crisp early mornings
ms
brush strokes of fall colors
eye candy for all
Crisp Early Mornings
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Color of leaves -
Presence of Still Waters
Sunrise at the bus stop last week The Peace of Wild Things
Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free. -
Morning Chai
Finally, this morning had that feeling of spring. This was taken from the patio of Bindles Coffee. A few minutes earlier the sky was red and pink as I drove to the coffee shop. I took this image before I went in. It was quiet with few people when I got here but it has quickly become busy and noisy. I will attribute that to the beautiful morning and the feel of spring.
On cold mornings they turn on the gas fire pit and people will sit around to discuss the world’s woes or how their child is doing on the soccer team. My drink of choice this morning was a chai latte. Perfect.
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Overcast Saturday Morning
Took the early bus to the Transit Center then walked to Mugs coffee shop. Now have my mocha and listening to some 50-60’s music on the speakers. Watching the baristas dancing as they cook and steam milk. Even saw a couple of customers dancing to the tunes as they walked in. Have no real plans for today. Meeting a friend at 1:00 and the rest of the day will be writing and working on a photo project I’ve started. This past couple months I have started making Irish Oats or Steel Cut oats for breakfast. I add pecans or a tablespoon of peanut butter with some fresh fruits. This morning it was peanut butter with sliced strawberries. Helps start the day on a better note. Image is one of the cottonwood trees from the Arapaho Bend Natural Area, taken last week, and converted to black and white. Have a wonderful weekend!
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Getting Warmer
Early Morning At Campus Oval Our days are getting warm as we move into summer. The sun is rising earlier and setting later. It’s a good time of the summer for me. I enjoy sitting in my Adirondack chair on my porch both mornings and evenings to journal or read whole listening to the robins.
Yesterday morning about 7:30 am I saw the above scene on my walk across campus. I loved it due to the lighting. It was all about the beginning of a new day. The back lighting of the sprinklers and the man’s shilouette were my attention getters. Enjoy your day!
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A Morning Walk in the Desert
Morning Walk in the Desert Here is another image from my trip in October to the Phoenix area. This is on the south side of the Superstition Mountains along the Peralta Trail Road. It is a wonderful place to find quite. You will hear a coyote howl, a cactus wren call out, and no sign of man. This is three jpeg images run through HDR Efex Pro.
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Don’t go back to sleep
“The breezes at dawn have secrets to tell you, don’t go back to sleep.”
RumiRumi is not talking about rolling over and going back to sleep but about falling asleep to life. We can sleep through life by spending time in front of television, time on the computer, alcohol and drugs, overeating, gambling, etc. There is no need to make a list. We all can make our own list, as we are all susceptible to falling asleep. There are many tools and practices to help us with staying awake: mindfulness, meditation, contemplation, our breathing, prayer words, yoga, tai chi, daily walks. I’ve come to experience the practice of meditation and contemplation, helps me to stay awake to life. As Christine Valters Paintner says, “Most meditation practices are, at heart, about staying awake to life, being fully present to our experiences, and becoming aware of our own preconceived ideas and expectations that obscure our vision.”
Photography is another practice that keeps me from falling asleep to life. It’s taken me a few years to understand its impact in helping me stay present. I seldom take a walk without a camera around my neck which is combining more than one practice. When taking each walk my intent is to repeat a prayer word in rhythm with my breathes and steps, while the eyes of the heart and soul stay awake to what life is presenting. No preconceptions, just looking for secrets Rumi suggests we can find.
