The Silent Forest

 

Song:  Soundtrack From The Silent Flute

My wife and Bandi went on a very short...

but beautiful walk this morning...

just near home.

It had lightly snowed last night...

leaving behind just enough snow to muffle any sound...

and to leave a white fantasy setting.

You can still see some of the Aspen leaves which have yet to fall.

After a snowfall...

everything becomes a fantasyland...

with the silence becoming the music.

This is when your innermost desires become known to you.

It is only in the silence of serenity do you ever get to know yourself...

and only those of a pure heart will like what they find...

and so...

will revel and flourish in it.

During periods of silence...

it is only those who had found an undesirable self or future...

who attempt to fill the void with some sort of drug...

or other form of noise, ugliness, or chaos.

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Tomorrow...

my wife will be climbing the Manitou Incline.

I will be driving her to the base of the incline...

where she will begin the climb up.

I will just be eating and walking around Manitou Springs 

until she texts me that her hike had been completed.

It should take her at least four hours to complete the hike...

so...

I will just take photos in town until her return.

As I have already done a lifetime worth of hiking while I was in the Army...

and as I am quite a bit older than is my wife...

and she is interested in testing her body during strenuous activities...

while she'll be a 'testin'...

I'll be a 'restin'  :)

A Day Of Small Chores

 

Song:  Time (cover of Inception soundtrack)

Artist:  Joslin

As today was clear of snow...

in the early afternoon...

I dropped off our trash...

picked up our mail...

and I dropped off my midterm ballot in Cripple Creek.

On my way back...

this stag was just crossing the road.

I got home and rested for a bit...

as I was going shopping in Woodland Park later this day.

A few hours later...

as my wife was preparing to batch cook for later meals...

...I decided to go to Walmart to pick up some items for the week.

The sun was beginning to set when I left

(I like to time my trips into Woodland Park in this manner).

I was part way down my mountain ridge when I couldn't resist taking the above photo.

I see the most interesting cloud formations as I descend our ridge line...

as some clouds are below me...

and some are above.

I have the greatest time just driving

Even though I was on my way to do some grocery shopping...

I enjoy doing so...

chiefly because...

I enjoy driving in the country while I put on some beautiful music

and just let my mind go on a wonderful flight of fancy...

and I always treat myself to some sort of food on my way home

(I played the included song over and over there and back).

I just picked up some items in the produce and bakery sections...

and I then went to one of my favorite pizza places...

AJ's in Woodland Park.

A large NY style double Italian sausage pizza...

with extra sauce.

I just loved this pizza.

I had been thinking about it for a couple of days prior.

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Anyway...

there are many days of short and simple chores 

intermixed with delightful country moments in my life.

Driving in the countryside by itself is so pleasurable...

and add to that the great anticipation of a delicious meal 

at the conclusion of the chores for the day...

well...

it makes for a wonderful country day.

For the rest of the night...

I will be rewatching the Netflix TV series...

'The Ranch'...

as I had enjoyed it so much the first time.

I love romantic drama / comedies...

especially since I don't have a quick comedic wit...

and so...

not only do I admire the actors' delivery of the lines...

but I admire the writers' comedic wit...

and when certain country phrases are used with deadpan delivery...

I find those to be especially funny.

I am the type of person who can rewatch whole TV series over and over again...

or listen to the same song for many hours on end.

If I love something...

I just never get tired of it.

------------

In life...

it is especially important to find ways to enjoy everything you do...

especially with those things which must be done.

I always give myself something in which to look forwards.

It is an important part of life planning...

whether it be for the long term or in your day to day operations.

Always have something fun, exciting, highly pleasurable...

as part of the plan for each day...

and especially have something deeply serene to finish life with...

as well as for each day.

Life...

for me...

is never boring.

Being bored is to have a lack of imagination...

and to have a lack of appreciation for the great simple pleasures in life.

Keep your inner child alive...

and he will keep you entertained...

as you will see the world through the eyes of a child...

always seeing the beauty in everything around you...

as well as the best in people...

as his life is filled with great expectations...

living life in anticipation of the next great adventure.

Bypass the bad...

keep all bitter and negative people at bay...

and go out and enjoy all the good that fills life.

Live to love and to laugh fully...

for your inner child deserves nothing less.

1st Step - Moving The Christmas Tree

 

Song:  Mariage D'amour

Original Composer:  Paul De Senneville

Bandi went on an early morning walk in our neighborhood yesterday.

As you can see,,,

most of the Autumn leaves have fallen from the Aspens.

However...

there are some late bloomers which still contain leaves.

Bandi has such a good time at home.

She still has the playfulness of a puppy.

------------

This afternoon...

my wife and I moved the Christmas Tree to one of the far corners of the great room.

It is so much better where it is now.

This was just the first of three major things in the great room we must move

in preparation for the sofa set we will order in another month and a half or so.

As you can see in the background...

some of our Aspens are not only still hanging on to their leaves...

these leaves are more orange than yellow.

They look beautiful as we look out the kitchen or side great room windows.

The semi circular sofa recliner set we are thinking of ordering will need a lot of room...

and so...

we are now moving things in the great room to make sure there will be plenty of room 

for the sofa set.

We will also be moving the recliner upstairs to the loft...

as the semi circular sofa set will extend from the end of Bandi's bed 

to where the recliner is presently.

Today...

we are having light snow.

I was going to go food shopping (and have a pizza at AJ's)...

but as the temperature was just above freezing earlier...

and then did a sudden drop just before the snowfall...

that set the day up for a dangerous form of icy conditions

(the temperature of the roads will melt the first waves of snow...

creating water which will freeze with the drop in temperature...

and then a light snowfall on top of the ice will hide the usual telltale signs 

of light reflection which shows the patches of ice).

And so...

as we aren't expecting snow tomorrow...

and as I plan to leave in the late afternoon to ensure any ice will have melted...

I will go shopping then.

I really like to where the Christmas tree was moved.

------------

Depending on how we feel after we eat...

my wife and I may move the recliner upstairs...

but...

I doubt it.

As we have plenty of time...

and will have more energy earlier in the day...

we will probably move it on another day.

Last night...

I just finished watching a TV series on Netflix which I had very much enjoyed...

'The Ranch'.

As the weather prohibits me from completing most projects...

I have just been watching dramas and comedies.

I am thinking of going to the downstairs guest room

to just binge watch a Korean drama on our big screen later tonight.

---------

As I am completing today's blog...

I can see the snow falling through the alcove windows from my computer station chair.

I have the underfloor heater on...

making the tile floor toasty warm...

and there is the pleasant aroma of something delicious

being cooked in the kitchen.

Yes...

life is good.

--------------

My wife had made Mabo Dofu for me to eat (otherwise called Mapo Tofu).

As always...

my wife's food is always tasty and healthful.

The light snowfall has pretty much stopped now.

You can see the more orange colored leaves of one of my later Aspen leafers.

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Throughout the day...

my wife and I had been discussing about the smaller details 

for our upcoming trip to Japan.

Right now...

my wife is running on the treadmill...

afterwhich she will take a shower...

and then eat her big meal of the day...

and she will then continue with her trip planning.

I will just lie down for a while...

and then decide as to whether I will go down to the guest room

to binge watch a Korean Drama...

or to just go to sleep early...

as for tomorrow...

I will do some shopping...

and then gorge myself on a large NY style double sausage pizza

at AJ's on the way back  :)