• my mornings,  nature,  shadows

    Drawn to Shadows and Lines

    It has threatened to rain most of the afternoon but we’ve received only a few drops. We really need it! However the clouds have definitely cooled things down. We have had rain during the past two nights but again nothing measurable for us. Last night Nature put on an exciting thunder and lightning show. I could see the flashes even with my eyes closed and on a couple of occasions felt the thunder. The above image was taken yesterday morning just before leaving for the coffee shop. I could have just as easily taken it this morning as I saw the same scene. It again shows how easily I am drawn to shadows and lines.

  • Anime,  Art,  bicycle rides,  bicycling,  Creativity,  landscape,  Plants,  Spring Creek Trail,  trees

    My Morning Ride

    I am thoroughly enjoying my morning rides to the coffee shop along Spring Creek Trail. This morning I stopped and took this image while standing on a small bridge over the creek then put it though the Jetpack image editor to come up with this AI generated image. I used anime style with enhancement. I did ask it to add the sunbeams and show more of the creek. I feel it gave a decent representation of the original scene. Anyway, it was fun to play with. It is another hot day for most of the country so I hope you enjoy or have enjoyed your day!

  • bicycle rides,  flowers,  landscape,  Plants,  Spring Creek Trail,  sunrises

    On my way to the coffee shop…

    … I needed to stop and get on one knee again to get a photo of these asters (blanket flowers) along Spring Creek Trail. I did not ride the past couple days because of the rain and drizzle, so I really enjoyed this morning’s ride. And, in case you’re curious, I was able to get back up without help and there were no popping sounds!!

  • bicycling,  campus,  coffee life,  shadows

    The Last Leg

    Shadows across CSU Oval

    This is the last leg of my bicycle ride to one of my favorite coffee shops. And for many of us at the end of this path awaits one of our baristas, always greeting us with a smile, a drink of our choice, and one or two of the irregular/regulars to commiserate with. And it almost never fails that we find one of the squirrels-of-the-oval, at almost every other tree, encouraging us along on this last leg of the mornings journey. And Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers!!!

  • quotes,  shadows

    May there be peace…

    “Never has America lost a war … But name, if you can, the last peace the United States won. Victory yes, but this country has never made a successful peace because peace requires exchanging ideas, concepts, thoughts, and recognizing the fact that two distinct systems of life can exist together without conflict. Consider how quickly America seems to be facing its allies of one war as new enemies.”

    Vine Deloria Jr.

    May you enjoy this extended weekend with family and loved ones.

  • bicycling,  clouds,  landscape,  quotes,  sunrises

    In the presence of beauty

    The human soul is hungry for beauty; we seek it everywhere – in landscape, music, art, clothes, furniture, gardening, companionship, love, religion and in ourselves. No-one would desire not to be beautiful. When we experience the Beautiful, there is a sense of homecoming. Some of our most wonderful memories are of beautiful places where we felt immediately at home. We feel most alive in the presence of the Beautiful for it meets the needs of our soul.

    John O’Donohue

    What a beautiful morning for a bicycle ride along Spring Creek to Mugs for coffee and wonderful conversation. This is a good time of the year for images like this due to the timing of my ride and the rising of the sun. I’m sharing this image of what I get to experience on these morning rides. Alissia was my barista and an Old Town mocha was my drink. A few clouds have now moved in as a cold front arrives late tonight which I hope brings us moisture in the form of rain and snow early Friday morning. And, both Friday and Saturday nights could be below freezing. I will be okay with that if we also get moisture. May you enjoy this day!

  • bicycle rides,  bicycling,  landscape,  moon,  natural areas,  nature,  quotes

    To See Another View

    “The humble person is open to being corrected, whereas the arrogant is clearly closed to it. Proud people are supremely confident in their own opinions and insights. No one can admonish them successfully… Filled as they are with their own views, the arrogant lack the capacity to see another view.”

    Fr. Thomas Dubay

    It was an amazingly warm morning at 57 degrees when I headed for the coffee shop. I decided to take the Fisher Nature Area then connect to the Spring Creek Trail and was greeted with the moon sitting in the southern sky. So glad I took a different route as it offered me another view. It will be a day for reading and writing, a short meeting with friends at noon then meet a friend at 4 pm. May you enjoy this day and the view it offers!

  • Plants,  quotes

    New Life Emerging

    It began as a seedling
    in the darkness of the soil.
    And within that darkness
    was found everything needed
    to emerge as new life.

    mws

    I noticed this plant growing among the rocks and wood chips outside the coffee shop this morning. It seemed fitting for today. Also fitting in my life as it seems after some of the darkest times there has emerged new life. I hope you have a wonderful Sunday.