Here’s a little bit about the trip to Seattle. First off, the weather was wonderful, highs reached about 70 degrees and lows at night down to 55 degrees. No rain the whole time we were there. I ate too much.
The Seattle Trip
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View of Lake Washington from the deck of the VRBO -
I missed them…
Sun breaking through the clouds at Reservoir Ridge in the late afternoon My sister and I returned yesterday afternoon from Seattle. We had a great time, always good to see and laugh with family. I saw nephews and nieces I haven’t seen in years. I missed them. As always we ate and we ate and we… However, we did get in some good long walks along the Burke-Gilman Trail that goes for almost 19 miles around Lake Washington. And, no, I only walked about 5 miles of it each day. We had a great time and will share more with you in a later post.
It was toasty when we arrived, reaching 98 degrees around 4:30 yesterday afternoon. I unpacked, ate a sandwich, bought groceries and had some quiet time. About 6:30 I drove out to Reservoir Ridge Natural Area to sit in the shade of the pine trees. There is a group of about 20 trees where I will sit in a folding camp chair near the parking lot. I will then write, read and get my much needed dose of nature. Think my meadowlarks missed me as much as I missed them. It was good to hear them sing.
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Time In Prayer
Morning reflection on a glass smooth Dixon Reservoir “It is no surprise that in our loss of connection with Nature, we have forgotten how to pray. We even believe that we do not need to pray.”
John O’DonohueJoan and I met for a walk/talk session at Pineridge Natural Area this morning. We took the shorter route around the reservoir which is not quite 3 miles. They were predicting a beautiful day after yesterday’s overcast skies and rain, so a lot of people were out to enjoy it. After our walk we ate brunch on the patio of a new restaurant called the Chicken Coop, which serves American Mexican breakfast and lunches. We will need to go back and try other things on the menu and definitely include another walk.
Time in nature is time in prayer. -
Storm Clouds in the East
Storm clouds on the Colorado eastern plains You could not help but notice how beautiful the clouds were on my walk yesterday afternoon. When I got back to the condo I decided to take a few images of those clouds at the Pineridge Natural Area. I discovered it’s very different at 6:00 pm than at 6:00 am. The parking lot was full of cars. People were walking and riding bicycles on the trails and the rest were fishing. The darker clouds at the horizon look to be rain. I would estimate these clouds are somewhere around 40 miles in the east. I could see a bolt of lightning every once in a while.
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Yesterday’s storm has passed
Snow clinging to branches Blue skies and sunshine bring their warmth this morning.
I see tree branches bending over under the snow’s burden
I watch as the sun’s warmth weaken the snow’s grip,
causing small glistening snowstorms to flutter downward.I check on the nesting geese, standing on my toes to look in
They stretch their necks to check on my presence. All’s well.
Looking up, the sky seems bluer, no contrails, less pollution.
I listen to the quiet, the music that soothes this soul.I’m filled with gratitude for this wonderful world
and the gift of being present, a part of all this beauty.Yesterday’s storm has passed
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Tree Shadows or a Creature
Tree Shadows Each day has something new to offer us. Call it a mystery if you want, we just have to look.
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I’m impressed…
This time the artist, Nature, used the tools of leaves and freezing rain to create these two images. I’m impressed. I can’t do that! However, I can take a digital copy of it.
“A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”
Albert Einstein
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What is my work?
Looking close at nature and its ability to create “My work is Loving the World.” Mary Oliver
I believe nature can create visual art that brings pleasure to my soul. I’ll even say it creates art that touches all of the senses; smell, touch, visual, audible and taste. Could it be that nature is the ultimate artist? As Mary Oliver ask do I participate as an artist with nature in loving it, respecting it, protecting it?
