Tag: nature

Anticipation!

Anticipation!

We are currently approaching the ending of the very first month of a very new year – 2024! The doldrums of the winter season, which began on December 21, 2023, are now being felt throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere. Many of us are familiar with the above featured individuals who are obviously very ready for a return to more tolerable outside weather!

The most comforting thought is that we are now about to enter the final full month of this year’s winter season – which is also the shortest month of our calendar year. A sobering thought is that the change from winter into spring doesn’t happen overnight. Once the spring season arrives, a vast majority of us will experience winter-like weather well into the transition of the seasons.

Aaron, my spouse, and I readily identify and relate to the couple pictured above. Since we entered the winter season, the both of us have longed for a return to moderate temperatures outside. To be totally honest, we were eager for comfortable weather from the beginning of the autumn, 2023, season! Neither of us especially enjoy the colder and nastier weather conditions.

Bare friends!

Fortunately, Aaron and I are not the only couple who feel this way. There are others among our bare practitioner community and culture who share our preference. There are also others within our very same community and culture who actually thrive during the winter season. Variety enables diversity not only within individuals but within our communities, too!

A benefit that we are all able to obtain from the limitations of the winter season and weather is the freedom to examine and explore the opportunities available when the 2024 springtime does arrive. We can compare experiences we’ve learned from acquaintances and friends as well as look into promotional materials provided from nudecentric (clothes free focused) destinations in order to create, design and to plan different adventures to undertake for the renewed (renude) season coming our way.

This affords us a chance to enrich our free time and to broaden our horizon on advantages/disadvantages available to our community and culture. We all know that no two experiences are guaranteed identical, however, a new experience can expand knowledge and develop new resources.

An often ignored reward for suffering through the winter each year are the derived pleasures enjoyed the following spring and summer seasons! If not the actual experience, the dream this exploration may produce is also a just reward!

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Wednesday, January 31, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Bottoms-Up! January, 2024”

First Day of Winter, 2023!

Winter!

Today is the first day of Winter, 2023! Sunglasses and sunscreen? Where is the sun?

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Tuesday, December 26, 2023, and the proposed topic is: “Boxing Day!”

Photo-Essay: Leaves!

Autumn, riverside!

As much mourning as I endure due to the end of the summer season every year, I always marvel at the colour the autumn leaves introduce into nature. It is almost as though the flowers that brightened our environment during the summer evolved to the leaves on the trees once autumn settles upon the scene. A very brief colourful experience as the leaves rapidly abandon the tree branches and then fall to the ground.

This post entry here on ReNude Pride isn’t a repeat of last year’s My Leaves Legacy. Click onto that title to link to that posting. This year, I’m simply sharing about autumn leaves without my allergic reaction. It is just the capturing of another seasonal transition in the calendar journey.

Autumn foliage!

As the autumn season progresses, the accumulation of leaves falling from trees covers not only the earth but also anyone laying there!

Bare in boots!

For many living in the Northern Hemisphere, this time of year marks the last time for being bare in nature until the arrival of the next spring season.

Hanging fitness in autumn!

The leaves change at different times. This offers an expanded expression of farewell to the growth season before the barren winter arrives.

Nocturnal autumn!

Some persons welcome the change of seasons as a salute the variations of nature. Some others, like myself, view it as an unfortunate means to endure until another trend in natural warmth returns for us to enjoy!

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, November 10, 2023, and the proposed topic is: “Armistice/Remembrance Day!”

October’s Bright Blue Weather!”

Bright Blue: Ocean and Sky!

Notation: I’m certain there are some beaches on our planet where it’s conducive to skinny-dip during the month of October!

October’s Bright Blue Weather

by: Helen Hunt Jackson

O suns and skies and clouds of June,

and flowers of June together,

Ye cannot rival for one hour

October’s bright blue weather.

When loud the bumble-bee makes haste,

Belated, thriftless, vagrant,

And golden-rod is dying fast,

And lanes with grapes are fragrant;

When gentians roll their fringes tight

to save them for the morning,

And chestnuts fall from satin burrs

Without a sound of warning;

When on the ground red apples lie

In piles like jewels shining,

And redder still on old stone walls

Are leaves of woodbine twining;

When all the lovely wayside things

Their white-winged seeds are sowing,

And in the fields, still green and fair,

Late aftermaths are growing;

When springs run low, and on the brooks,

In idle golden freighting,

Bright leaves sink noiseless in the hush

Of woods, for winter waiting;

When comrades seek sweet country haunts,

By twos and twos together,

And counts like misers, hour by hour,

October’s bright blue weather.

O suns and skies and flowers of June,

Count all your boasts together,

Love loveth best of all the year

October’s bright blue weather.

