“In knowing who you are and writing from it, you will help the world by giving it understanding.”
Natalie Goldberg
Knowing Who You Are
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Red Fox Meadows – July morning 2023 -
Some of us are trying
I fear that future generations will judge us harshly for our failure to place proper value on wildness, diversity, open space, spirit, solitude, and other treasures of the natural world still available to us today. May they at least know that some of us tried.
Guy Tal
Sunrise at Arapaho Bend Natural Area – May 2023 I am grateful this community I live in has placed value on the wildness of nature and have established several Natural Areas that are set aside as treasures. I am thankful no wealthy developer will be able to destroy the beauty of this morning sunrise scene. My prayer today is that everyone, including rich developers, will come to see the beauty and priceless value of this sunrise as a gift for all of us without a monetary value. And, I need to know I was one of those who tried.
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A Simple Prayer
I would love to live
John O’Donohue
Like a river flows,
Carried by the surprise
Of its own unfolding.This is a sunrise image taken on the Madison River from a road trip in August of 2022. It was my last day of the trip and I was heading home when I saw this scene. I had to stop. It really didn’t matter if I took a photo or not I just needed to experience the moment. This part of the river is calm while both up river and down river there are rapids and surprises. As a metaphor of life there are days when the flow of life is as calm as this river while there are times when it ain’t and we face surprises. I’m learning to be a part of its unfolding. So, this poem is my prayer for today!
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Unsuspected Goodness
The healing of our present woundedness may lie in recognizing and reclaiming the capacity we all have to heal each other, the enormous power in the simplest of human relationships: the strength of a touch, a blessing of forgiveness, the grace of someone else taking you just as you are and finding in you an unsuspected goodness.
Rachel Naomi Remen, Kitchen Table WisdomThis morning’s 45 degrees and 93% humidity made for a rather invigorating bicycle ride to Mugs. I was then greeted by Emily and Meg and one of their Old Town mochas. Our greetings with one another always raises the awareness of our unsuspected goodness in one another. I live a blessed life!!
Spring Creek is a 12.7-mile-long tributary of the Cache La Poudre River. The Spring Creek Trail follows Spring Creek through several parks in mid Fort Collins. It is one of my favorite paths to get around this town. I take this route since I do not have to deal with any traffic. The trail passes under Prospect Road built for pedestrians and bicycles, so I only ride in traffic for 3 blocks of the 2.4 mile ride to coffee. No stoplights and only two stop signs They have constructed gates along Spring Creek to control water flow from flooding and in the past for irrigating crops. This is one of the places where they have gates that provide larger open water areas providing beauty and an environment for the water life. This morning I needed to stop and accept this image on my way to Mugs. I like to believe the geese were shouting joy for this beautiful morning and wanting my attention to stop and take it all in. And so I did! It was a beautiful morning and ride.
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Waking up to the sacred
Morning frost – October 2012 Again, we need consciousness of soul, a waking up to the sacred interrelationship of all things, of every species and life-form, race and nation.
John Philip NewellHappy Saturday!
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As any good photographer would do..
“Sometimes we need the fog to remind ourselves that all of life is not black and white.”
Jonathan Lockwood HuieAs night gives way to the new day, a dense fog settles upon the ponds. The naked branches of the trees of winter penetrate into the dense vapor of the fog. As I look for a scene that intrigues me my attention is drawn to the branches which are now filled with the soothing music of hundreds of starlings. Then, abruptly silence, until they begin the next chorus. And in that moment of silence I hear my breathing, notice the almost complete stillness, and feel the penetrating cold and moisture rich air. With the fog hiding the sun’s bright light, shadows are absent and gray dominates the scene. Then I set up my tripod and look for a composition as any good photographer would do, noting that not all photographs need to be color or black and white. A foggy morning can prove that.
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Glorious Silence
Morning fog at Arapaho Bend Natural Area in the barren cottonwood tree
Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
dozens of birds, all of them still,
as if, like me, they are enthralled
doubtful they could ever improve
on all this glorious silenceThe glorious silence from the nights snow filled my bedroom. I could feel the cold as I lay under the covers. After a prayer of thanks I enter into this new day. I dress and make my bed then spend 20 minutes on my meditation cushion. More silence. Journaling. More silence. I make a bowl of cereal with a banana and a chai latte. My day is starting off good. It looks like 3 inches of snow fell during the night and it is 14 degrees. No bicycling or picnic today. Eric and I will talk on the phone rather than get out in this weather. Stay warm and enjoy the silence!
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Happy New Year
I wanted to spend my first morning of 2025 in nature so I decided to visit the Arapaho Bend Natural Area. In the dim light I could see we had clear skies and the thermometer said it was brisk 13 degrees. This natural area sits along the low lying area of the Poudre River. The closer I got the natural area the more evident of the dense fog I would have. I spent a few minutes walking along the edge of the frozen ponds taking a photo here and there. I had not ventured into this area around the ponds before so it became exciting. There was very little open water. The ice only thick enough to support the geese and ducks. I only took 15 images, but that was enough.
After loading them on my laptop I found the images to be a metaphor for the first day of this new year. Just as we cannot see through the fog to the other shore, or the path along the edges, we cannot see into the future of the coming year. To reach the other shore requires us to travel towards it facing each challenge along the way. So, I enter into this coming year with both pessimistic and optimistic feelings. May I not struggle with wanting to change people, institutions and principles to fit my desires but make choices that are best for myself and all of creation, not from self interest but the good of all. I guess that counts as a simple prayer but not a resolution! May you have a wonderful year!!!
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A More Spacious World
A cold and frost covered sunrise – October 2012 In humility, with wisdom and compassion, we make a more spacious world, where the experience of our communion and connection has fewer barriers and becomes more possible.
Kathleen Dowling-Singh -
Happy Halloween!
Leaves outside the coffee shop Let me embrace each dawn as gift.
Steven Charleston, Spirit Wheel
Let me walk the hours of day unafraid
With grace and faith unbounded.
Let evening find me close to those I love
Warming my soul by the fires of their laughter.
Let me sleep believing tomorrow will be a blessing.We had our first snowfall last night. I awoke to a heavy fog and mist this morning. There was a dusting of snow on rooftops and frost on windshields. I agree each morning is a blessing whether a brilliant sunrise or fog and mist. And, my walk through today will include lunch with my oldest daughter, Christine, reading a new book and journaling time. Seems to be that kind of day. Happy Halloween!
