My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
horizon of colors
ms
with quiet and solitude
pre-dawn on the farm
I am blessed to have the natural areas so close and with easy access. Yet, this morning I felt the desire to drive eastward, into Weld County. For I can also experience the quiet and solitude my soul needs out here. Taken this morning near Weld County Road 15 and County Road 78. And, I talked myself into stopping at the Bean Cycle on the way back into town for a mocha latte to bring home. This retirement life is pretty exciting!
inhale deep breaths
ms
journal and pen in hand
words rising within
It was 17 degrees at 7:33 am when I took this image. I was bundled up while the geese, well, they seemed to be singing a song of joy while drifting in frigid water or sleeping on thin ice. Pure insanity to us humans! After taking this image, I headed to Pineridge Natural area to bask in the sun’s bright warmth and journal. Picked up a mocha on the way so it took me about 25 minutes to arrive at the natural area parking lot. It had already warmed up to 18 degrees. Not toasty yet but an increase nonetheless. Some will think I’m insane for starting my day this way but both the geese and I say to heck with them. I enjoy these gifts of silence, the clear blue skies and the warm sun shining on me. To make it complete, when I got home I enjoyed a rather dry day old donut. 😁Do I know how to live or what?
“As soon as we think we know what’s going to happen, life shows us that we don’t.” Adyashanti
It’s good to laugh at ourselves, especially at start of the day. After an enjoyable quiet time I decided to grab my camera and tripod with the anticipation of capturing the morning sunrise at Pineridge Natural Area. Before I left the house I ordered a mocha from the nearest Starbucks using my phone app. I was surprised to arrive and find the store was closed. Dang! I was afraid I was going to miss out on the predawn colors. About a mile away was another Starbucks with a drive through so I decided to try them since I’d already purchased the mocha online. But, they were not opening for another hour. So headed to the Human Bean and their drive through and now had my mocha. You don’t suppose I have a problem and need to find another 12 Step program? 😁
Anyway, the sun was up by the time I arrived at the natural area but all was good. Clear blue skies and a bright sun shining on me. Magpies loudly greeted me while silence was heard between their squawking. I journaled, sipped on my mocha and enjoyed the quiet. I also laughed several times at how my morning turned out. Happy Sunday! 😍
The cool morning and overcast skies convinced me to have my latte at the Bean Cycle and sit upstairs where there are fewer customers. Seems everyone else thought the same thing as it quickly got crowded. Anyway, I enjoyed my mocha while I could. Here is an attempt at a haiku.
green willow branches
robed in winters white vestment
now genuflectsms
Last week I visited the Bean Cycle in Old Town. As I’ve mentioned before I don’t go down there much due to the pandemic and my budget can’t afford a mocha latte everyday. But, sometimes you just have to venture out. In the background is Penny, one of the owners and who made my drink. I like to go upstairs where I can find a bit more quiet and a soft cozy chair. She filled it to the brim with her latte art which makes it difficult to carry up stairs without spilling but I’m getting better at it.
A few years ago I found myself with my camera bag over my shoulder, my hand on my doorknob, heading out the door, realizing I had no clue where I was headed. My mind was blank and a recurring experience. I can’t even count how many times I’ve laughed at myself. I’ve wondered if I was crazy. Of course there are times I had a clear indication of where I was heading but not always. Should I be making a therapy appointment?
Over the years I’ve come to the awareness that I am not a homebody but a restless soul of some sort. Home for me is not just a manmade structure with a mortgage payment of 30 years, which is how much of our culture defines home. For me, a home is where we lay our head to sleep, find shelter from harsh weather, a place of safety, and a sanctuary, a place of quiet and solitude. So home can be anywhere and everywhere. Some will disagree.
I feel at home when I’m at one of the local natural areas, camping trip, a road trip, a nearby park, in a bookstore or library, at a coffee shop, in a sacred place, or a bicycle ride, my Adirondack chair on my porch, anywhere and everywhere. I am a restless soul. I suppose this could indicate some psychological problems but we’ll dismiss that for now because I do not want to spend money on therapy sessions.
A closing thought as I want to keep this short. I have daydreamed of traveling most of my life. Play time was always outside, bicycling, sports, fishing, camping. As a young teenager I thought I wanted to be a truck driver. I’ve constantly dreamed of living an RV lifestyle for the past 15 years. Which I write about next. I’m a restless soul.
“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.”―
And, for those who need to know it’s National Ice Cream Day, which happens the third Sunday of every July. Put it in calendar!