A Sunday Ride

Sunday was such a beautiful day, we  decided to take a ride up to Crestone. Crestone is a small town snuggled in the mountains.  It has a varied population.  Some next door neighbor types, some hippie types and some of various religions.  Seems to be quite a few Buddhist.

As you drive up the little mountain road above Crestone, you will see these little lines of prayer flags on poles.  And in one place there is a big white Buddhist stupa. There is a sign nearby that reads:

 "The symbolic shape of the stupa represents the Buddha, crowned and sitting in meditative posture. His crown is the top of the spire; his head is the square at the spire's base; his body is the vase shape; his legs are the lower terrace; and the base is his throne. The stupa symbolizes the five elements and their relationship to enlightened mind. these are the essential attributes of a fully realized human being. The base of the stupa signifies earth and equanimity; the dome, water, and indestructibility; the spire, fire and compassion; above the spire, wind and all-accomplishing action; and at the very top, the jewel represents space and all-pervading awareness. The stupa is a mandala, or sacred arrangement, containing all those enlightened qualities."

Jangchub Chorten, the Stupa of Enlightenment

  The statue is quite interesting, it's a  brilliant white, with a gold top that shines a beautiful blue as the sun shines through it.

From there you can look out over the valley for miles and miles.

The town of Crestone is quite old .  And it has quite a history, it use to be a gold mining town.  Quaint little shops, not the kind they have in Estes Park or one of the other tourist towns. The town people seem to just trying to make a living  some way or other.  Anyway it is a very interesting place.  We always enjoy our visits.

We plan on checking out some other places this weekend. See the fall colors, the leaves seem to be changing earlier this year.  Hope to get some good pictures.

God is so good.  He has given us so much beauty in our world.  Forgive us Father, how we try our best to destroy it.

I love sitting here on the porch, in the early evening, enjoying the clear blue sky, the green of the hay fields, the misty blue of the sky.  We are rewarded with a beautiful sunset, as the sun goes down behind the mountains.

As the shadows grow longer we hear a dog barking off in the distance, hear the birds in the trees, chattering.  Maybe they are telling each other of the day's adventures, the places they have flown, the sights they have seen.  Next we see a little bunny hopping along in the grass.  We decide to call it a day.   It has been a good day.

When I consider your heavens, the work of your hands. The moon the stars which you have set in place,  What is man that thou art mindful of him       Psalm 8:3