My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
“Most of us lead far more meaningful lives than we know.
Rachel Naomi Remen
Often finding meaning is not about doing things differently;
it is about seeing familiar things in new ways.”
I stepped out into the street to grab this image of a familiar scene while waiting outside Mugs coffee shop on Laurel.
No one got hurt!
“Anything that excites me for any reason, I will photograph;
Edward Weston
not searching for unusual subject matter, but making the commonplace unusual.”
My schedule this morning was discombobulated because they sent me a message saying they were not opening the coffee shop until later due to maintenance. I forwarded that message to Jeff so he would not drive from Windsor and find it closed. I grabbed my camera and headed to Arapaho Bend Natural Area. As I drove over there I watched the sky turn from red to pink then settle into its gold warm glow of the new day. My eyes were excited by the clouds so I wanted to share the beauty I saw in them. I set up my camera and tripod and hung around for a while. This was the one I chose to post today out of the 15 I took. After a half hour or so I went to a small coffee shop called Lima Coffee Roasters and paid way too much for a mocha.
The quote by Edward Weston reminds me of how often we do not see the usual subject matter of life that the mystic, the contemplative, the poet, the creative, the photographer, seems to see. And each of them must be awake, aware and open to the moment we are experiencing. I believe he nailed it! I hope you have a wonderful day!!
A good way to start a Sunday morning, or any morning, is time at Pineridge Natural Area. Joining me this morning at chapel were three Mule Deer, a couple of cottontails, a small choir of ducks and geese on Dixon Reservoir, a lone fisherman standing on the shore, and the nonstop chatter of magpies. We were finally gifted with a lovely afternoon rainstorm yesterday. It brought such a refreshing scent of rain, bright clear skies and if you were present to the moment, the loving touch of Creation. Morning chapel!
We did not regard the mountains and forests as wilderness; we called it home.
Luther Standing Bear
I found this quote and realized how truly distant we are from nature. It would be interesting to know how many people in the world never step foot into nature or even consider calling it home. Anyway, I roamed around in my archives to find images of mountains and forests to go along with the quote. I found the pickings rather slim because I am attached more to the open landscapes of the prairie rather than mountains even though I live in Colorado. Go figure! I found this image taken on the Foothills Parkway in the Great Smoky Mountains back in October of 2003 with my trusty Nikon D100. It has been cool and cloudy here today but no rain. I put on a crockpot of chicken tortilla soup this morning since it was going to be a cooler day. I got my Covid and RSV shots about 4 hours ago and no side effects so far. I hope you are enjoying your day!
… like me, then consider yourself really kool and above average!!!
I loved the morning clouds of predawn at Pineridge Natural Area. I took several images of different compositions. However, none of the images turned out good because I forgot to turn off my IBIS (in body image stabilization). Anyway here are some purdy clouds at Pineridge Natural Area this morning. I hope you have a great day!
This morning has had the feel, look and smell like fall. My bicycle ride was refreshing and brisk to the coffee shop. Nature offered her lovely sky canvas painted with delicate clouds and subtle colors. I stopped a couple of times to take photos and appreciate the gift of the moments. I listened to birds singing. Had two whitetail does ignore me as they grazed along the trail. With experiences like this each morning I enjoy my rides even more. My barista this morning was Madi, my drink was an Old Town mocha and I had good conversations with the regulars! Yes, I am appreciating the gift of the moments!
Some may think each sunrise is the same but I tend to differ. I rise early to experience the birthing of a new day. I place myself before each new day and what it brings and to see what I can bring to each new day. This was the morning’s sunrise on campus. I hope you had a good weekend!
“One of the most sacred duties of one’s destiny is the duty to be yourself. When you come to accept yourself and like yourself, you learn not to be afraid of your own nature.”
John O’Donohue, Anam Cara
The eastern sky was a lovely shade of pink this morning during my quiet time. A beautiful gift from Mother Nature. It was about 51 degrees when I mounted the red steed for my ride to the coffee shop. The brisk ride always makes the mocha latte seem better. I stopped to take this image as the sun broke through the trees along Spring Creek Trail. If you notice the trail splits. I usually take the left turn which goes to the underpass on Prospect Rd. and onto campus. And of course I love clouds. You may see more images from this area. It has been cool and cloudy most of the day and I am quite happy with that. The ride to the coffee shop is 3.2 miles. When I take this route I have only two blocks of traffic to deal with. The rest of it is trail and campus paths with only pedestrians and cyclists. Have a wonderful weekend!
“There is a Sufi story about a man who is so good that the angels ask God to give him the gift of miracles. God wisely tells them to ask him if that is what he would wish.
Rachel Naomi Remen, Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories that Heal
So the angels visit this good man and offer him first the gift of healing by hands, then the gift of conversion of souls, and lastly the gift of virtue. He refuses them all. They insist that he choose a gift or they will choose one for him. “Very well,” he replies. “I ask that I may do a great deal of good without ever knowing it.” The story ends this way:
The angels were perplexed. They took counsel and resolved upon the following plan: Every time the saint’s shadow fell behind him it would have the power to cure disease, soothe pain, and comfort sorrow. As he walked, behind him the shadow made arid paths green, caused withered plants to bloom, gave clear water to dried up brooks, fresh color to pale children, and joy to unhappy men and women. The saint simply went about his daily life diffusing virtue as the stars diffuse light and the flowers scent, without ever being aware of it. The people respecting his humility followed him silently, never speaking to him about his miracles. Soon they even forgot his name and called him “the Holy Shadow.”
There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.
Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
Back in 2008 I made a big step across the threshold of fear to push the publish button on my first blog post and then the next… There was the commentary about who would like what I write and who would consider it crap? I also felt the same way about posting that first image. Who would like it and who wouldn’t? Even after 4,355 postings I sometimes still ask those same commentaries. But I have enough confidence in who I am and my creativity with writing and photography that I am okay with any negative reactions. I say that because I no longer see my blog posts as failures or successes but much more as lessons and how I need to express myself. It is much cooler this morning but will still reach the mid 80s today. I will take this cooler weather.