• natural areas,  sunrises

    Finding the Light

    There Is a Light Within You

    I’ve said many things, but at the heart
    of them all is this: There is a light
    within you, in your soul, uncreated
    and uncreatable; it simply is.

    If you wish to know yourself,
    look for this light in the dark;
    it is ever present, even when
    you’ve lost sight of it. Look
    away from what you think
    you are, and look deeper into
    the darkness that is within.

    There you’ll find that light
    which is ever present,
    even if no one – not
    even you – notices.

    Meister Eckhart’s Book of Darkness & Light

    We have a lovely fall day with blue skies and sunshine. Will meet my friend Larry for lunch and conversation. Thanks for all who have let me know what they are finding with this new theme. Much appreciated.

  • clouds,  natural areas,  sunrises

    Red Horizon

    Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find the right road.

    Dag Hammarskjold

    A cold, biting breeze blew out of the west this morning at Pineridge Natural Area. I felt the chill deep within my body as the red and pink sky hugged the eastern horizon. Yet, I had no desire to be anywhere else. Hope you have had a good day.

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

    A Better Start

    “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.”

    George Bernard Shaw

    Well today is starting out much better, no flat tire to change. Arrived early at Pineridge Natural Area. Looks like that same heron fishing along the water’s edge and in the same spot. The light wind stirred the water’s surface with tiny ripples. A flock of magpies were making quite the fuss in a group of trees. Took 7 photos before heading to Mugs where Jess made me an Old Town Mocha. There was no interest in watching the sunrise for me. Met up with my friend Duane today. He and Jan are in town for a few days before heading south of Tucson for the winter. Hope you had a great day and be sure to do something!

  • landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  sunrises

    Website Issues

    Predawn colors at Pineridge Natural Area

    I have been struggling with my website off and on for three weeks. It finally came to a halt on Wednesday when all I could do was go to the homepage and my dashboard. All other links seemed to be broken. I have already had two people contact me through email asking if there was anything wrong. I’ve had four chat sessions with Bluehost and no resolution. This morning in my fifth chat session they finally seem to have solved the error. Seems the permalinks were messed up. I just never go to that place on my dashboard so I have no idea how it was changed or if it became confused. All I know is I’m confused with this stuff but it is back up and seems to be working.

    In the meantime I’ve have been playing with Squarespace for three days with their 14 day unlimited free trials. The cost is about the same. I will continue to look into it and play with it. I know Joe uses Squarespace and seems satisfied. Like him I only want to post blogs, show my images, and stay connected with fellow bloggers. I am not selling anything so none of that interests me. Who knows I may be on a new platform next week.

    I also had my cars hood insulation repaired on the 21st when the raccoons tore it up last April. Well they did it again four days after I had it replaced, for the third time now in four years. However I did make it up to Pineridge NA yesterday morning for the predawn colors and quiet. The water was smooth as glass. A couple of ducks floated along and one blue heron stood fishing along the waters edge. It was a good way to end the week on a Friday. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

  • clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  Mary Oliver,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes

    …honor the world

    Photography by nature is spiritual considering, it comes from the darkness to show the light.

    Kevin Russo

    I was told the other day by someone that they no longer look my sunrise images. However, I’ve come to know that the beginning of a new day offers a unique sunrise, there is no other like it, and if I’m present to it then it’s another opportunity to live one more day. So for me a sunrise is a sacred moment, where we move from darkness to light. In a Mary Oliver poem called The Swan she writes, Of course the path to heaven doesn’t lie in flat miles. It’s in the imagination with which you perceive this world, and the gestures with which you honor it. My presence and the photographs I capture is my act of receiving this morning’s predawn sky and is my gesture to honor the world. I will probably keep doing that to my last breath.

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

    I was not disappointed

    When I started my adventure in photography, I was suddenly introduced to the world around me. I can’t believe I have been so blind for too many years.

    Laura Tate Sutton

    I so relate to her quote. Anyway, the weather forecast is for rain beginning mid morning and continuing through the day. So with that forecast in mind I rose early and headed to Pineridge Natural Area. I sat on that same rock, the hard one, hoping nature would offer bright colors among clouds. I was not disappointed. I think of that old adage, Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailor’s warning. Hope you have a wonderful day.