My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
“Let the truth be in your hearts, as it will be if you practise meditation, and you will see clearly what love we are bound to have for our neighbors.” The Way of Perfection
I needed to get another 3,500 steps in yesterday afternoon so I drove to Dixon Reservoir and walked around the reservoir to get them in. The sun had dropped below the mountains making it much cooler as it was a hot day. It was different today as we had almost no clouds for the whole day. Rather unusual for us.
When we are alone on a starlit night; when by chance we see the migrating birds in autumn descending on a grove of junipers to rest and eat; when we see children in a moment when they are really children; when we know love in our hearts; or when, like the Japanese poet Bashõ we hear an old frog land in a quiet pond with a solitary splash – at such times the awakening, the turning inside out of all values, the “newness,” the emptiness and the purity of vision that make themselves evident, provide a glimpse of cosmic dance.
Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation
I spent time at one of the natural areas this morning. Peaceful, serene and for me a great way to start my day. Driving home a young man in a large black CJ7 Jeep come up beside me rather fast, speakers blasting. When he pulled up beside me at the stoplight my car began to vibrate and my bones began to vibrate due to the volume. It was at that moment all serenity and peace evaporated. I quickly began to fantasize for a twitching nose like Samantha from the Bewitched television show and twitch my nose to blow those speakers. I’d show him! Yes, I go there once in a while. Have a great weekend! 😠
First they said 3-8 inches of snow, then they said 2-6 inches and then they said 8-12 inches. When I looked out the window this morning I could see that we have at least 6 inches and it’s still snowing. It’s not too cold which is a good thing for me. I ventured out and got a couple of images to share the beauty of the Colorado spring.
I’m looking down on the pond from the midway point of the stairs leading to the condos above me. Along this edge of the pond are large rocks where the Canada Geese and Mallards like to nest.They have been bickering for the past three weeks over nesting sites. Now they’re all hunkered down on the nests, keeping the eggs or young ones warm. But more importantly they are quiet.
It is a wet snow so there will be plenty of moisture from this storm. I have not looked at other areas of Colorado. I did read that the brunt of the storm would be farther north in Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, and even Michigan. Sharing some with you, Mark.
In my last post I talked about wanting spring to enjoy the rains, thunderstorms, flowers, weeds and sunny walks. This is not what I was talking about.
“The ability to ask beautiful questions, often in very unbeautiful moments, is one of the great disciplines of a human life. And a beautiful question starts to shape your identity as much by asking it as it does by having it answered.”
David Whyte
A few years ago I became less interested in answers and more interested in the questions. We already have too many people who have the answers. I’m grateful for the inquisitive minds in our world today, always looking for another question. Those questioning minds belong to the creatives, the prophets, researchers, the explorers, the seekers.
This was taken in 2005 at a local pond with my friends while having a picnic, plenty of food and games. It is scenes like this that I wish I could know what people were thinking about. I wonder if my friend was having an awareness of her part in the universe, or was she remembering a choice made in the past she would like to change or was she dreaming of a future moment yet to come.
“I could have. What does this phrase mean? At any given moment in our lives, there are certain things that could have happened but, didn’t. The magic moments go unrecognized, and then suddenly, the hand of destiny changes everything.” Paulo Coelho.
This a pre-dawn shot of the Arapaho Bend Natural Area where nature gifted us with a palette of pastel colors before the sun rises. Hope you have a tranquil and serene day!
Today is the first day of Spring. To celebrate and because I woke up early, I made a french press of coffee and headed to Arapaho Bend Natural Area. I setup my gear along the banks of Beaver Pond looking east. Behind me in the west was the setting Supermoon. The night ends and the new day begins. Spring! Beautiful!
Canada Geese were out for their morning swim, searching for a bite to eat and noisily enjoying the spring morning. For me it was an almost perfect way to start the day and the beginning of Spring.
After feeling I had all I wanted in images I loaded my gear back in the car to head home. As I started to put the key in the ignition I noticed a man on a paddle board of some kind and quickly jumped out of the car and took this last image. I thought it an appropriate photo to end my morning on the banks of Beaver Pond in the Arapaho Bend Natural Area.
Had to make a couple trips to Windsor so I took County Road 5 rather than the Interstate. It’s a slower paced 2 lane road and a lot less traffic. On Monday I saw 7 hawks and on Tuesday I saw 4 of them. They always cause me to smile as they are so majestic. Each day for them is about survival. Seems like a simpler life than mine. I have much to learn from them. The water was calm and reflective at the Arapaho Bend Nature Area.
“To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which shall never be seen again.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson