• bicycling,  campus,  fall season,  sunrises

    makes them stop and look…

    CSU Oval

    The poet Mary Oliver suggests in one of her poems (A Lesson From James Wright) that when you sit very quietly in some lovely wild place and listen to silence, that is a poem. I really like that idea. So carrying that further and thinking of our life as a poem, a prayer, a blessing for ourselves and others, maybe adds some aromatic fragrance to who we are and can touch another life. For me this includes creatives such as poets, artists, mystics, photographers, authors, family, friends and others who have done that in my life. I like that idea, also.

    I took this image at the CSU Oval on my ride home this morning. In these later years of my life I am seeing and experiencing this beautiful world in a new way. Something inside me does not want to miss the chance of being a part of it, whether that is being an observer, a poem, a prayer, a blessing, a better loving human, or a silly photographer on a bicycle who stops for photos at the oddest times and makes people stop and look.

  • bicycle rides,  bicycling,  campus,  clouds,  fall season,  gratitude,  leaves,  sunrises

    Filled with gratitude…

    We are having wonderful fall weather here in Colorado. However, next week we will see colder weather. Late yesterday morning I stood on my porch enjoying a glazed donut and glass of milk, soaking up the sun’s warming rays and watching the constant falling of leaves, twisting and spinning on their short journey. It’s a mesmerizing experience to be aware of my breath while being a witness to nature changing, creating. I felt filled with gratitude. And this morning is just as lovely of a fall morning. As soon as I stepped out the door into the darkness I was met with a captivating quiet and stillness. I then accepted the gift of the sunrise colors over the CSU campus as I rode to Mugs for a wonderful Old Town mocha made by my barista Ethan, then conversation and laughter with Jeff.

    On the way home I rode through the CSU Oval listening to the sound of my tires rolling through the fallen leaves. Again, I felt filled with gratitude. Yet, I am aware that not all of the world has this state of silence, peace, and serenity. Nor are are all my days this way. Chaos, death, fear and suffering fills their days instead. My heart cries for them and I grapple with my feelings of helplessness. So even though I do not understand prayer or the prayer as I was taught in my youth, I do as Joyce Wilson-Sanford says, “I pray anyway.” Somehow, someway the prayer is given. May you enjoy this Sunday!

  • clouds,  Humor,  landscape,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes,  sunsets

    Profanity and Ire

    Sunrise from last week

    Sometimes we are at one with our fellows in brotherly love and peace.
    Sometimes in the unity of traffic, profanity and ire.

    Brenda P

    I was down to one Dove’s chocolate yesterday morning so I made a run to the grocery store. I drove east on Prospect where construction had traffic down to one lane in two locations in that one mile stretch. Crazy drivers were speeding and trying to cut in front of other people. Angrily I began to call them names, which did not make me feel any better nor could they hear me. Once I got to the grocery store, I could not make the self checkout thingy work for me. The anger I was still holding on to when I walked into the store now included frustration. After finally getting checked out I took Drake westbound home to avoid the construction on Prospect. But…. they had construction on Drake down to one lane near Shields. Now I’m angry, frustrated and spewing profanity all over the dashboard of my car and totally away of my behavior. I turned north on Shields only to discover they had traffic down to one lane near Prospect due to construction. So in that four mile square trip to the grocery store I had one lane traffic in four places due to construction. And the construction was really nothing more than a cable company burying cable. Oh, the measures we go to for chocolate! Gladly, no one got hurt and I got my chocolate fix.

    I put myself in timeout when I got home (20 minutes of meditation time) and calmed down. I reflected on my childish reactions to my first world problems and how insignificant they are compared to other world problems. I laughed at my silliness and went to a place of gratitude for the life I live, began to be excessively gentle with myself and aware of the growth that I still need in moving away from my self-centeredness. Thanks for listening. I hope you’re having a wonderful day!

    Oh, and the quote is from a text message with my friend Brenda after she heard about my experience and rather childish behavior. I think it fits perfectly with my story.

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

    My Idea of Happiness

    A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one’s neighbor — such is my idea of happiness.”

    Leo Tolstoy

    This was the morning’s quiet and peaceful sunrise at Pineridge Natural Area about 7 am. Since then clouds have moved in and we have had a slow steady drizzle since about 9 am. Afterwards I made my way to Mugs for coffee and a wonderful conversation with Dan. I will always accept these kinds of rainy days as they refresh everything, make a leftover bowl of chili soup taste even better and a day to journal and read. Such is my idea of happiness. I hope you enjoy your weekend!

  • Arapaho Bend Natural Area,  clouds,  landscape,  quotes,  sunrises

    Silence makes us whole…

    Not only does silence give us a chance to understand ourselves better, to get a truer and more balanced perspective of our own lives in relation to the lives of others: silence makes us whole if we let it.

    Thomas Merton

    Saturday mornings are my coffee and conversation time with my friend, Eric, which means a short drive to Windsor. Since we are expecting rain later today I thought the sunrise may offer colorful clouds so I drove by Arapaho Bend Natural Area. I set up my camera and tripod on the west side of Beaver Pond and then shot towards the east. It was the warmest morning of this past week but a nice cool breeze made it very comfortable. The breeze created small waves across the water. I received the gift of pink clouds reflected in the water and the silence it offered. May you enjoy your weekend!