End

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While my identical twin brother, Alex, and I were students at the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind residential school, we had several teachers who had us memorize poetry and then recite the poems using American Sign Language (ASL) in front of our class. Fine. Memorizing wasn’t impossible but the order of the grammar the poets used and the sense it did not make was confusing. Delightful students that we were, we simply committed the poems to our memory and put comprehension to the wayside. After all, our task was simple: complete the job and move on to the next level.

Our teachers always explained to us students and to our parents that this lesson of us reciting poetry helped us to develop comprehension of English as a language, as opposed to ASL. That may have appeared as a valid reasoning for a few but we students understood it for exactly what it was intended to be: busy work! Keep us occupied!

October foliage!

Our teacher who required us to commit this poem, “October’s Bright Blue Weather” was one of my personal favourites of my primary school years. This happened to be the very first of nine poems she assigned us. Even today, I am still able to recall the first opening lines of the poem, without hesitation.

Enjoy “October’s Bright Blue Weather!”

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, October 30, 2023, and the proposed topic is: “The Boys In The Band!”

Photo-Essay: Heat Relief!

Cooling: iced beverage

It may be the next to the very last day of Summer, 2023, for those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere, but as we all know, the seasons may officially change but that doesn’t guarantee the weather to follow suit. The heat and humidity remain factors in our daily lives for days – perhaps weeks to come! This advanced in the season, many have endured all they can withstand of the summer temperatures! Their need for relief is immediate!

Serious cooling: ice on the knee!

The lower tolerance level for the weather extremes force many to seek comfort and solace in ways that the majority of us disdain. Some resort to the basic formula of ice and water to relieve themselves of the effects of heat and high humidity. That may quench the thirst but may not solve the temperature dilemma! However, as we all know, not all of us respond well to the same remedy. Sometimes, creativity is necessary to accomplish the desired goal. Different solutions apply differently to some better than others.

Lounging in the home away from the direct temperatures outside provides some with relief but then the challenge becomes what to do while being comfortable. One possible answer is to pose for pictures while relaxing. The results can be both creative and inspiring as well as a resource for the contents of a new photograph album! Air conditioning does have benefits!

For some of us, posing inside with air conditioning may eliminate the heat and humidity factor but may introduce a “too cooling” situation. Our bodies may be too conditioned to the higher outside weather and chill too easily inside. This causes one physical discomfort to replace another which may be just as uncomfortable and unpleasant! Again, what suffices for one person may not be applicable for another!

Of course, there are among us some individuals who just calmly manage to make themselves happy and relaxed no matter what the situation entails. Two cans of a cold soda and wandering from room to room inside may be all they need to survive another day of heat and humidity. Whatever works best for them is their only concern. The popular adage is the solution they recall: Whatever works best works for me!

According to my spouse, Aaron, this predicament reminds us of yet another familiar adage from tradition: You can’t teach an old dog new tricks!

Do we all bark now or later?

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for tomorrow, Saturday, September 23, 2023, and the proposed topic is: “Autumnal Equinox!”

August Fun: A Photo-Essay!

Skinny-dipping!

There are many fellow bare practitioners (same gender loving naturists/nudists) who relish the summer months, especially the final full month of summertime: August. Back when the days of the season were free from school, it was the “last chance” for carefree antics and spontaneous play. The 31 days of August encouraged all of us to fill every moment with enough fun and good times to last until the next summer arrived, almost a full year away!

Within two decades, a majority of primary and secondary academic calendars have adopted a year-around approach to education and summers are no longer a universal break in the scholastic routine. The recent COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic contributed to this situation. The almost three complete months of summer holiday may now be a memory from the past, but the legends of the extended vacation from knowledge and responsibility will last for years yet to come.

This posting is intended to provide a recall moment in time for many of us to ponder the days of freedom, fun and August laughter. Good times are rarely forgotten!

August theme: Get naked!

One of the infamous advantages of the month of August in the Northern Hemisphere is the ability to strip off our clothes, no matter if we’re inside or outside! Clothes freedom often created an ideal environment for unlimited adventure and excitement! There is absolutely no need to “cover-up” all the fun!

Roger and Darren!

Darren and I have been friends for years. We’re both Deaf, gay and share a preference for being proponents of the bare practitioner lifestyle. When we initially met one another, we found ourselves severely limited in building acquaintanceship with others at a clothes-free riverside park in central Virginia – our mutual home state.

Kalvin, a new and friendly acquaintance!

Darren and I first met Kalvin when we arrived back at our usual hang-out along the riverside. It only took minutes for him to show us that he understood American Sign Language (ASL). Of course, friendship happened almost instantaneously! It was fortunate that the three of us were there simultaneously!

Kalvin and I: fun pose!

