• clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  sunrises

    Pre-dawn Sky

    July 14, 2021

    I arrived at 5:06 am. It was still dark. Warm enough not to need a jacket. It seemed much quieter than usual. I sat in the silence with my journal on my lap and camera sitting next to me. A mule deer pasted in front me and not sure she was aware of my presence. If she was I was not a threat to her. A cottontail came up and sat down in front of me, eyes riveted to mine in the silence. Soon the sky began to turn a soft pink. These moments are a gift then quickly gone. So, we must be present to each of them. I pressed the shutter button three times then went back to my journaling. Will meet with a friend in about an hour for good conversation.

    Testing has shown I have mold in my condo and will now need to deal with having that fixed before having the new vinyl flooring put in. It was scheduled for Aug 2nd. Hope there is no delay in that.

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  • landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  sunrises

    Hazy Morning

    July 12, 2021

    No clouds this morning but plenty of haze from the smog and smoke drifting from the west coast. Unable to smell them but sure can see their effects. Interesting how the camera sensor does not record the red/orange sun in the sky the same as the reflection in Dixon Reservoir. Hope you had a good weekend and a great week ahead.

    Started reading the book Nomadland by Jessica Bruder and finding it interesting. At times it’s sad, at times disturbing, at other times informative and other times funny.

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  • grass,  gratitude,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  Plants,  sunrises

    No One Got Hurt

    July 8, 2021

    This is today’s sunrise at Pineridge Natural Area. It looks to be a hot day, reaching 100 degrees. Had a couple of hiccups yesterday so sorry if this post sounds a bit whinny. Promise, it won’t take long.

    I dropped off my car at 6:30 to have the oil changed. I then walked to a coffee shop to meet a friend. I was already at the coffee shop, one I seldom patronize, when he called to let me know he was at ER after falling and dislocating his shoulder. He’s going to be okay.

    Since I was already at the coffee shop I ordered an iced chai, falsely believing that would make things better. Well it was probably the worst chai latte I’ve ever had. Dumped it all. I noticed a feeling of frustration within because plans were not going as planned. 😁

    It was now about 11:00 am. I walked back to the repair shop, buying a sandwich from the local Starbucks on the way. It was horrible. What’s wrong with my tastebuds? ☹️

    When I arrived at the repair shop I discovered there was a mixup. When I dropped off the car I placed the keys in the wrong place. They were not able to work on the car until I let them know where the keys were. Thus we were about 4 hours behind my scheduled plans. Then the Uber driver delivering my air filter got lost which delayed things. I did not get my car until 5:00 pm. Partly my error and partly theirs. However, everyone kept their kool. 😳

    Next, I was to meet a friend about 6:45 pm. All went well with that plan. Felt gratitude and we even chuckled about each others day!

    I realized before going to bed that after my morning prayer and meditation time, I did not start my day at one of my natural areas. I made sure to remedy that this morning. 😍 Anyway, all is okay as no one got hurt yesterday. Have a great day!

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  • clouds,  gratitude,  landscape,  sunrises

    A Grateful Heart

    June 27, 2021
    [ngg src=”galleries” ids=”77″ display=”basic_slideshow”]

    Today is my 71st birthday and this is how I started the day. I awoke early, just before 4:00 am, wide awake. Made a trip to the bathroom which is something we do more often when we reach this age. Got up at 4:01 am, had my quiet time, made a chai latte and headed to Weld County along County Roads 90 and 13.

    The slideshow is a series of images as the morning progressed. You can click on the slideshow for a larger image and manually walk through the images. Nature gave me the most wonderful birthday gift with beautiful clouds, a colorful sunrise and a chorus of meadowlarks. I was surrounded and immersed in creation. Spending time in nature is our real home, as John Muir suggests. I have a full and grateful heart.

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  • haiku,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  sunrises,  writing/reading

    Meadow of Gold

    June 22, 2021

    cloudless horizon 
    chorus of song birds rising
    in meadow of gold 

    ms

    Sadly this image shows the smoky haze sitting along the Colorado Front Range from all the fires burning in the southwest. The haze hovers just above the horizon combined with a mix of emission pollution. There are currently, 47 large fires that have burned 519,761 acres across the country, per the National Interagency Fire Center website. The haze gives everything a golden glow to it. Today is expected to be in the 90’s. Be safe, stay cool!

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  • haiku,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  sunrises,  writing/reading

    Among the Salsify

    June 18, 2021

    among the salsify
    return to a sacred place
    morning sunrise

    ms

    Awoke early so arrived at Pineridge Natural Area just after 5:00 am. It was already 69 degrees and hardly any breeze. Quiet all around me. A stillness. I walked down the trail from my bench to where there are several salsify plants and patiently waited with them for this morning’s sunrise. I take deep breaths, grateful for life. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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