My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
empty parking lot gate closed due to snow opening soon
ms
This is sunrise three days ago at Pineridge Natural Area. The area was closed until today due to snow so I pulled along the rode and took this image. It is a different perspective of a common theme I am drawn to. What you see below is is the lower parking area. I normally park in the upper parking lot as I gives me the higher view. I cannot see the horizon when in the lower parking lot. It is now open but the trails will probably take a bit longer to reopen due to mud.
it is a serious thing just to be alive on this fresh morning in this broken world.
Mary Oliver
Violence never brings peace nor does it solve problems in our world. It’s insanity when we think fixing a broken world or disturbed mind can be accomplished through violence. It’s insanity when some keep trying it again and again. It’s insanity when we encourage such thinking. It’s insanity when we fail to speak up against it. There is another way.
Yes, I know, this is a strange image for sure not natural. It’s an image that did not come out the way I wanted so I played around with it in Lightroom, moving the texture, clarity and dehaze sliders to their extreems. At first I thought it could symbolize someone’s view of the world prior to the first cup of coffee. Or, how the world looks for someone whose inability to focus on the morning because they imbibed in one too many scotches, or wines or beers. But, after looking at it for a while it brought flashbacks to some life experiences of mine sometime in 1970 or 1971. 😳 Anyway it’s just a fun image, something I don’t post very often. Have a great weekend 😀
sun plays hide and seek sacred beams of light piercing hearts aware of being love
ms
On my drive to greet the morning sun I wondered if I would find a starburst peeking from behind these hay bales and received much more. I found myself playing a child’s game of hide and seek with the sun. I came home filled with love beams and gratitude.
With a storm front moving into the area this scene will change as the day moves on. Later we will see clouds move in and up to 3 inches of snow by tomorrow morning. Have a great day!
Wanted to share this mornings pre-dawn colors. I took this near the south dam on Horsetooth Reservoir, a scene that looks out over the sleeping city of Fort Collins. We are expecting high winds today and I could already notice them picking up. I love how nature creates anew each day with the clouds, the patterns and color palette that all stir up deep feelings within me. When I got home I asked myself the question, “Would I come here if I was not a photographer?” I’m aware I do have the incentive to take images, hoping to come home with a keeper or two. However, at this stage in my life, it’s more about being there, letting it all touch me in some way. It’s moments like this which draw me closer to creation and a conscious contact with its creator. I call them spiritual experiences.
light dusting of snow white blanket on reservoir cold winter morning
mws
A bit warmer this morning at 25 degrees. With two consecutive days below freezing and a dusting of snow overnight Dixon Reservoir is all ice now and blanketed in white. Stands in stark contrast with the barren trees along waters edge. Stay warm.
“Only the blindness of habit convinces us that we continue to live in the same place, that we see the same landscape.”
John O’Donohue
Had an early meeting at Pineridge Natural Area with God, a few magpies, low clouds on the eastern horizon, silence and a cup of coffee to keep my hands warm. I watched nature put on a beautiful show of colors that helped keep me warm in the 15 degree cold. As O’Donohue suggests as long as I do not stay in a place of the blindness of my habits the landscape will provide something new for me to experience, and that is a gift. I stayed until the sun rose above the clouds and my hands and feet were cold. Have a great day and stay warm.
inhale deep breaths journal and pen in hand words rising within
mws
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?
The smoke from the forest fires are now wind driven over the mountains and away from us, giving us a much needed reprieve this morning. We now have three fires burning: Cameron Peak Fire, Mullen Fire and Middle Fork Fire. The Mullen Fire has now moved into Colorado from Wyoming as it is a very aggressive fire. On a lighter note I enjoyed my morning mocha and clear skies.
this day’s starburst promise of a brighter day my morning ritual
Sun setting behind a sunflower at Reservoir Ridge Natural Area
“The old Lakota was wise. He knew that a man’s heart away from nature becomes hard.”
Luther Standing Bear, Oglala Lakota
I’m aware of how much more time I’m spending in nature. Seems the morning and evenings are always calling me. I took this image last night. But, this morning I took my latte, camera and journal to Red Fox meadows. A red fox scampered across Taft Hill Rd just as I turned into the parking area. Then as I parked the car a red tailed hawk rose up from the grass in the meadow but I did not see anything in its talons. I began to journal and listen. After about 5 minutes the fox came out a wooded area and into the grassy meadow. They were too far away to take a photo so I watched with my binoculars. They just sat there soaking up the sun and seemingly with eyes closed decided to lay down. Even I was enjoying the sun’s warmth. There were blue jays off to my right in a grove of trees having a rather loud discussion about something. I’m pretty sure it was not politics. I then watched a doe slowly walk out of the wooded area but staying close to the trees. I next had a short conversation with an elderly couple on a morning walk, both with canes. They lived nearby and said they were hoping to see owls. He was 88 and she was 83. Then as I started to leave a mother with two boys pulled up. I told them about the fox, deer and hawk which seemed to set expectations for some adventure. As they moved on the youngest told me, “Thank you Mr. Kind Man.” I believe, as does Luther Standing Bear, that nature can soften the heart!
