• horizons,  landscape,  poetic journal,  writing/reading

    Tooting My Horn

    I mentioned a while back that I was working on a project. Well over a year and a half ago I began creating a Blurb book within Lightroom. My focus was on horizons because I have come to see the attraction and draw they have with me. My initial intent was to make a book for my children with a select few of my images and with my own words. After almost a year of labor and feeling like I was done, I read what I’d written and heard a familiar voice inside telling it was sh*t and I was a fool for trying such a project. So I set it aside and stopped working on it. Do you ever hear that voice and listen to the lie?

    When the pandemic hit and lockdown arrived I found myself looking at what I’d written and my perspective was in a very different place. After three months I began to rewrite and my writing began to transform into what I’ve come to know as a poetic journal style of writing. A new energy began and words I’d not written before appeared. I made several revisions, deleted some writings and images while adding new writings and images. My wonderful neighbor, Kristin who teaches creative writing and poetry at CSU, did three proofreadings for me. 

    I am not promoting this for you to buy because print on demand is expensive. I’m doing it to toot my horn. This is something I’d never imagined I would or could do and an uncomfortable risk. Please click on the image for a preview of the book, for free. Let me know what you think. Thanks!

    I mentioned a while back that I was working on a project. Well over a year and a half ago I began creating a Blurb book within Lightroom. My focus was on horizons because I have come to see the attraction and draw they have with me. My initial intent was to make a book for my children with a select few of my images and with my own words. After almost a year of labor and feeling like I was done, I read what I’d written and heard a familiar voice inside telling it was sh*t and I was a fool for trying such a project. So I set it aside and stopped working on it. Do you ever hear that voice and listen to the lie?

    When the pandemic hit and lockdown arrived I found myself looking at what I’d written and my perspective was in a very different place. After three months I began to rewrite and my writing began to transform into what I’ve come to know as a poetic journal style of writing. A new energy began and words I’d not written before appeared. I made several revisions, deleted some writings and images while adding new writings and images. My wonderful neighbor, Kristin who teaches creative writing and poetry at CSU, did three proofreadings for me. 

    I am not promoting this for you to buy because print on demand is expensive. I’m doing it to toot my horn. This is something I’d never imagined I would or could do and an uncomfortable risk. Please click on the image for a preview of the book, for free. Let me know what you think. Thanks!

  • clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  sunrises

    …and dream

    Greeting the pre-dawn sunrise and soft pink clouds

    Right now I have three options available in getting into a Class B. Option 1 would be purchasing a new Class B that would run from $150k to $200k with the options I’d like. Option 2 would be buying a used van probably costing from $60k to $100k for one I’d be happy with. Option 3 would be letting go of this dream and not buying a van which would cost me $0.

    My financial history is not something to brag about. I made decent money working as an engineer but had no skills in managing that money. I spent many years spending foolishly while pursuing the pleasures of life. Therefore my retirement years are being spent with minimal cash. For the past 6 years I’ve been living on my social security checks, leaving my retirement funds for when I reach the 72 year marker or for some unforeseen emergency, which I’ve needed to do. My miniscule savings is gone. 😞 

    With that said, options 1 and 2 would be possible only if I sold my condo, bought the van and placed the remaining small (tiny) equity in some fund/investment or I win the lottery. Selling my condo is not the best financial move and for several reasons. 

    I have no idea how long I would I travel in a Class B? Since I’ve never done it before, would I like the lifestyle? I’m also over 70 so I’m unsure how long I will stay healthy. If I knew that living in a Class B was something I would do until I took that last breath then I’d go for it. It’s almost a guarantee that someday I will be needing my home back. So selling my condo is too high a risk for me.

    So, at the present moment owning a Class B is a dream that is almost daily in my mind but at the present time is unattainable. I wish I could let it go and live with what I have, which really is enough. Because the life I live now allows me to rise early and greet the dawn with my camera without the need for a van. From a financial standpoint it’s a dream that is not feasible for me unless a large sum of money fell from the sky. And, that’s why I buy a lottery ticket every so often and dream. 😃

  • clouds,  landscape,  lifestyles,  rants,  storm clouds,  writing/reading

    Storm Brewing

    Storm clouds brewing on the northern horizon

    Listening to the news grieves this heart.
    Voices cry warnings of a storm brewing
    somewhere, every day, every moment.

    I want to turn away from it all,
    cover my ears, bury my head in the sand, 
    still storm clouds rise on the far horizon.

    With diligence I stay alert listening to the
    thunder of lies, watching for lightning bolts of anger,
    each a sign of the growing storms of hatred.

    Oh, to wake from this nightmare, to discover
    instead, a sunlight of love rising on the horizon,
    offering us the gift hope. This is my prayer!

    ms

  • animals,  clouds,  horizons,  landscape

    More quiet machines

    Clouds and grazing cattle from yesterday afternoon

    I was not in a good place yesterday. I felt frustration because of the state of our environmental crisis, loss of so much of our natural world, our political mess, economic mess, the entitlement mentality of individuals and corporations, the anger and violence  in our world, and my own insecurities and fears along with my own feelings of entitlement. My journal is one of the tools I use when I become aware of these shadowy mental states. So, I took time in the afternoon to write about it. As words began to appear, I noticed a lot of wants and little gratitude for what I already have. Seems my appetite to want “more” crops up again, even in these troubled times, even when so many are struggling, even when I have all that I need.

    Yet, through my writing I became aware the root of my frustration is: the noise. Silence has become a precious gift in my life. So, the noise of man’s machines that have grated against me for years, seemed to be even louder, more intense. Part of that has been the reduction of noise during this lockdown. I think I’ve mentioned this before but sometimes I just want to run away. So I did, even knowing there is no away.

    The above image is as close to away as it got for me, about 7-8 miles east of town. I pulled over to watch and listen to nature, letting it all sink in, soothing, healing this troubled soul. The birds were singing and the grass eating cow machines were busily working. There is a twitter  quote by Neil deGrasse Tyson that says a cow is a biological machine invented by humans to turn grass into steak. What’s really cool is it’s a quiet machine. Why can’t we have more quiet machines? I didn’t want to go back to town.

  • clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  rants,  writing/reading

    Every day

    Clear blue skies in eastern Colorado sunset

    I noticed this morning an increase in visual pollution
    as three contrails were etched on the blue sky.

    A question arose, instead of going back to what was,
    what if we kept the blue skies clear, every day?

    I like clear blue skies.

    ms

  • clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  poems,  poetic journal,  writing/reading

    This Gift of Wonder

    Storm clouds on the canvas

    Fascinating, clouds on the horizon
    causing me to stop, to feel them deeply
    within, yet so far in the distance.

    Such power visible on the canvas sky
    hail, rain, thunder, lightning
    forever playing with color and form.

    With awe, I watch the creator create
    while I, a child caught in enchantment 
    accepting this gift of wonder.

    ms

    Happy Birthday, Sheree. You are such a gift of wonder! I love you! ❤️