• clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area

    Showing off the clouds

    October 15, 2026

    I had my first Mohs surgery today to remove one of two spots because of basal cell carcinoma. I will have the second one done next week. It was a pretty simple procedure. They needed to take a second tissue sample to get it and about three hours of surgery time. I now have 10 stitches just below my left ear. I am a bit sore around the incision due to the trauma.

    As I mentioned earlier my car is also sick and is in the hospital for surgery. I am having a couple of oil leaks taken care of which requires them to pull the engine. I’ve been without a car for a couple of weeks now. On Monday I picked up a loaner car because I had something to do on Tuesday and Thursday. On Tuesday morning I drove their loaner car to the coffee shop before going to my luncheon in Loveland. When I went to leave I had a parking ticket. I did not know what violation I had committed until I got home and read over the ticket. Turns out the dealer plates were expired. I then drove to the dealership where Conner embarrassingly took the ticket, said he would take care of the ticket and got the license plates current. I’m good to go.

    It has been raining for the past three days. About mid morning the clouds finally broke and the sun and wind came out. I made a quick run to Pineridge Natural Area for the above photo of the clouds this afternoon. I am now in for the night. I have some catching up on your posts to do.

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  • clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes,  sunrises

    It’s the clouds

    September 30, 2026
    Predawn light at Pineridge Natural Area this morning

    The truest statement in the world is “you never know.” There is always something to evoke wonder, to wonder about, because this world, this life, this universe, this reality is far more than just the sum of its parts. Even the slightest detail contains much more. The overwhelming awe and wonder we feel teaches us more than we can ever glean or come to know of things. In the presence of that wonder, the head has no answers and the heart has no questions.

    Richard Wagamese
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  • Arapaho Bend Natural Area,  clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  sunrises

    Making the commonplace unusual…

    September 21, 2026

    “Anything that excites me for any reason, I will photograph;
    not searching for unusual subject matter, but making the commonplace unusual.”

    Edward Weston

    My schedule this morning was discombobulated because they sent me a message saying they were not opening the coffee shop until later due to maintenance. I forwarded that message to Jeff so he would not drive from Windsor and find it closed. I grabbed my camera and headed to Arapaho Bend Natural Area. As I drove over there I watched the sky turn from red to pink then settle into its gold warm glow of the new day. My eyes were excited by the clouds so I wanted to share the beauty I saw in them. I set up my camera and tripod and hung around for a while. This was the one I chose to post today out of the 15 I took. After a half hour or so I went to a small coffee shop called Lima Coffee Roasters and paid way too much for a mocha.

    The quote by Edward Weston reminds me of how often we do not see the usual subject matter of life that the mystic, the contemplative, the poet, the creative, the photographer, seems to see. And each of them must be awake, aware and open to the moment we are experiencing. I believe he nailed it! I hope you have a wonderful day!!

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  • clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  reflections,  sunrises

    Morning Chapel

    September 20, 2026

    A good way to start a Sunday morning, or any morning, is time at Pineridge Natural Area. Joining me this morning at chapel were three Mule Deer, a couple of cottontails, a small choir of ducks and geese on Dixon Reservoir, a lone fisherman standing on the shore, and the nonstop chatter of magpies. We were finally gifted with a lovely afternoon rainstorm yesterday. It brought such a refreshing scent of rain, bright clear skies and if you were present to the moment, the loving touch of Creation. Morning chapel!

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  • landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  sunrises

    If you’re a cloud lover…

    September 16, 2026

    … like me, then consider yourself really kool and above average!!!

    I loved the morning clouds of predawn at Pineridge Natural Area. I took several images of different compositions. However, none of the images turned out good because I forgot to turn off my IBIS (in body image stabilization). Anyway here are some purdy clouds at Pineridge Natural Area this morning. I hope you have a great day!

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  • clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  sunrises

    A Short Story

    September 8, 2026
    Sunrise yesterday morning at Pineridge Natural Area

    “There is a Sufi story about a man who is so good that the angels ask God to give him the gift of miracles. God wisely tells them to ask him if that is what he would wish.

    So the angels visit this good man and offer him first the gift of healing by hands, then the gift of conversion of souls, and lastly the gift of virtue. He refuses them all. They insist that he choose a gift or they will choose one for him. “Very well,” he replies. “I ask that I may do a great deal of good without ever knowing it.” The story ends this way:

    The angels were perplexed. They took counsel and resolved upon the following plan: Every time the saint’s shadow fell behind him it would have the power to cure disease, soothe pain, and comfort sorrow. As he walked, behind him the shadow made arid paths green, caused withered plants to bloom, gave clear water to dried up brooks, fresh color to pale children, and joy to unhappy men and women. The saint simply went about his daily life diffusing virtue as the stars diffuse light and the flowers scent, without ever being aware of it. The people respecting his humility followed him silently, never speaking to him about his miracles. Soon they even forgot his name and called him “the Holy Shadow.”

    Rachel Naomi Remen, Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories that Heal
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  • Arapaho Bend Natural Area,  clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  natural areas,  quotes

    Quiet Times

    September 3, 2026

    It is in the quiet times that we build our strengths and know we have something to rely on. Solitude is not withdrawal into a place where no one and no sound can penetrate. It is a sweet moment of peace with or without other people that lets us re-center and reset the rhythm of the mind, body and spirit. It is wisdom to stay close to the solitude of nature to keep us young and pliable.

    from A CHEROKEE FEAST OF DAYS by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

    It was a brisk ride to the coffee shop this morning but it took very little time to warm up. About mid morning I made a trip to Arapaho Bend Natural Area for some journaling time, finding quiet and hoping to find a photo of clouds. I found all three. I hope you are having a wonderful day and doing your best to keep cool.

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  • clouds,  flutes,  horizons,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  poems,  writing/reading

    Sacred Time

    August 31, 2026
    This is my Jon Norris flute in the key of G# that is made from Ambrosia Maple.

    Today, like every other day, we wake up empty and frightened.
    Don’t open the door to the study and begin reading.
    Take down a musical instrument.
    Let the beauty we love be what we do.
    There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.

    Rumi

    I made another trip to Pineridge Natural Area today about mid morning. Things were rather quiet there. I walked out to the bench and sat down to let nature share a sacred moment with me. I then did some journaling, played the flute and took a few photos. With the light cloud cover it provided lovely diffused light. The sun was still warm but a cool breeze was just what I needed. So was the journaling and flute playing. They say showers are possible around 3 pm.

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  • clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes,  sunrises

    Saturday Morning

    August 29, 2026

    “Certain things in life simply have to be experienced -and never explained.”

    Paulo Coelho, Maktub

    I drove up to Pineridge Natural Area this morning to watch and photograph the predawn colors and the sunrise. It was a good experience and a good way to start my Saturday or any day for that matter. I then headed to Windsor and met Eric for coffee. I hope you have had a good Saturday!

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  • clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes,  reflections,  sunrises

    A nice start to this day…

    August 13, 2026

    Within each of us there is a silence, a silence as vast as the universe.
    And when we experience that silence, we remember who we are.

    Gunilla Norris

    I have not been to Pineridge Natural Area in quite some time so I changed that this morning. It is supposed to rain later today, which means there would be a chance for colors with clouds at sunrise. I parked, turned off the car and was met with silence. I was given a bit of pink color along the horizon and the air was clear of smoke. Dixon Reservoir was calm and offered a nice reflection. I took a few photos then left to meet Jeff at the coffee shop. Sunrise and silence, coffee and conversation with a friend, always a nice start to the day.

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