The Universe is an Amazing and Highly Prolific Artist

A friend of mine commented on a photo I'd taken and remarked that they saw the image as beautiful.

Reflections on College Creek - Annapolis, MD

I agree that the mirror finish of the creek where the skyscape and land can be reflected in an undulating sine wave was a truly spectacular view.  The commend forced me to reflect on the fact that his area of Annapolis has consistently delivered great photographs of the sky and water.  Sunsets, when they really come in deep red and angry are a particular favorite of mine in this area, but the cool blue and grey thunderstorms punctuated by a slash of sun are nice too. They give a sense of cool in the muggy heat that you can see, but you certainly couldn't feel.

I remarked to her that the Universe is an amazing and highly prolific artist. She renders scenes like these (and better) every day. I'm grateful that walking has made me more aware that these vistas are happening all the time.

In fact, I found a new spot from which to observe the sunset. Today's wasn't the best because of the billowing thunderheads in the west, but this view is going to deliver some great shots if I'm not mistaken.

Skyscape behind the Navy Watertower - Annapolis, MD

It's hard to believe that a little less than four years ago found me in a very dark place from which I could not imagine any escape. Quite a bit has changed since that day. Much of it has felt like it was for the better. Some days felt like they really were for the worse. The fascinating thing is that I'm not sure that I trust my own judgement in determining if there is a better and worse. My life is filled with beauty and light now. The darkness has been banished, and even the days where I thought I could endure nothing else since then have been honed a bit with the passage of time.

The creative nature of the power of the Universe is truly awesome to behold, and I find myself ever more thankful for each day that I'm granted to experience the wonder. I'm looking forward to tomorrow and the creativity the Universe has in store.  I'm not sure if it will manifest itself in the soft watercolor of the sunrise or the fiery forge of some other experience, but I know that whatever happens will be great wonder and I'm looking forward to seeing the work unfold.

Any Given Friday

Today started off normally enough with a shortish hike down the Anacostia River Trail.

Yards Park Bridge Undulating into the Darkness

The weather is warming up nicely, and spring is most certainly in the air. The breeze is still cool, and this is probably one of the most pleasant times of the year to walk. With the passing of Daylight Savings Time it's now possible for me to catch the sunrise before hurrying into the first meeting of the day, and I welcome the return of the light to start the day with a splash of color.

Anacostia Waterfront with USS Barry

I happened to be running a little early this morning, so it was a dusky backdrop when I captured the daily shot of the USS Barry.  We have just a little over a month before she makes her way down the river. 

Later this afternoon, I went for the first jog that I've done since getting out of the boot on my left foot. Five weeks of downtime has led to a degradation in my fitness level that I'm not too keen about. This was particularly obvious because one of my running partners has used her time wisely and has put in some pretty serious distance over the last month. She says she doesn't feel fit or in shape, but she's cut one minute a mile off her split times, and I'm pretty sure she was holding back as I struggled along. Fortunately for me, I'm still about on par with the other partner because it appears he's not taken full advantage of the time to outdistance me.

During the jog, we were crossing the bridge over the railroad tracks near Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, and we came across a man laying in the road surrounded by the police. I'm pretty sure he was dead because no one was really attending to him, he was very still, and on our way back the ambulance left without the lights and siren. It is not the first time I've seen something like that, but it was a little unsettling.

On my commute back from work the family requested a Taco Bell run, and when I pulled up to the drive through I noticed that the mulch surrounding the ordering speaker was involved in a smoldering fire about two feet in diameter. I dispatched the smoky flames with the application of two liters of water and two liters of seltzer from the the back of the car. I made my order, made sure my bean burritos and soft tacos were on their way, and then reported my firefighting efforts to the cashier.  She said that I was the second person to report the smoldering smudge of a fire, and that someone had been dispatched to make sure it had been fully contained.

I've grown to expect some pretty fantastic vistas, although instead of becoming routine I'm growing to appreciate the subtle nuances of these land and waterscapes the more frequently I encounter them.  I didn't expect to run across a man having what appeared to be a relatively unfortunate end ot the afternoon, and after seeing that, I was totally surprised by the opportunity to practice my firefighting skills.

I've said it before, but life is a really remarkable experience when I'm able to focus on being right there in the moments that happen as it unfolds. Looking forward to whatever tomorrow might bring.