• clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  seasons,  sunrises,  winter scenes

    Another Sunrise

    December 18, 2020

    What’s broken can be mended.
    What hurts can be healed.
    And no matter how dark it gets,
    The sun is going to rise again.

    Well, back to another sunrise. Took this image yesterday but this one is a bit different. I arrived at predawn when the sky was pink and took a few images of those colors. It was 18 degrees and a slight breeze from the northwest. What is different about this image is the young lady located in the lower left corner of the image. She is sitting on a small bench at the trailhead, wrapped in a blanket and sipping on a thermos of hot coffee or maybe tea. I was there about 45 minutes and she was there when I arrived, sitting on that bench the whole time. We watched this lovely sunrise as well as seeing a couple coyotes walk across the frozen reservoir in search of food. We did not talk. Not sure the reason she needed to be there but for me nature is a place to go when I need to find healing, answers, peace, serenity, silence, a boost, even a good cry and most often the need to slow down the chatter of my thinking. It had warmed up to 19 degrees by the time she left. I departed soon after. We’re expecting light snow today so right now it is overcast and windy. Happy Friday!

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  • clouds,  John O'Donohue,  landscape,  quotes,  rants,  sunsets,  trees,  writing/reading

    Artists of Our Days

    August 10, 2020

    Each of us is an artist of our days; the greater the integrity and awareness, the more original and creative our time will become.

    John O’Donohue

    Thought I would share a few reasons I enjoy spending more time in nature, whether that’s dreaming of living in an RV or taking a short drive to one of the natural areas near me. Some of these I’ve written about before so I apologize if I’m repeating myself.

    Connection: My experiences in nature have always brought a deeper feeling of connection with nature. Connection with nature is a pleasurable experience for me. Sometimes I wonder if we are drawn closer to nature as we age, with some unconscious knowing we are nearing our time of returning to the earth. Finding a greater separation from the busyness of the city brings a deeper connection with nature. The connection includes not just observing through sound, smell, touch and sight but I also talk to creation. I used to see that as weird but seems so natural to me at this stage of life.

    Solitude: Solitude is a vital part of my spiritual life. As an introvert the solitude helps recharge my batteries. I like my condo and consider it a place of solitude, a sanctuary, but there are those times I must move away from the comforts it brings and the external noises around me.

    Silence: I find a deeper silence by driving to some place in the country where there is less man-made noise, allowing for the sounds of nature to dominate and heal. Once I passed the 60 year mark I needed fewer days listening to traffic, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, refrigerator, furnace, and trash trucks.

    Journaling: Journaling is also a part of my spiritual life and a daily exercise. What few times I’ve missed journaling was due to hospital vacations or where words could not be heard from within. I also find the writing on this blog to be fun and enjoyable. I was a horrible English student as a youth and disliked reading and writing. Now both reading and writing make up a majority of day. Never thought I would enjoy reading poetry but find I do, even venturing into attempts at writing in a poetic form.

    Photography: Photography is a real interest or goal for time in nature. I have loved nature photography since I was a teenager with my first twin lens reflex camera. Over time, photography has help develop what some call the eye of the heart, so that I see nature from a new place. A much larger world for me to experience.

    Discovery: There is a world to discover beyond the small world many of us spend most of our time living in. For many years I chose my world that consisted of a cubicle with a paycheck. There are new horizons of discovery and adventure yet to be seen and fully experienced. Time in nature helps me stay alive as a fulltime student.

    And, what are yours, if you care to share?

    May we be the artists of our days! 😎❤️

     

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  • Cityscapes/Urban,  lifestyles,  quotes,  trees,  winter scenes

    I call that progress

    February 18, 2020

    Walking across the CSU Oval after a night of light snowfall

    “The man who fears to be alone will never be anything but lonely, no matter how much he may surround himself with people. But the man who learns, in solitude and recollection, to be at peace with his own loneliness, and to prefer its reality to the illusion of merely natural companionship, comes to know the invisible companionship of God. Such a one is alone with God in all places, and he alone truly enjoys the companionship of other men, because he loves them in God in Whom their presence is not tiresome, and because of Whom his own love for them can never know satiety.” Thomas Merton

    We had a dusting of snow yesterday evening and temperature is at 17 degrees this morning. Good morning for coffee. They had freshly made chocolate eclairs in the display but I kept my wallet in my pocket and calories off my waist. I’m calling that progress. 

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  • Black and White,  clouds,  landscape,  quotes

    Inner Solitude

    November 17, 2019

    At the end of the road

    “Spirituality is not to be learned by flight from the world, or by running away from things, or by turning solitary and going apart from the world. Rather, we must learn an inner solitude wherever or with whomsoever we may be. We must learn to penetrate things and find God there.” Meister Eckhart

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  • Bench,  Cityscapes/Urban,  lifestyles,  snow,  winter scenes

    Calling My Attention

    January 28, 2018

    An Empty Bench
    An Empty Bench

    I took this image last Sunday morning during our little snow storm. We received about 4-5 inches and still have some on the ground as temperatures have been staying cold. Directly behind and across the street is a student housing building where Mugs coffeehouse is located.  After my morning mocha I walked over to campus to enjoy the falling snow, to get in a bit of exercise and possibly find an image. I have several images of this bench, finding it’s solitude calling my attention. I cannot remember ever seeing anyone sitting on this bench. However, today it’s pretty obvious why it’s empty.

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  • Bench,  Cityscapes/Urban,  lifestyles,  shadows,  winter scenes

    Just guessing, but …

    January 23, 2018
    Solitary Bench
    Solitary Bench

    Yesterday morning we awoke to clear blue skies and sunshine. Loved it! I took the bus to the transit center then came across this scene while walking across campus. Since it had two of my favorite subjects, a bench and shadows, a photograph needed to be taken. One thing in this image that speaks to me is the solitude because it is a part of my life. Interesting how there are tracks around the pond but nowhere near the bench. I’m just guessing, but thinking it’s due to the 23 degrees. 🙂

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  • landscape,  sunsets

    An Observation

    September 7, 2017

    Hiawatha Lake
    Hiawatha Lake

    There seems to be a correlation between the increase in my age and a decrease in  sunrise images and increase of sunsets images. Now at Momo Lolos coffeehouse and listening to a pianist and flutist duet. Love the change from the piped music we find most of the time.

    Family and community are an essential part of my life as well as my solitude. There are some who avoid solitude, finding it uncomfortable. And, there are some who avoid communities, finding it uncomfortable. I need both. Community and fellowship helps me to appreciate the solitude and quiet. While the solitude and quiet help me appreciate community. 

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