• landscape,  Mary Oliver,  natural areas,  poems,  quotes,  sunrises

    Chilled

    To live in this world
    you must be able
    to do three things:
    to love what is mortal;
    to hold it
    against your bones knowing
    your own life depends on it;
    and, when the time comes to let it go,
    to let it go.

    Mary Oliver

    Had a short night of sleep, yet feel rested on this beautiful January morning. Almost cloudless sky until the sun rose and a few wisps of clouds arrived. Took my camera on a morning walk at Reservoir Ridge Natural Area after the sun had risen. The short walk was good for me but I picked up a chill by the time I returned to the car. Stopped at the Bean Cycle for a mocha latte on the way home, but still chilled. I have enjoyed the quiet morning. The sound of busyness can be heard as the city stirs awake.

    One friend is having back surgery this morning and a second friend has an appointment with a surgeon this morning for similar surgery, both have herniated discs. I have had back problems for most of my life due to scoliosis. X-rays a few years ago showed a 40 degree curve to my left with a spinal twist, plus arthritis. I do some stretching exercises they showed me which I think has helped. Plus I do not stress the back with heavy lifting and use good techniques in bending and lifting. Someday I may be having the same surgery.

    Looks like cold has a grip on most of the country so stay warm!

  • gratitude,  poems,  window,  writing/reading

    expressing gratitude

    morning sun enters through my window
    warms my soul with its abounding grace
    grateful and blessed for this life I live
    filled with love of family and friends

    solitude and silence the foundations of my life
    it’s the staff I need to walk through life
    raises me up when I fall, again and again
    where I discern my chatter from your words

    prayer and meditation my daily practice
    a lifeline to grasp when I begin to wander
    lifting the spirit when life weighs heavy
    opens a door to knowing beyond thinking

    it’s been said that if the only prayer we say
    is thank you, that would suffice
    so I’m thankful for this wonderful life
    happy thanksgiving to you!

    ms
  • clouds,  landscape,  mountains,  sunsets

    Chasing the Sun

    Chasing the Light

    I met up with Tom and Kathy Dills, who are visiting from North Carolina, yesterday morning for coffee at the Old Town Mugs. We solved a few of the world problems in the morning over coffee then yesterday afternoon we drove north of Fort Collins to chase the sun and look for a few trees. We found both.

  • lake,  landscape,  sunsets

    Enjoying the Sunset

    This was taken in 2005 at a local pond with my friends while having a picnic, plenty of food and games. It is scenes like this that I wish I could know what people were thinking about. I wonder if my friend was having an awareness of her part in the universe, or was she remembering a choice made in the past she would like to change or was she dreaming of a future moment yet to come.

    “I could have. What does this phrase mean? At any given moment in our lives, there are certain things that could have happened but, didn’t. The magic moments go unrecognized, and then suddenly, the hand of destiny changes everything.” Paulo Coelho.

  • Candid Portraits

    Friends

    Friends
    Friends

    “Friendship marks a life even more deeply than love. Love risks degenerating into obsession, friendship is never anything but sharing.”  ― Elie Wiesel

    My friend Kay and I drove up to Estes Park the other day to have brunch with her friend, Nellie. As you can tell they enjoyed catching up on family, sharing a hug, catching up on the latest with each other, exchanging gifts with each other and sharing a few tears. I found it refreshing to see them connecting as friends.