As my faithful readers know, I like to find beauty in the everyday scenes most people walk by. Now I'm not saying most people lack the "beauty gene" that allows them to see what I see, just that most people have such busy lives that they just don't take a moment and look around at their surroundings. Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene's damage has been pretty much cleared from most yards and of course, roads, but the woods and non-landscaped areas still show plenty of the aftermath. Click images to enlarge.
Above, a large limb on Pink Gardens' property pushed aside into the swampy area next to our driveway. The limb also brought down Bittersweet vines (Celestrus orbiculatus), which are now shedding their protective green seed cases allowing their yellow and orange colors to shine. The abstract nature of the graying dead limbs, the bright seeds and the bright blue sky reflected in the shallow waters, really caught my eye.
Close-up of the Bittersweet berries tangled with the dead twigs and leaves.
Another tangled web of "pretty!"
Dead Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbekia) in a small garden next to the wooden boardwalk I take into town. The dark seed pods are silhouetted against the bright green grass creating a polk-dot effect. I really enjoy finding patterns in nature. Some people see dead flowers and I see polka-dots. 'Nuff said!
A large branch broke off a White Oak tree (Quercus alba) next to the Amtrak railroad tracks. It's lodged in a fork in the tree trunk about 30 feet up, drooping all the way to the ground. It's not near enough the tracks for Amtrak to worry about, and it's far enough away from the owner's house to not worry about, lol. As the rounded-lobe leaves dry and brown, they curl and create an almost jigsaw puzzle appearance. Apparently some White Oaks have lived to the ripe old age of 600 years! Next to the sidewalk on my way to town, I stood and stared at this array of leaves, finding patterns in patterns, for a good 10 minutes. I'm sure my already-strange reputation in town was enhanced by staring at a dead tree limb that long, lol.
I swear you could fit the rounded lobes of these oak leaves into each other, just like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Their color, as they dry and die, varies from a plain solid beige, to a slight pinkish tint with a silver glaze-effect. Some of them are slightly shiny on the undersides.
DON'T TELL ME I'M FIRST TODAY.WOOT WOOT FOR ME.
ReplyDeleteI TWO LOOK AT EVERYTHING AROUND ME. I ENJOY LIFE AND THE BEAUTY THERE OF. THAT A LITTLE OF WHO I AM.
THESE PICTURE BLOWN UP DOES JUSTICE TO THEM. SO SO BEAUTIFUL. THE FIRST TWO I'D HANG THEM ON THE WALL.
I WAS BRAGGING TO SOME VISTORS I HAD YESTERDAY. THEY NOTICE YOUR PICTURE YOU DID FOR ME. I TOLD THEM I HAVE A BOYFRIEND IN CONN. THEY BELIEVED ME. GRAMPS JUST SMILED.
GOOD JOB CASEY FOR MAKING MY DAY. YOUR COOL.
GRANNY
I SAID I TWO, YOUR ONE AND WHOEVER WANTS TO LOOK AROUND AND SEE THE BEAUTY MOTHER EARTH HAS GIVEN US CAN BE THREE, FOUR OR FIVE. WHEN I USED TO WALK THE RANCH OF A FRIEND IN TEXAS EVERYDAY SHE WOULD PICK UP THE SMALLEST FLOWER AND TEACH ME TO SMELL THE ROSES IN LIFE. TRY IT EVERYONE YOU MIGHT LIKE IT. I WAS IN MY LATE 20' OR EARLY 30'S WHEN I LEARNED THE LESSON OF NATURE.SHE WAS 60.SHE DIED AFTER WE MOVED AWAY.
ReplyDeleteGRANNYS
I'd say I learned that lesson from my mother. I remember when I was barely old enough to walk, we'd walk down to the water from our house. All along the way, a narrow little country road, my mother would point out the various little plants, sometimes obscured by dead leaves or other roadside debris. There was a rare plant, actually endangered, called "Princess Pine" or "Running Pine" that I remember well from our walks. No one else that lived along the road ever even knew it was there. She pointed it out to everyone and they were always surprised. I'd say I learned to find the little-seen beauty around us from her.
ReplyDeleteI love these pictures as much as your colorful flowers Casey.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ish. These are really more along the lines of my current work. I've finally started new physical pieces after a 2 year lull.
ReplyDeleteI like these photos - they are haunting...
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