krnaturalphoto's Blog 
“Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their own appetites. … Society cannot exist unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere, and the less of it there is within, the more there must be without. It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters.” – Edmund Burke
It seems like there aren’t many flowers in nature that are blue. But this one above from the gardens. Then tiny little ones like this in nature: Creeping Speedwell.
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There are not many races that I run year after year. But Sehgahunda Trail Marathon and Relay keeps bringing me back. It takes place at a beautiful state park, that has so much to explore. The trails are some of my favorites to run on. Not too much climbing (my nemesis). And there are a variety of ways to participate in the event.
I have run this event in every configuration possible. Solo full marathon, 4 person relay multiple times, 2 person relay, 3 person relay. The only thing left is to run Sehgahunda in conjunction with the Vail of 3 Falls races the next day for a Sehgahunda 72 finish. But I don’t know if I will ever actually do that.
So, in mid May I was back for another run of Sehgahunda.
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“And if we dare to look into those eyes, then we shall feel their suffering in our hearts. More and more people have seen that appeal and felt it in their hearts. All around the world there is an awakening of understanding and compassion, and understanding that reaches out to help the suffering animals in their vanishing homelands. That embraces hungry, sick, and desperate human beings, people who are starving while the fortunate among us have so much more than we need. And if, one by one, we help them, the hurting animals, the desperate humans, then together we shall alleviate so much of the hunger, fear, and pain in the world. Together we can bring change to the world, gradually replacing fear and hatred with compassion and love. Love for all living beings.” – Jane Goodall
Shelter dogs are some of the most amazing animals and it has been my privilege to photograph them: Hunter from Stray Haven.
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“An essential element in the meaning of the common good among the members of a group is what the members would choose if they possessed the fullest attainable understanding of the experience that would result from their choice and its most relevant alternatives. Because enlightened understanding is required, I would propose to incorporate opportunities to acquire enlightened understanding as essential also to the meaning of the common good. Still further, the rights and opportunities of the democratic process are elements of the common good. Even more broadly, because the institutions of polyarchy are necessary in order to employ the democratic process on a large scale, in a unit as large as a country all of the institutions of polyarchy should also be counted as elements of the common good.” – Robert Dahl, 1989
If you like this image check out this photo looking the other way from deep in the gorge at Letchwoth State Park: Lower Falls, Letchworth State Park.
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I have never been more satisfied with a DNF. No one goes into a race not wanting to finish. Of course everyone wants to finish the race. They have put a whole bunch of training into this effort. They want to get out there and finish the job.
For me this DNF was a long time coming. I waited two years to earn this DNF. I was supposed to run this event in 2025. But I got injured and had to defer until 2026.
I spent time in PT. Then slowly building back up into running more regular miles and then back into training gradually over the course of a year. Being extra cautious of any niggle or pain that felt like it could be the warning sign of an injury. I planned my training to minimize injury risk. If there was pain I backed off and took rest.
The last thing I wanted to do was get injured again. I had spent 2 of the last 3 years missing time running due to injuries. Staying healthy was the priority.
Going into this race I had only one goal:
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“Humans – who enslave, castrate, experiment on, and fillet other animals – have had an understandable penchant for pretending animals do not feel pain. A sharp distinction between humans and ‘animals’ is essential if we are to bend them to our will, make them work for us, wear them, eat them – without any disquieting tinges of guilt or regret. It is unseemly of us, who often behave so unfeeling toward other animals, to contend that only humans can suffer. The behavior of other animals renders such pretensions specious. They are just too much like us.” – Carl Sagan
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge is a great place to watch and photograph birds like this: Purple Martin in flight.
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“First or last?
Sometimes the first move is the most important. The first set in the gym. Now you’re working out. The first sentence. Now you’re writing. The first call. Now you’re in the game.
Other times, the last move is the most important. The last brick. Now the building is built. The last line of code. Now the app works. The last round of revisions. Now you can ship it.
What do you need to focus on right now? First or last? Do you need to start or finish?”
– James Clear
Check out this even closer look at the same flower: Deptford Pink.
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“At the establishment of our constitutions, the judiciary bodies were supposed to be the most helpless and harmless members of the government. Experience, however, soon showed in what way they were to become the most dangerous; that the insufficiency of the means provided for their removal gave them a freehold and irresponsibility in office; that their decisions, seeming to concern individual suitors only, pass silent and unheeded by the public at large; that these decisions, nevertheless, become law by precedent, sapping, by little and little, the foundations of the constitution, and working its change by construction, before any one has perceived that that invisible and helpless worm has been busily employed in consuming its substance. In truth, man is not made to be trusted for life, if secured against all liability to account.”
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Monsieur A. Coray, 1823
I don’t know what species of butterfly is pictured above. If you know please tell me in the comments. But if you click the link you can see a photo of one of the most well known species of butterflies, the Monarch butterfly: Monarch on Flowers.
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“The average man votes below himself; he votes with half a mind or a hundredth part of one. A man ought to vote with the whole of himself, as he worships or gets married. A man ought to vote with his head and heart, his soul and stomach, his eye for faces and his ear for music; also (when sufficiently provoked) with his hands and feet. … The question is not so much whether only a minority of the electorate votes. The point is that only a minority of the voter votes.” – G. K. Chesterton
If yellow is your color click the link to check out a photo of a row of yellow lilies from the Cornell Botanic Garden: Yellow Lilies.
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“Many of the best things in life are endless.
Being in a great relationship. Staying fit and healthy. Doing work that fulfills you. Being a good parent, coach, or teacher.
Stop worrying about accomplishing these things and instead focus on building a life where you continually practice them.
The important stuff has no finish line.”
– James Clear
It is interesting to see flowers of similar colors from Bluets to: New York Aster.
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