Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Late Summer Early Morning

One of the most wonderful things where I live is the view on the way to work in the morning, and the view on the way home in the evening. No matter how stressed, worried, bored, depressed, uncomfortable, broke or upset I may be, my spirits are lifted by this common beauty. I love where I live and as often as I think to do it, I offer a prayer of gratitude for the good fortune that led me to the little patch of land - even if it is down five miles of gravel roads no matter what direction I take to get home. It is ordinary, everyday stuff.

I sometimes think most people believe scenery must be majestic like the mountains or dramatic like the sea before it can be sufficiently moving. Certainly magnificent, dramatic landscapes are inspiring. The giant surf on the North Shore of Oahu is the unimpeachable apex of inspiration so far in my life, followed by the nearly pristine quilt of Indian fields draped on the slopes of Mexico's central mountains, and the free vistas of Wyoming's Big Horn Mountains. For simple, ordinary everyday inspiration, I will settle for the view along Vera Road in good old Kansas.


Everything is beautiful in the early sunlight.

It took the earth 4 billion years to create this view... (minus the pond).

A beautiful landscape in every season.

According to the book Tallgrass Prairie Wildflowers, this is Dotted Blazing Star

Looking South toward home.

5 comments:

Mokasha said...

What's up Doc? The land of Ahhz! Wonderful isn't it? A best kept secret. People in different parts of the country I visit would often ask, "What's in Kansas? It's kind of flat isn't it?" I say Yep, you wouldn't like it there so don't come. Heh heh. We'll just keep it to ourselves. Love & Light Mokasha

Jackie said...

It is flat, out west. Down around Ulysses, it's so flat that I think the Native Americans must have had to navigate across the prairie using the stars! But most of the state is rolling hills - nothing too high due to the millions of years of rising and falling Permian seas. I suppose there will come a time again when Kansas is underwater. Instead of fossils eons later, archeologists will find aluminum beer cans, shot up road signs and barbed wire. They will never imagine how many millions of miles of barbed wire they will find in the limestone!! lol And yes, we don't want more people moving here! Move to Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma or Nebraska but stay out of Kansas!

Mokasha said...

What's up Doc? Yeah, out west it is. They made a topography map of western Kansas and one of a pancake. The one of western Kansas was "flatter than a pancake." hahaha. I loved that one.
Love & Light, Mokasha

Don said...

Great set of photos and number 2 and number 3 are my favorite. Those are shots where being at the right spot and the right time can be priceless.

Jackie said...

A compliment on my photos coming from you is a compliment indeed, Don! Number 3 is my favorite. It was magical looking into the valley and for once the colors were captured close to true.