• Arapaho Bend Natural Area,  landscape,  quotes,  sunrises,  winter scenes

    Our work…

    January 14, 2026

    “Our work, rather, is to help reawaken the sense of the sacred that is already deep in the human soul,
    our primordial relationship with nature, our ancient mother love of the earth.
    We can be part of its rising again.”

    John Philip Newell

    My recovery is moving along, slowly but surely. I am sleeping in later but I am sleeping restless. They have me sleeping with an oxygen concentrator at night which could be the culprit. I also do take naps throughout the day but I will rest when my body lets me know. I am going to venture out to the coffee shop in the morning. Since I can’t drive yet Jeff will pick me up and we will make a frontal attack on Mugs on Laurel. We are not giving them any warnings, either. We have had intermittent clouds and sunshine today and reached 60 degrees. The sun has set and I am enjoying an Earl Gray Tea. I hope you had a good day!

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  • leaves,  Plants,  snow

    Update

    January 8, 2026

    I returned home Tuesday evening and slept in my own bed, without a machine beeping at me, without a nurse taking my vitals every 4 hours or a phlebotomist drawing blood. Bliss, I tell you! I had a physical therapist visit me Wednesday morning to give me instructions on taking care of myself and recover quicker She thinks I doing very good and doesn’t think I need her assistance but will check on me next week. I have done laundry and made myself both breakfast and lunch for two days now. It’s a slow shift back to normal. Today’s achievements have been emptying my bladder and a healthy bowel movement. That is exciting at my age and just after surgery. I am still sore at the incision but expecting that for now. We have had a light dusting of snow today just enough to cover the ground so I am not up to venturing out. This image is from 2015. Again, thank all of you for checking on me through your comments on this blog, the text messages, and your emails. They are all part of my recovery. I hope you have a wonderful day!

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  • health

    Surgery

    January 4, 2026

    I discovered on Friday morning that I had a very large lump on my right groin that was pulsating with blood. Luckily I already had an appointment to see my nurse practitioner at 11am. She immediately wanted me to go to the hospital for an ultrasound on that location. After the ultrasound, they admitted me into the ER for a short stay, which lasted overnight. They did a simple procedure to try and reduce the size or eliminate the femoral pseudoaneurysm, but that failed. So they sent me to MCR, where the experts are, and will be here for two or three days as they get me prepped for surgery. They started me on heparin IV drip and took me off the Eliquis. Surgery is scheduled tomorrow morning at 10:30am to repair the aneurysm.

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  • Arapaho Bend Natural Area,  clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  natural areas,  sunsets

    Happy New Year

    January 1, 2026
    My last sunset photo of 2025

    Since I’m no longer a party guy, I celebrated New Year’s Eve by spending time at Arapaho Bend Natural Area to soak into my memory the gift of the sunset. I was back home and in bed by 8pm, reading. My post today is an image of that sunset along with a wish and pray that the coming year be a wonderful adventure, full of awe and wonder, filled with lessons learned, moments of creativity, more time in nature, quality time with family, good health, and the discovery of your true and authentic self. I am grateful for the gift you are. Happy New Year and hope you enjoyed your day!

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  • musings,  Plants,  quotes

    …it’s the right choice

    July 31, 2025
    Two portraits in one

    There comes a time in the spiritual journey when you start making choices from a very different place . . .And if a choice lines up so that it supports truth, health, happiness, wisdom, and love, it’s the right choice.

    Angeles Arrien

    If you notice she does not include monetary wealth or anything that has a physical presence in her list. Everything she lists has an intangible value. And, in my world her list does not have a monetary value to them. I believe this is one of the reasons this quote resonates with me and one of the major reasons our world is in a state of decline. Which begs the question within me; What would our world be like if more people lived their spiritual journey?

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  • coffee life,  fountain pens,  journaling,  poems

    Hanging Around Friends

    May 14, 2025

    Something whispered something that was not even a word. It was more like silence that was understandable.

    Mary Oliver

    I’ve been struggling with health issues for the past 4 days. Primarily deep back pain that penetrates my chest. I’ve had about every test possible checking for blood clots, strokes, seizures, and any heart issues. I have many symptoms of pleurisy, but all the testing came back negative. So, I am taking six Tylenol a day and resting. I haven’t been to the natural areas, bicycling, or photography as much. However, I made it to Mugs for an Old Town mocha and gathered around friends this morning. Seems hanging around friends is good medicine. I’ve kept up with my journaling and been reading some new poetry. I hope all is well with you. And, thanks for listening to me whine.

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  • clouds,  landscape,  mountains,  quotes

    Prayers and Hopes

    January 1, 2024

    Real security can only be found, if at all, in a world without the injustices that now exist, and without arms.

