The future belongs to those able to learn, to change, to accommodate to this exquisite Cosmos that we have been privileged to inhabit for a brief moment.
Carl Sagan
…to learn, to change
-
The cosmos in predawn light along Peralta Trail – 2013 -
Silence
Sunset along Peralta Trail, Arizona – November 2003 My whole silence is full of prayer.
Thomas MertonNot sure about you but so far the year has run rather smoothly. We’ll see what day two brings. This morning we had clear blue skies, sunshine and cold. Pretty much what a January day is in Colorado. I rode my bicycle to coffee this morning and took the long cut home. Good start to my day! I have a crockpot of cabbage and sausage cooking. This afternoon we have had soft white clouds floating across an azure blue sky.
Silence has become a gift in my life over the past 10 years. I have adjusted to living a single life and its freedom. Living alone allows silence to become a prominent part of my day. Because of the silence in my life I find the noise of the world disturbing and annoying. There are few places, if any, where there is not some impact of sound by man’s machines. I am learning in my practice of prayer and meditation to allow them to become a distant hum. I like to believe it’s at those moments that I am in prayer. When I can do the same in a coffee shop I also consider that silence to be prayer.
This image was taken along the Peralta Trail east of Phoenix with a Nikon D100 and Nikon 24-85mm f2.8-4.0, at 1/6 second, f16, ISO 200.
-
Eventually…
Predawn on Perata Trail, Arizona – 2013 “Life sometimes is hard. There are challenges. There are difficulties. There is pain. As a younger man I sought to avoid them and only ever caused myself more of the same. These days I choose to face life head on—and I have become a comet. I arc across the sky of my life and the harder times are the friction that lets the worn and tired bits drop away. It’s a good way to travel; eventually I will wear away all resistance until all there is left of me is light. I can live towards that end.”
Richard Wagamese, Embers -
Silent Predator
in pre-dawn light
mws
eyes pierce the world of darkness
silent predatorAwoke to a dusting of snow with more possible later this evening. I made my first venture to a coffee shop yesterday with my sister and came home a bit worn out. It was a good experience for me. This early morning image of the owl was taken in 2006 along the Peralta Trail in Arizona while on a visit to see my parents.
-
What are the gifts of new days for?
Predawn light along Peralta Trail, Arizona – 2016 The gift of a new day (I touched on that in Thursday’s post) always offers the opportunity for something new to experience that will only happen or begin on this day. I’m so much more aware of that than in my youth. So here is a list of some opportunities that pop into my mind as I write this post, which could be totally different next week. It’s short because I’m expecting each of us to add our own.
So, new days are for writing our first poem, begin or finish our autobiography, face the blank canvas of our first painting, bake our first pie and be brave enough to eat it, write our first song or maybe just the chorus, take dance lessons or dance in the rain, find the courage to ask her out for dinner, give our granddaughter her first driving lesson, develop our fist black and white print, watching our first sunrise in the desert in a state of awe, running our first marathon or accepting the fact it ain’t gonna happen at this age, begin a new adventure as we are never too old, plant a vegetable garden, learn to ride a horse or a unicycle or snowboard, and the list goes on and on….
-
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.
-
Another Sunrise on Peralta Trail
Another sunrise on Peralta Trail I am a fan of open vistas, sunrises and sunsets. Needless to say this area down here supplies all of them. I will be heading back to Colorado this coming Saturday morning and should arrive Sunday afternoon. I am a bit disappointed in not seeing as much outside of this area but there will be other opportunities.
-
Dust Spots
Sunrise on Peralta Trail I arrived at my parents home yesterday afternoon about 12:15. I have had some wonderful weather for this trip. But, let me tell you the heat difference driving into Phoenix was a major shift for my body. It was a 100 degrees when I arrived.
I awoke early and could see lightening north of the Superstition Mountains so I jumped in the car and drove out to Peralta Trail. I had to spend extra time on this image due to dust spots on the sensor. Frustrating.
-
I’m Still Here
Sunrise on Peralta Trail “What day is it?”
It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
My favorite day,” said Pooh.”
― A.A. MilneI decided to stay one more day and head back tomorrow. So this morning I headed out to meet the rising sun and was greeted by a choir of birds and one lone howling coyote.
-
Just Before Sunrise
Predawn near the Superstition Mountains along the Paralta Trail Last Wednesday morning I drove out to Peralta Trail Road for morning sunrise. Man there is something about being out in the desert before sunrise. On this cold January morning, 27 degrees, it was so quiet and peaceful. Most of the creatures of the desert were huddle up somewhere staying warm. Very few birds out so no morning songs. Just quiet. Ever notice there are more stars in the desert. 🙂
I’m off on another trip this morning. See ya in four days.
