My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
Yesterday was too gorgeous a day not to be outside. So, I took an early afternoon walk through the Red Fox Meadows near my condo. Found a little knoll with sunshine to sit and journal, which I really needed. Love the music made by the leaves and wind. Drowns out the automobiles in the distance and excess chatter of my mind.
After returning to my condo the time in the meadow was not enough of a nature fix for me. I listened to nature’s call and drove to the Arapahoe Bend Nature Area. I made the mile and a half walk around the ponds. Parking lot was full and saw several photographers shooting family portraits against the fall colors. It was a good end to a beautiful weekend.
Prospect Ponds are one of the nature areas co-managed by Fort Collins Utilities and the Natural Areas Department for flood control, water quality improvement and wildlife habitat. For those with a fishing license you will find large-mouth bass, crappie, and channel catfish to add to your stringer. The Poudre Nature Trails follow along the western edge of the ponds and in fact that is where I am standing. It’s located on east Prospect Road and Sharp Point Drive along side of the business park. I dragged my butt out of bed at 4:30 am, made a french press then drove the three miles out there and setup my tripod. There were 4 pelicans floating on the south end of the ponds which I left alone. I watched a heron fly in on the far side of the pond, land in one of a trees then a few minutes later move into the waters edge for breakfast.
Here is another image from my walk at the Arapaho Bend Nature Area this past weekend. Hope everyone is enjoying their leftover candy from Halloween Night. Strange how we always buy too much of it. 🙂
It’s nice to see the weather finally starting to warm up. But this is Colorado so we could have 6 inches of snow and be back in the teens in four weeks. This past weekend was nice for us out here in Colorado. I took a walk at the Environmental Learning Center on Saturday and the Arapahoe Bend Nature Area on Sunday. Both areas were pretty muddy and that means things will be greening up before we know it.
During my walk I realized how I have taken my vision for granted. By vision I’m referring to the ability to see. A blind person must see with other senses. I also see in color that others do not. The older I get the more aware I am of those things around me, being present to the moment. At this time in my life my mind is not tied up with family worries or a project schedules at work. So, there is gratitude in just seeing. And, I like what I see.
… is on it’s way. Temperature tonight is expected to be in the high 20’s then low 30’s on Tuesday night. But, this past week and the weekend have been gorgeous. Yesterday was 74. Yesterdays sunrise was gorgeous but I only saw it from my bedroom window. Just couldn’t get out the door. Kids on campus wearing, shorts, flip-flops and tank tops. People were biking and playing football at the city park. I took advantage of the weather and made a couple trips to the nature areas. I’m making chili soup today. Stay warm.
Here is another pre-dawn image from the Arapaho Bend Nature Area. I arrived earlier than expected so I walked along a narrow path to the North end of the pond, where I took the image. I spotted something dark on the path that startled me as I walk along in the dark. I chuckled when I realized it was a pile of horse manure. Nothing to be frightened with. Within seconds I found a second smaller pile, only this time I did not see it. Yep, I stepped in it. The life of a photographer. 🙂
There is a popular saying that the “destination is the journey.” However, most of us have some pre-visualization of a destination and not much of the journey. We’re focused on the dream home, the career, the perfect family, a life of travel, status, money, whatever it is. Then, after all the planning and starting out on the journey we find we are unable to see the destination. All we’re experiencing is the journey. We thought we know where we’re going, but this is not what we had in mind.
Well, we started out on the dirt path and before long we found a fork in the road. Where did this come from? It was not in our plans. We decide to go left. Before long we find ourselves on a rickety boardwalk surrounded by cattails rising above our heads. We begin to question our decision to go left. There is no destination be seen. We’re not sure about this boardwalk or where it’s leading us? Will we run out of boardwalk? Should we turn back?
But, you know what, we made the choice to make this journey so let’s see where it leads. We just might enjoy the journey more than we expected. After walking a short distance we begin to realize the cattails are providing shelter from the heat of the day. We notice the dragonflies zipping in an out of the cattails and a sunflower plant rising above the cattails. Even though we can’t see him, we hear a Red-winged blackbird singing somewhere among those cattails. He is soon joined by a chorus of croaking frogs. And, we imagine they are encouraging us to move onward. A spider scurries to get out of our way. We realize we are not alone on this journey. Before long the boardwalk makes a curve and we enter into an opening. A bench awaits us and the clouds join the setting sun to makes today a beautiful journey. As much as we plan, the journey may not be exactly as we planned or expected but we feel inside we’re on the right boardwalk. Wonder where the rest of the boardwalk goes? It does go right.
On my walk through the Fisher Nature area I cross an open field of knee high tall bluestem grass. I tickles my bare legs as I walk through the grass. Every once in a while I’ll startle, and be startled, by a field mouse or notice a fox watching me. Butterflies follow along and of course the birds let me know with their song how much they enjoy the meadow and surrounding trees. I also believe their song is my invitation to enjoy the medow along with them. Of course, I’m always enjoying the light cast across the field. No matter how many photos I have of that field I’ve never really been satisfied with the images I bring home. Yet, I will continue to carry my camera and take photos as I walk through the field. The walk is what it’s about, anyway.