  • bicycle rides,  fog,  landscape,  nature,  quotes,  Spring Creek Trail,  sunrises

    Unsuspected Goodness

    The healing of our present woundedness may lie in recognizing and reclaiming the capacity we all have to heal each other, the enormous power in the simplest of human relationships: the strength of a touch, a blessing of forgiveness, the grace of someone else taking you just as you are and finding in you an unsuspected goodness.

    Rachel Naomi Remen, Kitchen Table Wisdom

    This morning’s 45 degrees and 93% humidity made for a rather invigorating bicycle ride to Mugs. I was then greeted by Emily and Meg and one of their Old Town mochas. Our greetings with one another always raises the awareness of our unsuspected goodness in one another. I live a blessed life!!

    Spring Creek is a 12.7-mile-long tributary of the Cache La Poudre River. The Spring Creek Trail follows Spring Creek through several parks in mid Fort Collins. It is one of my favorite paths to get around this town. I take this route since I do not have to deal with any traffic. The trail passes under Prospect Road built for pedestrians and bicycles, so I only ride in traffic for 3 blocks of the 2.4 mile ride to coffee. No stoplights and only two stop signs They have constructed gates along Spring Creek to control water flow from flooding and in the past for irrigating crops. This is one of the places where they have gates that provide larger open water areas providing beauty and an environment for the water life. This morning I needed to stop and accept this image on my way to Mugs. I like to believe the geese were shouting joy for this beautiful morning and wanting my attention to stop and take it all in. And so I did! It was a beautiful morning and ride.

  • clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  quotes,  sunrises

    The Island of Self

    The mornings predawn light

    Our true home is what the Buddha called the island of self, the peaceful place inside of us. Oftentimes we don’t notice it’s there; we don’t even really know where we are, because our outer or inner environment is filled with noise. We need some quietness to find that island of self.

    Thich Nhat Hanh, Silence

    It has been a beautiful morning here in Colorado. I felt the need to spend part of this morning within nature so I headed to Pineridge Natural Area for the gift of quiet this new day brings. I found my rock, setup my camera and tripod then sat in the quiet. A group of 30 or so magpies noisily flew over. I wonder how often they make the noise just to draw attention to themselves or just to annoy me or both. And, is it noise to them? Yet, I would have it no other way. The pink along the horizon was just what I needed. I had the area pretty much to myself (and the magpies). I brought along one of my flutes and played a couple of songs, sending those notes and a couple squeaks (noise for sure) out across the meadow. I did rather well with Cherokee Morning Song but Zuni Sunrise needs more practice. Anyway it was a great place to embrace the quietness of that island of self. I will meet Eric shortly for coffee and conversation. I hope you enjoy your weekend.

  • bicycling,  campus,  landscape,  quotes,  sunrises

    Finding our voice…

    The view on my bicycle ride to the coffee shop

    Life consists in learning to live on one’s own, spontaneous, freewheeling: to do this one must recognize what is one’s own – be familiar and at home with oneself. This means basically learning who one is, and learning what one has to offer to the contemporary world, and then learning how to make that offering valid.

    Thomas Merton, Love and Living

    I had a good night’s sleep but I still did not want to get up. I rode the red steed to Mugs and was wide awake by the time I arrived. Emily was my barista and she fixed me up with an Old Town mocha. The morning was off to a great start. Later I met my daughter and grandson for breakfast at the Silver Grill and of course ate too much. I have been eating out way too much. I notice it in both my pants and my wallet.

    One of the Native American style flute makers almost always has a short video describing each flute. After describing it he usually says, “And, here’s its voice.” Then plays it for 45-60 seconds so you can hear it. Maybe we can say that learning who we are is really finding our voice and offering it to the world. And, at this present time we need a few good, sensible, nurturing voices who live on one’s own. I am not advocating those voices necessarily to be booming on any news media, social media, blog or Youtube but in those places where we spend most of our everyday lives: our homes, our work, the coffee shop, a restaurant, grocery store, etc. And in my mind that begs the question, are we willing to offer our voices? It is a lovely day in Colorado, sunshine and clear blue skies. Have a great day!

  • campus,  clouds,  landscape,  quotes,  sunrises

    Wherever you are…

    The scene from Saturday morning’s bicycle ride across campus as I headed for Mugs

    Wherever you are can be a sacred place if you are there in a relaxed and serene way, following your breathing and keeping your concentration on whatever you’re doing.

    Thich Nhat Hanh

    The above quote is true for me because I experience many places as sacred. Sitting in my Adirondack chair and journaling, my mornings at coffee shops, times spent in Natural Areas, drives to the open vistas of the eastern prairies, and my bicycle rides are all sacred places and times for me. Because I feel that way it is also my responsibility to treat each of these with respect as a sacred place. I watched a man walking yesterday, without a dog, but picking up after someone else’s dog. He was doing his part in keeping the sidewalks as a sacred place. I see him as a good teacher! Now, may I be a good student and thus be a good teacher!

    It looks to be a wonderful fall day here in Colorado. I am pleased to have friends Earl and Bonnie visiting from North Carolina. I met Earl via our blogs and actually was able to meet with him in Charlotte one evening for dinner over 10 years ago. I had never met Bonnie until yesterday when we met up for lunch. They are pleasant, warm and inviting people. We are going to meet this morning and venture up into the mountains. I will report about our adventures later.