Kalvin had no problems relating to Darren and I and enjoyed a similar sense of humour. We all exchanged email addresses and numbers for texting. He also relieved Darren the burden of being the “odd man out” as Aaron (my current spouse) and I were seriously becoming a definite couple by the time we all met.

Kalvin and Darren!

That particular August, we gained a certain amount of infamy from other regulars at our SGL (same gender loving) area of the riverside beach. As the month progressed, other folks soon recognized “our space” and our style of communication (manual language) and respected the fact that our interaction depended on eye contact as opposed to strictly hearing.

Adimu and Roger!

Both Aaron and Kalvin heard conversations from our SGL river neighbours that let them know that our crowd involved persons who were either Deaf and/or hard-of-hearing. They also relayed that ASL was understood and used as our primary communication tool. Other SGL Deaf men soon happened upon us and joined in our fun!

Adimu and Roger: again!

The weeks of August passed and our somewhat limited bare practitioner Deaf gang grew as we met more people who welcomed not only our shared communication ability but also our inclusive nature. In relating to some of our newer acquaintances, not all of the riverside people were favourable to our presence but were grateful to have a resource to refer others.

Aaron, my spouse!

Through all this August Fun, Aaron had his own special type of fun behind his camera lens! I’ve frequently published here of his preference for being the photographer instead of posing for pictures. However, that didn’t ban others from grabbing the camera and capturing him unaware! Notation: This image was not my undertaking!

The bare truth!

Not only is socializing friendlier when clothes free, but socializing is much easier when nude!

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, August 25, 2023, and the proposed topic is: “Summer Chuckles!”

Lose the Fig-Leaf!

A smile and a fake fig-leaf!

Background:

The fig-leaf is the legendary original covering (natural) used to conceal the genitalia when early humankind introduced the deceitful practices of modesty and shame. The idea of hiding a part of ourselves from others. Tradition holds that this natural element – the fig-leaf – was first employed by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. From the Garden of Eden to the serpent to the apple to exile. Thus began the practice of wearing clothes to cover-up our beauty: our nudity. All of the curse of biting into the forbidden apple. Humanity has suffered the consequences of this fateful action even to this day.

The fig is the edible fruit of the ficus carica, a small tree in the flowering plant family. It is native to the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea and also western and southern Asia. It is now grown throughout the world in a variety of climates.

***************

Fig-leaf community!

Wikipedia offers this justification for the use of the fig leaf. “The expression “fig leaf” is widely used figuratively to convey the covering up of an act or an object that is embarrassing or distasteful with something of innocuous appearance.” In other words, it is potentially offensive to some viewers so the intention is to reduce the level of discomfort felt by as many as possible. Hence the gentlemen in the above picture are posing in an image of self-censorship!

Their facial expressions let us all know that this posing was entirely in the spirit of fun and humour. They clearly understand that holding a fig-leaf over their penis in no way conceals the reality of their communal nudity. Plus, how likely is the fact that simply “holding” a fig-leaf in any way protects their genital privacy?

The “fig-leaf” has a pejorative metaphorical sense meaning a “flimsy or minimal cover for anything or behaviour that might be considered shameful, with the implication that the cover is only a token gesture and the truth is obvious to all who choose to see it.”

Fiddle fig leaf

The visual message from the above photograph is quite plain for us all to see. His body language shouts: Stop! The fiddle fig-leaf shows us that single leaf does not afford ample coverage as his pubic hair is visible, even with his left hand holding nature’s foliage! The question being asked here is: Why bother to continue the fantasy? If we all know the fig-leaf is a lame attempt of deception, why even try?

The questions are valid, at least in my humble opinion. The use of the fig-leaf as a posing tool is honest and sincere. Is it worth all the effort involved? It provides a theme or a focus for the image but in all honesty, it offers a message of confusion. If being textile (clothes wearing) is the choice, then a more convincing gesture or token is necessary. There are virtually no instances where a single leaf fails to obscure the fact of one’s being bare.

Fig-leaf reasoning!

Therefore, the best interpretation of the fig-leaf is to extol the act of nakedness or nudity as opposed to modesty. A reality that supports both body and clothes freedom and ridicules the religious and social “norms” or standards of compliance and decency. Actually, natural is a better concept to promote over deception!

The truth is that fig-leaf serves a dual purpose. It does represent an effort of compliance with social practices that encourage modesty. At the same time, it also idealizes the freedom and independence of an individual in exposing her/his body and in nudity. After all, natural is nature’s way of being ourselves – all the way!

We bare practitioners endorse being natural – all year long!

No fig-leaf required!

Freedom from the fig-leaf reaffirms our shared comfort, confidence, pleasure and satisfaction in being true to our collective preference in being proud as what and who we all are: bare practitioners!

Our mutual ideal!

