• coffee life,  fountain pens,  journal,  poetry

    The gift of the poet…

    March 25, 2026

    a poet drinks from the
    well of the people, and
    then gives it back to
    them in a way that may
    help them understand
    themselves and the
    world even better

    Garcia Lorca

    Reading poetry is something new for me, coming in the latter stages of my life, and I must say enjoyable. I have found poetry that helps me understand myself and the world around me. I am drawn to poets who are connected to nature, creation and speak to me about their spiritual life. But there are poets I just do not understand. Yet, I know there are people who connect to them while not with the poets I connect with. I have come to agree with Lorca that in the short period of time I have been reading poetry I have come to believe that poets help us understand ourselves and the world better. I also believe that people can and need to drink from the well of the poet. I therefore see poets as a gift! 

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  • landscape,  quotes,  sunrises

    Listening to understand

    March 16, 2026

    The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply.

    Stephen R. Covey

    Overcast skies allowed for some predawn color on my way to the coffee shop this morning. I stopped in the parking lot at the CSU Women’s Soccer field and took this image. This is a handheld shot at ISO 500 and I used Lightroom Classic denoise in post processing. I met my friend Duane for brunch today and enjoyed the food and conversation. And the conversation is always good because we are both learning to be better listeners.

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  • clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  quotes

    Why I write…

    May 6, 2025

    …I write to better understand myself and my relationship with everything else. If my writing does indeed influence the world in a positive way, either now or in some future time, I’m all for it. And if for some reason it doesn’t, I’m okay with that too. But before any greater analysis is made, it’s important to keep in mind that my work helps me understand who I am. What happens after simply happens.

    Robert Lax

    I practice my photography and writing to understand myself and the world around me. It’s interesting to think that we do not know just how many people read our blogs. Could be less than ten or over a hundred. I’m not actually interested in knowing those numbers. So, I write on this blog and I journal to better understand myself and my relationship with the world around me. If my writing touches someone or helps them understand themselves or me, then it has been worth the work.

    We have had a nice gentle rain the past 24 hours providing much needed moisture.

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  • coffee life,  quotes

    Extraordinary Freedom

    July 19, 2024

    The range of the human mind, the scale and depth of the metaphors the mind is capable of manufacturing as it grapples with the universe, stand in stunning contrast to the belief that there is only one reality, which is man’s, or worse, that only one culture among the many on earth possesses the truth. To allow mystery, which is to say to yourself, “There could be more, there could be things we don’t understand,” is not to damn knowledge. It is to take a wider view. It is to permit yourself an extraordinary freedom: someone else does not have to be wrong in order that you may be right.

    Barry Lopez

    I’m about to push publish as I sit on my porch watching flashes of lightning and listening to thunder. We are receiving the gift of a refreshing and much needed rain. I watch and listen with a feeling of gratitude as it’s been hot and dry here. Hope you are enjoying your Friday! I started my day with the above Americano. And, Mr Barry López is spot on!

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

    Experience of life

    April 13, 2022
    Sunrise at Pineridge Natural Area

    You have to understand that it is your attempt to get special experiences from life that makes you miss the actual experience of life.

    Michael A. Singer

    A quiet stillness greets us this morning after several days of almost constant wind. Sunshine brightens the world around me. It’s also 15 degrees. And, I do believe the blue sky is bluer today. Welcome the new day and don’t miss the experience of life. Now headed to Old Town and meet a friend for coffee. Have a great day!

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  • grass,  landscape,  Plants,  quotes,  sunsets

    Why?

    October 21, 2021

    There are moments when troubles enter our lives and we can do nothing to avoid them.
    But they are there for a reason.
    Only when we have overcome them will we understand why they were there.

    Paulo Coelho

    A cold morning. Have some cleaning around the condo from all the mold mitigation work done. Everything passed so I’m back in the condo. Want to repair a couple things then paint inside before I have the vinyl plank flooring installed next month. Enjoy your day! Why? Because I said so!

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