• landscape,  natural areas,  Plants,  Reservoir Ridge Natural Area,  seasons,  snow,  winter scenes

    Closer to Nature

    March 5, 2022

    I know this is the second post for the day but thought I’d give a weather report from my small little universe as it’s more enjoyable than the worlds chaotic news. We had a dusting of snow early this morning covering the open fields in white then gone by mid morning. About 2:00 pm the temperature was a nice 32 degrees, snow had let up, so I headed to Reservoir Ridge Natural Area for a bit of prayer and walking meditation. It was quite beautiful, wonderful silence, just what my soul needed. Seems I have needed to be closer to nature the past few days. I only did a couple miles, enough to have cold hands, cold ears and a runny nose. It had begun to snow again by the time I got back to the car. In this image you can see the snow in the foothills while the higher elevations are hidden in snowfall. Hope you are having a good Saturday. Think I’ll enjoy a piece of warm peach pie now. 😊

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  • landscape,  seasons,  snow,  trees,  winter scenes

    Keeping Peace Alive

    February 26, 2022
    More blue skies

    With our our country’s political strife, the pandemic and world violence it is vital for us to keep our inner peace and sanity. So, I wanted to share a question with you that I came across yesterday. I am going to use it as a seed in my meditations and to journal about over the next few days. How are you keeping peace alive in your heart and mind?

    Here are some of my ways: quiet time, prayer and meditation, time with nature, journaling, reading, photography, poetry, early mornings at coffee shops, healthy conversations with friends, daily walks and more… which is pretty much what I do every day. I must admit I’m concerned what impact our worlds insanity has on everyone especially those immediately impacted. It’s demonstrated to me how far reaching our actions have on others. Therefore, whatever simple actions I can do to keep peace within my heart and mind matters. And, I have no idea how my actions or words or prayers can reach out into the universe and positively affect others. Maybe just taking a “one-breath” meditation throughout the day will clear the mind, keeping peace alive in our hearts and minds and the world.

    We may get above 32 degrees today for the first time in 4 days. As my sister would say, I’m esscited!!!!

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  • clouds,  Humor,  landscape,  quotes

    Altering Our Attitude

    February 1, 2022

    The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human can alter his life by altering his attitude.

    William James

    When I live my day with a positive attitude the day does go much better. Seems I have a better attitude when I start every day with quiet time, prayer and meditation. And, I must also add that I enjoy hanging around people who have a positive attitude rather than a negative attitude. When our attitude is selfish and self-centered then we’re not going to be a lovely person to be around. One of many reason I don’t hang around politicians.

    Had to stop and take this photo because those rows are almost perfect. Shows the differences between natures idea of perfection and man’s idea of perfection. We are expecting snow today. I can already see it snowing in the higher foothills. Stay warm!

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  • insects,  quotes

    Discovered the fly

    July 11, 2021

    “The Utah deserts and plateaus and canyons are not a country of big returns, but a country of spiritual healing, incomparable for contemplation, meditation, solitude, quiet, awe, peace of mind and body. We were born of wilderness, and we respond to it more than we sometimes realize. We depend upon it increasingly for relief from the termite life we have created. Factories, power plants, resorts, we can make anywhere. Wilderness, once we have given it up, is beyond our reconstruction.”

    Wallace Stegner

    I believe Stegner’s quote is valid for any place. Wilderness is always close by even in our cities but becoming smaller all the time. And we mistakenly call the elimination of these places development. Sigh!

    I noticed some Campanula rapunculoides, also known by the common name of creeping bellflower, in a greenbelt and canal area on a walk along Shields Avenue. I felt a closer look was necessary. After a few photos I spotted these mushrooms. Since I was already on my knees I decided they also needed to have their photo taken. I took three photos of the mushrooms and later discovered the fly is only in one image. Guess the fly wanted their photo taken also. 😁

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  • grass,  gratitude,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  Plants,  sunrises

    No One Got Hurt

    July 8, 2021

    This is today’s sunrise at Pineridge Natural Area. It looks to be a hot day, reaching 100 degrees. Had a couple of hiccups yesterday so sorry if this post sounds a bit whinny. Promise, it won’t take long.

    I dropped off my car at 6:30 to have the oil changed. I then walked to a coffee shop to meet a friend. I was already at the coffee shop, one I seldom patronize, when he called to let me know he was at ER after falling and dislocating his shoulder. He’s going to be okay.

    Since I was already at the coffee shop I ordered an iced chai, falsely believing that would make things better. Well it was probably the worst chai latte I’ve ever had. Dumped it all. I noticed a feeling of frustration within because plans were not going as planned. 😁

    It was now about 11:00 am. I walked back to the repair shop, buying a sandwich from the local Starbucks on the way. It was horrible. What’s wrong with my tastebuds? ☹️

    When I arrived at the repair shop I discovered there was a mixup. When I dropped off the car I placed the keys in the wrong place. They were not able to work on the car until I let them know where the keys were. Thus we were about 4 hours behind my scheduled plans. Then the Uber driver delivering my air filter got lost which delayed things. I did not get my car until 5:00 pm. Partly my error and partly theirs. However, everyone kept their kool. 😳

    Next, I was to meet a friend about 6:45 pm. All went well with that plan. Felt gratitude and we even chuckled about each others day!