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, August 21, 2023, and the proposed topic is: “August Fun: A Photo Essay!”

Photo-Essay: July Captivity!

Seizing the moment!

Captured in a game on the beach, our hostage offers no resistance to his victor! This is a product of the beach, the season and, of course, all the “fun-in-the-sun!” Of course, we don’t really see the conditions of his captivity. It could very well involve more fun than torture – or a balanced combination of both! A legitimate capture doesn’t mandate the infliction of pain!

Captured bare!

Or the opposite extreme of the spectrum, captured textile (wearing clothes). As the person holding the light and aiming, we’re very uncertain as to the message trying to be sent. Clearly proof that on a beautiful summer day, confined and inside is not the best place to be! For many of us, outdoor freedom (like clothes freedom) is preferable!

Captured engrossed!

The siblings above have been captured engrossed in reading. There is nothing wrong with allowing one to be mentally captured – there exists an adage that addresses this very though: a mind is a terrible thing to waste!

For those of us who are bare practitioners, another “terrible” thing to waste is the time involved in putting on clothing. Why bother to try to conceal what we don’t really need to hide? That is a true waste! Proudly go bare with nothing to disguise you!

Capturing on film!

Capturing and retaining the image preserves it for quite awhile and allows it to be shared with others. Some photographers enjoy being “captured” themselves while creating pictures of others. Enjoying his own hobby while letting permitting the public and others to fully appreciate himself! Perhaps that gesture includes “giving back into the community!”

Oceanic infinity!

Captured in a wide open space! It makes no difference if it is landscape or oceanic. The boundary is endless and beyond vision. The limitless opportunity is as far as we can only imagine. An unrestricted field of adventures and dreams that is all ours to explore and determine.

Captivity isn’t always a confining situation. The imagination gives it a limitless and timeless feature that we can take ourselves on a journey to indulge!

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, July 28, 2023, and the proposed topic is: “My Naked Life!”

Mid-Summer Dream!

Reflective relaxation!

My spouse, Aaron, and I are unable to find a compromise as to precisely when “mid-summer” occurs. Trust me, we aren’t the only two who are clueless as to the date. None of our acquaintances or friends offer any solutions. Somehow, it seems that this the existence of a “mid-summer” date is actually is a myth created to confuse us all or to make chaos for everyone.

But no matter if it is imagined or real, it does serve as an inspiration for this post entry and as a name for this photographic series, “Mid-Summer Dream” – so christened by my spouse. The reasoning for his naming? It’s a bromantic skinny-dipping fantasy! Also, the pictures themselves have a somewhat vague, dream-like quality. Besides, the very concept of something as being so very mid-summer is itself appealing and mysterious!

Artistic posing!

A vague time and date but quite a very soothing and tranquil setting: a body of water with both of the subjects confidently and conveniently bare and relaxed. The aqua serves as a reflective tool for what we observe shared between the interracial couple: intimacy and trust.

Intensity together!

The duo transpire the message of “equal partners.” Neither one offers any suggestion of the notion of dominance or superiority. They seem very comfortable and on equal footing in every posing.

Their nakedness is unashamed!

An integral aspect of their relationship is their acceptance of one another and the absence of any concern in their being clothes free and open for all to see.

Calm and collected as one!

There’s no denying their affection and devotion to one another as they together experience a skinny-dip to refresh themselves from the summer heat. The message conveyed through their body language is one of contented relaxation!

Eye-to-eye contact!

Once they’re free from the stress of wearing clothing, it’s indeed amazing at how free the body responds in really tranquil situations. We can finally focus on simply being together with one another!

Together as one!

Side-by-side and hip-to-hip are ideal ways to pose to convey the message of togetherness. Of unity and complete commitment: a couple!

Hand-in-hand!

Holding onto one another is another example of body language that represents “joined” to the rest of the world. It suggests a union that is unable to be destroyed!

Together!

Their devotion and intimacy not only resounds through their poses together but also in the figures they convey through the positioning of their bodies. It is obvious to everyone viewing these images that something comforting, relaxing, peaceful and passionate exists between these two men. This, essentially, is the ultimate dream of the majority of us. Our foundation – together!

Aaron and I appreciate the subtle messages shared in these images here. Our upcoming anniversary next month is on display through this posting.

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, July 24, 2023, and the proposed topic is: “July Captivity!”

Nude Recreation Week: Week-End!

Week-End is here!

2023 NUDE RECREATION WEEK

July 10 – 17, 2023

Week’s end naked antics and nude frolics!

Bare abduction!
Truth!
Sunshine freedom!
Backyard contest!

A shoreline stroll!

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

The next post entry here is planned for Monday, July 17, 2023, and the proposed topic is: “Nude Recreation Week: Recuperation!”