My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
One of the things that makes you feel good is to get out into nature—go walking, go hiking, go swimming in the ocean, or wherever you live, in a river or a lake, experience the beauty of America, experience how America is such a sacred place. Everywhere you go in this land, our people have been there and they have said, “This place is sacred.”
Ohiyesa (Charles A. Eastman)
We have always preferred to believe that the spirit of God is not breathed into humans alone, but that the whole created universe shares in the immortal perfection of its maker.
Ohiyesa (Charles A. Eastman)
This morning’s drive to meet Eric was a gift. The predawn colors began as pink, shifting to red then orange before the sun burst over the horizon. About all I could do was stand there and smile. Actually, let’s call it more of a grin! It’s mornings like this that make my aches and pains of aging and where I somehow find the gumption to brave the cold, all worthwhile. So, I watched the predawn colors, listened to the silence, then witnessed the sunrise over the farm. A wonderful start to my day. May you enjoy your weekend!
When I left the condo this morning it was 36 degrees, clear skies and dry so it was a morning to bicycle to the coffee shop. A bright waning crescent moon hung in the southern darkness. The wind was blowing causing flags on campus to stand erect into the eastern sunrise and also made my bedaling tougher. The lovely Winter was my barista this morning and made me a spicy chai to start my day. A beautiful day is taking shape here in Colorado.
“This tells me two fundamental truths: one, that in order to evolve and grow, we must be prepared to face the erosive aspects of life. Two, it’s the weathering that creates the finest landscape of our lives, shaping us and defining us over time.”
Ruth Allen
There is a knowing within me that I am evolving. The obstacles of life, the weathering, has shaped who I am. And, I would venture to say everything else in the universe. The weathering of my life’s storms is allowing me to experience the inner landscape of my life. Grateful for this time in my life and my inner landscape! Have a wonderful day!!!
Well, the cookies and milk I left out for Santa were gone when I woke up this morning, always a good sign. However, there was no XF8mm lens under the tree so there must have been a screw up somewhere. They must have not gotten my letter. I didn’t think I was that naughty this past year. However, I’ve lived without that lens so far and will continue to live without it.
Overcast skies spurred me to drive to Pineridge Natural Area for possible Christmas morning predawn colors. A mix of rain and snow began and added to the feel of the morning’s cold. I showed up and was not disappointed in nature’s gift of colors. The reflection off Dixon Reservoir was breathtaking and almost caused me to miss the Great Horned Owl perched on the tree. I asked if they were watching the predawn colors or looking for prey or both, but only silence? And, silly me forgot to bring the tripod so this is a handheld image taken at 23mm, 1/10 sec at f8.0 and ISO 12800. I have cropped this image and used denoise in Lightroom to clean up the noise. It works well enough for this blog. I started a crockpot of chili soup after my quiet time and its aroma is filling the house. It’s making me hungry. I hope everyone has a wonderful day in whatever way you celebrate it. Thank you to all who regularly stop by for a visit. I love this world!!! ❤️
“The biggest gift you can give is to be absolutely present, and when you’re worrying about whether you’re hopeful or hopeless or pessimistic or optimistic, who cares? The main thing is that you’re showing up, that you’re here and that you’re finding ever more capacity to love this world because it will not be healed without that. That was what is going to unleash our intelligence and our ingenuity and our solidarity for the healing of our world.”
Joanna Macy
You know that the way of power and ownership, of “mine” and “yours” is just not a good way to live. It is a way of domination, and domination does not care for the weak or give voice to the voiceless. It seeks not to serve, but to be served. It causes life to be out of balance.
Kent Nerburn, Voices in the Stones
On Saturday mornings I either meet my friend Eric for coffee or we talk on the phone. It’s one of those 20 year relationships that keeps getting better. I drive by this lake on my way over to Windsor and back to meet him. This morning the blue was eye catching and you can just see the moon on the right side of the image. This lake is called Deadman Lake. There has to be some story behind the name but my Google search comes up blank.
Each soul must meet the morning sun, the new sweet earth,
Ohiyesa
and the Great Silence alone.
“Honor the sacred. Honor the Earth, our Mother. Honor the Elders. Honor all with whom we share the Earth: Four-leggeds, two-leggeds, winged ones, Swimmers, crawlers, plant and rock people. Walk in balance and beauty.”
Native American Elder
My Thanksgiving dinner was roasted vegetables and a piece of blueberry pie. It was 20 degrees this morning so no bicycling but when it warmed up to 39 degrees I went on a 7.7 mile bicycle ride to Spring Creek Park. Later just as the sun was setting I drove to Fossil Creek Park to see about sunset colors over Portner Reservoir. I love the pastel colors in this image and also enjoyed being photobombed by a flock of Canada Geese coming in from the fields. Not the best photo because it was handheld at 1/25th of a second.
Today is Native American Heritage Day. It is was setup to celebrate the vibrant cultures, traditions, and heritages while recognizing Native Americans’ many contributions. Seems to me the Native Americans knew how to honor the sacred, who we share the earth with, and live in harmony with it. While we are arrogantly destroying the sacred and arrogantly still considered them less than us. Our arrogance keeps us from being students of life. And, we have so much to learn!!