    I realized before going to bed that after my morning prayer and meditation time, I did not start my day at one of my natural areas. I made sure to remedy that this morning. 😍 Anyway, all is okay as no one got hurt yesterday. Have a great day!

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  • journal,  writing/reading

    Use Words Wisely

    May 24, 2021

    Words. So powerful. They can crush a heart, or heal it. They can shame a soul, or liberate it. They can shatter dreams, or energize them. They can obstruct connection, or invite it. They can create defenses, or melt them. We have to use words wisely.

    Jeff Brown

    After years of journaling I’ve come to understand the shortcomings of words to express much of what we think and experience of life. There are thousands of books written in prose and poetry in our attempt to express thoughts, ideas, concepts, feelings, or define a single word. For thousands of years man has attempted to put into words what and who God is. Some feel they have found the answer. I don’t have that same feeling. It’s a mystery!

    Since my teenage years, and maybe earlier than that, I have asked those deep questions: how was I created and why? How did it all start and why and by whom? Who is God? Is there a God? If there is a God why would God create then punish what is created? All questions I believe we cannot define or comprehend. Nor can words define the fragrance of a rose. Words fall short.

    My journaling is a collection of letters and prayers addressing questions to my deeper self, that essence of who I really am. For me the name, definition or comprehension of the word god is not as important as experiencing the reality of something Divine through nature, my journals, my meditation, all experiences in life.

    Meister Eckhart says, “God is above all a reality to be experienced from within.” I’m well aware of the inadequacy of my words to express my experiences or fully articulate the questions. What is important is asking of questions. So, through this blog and my journaling I’m learning to use words wisely.

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  • clouds,  haiku,  landscape,  natural areas,  silence,  sunrises,  writing/reading

    Predawn Mystery

    March 25, 2021

    in stillness and silence
    colors begin to appear
    predawn mystery

    ms

    I sit in the upper parking lot at Pineridge Natural Area for this morning’s sunrise. Below me the city slowly stirs awake. Here, in this natural area, nature has already begun stirring as chattering magpies sit atop cottonwood tree branches. The geese and ducks make small waves across the reservoir. The wind is still. In the cold I listen to the silence and experience a calming that I will carry into my day. This is becoming an integral part of my morning prayer and meditation. A few years ago I couldn’t imagine spending mornings like this. Now, living in the present is how I choose to begin my day. For each new dawn offers the mystery of this day’s events that only we can live and experience in the present moment.

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  • Mary Oliver,  poems,  writing/reading

    Bought a New Book

    February 8, 2021

    On Meditating, Sort Of

    Meditation, so I’ve heard, is best accomplished
    if you entertain a certain strict posture.
    Frankly, I prefer just to lounge under a tree.
    So why should I think I could ever be successful?

    Some days I fall asleep, or land in that
    even better place — half asleep — where the world,
    spring, summer, autumn, winter —
    flies through my mind in its
    hardy ascent and its uncompromising descent.

    So I just lie like that, while distance and time
    reveal their true attitudes: they never
    heard of me, and never will, or ever need to.

    Of course I wake up finally
    thinking, how wonderful to be who I am,
    made out of earth and water,
    my own thoughts, my own fingerprints —
    all that glorious, temporary stuff.

    Mary Oliver (From Blue Horses)
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  • journal,  landscape,  natural areas,  Plants,  sunsets,  trees,  writing/reading

    Winds of Change

    November 8, 2020

    Some of you know I’m living in recovery from alcoholism. If not, you do now. I read a question today that caused me to reflect on my life now that I have a bit of time in recovery. The question was, “What are the important things in my recovery?” Here’s a short list from journaling this morning.

    • living life using the principles of the 12 Steps
    • daily practice of prayer and meditation
    • healing physically, emotionally and spiritually
    • healing of broken relationships and birthing of new relationships
    • experiencing a Higher Power from within
    • able to be more present to life and more often
    • true honesty with others
    • learning to be a better listener, thus a better communicator
    • coming to know my true and authentic self
    • practicing a thorough and authentic daily self-examination
    • seeing with the eyes of my heart
    • uncovering my unhealthy character defects
    • living with and accepting all my emotions
    • the enjoyment of solitude and silence
    • using journaling as letters, prayers, asking deep questions 
    • discovering my value as a human and the value of others
    • uncovering and using the talents and gifts given to me at my conception
    • finding and using my inner observer

    This morning was quite windy. When I stepped outside about 7:00 am, I needed to pause and listen to the wind blowing through the trees. I smiled as the wind blew leaves from branches, enjoying their rustling dance across the ground. I took a deep breath, filled with hope and excitement, because the wind was a metaphor for the winds of change blowing in our world.

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  • coffee life,  coffee shops,  fountain pens,  haiku,  journal,  writing/reading

    Daily Practice

    November 2, 2020
    Starting my day with morning sunlight, a mocha and blank pages

    words from a deep reservoir
    fill pages in a blank journal
    a daily practice

    mws

    I have been making it a practice to open my journal after my prayer and meditation time to write from that deep reservoir. I find my days seem to move along smoother when I practice this prior to reading email or any type of social media. The journaling in this quiet time seems to nurture a rich spirituality, a solid foundation for the day, and set my attitude in a good direction for the day.

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