast, damp, and foggy in Colorado this morning. The fog mixed with the smoke filters the sun to glow bright orange through it all. Wish I knew a good way to photograph that color but I haven’t come up with one yet. But, that’s okay because I was able to just sit and experience nature doing its thing, and just for me.
My prayer this morning is for more of us to take a deeper look into nature which means spending time there and on a regular basis. Seems to me Albert knew what he was talking about. Leaving in a few minutes to meet a special friend for coffee and conversation. Have a great Sunday!
low lying clouds sea of suspended water silent waves of fog
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Had a short night of sleep but slept sound for most of it and feel rested. Headed out early and discovered a bit of fog on the eastern plains. A world of clouds and haze until the sun burns it off. Very humid and cool morning with 96% humidity and 57 degrees. It is fascinating to watch fog as it changes and moves like a wave ever so silently and quickly. Fog does not hang around for too long. It is a cloud at the earth’s surface. A wave moving over bales of hay.
A touch of pink in this image as the sun is about to rise behind the low clouds in the east. We are seeing fields of both the ripening wheat and three foot tall stalks of corn. Farmers are irrigating the fields of corn so lots of surface moisture to generate the fog. Where I’m standing is a ditch full of gurgling water, almost like having my own little stream. Have a great day!
“In one of the Upanishads it says, when the glow of a sunset holds you and you say ‘Aha,’ that is the recognition of the divinity. And when you say ‘Aha’ to an art object, that is a recognition of divinity. And what divinity is it? It is your divinity, which is the only divinity there is. We are all phenomenal manifestations of a divine will to live, and that will and the consciousness of life is one in all of us, and that is what artwork expresses.”
Joseph Campbell, The Mythic Dimension: Selected Essays 1959-87
With the very warm days the green is fading quickly. This image was taken back in May near Reservoir Ridge Natural Area. In reference to the above quote, I’d like to think of this image as my recognition of the divine. An “Aha” moment!
This past Sunday morning nature gave us the gift of light fog. So I drive out east into Weld County to see if I would be given an image. A couple hours later at home I learned that a friend of mine died during the night after his battle with cancer. This simple scene fit my mood.
Found these two Canada Goose sleeping-in late on the pond. A half dozen more are off to my right curled in the same position. Four days ago the pond was all open water. Two nights below freezing changed that. Fog is unusual for us along the foothills. We will find more of it as we move east onto the plains, especially along rivers and open water. So, the fog was a treat for me this morning. It is also cold, in the high teens, frost covers everything and only expecting to be in the mid 30’s today and a bit of sunshine.
I chased some early morning fog then headed out to one of the natural areas to write and get in a morning walk. It’s about a 5 mile drive to Reservoir Ridge and then found the sun shining brightly there and eerily quiet. I watched the sun burn off the fog along the foothills to the south, nature at work. Everything was wet from the humidity and dew; the split rail fence, the grass, and a spiderweb. The sun and wind will quickly dry things out. Thus begins a morning in the meadow. Makes me smile somewhere inside of me as I experience it.
Backlit sunflowers at Reservoir Ridge Natural Area
The birds now begin to sing as if they were waiting for me. They dart so quickly in the aire and must in order to catch all the quick and nimble flying insects. I watch as the wind slowly moves the fog to my east in a southerly direction. While small clouds along the foothills are moved south by the same wind. I watch a blue-jay perched on the fence hop to the ground in hot pursuit of some insect. He misses on the first couple tries then finds success. Such a beautiful bird dressed in blue, a work of art.
Busy bees enjoying the nectar from a common chicory
Now a bit of information about common chicory from Wikipedia. I see these all over the place and finally looked them up. The bees love them. The plant was adopted as a coffee substitute by Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War, and become common in the United States. It was also used in the United Kingdom during the Second World War, where Camp Coffee, a coffee and chicory essence, has been on sale since 1885.
Pineridge Nature Area today on a foggy and misty morning
My restlessness this morning took me to Pineridge Nature Area to joined up with the meadowlarks, Canada Geese, barking prairie dogs, a perched hawk, again. I pretty much had the area to myself. I’m not sure restless is the word or not but that’s what I’m going with. Seems I have been a restless person for many years. Why? I ask myself that simple question a lot. I remember the awareness I had the first time I grabbed my backpack, headed out the door and realized I had no particular place in mind. I was just wanting to go. I journaled about this almost nomadic impulse this morning. I feel much of my seven years working as a flight attendant was rooted in a form of nomadic life, as almost each night was a different city.
For many years my daydreams have revolved around traveling in a small RV, solo. My parents spent a few years living as snowbirds as did sister and brother-in-law. They all enjoyed it. Yet, what I’m speaking about is living nomadically, no home to return to after a couple months on the road. It would be home. However, I am not in a good financial position to live the nomadic life in a class B van. It would require selling my condo, purchasing a used RV and investing the balance of my home equity. Am I willing to take such a risk? Just throwing some thoughts out there.