    Kathleen Lonsdale

    It was 19 degrees with clear skies and sunshine when I left the condo this morning, our first day of 2024. However, we are expecting to reach 50 degrees later. Kathleen Lonsdale’s quote stirs my hopes for this coming year. So I would like to share my prayers and hopes for the coming year. May our troubled and broken world embrace a year filled with peace, love, compassion, reconciliation, forgiveness, love, mercy, kindness, justice, love, and healing. May we respect and protect all human lives, their rights as equals, never less or greater than, always discovering our common ground. May we let go of the heavy chains of anger, hate, fear, judgements, prejudice, resentments that weigh us down, separate and divide us. May we see with the openness of new eyes, not defined with preconceived images of our minds or another’s images. May we choose faith over fear. May we have the awareness we are all connected in unimaginable ways within this landscape we call earth. May we respect and protect our life-giving natural world as vital to our existence and not abuse it. May we spend more time within the beauty of Mother Earth, walking gently on her sacred soil, fully embracing the gift she is while accepting her embrace. May we venture into the mystery of the unknown that lies ahead of us with trust! And last but not least, may we all enjoy the gift of sharing with our neighbors from our box of Enstrom’s Almond Toffee (to die for I’m telling you). And, thank you for the gift of your presence in my life, even if it’s virtual!!

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  • Arapaho Bend Natural Area,  clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  quotes,  sunsets

    Reflections

    December 21, 2023
    Sunset over Longs Peak

    Thoreau understood that wildness is not dependent upon a vast, unsettled track of land. Rather it is a quality of awareness, and openness to the light, to the seasons, and to nature’s perpetual renewal.

    John Elder, Introduction to Nature Walking by Ralph Waldo Emerson

    Needed a Natural Area fix yesterday so I drove out to Arapaho Bend Natural Area. I wanted to get in some steps so I walked along the ponds with camera and tripod. I had no real goals. I just needed to be there. My time there was healing. just what I needed. Beautiful clouds directly above me and over the Front Range. A touch of color after the sun had set. And the water was calm providing inspiring reflections. Nature does that!

    My fix was needed because I have felt a bit down. I do that once in awhile. But, I am grateful for the gift of this awareness of feelings. I’ve come to know my feelings are not my reality, they point to something deeper. There is no need for me to worry, or be fearful, or greedy, or resentful, since those are just thoughts. My life is good! Heck we just got a 3.24% increase in our SSA check. My IRA made money this past year. Although I spent part of that on car repairs. The reality is I have everything I need. I am privileged. One year ago I was a very sick man and in the hospital which let me know of health issues that have since been addressed. Today I meet with my cardiologist for a nine month checkup after the TAVR procedure they did last March. I enjoyed a taste of the Christmas season Tuesday evening as I dressed up as Santa for the baristas at Starry Night’s employee party. What a gift that I would be asked to be a part of their celebration. It was way kool! I’m aware I’ve drifted off course with my eating during this season but eagerly accepted a gift box of almond truffles. No, I’m not sharing them!!

    I’ll end with this by applying the words of John Elder to my life. I have a quality of awareness in my life, what is reality and what isn’t. I am learning to be open to the light of new tomorrows, new horizons and venture towards them for as long as I can. I am also aware that each season of life is always preceding another season of renewal. So, my fix in nature lifted my spirits. I do have a desire to live the brevity of my life the best I can. Hope you have a great day. Thanks for listening to me ramble or is it babbling.

    And, Happy Birthday to my youngest granddaughter, Madie!!!

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  • landscape,  natural areas,  Reservoir Ridge Natural Area,  sunsets

    Feeling Gratitude

    November 10, 2023
    Sunset at Reservoir Ridge Natural Area

    After watching this evening’s sunset I realized how much I have to be grateful for in my life. I’m even grateful I can say that as often as I do. Even though I am not wealthy, I have enough to live comfortably. Even though I am aging and have a couple of health issues we are addressing, I have a healthy lifestyle. I have amazing and growing relationships with family and friends and those who are both. I have a spiritual life that I embrace and nurture. I have a coffee life that has become part of my family. I have these beautiful Colorado sunsets and sunrises that touch some deep place within me. I am grateful for gloves. I am grateful for all who read this post. Gratitude fills me this evening. Going to share this evening’s sunset with you and hope you have a wonderful weekend! A second post today.

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  • architecture,  coffee life,  coffee shops,  doors,  street photography

    Prayers and Thoughts are Welcomed

    March 6, 2023

    Here is another update on my health and what the doctors have planned for me. To be honest I’m not all that excited about having to deal with these health issues. But as my friend Christina says, “Life gets Lifey.” The next few days will be a busy time for me. I have a pre-op meeting/testing on Tuesday the 7th giving me instructions on preparation for surgery and what to expect. Then Thursday morning the 9th will be my final iron infusion. So far none of the infusions have had any side effects. The iron infusions are bringing my blood count numbers up except for the platelets which seem to fluctuate but in a downward direction. Because of the low platelet numbers they will be doing a bone marrow biopsy on Friday the 10th at MCR in their effort to discover what’s going on. On Monday the 13th I will be given another infusion, this one with platelets to bring the platelet numbers up. Its purpose is to prepare me for the VIV TAVR (Valve-in-Valve Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement) procedure/surgery scheduled for the next morning, Tuesday the 14th. Hopefully everything goes well and I will see an improvement in my anemia and the malfunctioning aortic valve. Prayers and thoughts are welcomed.

    The image is from a road trip I made back in 2013. This was taken at a coffee shop in Cortez, Colorado, called the Spruce Tree Espresso house. It changed its name to Bean Tree Coffee House and is now closed. I found the door inviting and led out onto a large outdoor patio area. I think it would be interesting to revisit these coffee shops, if they are still open, and see how they have changed, or not.

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