• fall season,  leaves,  quotes

    It is all a miracle!!!

    The wind has blown hard today, gusting up to 30 mph. The blue sky is filled with an infinite number of yellow, gold, brown, red, pink, and multi-speckled leaves. And, all are being invited to dance and sing with the wind. Yet some hold on, not ready to let go, even though it’s an essential part of their journey. I must confess, I do love the music that they make together, this chorus after chorus of rustling leaves and wind. Their music is one of the primary reasons I enjoy this time of the year. This image is taken outside my front door where the wind swirls leaves into a delightful blanket of beauty just for me. It is all a miracle!!!

    A touch of pink

    Somewhere along the way, you realize that no one will teach you how to live your own life — not your parents or your idols, not the philosophers or the poets, not your liberal arts education or your twelve-step program, not church or therapy or Tolstoy. No matter how valuable any of that guidance, how pertinent any of that wisdom, in the end you discover that you make the path of life only by walking it with your own two feet under the overstory of your own consciousness — that singular miracle never repeated in all the history and future of the universe, never fully articulable to another.

    Maria Popova

    This quote by Maria Popova is from a wonderful blog post which you can read here.

  • coffee life,  coffee shops

    Costumes

    I met a friend Friday morning for coffee and conversation. The couple I visited this past week are mutual friends so plenty to share. As you can tell my barista was showing off her talent on my mocha latte.

    Yesterday was the Tour de Fat in Fort Collins. It is a costumed bicycle parade followed by a party (beer) at New Belgium Brewing with music, entertainment, contests and games. What is cool about this bicycle parade is the children who dress up and ride with mom and dad. Needless to say I saw some very strange people riding bicycles. 😂

  • clouds,  haiku,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes,  reflections,  sunrises,  sunsets,  writing/reading

    Each Moment

    Pineridge Natural Area at 5:15 am

    These two images were taken about 12 hours apart and at nearly the same location on the same day. This is how my day started and ended and was full of wonderful moments in between. So much beauty in this world when we live each moment, one moment at a time. Happy Sunday!

    Pineridge Natural Area at 5:52 pm
  • Candid Portraits,  Documentary/Street,  lifestyles,  People/Portraits

    Playing the piano

    Playing the Piano
    Playing the Piano

    There is a piano outside in the lobby of the Lory Student Center theater for people to play. It seems to me I almost always see and hear someone playing. I find it interesting to see these young people sit down and play. Some are dressed poorly, some carry a backpack of books and are using this time to relax between classes. And, the talent is wonderful. There were no words said between us as I just walked around him composing images. He sang one song and actually brought tears to my eyes. Thankful for autofocus.

    P.S. And, the snow began falling around 2:00 pm, just as perdicted. They say 14 inches. Sigh!

  • Black and White,  Candid Portraits,  music,  People/Portraits

    Friday Night Art Walk

    First Friday Art Walk is a monthly self-guided walking tour that celebrates creativity, culture, and community in Downtown Fort Collins on the first Friday of each month from 6 – 9 pm. From fine to funky, First Friday Art Walk showcases a spectrum of artistic styles to entertain and engage amateurs and art aficionado of all ages, interests and backgrounds. The website says 22 venues partake in it. Some are art galleries serving snacks, drinks and musicians and some are the local bars. This past Friday I made a trip down to Old Town because my friend Don Thurn was playing. In this image he is playing Starry, Starry Night by Don McClean at the Walnut Creek.

    This store is a great place to buy and sell unique jewelry, repurposed furniture, boutique clothing, vintage goods and a plethora of other knick-knacks and handcrafted gifts, representing about 80 local artists. If you can think of it I bet you could find in there. 🙂