Storm clouds are a reminder of how small we are in this world. They remind us that we’re not in charge. They also remind us that we can witness their gift by standing in awe of its power and beauty. But first we have to stop and look.
Stop and Look
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Storm clouds on the open plains yesterday -
accept the gifts offered
eerie sunrises the past few days as
ms
we continue to experience the smoke
from the Canadian forest fires
weather app said clear skies
but what that really meant
was we had no clouds
from a nearby fence post
a meadowlark sings benediction
greeting the dawn of this new day
from a place of prayer, hope
and a heart of gratitude
I accept the gifts offeredHappy Birthday Sheree!!!
- Arapaho Bend Natural Area, clouds, landscape, natural areas, Pineridge Natural Area, reflections, sunrises
The morning begins…
Predawn at Pineridge Natural Area … as I unintentionally wake at 3:54 am. Wide awake I decide to get up. I made a trip to the bathroom and then settled into my prayer and meditation time. Ate a quick bowl of cereal, made a chai latte and headed out the door in anticipation of this day’s offering. The sun was not up yet but soon would be. I wanted to be at Pineridge Natural Area for pre-dawn light and sunrise.
Sunrise at Pineridge Natural Area Nature has so much to offer us this time of the day with its creative beauty, the silence, the solitude and witnessing the miracle of a new day. When we allow it, it touches the soul. Clouds presented warm pink and orange colors to entice the eyes. Meadowlarks and robins greeted me with beautiful songs of love. One meadowlark who seemed very excited, sang to me the whole time. I watched a Great Blue Heron wading along the shore who was soon joined by four more. I assume all were in anticipation of breakfast.
Sunrise and light fog at Rolland Moore Park From there I headed east towards Arapaho Bend Natural Area in search of possible images of fog and morning light. This is an area that sits along the low lying land of the Poudre River, usually rich with fog. But, as I drove by Rolland Moore Park I could see the sun bursting through trees, casting light across the wet grass and its rays lighting up the fog. Distracted now, I quickly pulled into the parking lot and grabbed my camera and tripod. Again, I was given a lovely gift of golden light, shadows, and the sparkling wet grass. Grateful I was there!
Sunrise and reflection at Arapaho Bend Natural Area By the time I arrived at Arapaho Bend Natural Area the sun had burned off most of the fog. Since the wind blew yesterday the skies this morning were clear and bright. A group of pelicans and Canada Geese were kind enough to share this sanctuary with me. I stood along the shores of the pond, which are reclaimed gravel pits, and let everything soak in, taking in deep breaths. What I experience in these early mornings may seem strange to some but it is my life. I am filled with gratitude! I then moved on with my day in anticipation of the possible gifts yet to come. And one of those gifts is the coffee shop for a mocha latte.1And when I got there (Starry Night) they had just made their chocolate chip/chai scones. They do not make them very often so I had to have one. Hope you enjoyed a peek at my morning images. Have an Awesome day!
- clouds, landscape, natural areas, Pineridge Natural Area, reflections, sunrises, sunsets, Uncategorized
A Good Decision
Each decision we make, good or bad, offers an opportunity to learn.
msThis morning as I stepped out of my car and loudly shut the car door, I startled two Great Blue Herons feeding along the banks of Dixon Reservoir. As they flew away I realized I was rushing into this scene, looking for the image rather than being there. So, I took a deep breath, relaxed and watched the sunrise unfold, which brought a smile to my face. That was a much better decision than when I arrived. Lesson learned. Weather forecast is predicting 72 degrees today. Enjoy your Saturday! 1The decision to write this post was inspired by my friend Deb.
- Bench, clouds, landscape, natural areas, Pineridge Natural Area, Reservoir Ridge Natural Area, seasons, snow, storm clouds, winter scenes
Happy Earth Day
These storm clouds were taken last night out on the eastern plains. A rather large storm was raging so I thought I may be able to capture some drama in the clouds and drove out that way. The point of living a creative life – rather than just engaging in creative pursuits on occasion – is not merely to produce aesthetically pleasing artifacts, but to bind one’s creative work and living experience as two dimensions of the same life in all its details, always unfolding and evolving in parallel.
Guy TalEach of us is a creative soul. Some have tapped into that creativity while some are unaware they have it or deny they have it. As a photographer I see it as a gift to create/capture images that are pleasing, draw out emotions (yours and mine), and show the beauty of nature through photography. And, we all can do that. I really like the word “bind” that Guy Tal uses in his quote. So, as a prayer this morning I would ask for the binding of my creative works with my living experiences.
A favorite bench at Pineridge Natural Area this morning Well Nature decided to share with us a few more snowflakes before officially moving into spring. As you can see the bench I sit on to journal is not quite as inviting this morning. Have a wonderful day and Happy Earth Day! Stay warm.
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It Is Enough
A couple inches of wet snow fell during the night, the best kind.
Took this on my way home from the coffee shop at Pineridge Natural Area.Half of me is filled with bursting words
Victoria Erickson
and half of me is painfully shy.
I crave solitude yet also crave people.
I want to pour life and love into everything
yet also nurture my self-care and go gently.
I want to live within the rush of primal, intuitive decision,
yet also wish to sit and contemplate.
This is the messiness of life – that we all carry multitudes,
so must sit with the shifts.
We are complicated creatures, and ultimately,
the balance comes from this understanding.
Be water.
Flowing, flexible and soft.
Subtly powerful and open.
Wild and serene.
Able to accept all changes,
yet still led by the pull of steady tides.
It is enough.I also experience the messiness of life she talks about in the above quote, those constant changes, challenges and especially the surprises. At this time of my life these changes and challenges are becoming more acceptable and in many ways I’m eager to face them with all the gifts and talents I’ve attained in life so far. Some of these challenges have become adventures. Not sure I would have said that 20 years ago but I do now. Hope you enjoy this quote by Victoria Erickson. I especially like this line, “I want to live within the rush of primal, intuitive decision, yet also wish to sit and contemplate.” Hope you have a great weekend!
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Post Surgery Update
A cold blue sunset back in February 2021 Overcast skies dominate and it’s windy, definitely a bad hair day. Want to update my status after surgery. The TAVR procedure went well. They were done in just over an hour. Surgery started at 7:00 am and I was home about 5:00 pm. They fractured the original valve that was installed back in 2018 and inserted a new valve inside of that one. All done through the arteries. Amazing! My body seems to know nothing about a new aortic valve being installed. However, my groins are well aware of the three catheters invasive entry into my body, one in my wrist and one in each groin. I walk with pain, bent over like an old man, slow and deliberate, one foot in front of the other. Getting up and down from a chair is a slow process also. All tests done so far show the valve working perfectly and the gradient numbers of 40 we saw before surgery are now below 20. That tells us the heart is not working as hard pre surgery. I cannot say enough for the care I received from the medical staff and all the support and outreach from family and friends. Now comes the slow recovery process but this is nothing like I had with my open heart surgery four years ago. More to follow. Hope you are having a wonderful day!
