“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.”
John Muir
Afternoon Clouds
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Get Out of Town
Restless and caught up in my head. The only fix for that is to get out of town. Grabbed my stuff and drove out east to Weld County and looked for blue skies, clouds, a sunset and to listen to the meadowlarks. It worked! Felt much better when I got home last night.
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Heading Home
Arizona Sunset We are heading home today, back to the colder temperatures. I have enjoyed the family time except for all the food I was forced to eat. I have also enjoyed the wonderful weather they have here in Phoenix. Tomorrow will be my pre-op appointment, blood draws and more explanation on what to expect with the surgery on the 5th. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving !
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Listening to Silence
The Silence of Flight We are a culture of constant piped music wherever we go. I have nothing against listening to music but not everyone wants to have a cup of coffee or eat a sandwich listening to music. Depending on where you go it can be almost impossible to have a conversation.
Back in 1991 I made a major lifestyle change when I decided no more television for me and have not had one since. I still listened to music, finding it valuable during some tough times in my life. I used the music for comfort and healing, with both lyrical songs and instrumentals.
In 2000 another lifestyle change occurred. I had a 5 year relationship come to an end and found myself not dealing well with it. There was enough wherewithal to decided to take a camping/fly fishing trip for three days on the Green River in Colorado. I talked to no one nor listened to any music during that time. Something shifted within me. After my return, I began to listen to less music at home. It’s now to the point of none at all. The music took a backseat to quiet and the sounds of nature, the silence drawing me more into those places. I now find man made noise to be more of an annoyance and the primary reason for my trips to the country. At this season of my life, silence is about listening to silence.
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A Colorado Fall Day
Shadows on campus Clear cloudless blue skies today. A beautiful Colorado fall day. Noticed these shadows on campus as I returned from Mugs coffeehouse and felt a desire to share them. I’m off to help a friend move a few things today. Hoping today brings wonderful surprises and gifts your way.
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I Love Clouds
Stormy Clouds I love clouds. They are art. They are alive, a part of nature. They hold within them great power. They bring us moisture. They can bring us devastation. They are ever changing. I love clouds.
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“From my experience….”
Arches National Park All of us have heard people say, “I know…” when they really don’t. And, if we’re honest, we are well aware of the times we say it, and don’t. There is a saying that “what I think I think I know, ain’t so.” Reality is we do not know what another thinks or feels unless they share that with us and that is filtered through their ability to articulate and how we listen and understand. We do them an injustice when we assume to know. Our assumptions can easily be our imagination or a thought which we quickly make into a false reality. We’ll believe it. I’ve not found this to be a good foundation for a conversation or relationship. So, what if we were to say, “From my experience….” or something similar. Seems the mind wants to know, plan, or control the next moment, as if it’s real, rather than stay in the present and find out what we don’t really know.
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Looking for Awe and Wonder
Afternoon Clouds on the Farm I have always carried stress in my shoulders. It’s there now. There is a feeling of restlessness. I find my mind wandering to unknown places in the universe. Feel I’m not listening to the inner voice within me but the chatter of my ego and the noise of the world around me. Maybe if I share myself more on this blog, hear what you have experienced, take more action, the stress will lessen.
Now in my retirement there is a life to live full of excitement and adventures, images to receive, words to write in my journals, blog posts to write, places to visit, people to meet and a chance to discover more creativity within me. I find this exciting. However, this requires me to take action and not just dream of them. In the past I have only dreamed. There are no excuses. As I’ve heard, “Dreams without action are only fantasy.” I hope and pray I live the rest of my life with excitement, without fear of failure or success, looking for awe and wonder all around me.
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Connection to the natural world
Cloudy afternoon at Cathy Fromme Prairie Area I needed more time away from the bustle of the city so drove out to the Cathy Fromme Prairie Area for a walk. This short grass prairie was established because of the large prairie dog community and the support it provided for coyotes, raptors and rattlesnakes. This area has never seen a plow so it remains in a pre-settlement state. They built a nice covered observatory allowing visitors to see hawks and eagles. The birds are amazing with my favorite being the Western Meadowlark and its song. A sad part was the city deciding to poison off the prairie dog community due to disease. Never the less its always a place to find a connection to the natural world for me.
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Sunset at Horsetooth
Sunset on Horsetooth I had about a half hour of free time before meeting friends on Monday night. Felt the need for some quiet time closer to nature so I stopped at an overlook area above Rowland Moore Park. The sun was about to set and dark heavy clouds were constantly reshaping themselves above me. The glow of the sun was illuminating the clouds edge just above Horsetooth Rock. I needed this short time of quiet watching my nature channel in nature. 🙂
