I dream of a world where Love is the currency that matters. It is invested, returned, compounded, treasured, and generously spread. It flows on every level, in every relationship, from the smallest interaction between particles to the most complex interdependence of galaxies. It is recognized as the force and the source of this marvelous gift we call Life. It creates abundance, beauty, goodness, and balance. Like water, it is soft and powerful, creating transformation over time, shaping wonders as majestic as the Grand Canyon.
Thanks, Ann-Christine, for allowing me to dream a bit, imagining the satisfaction of my yearning.
“Well, the sun’s not so hot in the sky today and you know I can see summertime slipping on away. A few more geese are gone, a few more leaves turning red, but the grass is as soft as a feather in a featherbed. So I’ll be king and you’ll be queen, our kingdom’s gonna be this little patch of green. Won’t you lie down here right now in this September grass?” – James Taylor, September Grass
“Well, I’m-a going back down, maybe one more time Deep down home, October road And I might like to see that little friend of mine That I left behind once upon a time Oh, promised land and me still standing It’s a test of time, it’s a real good sign Let the sun run down right behind the hill I know how to stand there still ‘Til the moon rise up behind the pine, oh, Lord October road, an October road October road” – James Taylor, October Road
“And when October goes The snow begins to fly Above the smokey roofs I watch the planes go by The children running home Beneath a twilight sky Oh, for the fun of them When I was one of them” – Barry Manilow, When October Goes
I feel the shift in seasons deeply in my soul. The loss of summer hits like grief falling in raindrops, the darkness descending earlier and earlier each day. But then, those sunny fall days when the colors pop and beckon remind me that I can live in this place of heightened appreciation and nostalgia. I amble more slowly through the leaves, aware of the passing of time and the gift of life. I love this season in a different way than I love summer. And when it gets even colder, I will mourn the fading light and the maple leaves. But I will love the rain that fills the marshes and the ribbons of migrating birds.
Life is a gift, in any season. Thanks, Johnbo, for inviting remembrance of beautiful Autumns. I have two past posts on this theme, with large galleries of photos from my life in the Midwest. You can see them HERE and HERE.
Olympic National ParkOlympic National ParkCrater Lake National ParkBadlands National ParkBadlands National ParkBandelier National MonumentWilliam L. Finley National Wildlife RefugeApostle Islands National LakeshoreSturgeon River Gorge Wilderness
Everyone should see our nationally protected parks, monuments, lakeshores, and wilderness areas as beautifully sacred places that deserve to be stewarded with respect. Everyone should be given the hope to see our nationally protected lands and rest assured that the government will preserve them for present and future generations.
May it be so.
Welcome, Joanne Mason, guest Lens-Artist challenger this week.
A Town Mouse once visited a relative who lived in the country. For lunch the Country Mouse served wheat stalks, roots, and acorns, with a dash of cold water for drink. The Town Mouse ate very sparingly, nibbling a little of this and a little of that, and by her manner making it very plain that she ate the simple food only to be polite.
After the meal the friends had a long talk, or rather the Town Mouse talked about her life in the city while the Country Mouse listened. They then went to bed in a cozy nest in the hedgerow and slept in quiet and comfort until morning. In her sleep the Country Mouse dreamed she was a Town Mouse with all the luxuries and delights of city life that her friend had described for her. So the next day when the Town Mouse asked the Country Mouse to go home with her to the city, she gladly said yes.
When they reached the mansion in which the Town Mouse lived, they found on the table in the dining room the leavings of a very fine banquet. There were sweetmeats and jellies, pastries, delicious cheeses – indeed, the most tempting foods that a Mouse can imagine.
But just as the Country Mouse was about to nibble a dainty bit of pastry, she heard a Cat mew loudly and scratch at the door. In great fear the Mice scurried to a hiding place, where they lay quite still for a long time, hardly daring to breathe. When at last they ventured back to the feast, the door opened suddenly and in came the servants to clear the table, followed by the House Dog.
The Country Mouse stopped in the Town Mouse’s den only long enough to pick up her carpet bag and umbrella. “You may have luxuries and dainties that I have not,” she said as she hurried away, “but I prefer my plain food and simple life in the country with the peace and security that go with it.”
Poverty with security is better than plenty in the midst of fear and uncertainty. – The Aesop for Children, Library of Congress
Thanks to Tina for suggesting this whimsical and wise tale for our weekly challenge! Do visit HER SITE for a broader interpretation of contrasting City/Country photographs.
We met in High School. He was 17; I was 15. He was my first love and the love of my life. All of the songs about first love come to mind: the awakening, the thrill, the thought that no one could ever have felt this powerfully in love before…and yet, of course, so many have. The absolute certainty that this is THE ONE!! We were so young, so hormonal, so smitten, so carefree.
photo by my brother, Dave
I was 21 when we married. I was 22 when we had our first child…28 when we had our fourth and last.
It was only a few months after I took this photo that my husband had his first heart surgery. He was 31. I am so grateful that we had more time to raise our family, to grow up together, to become strong and passionate and faithful.
We got 16 more years. When he died, he was 47 and I was 45.
And now, I’ve been without him for more than 17 years. Those are the numbers, the chronology. But ‘saudade’ is about the feeling. It is about the tapestry of visual memories, of the sound of his glorious tenor voice in song, of feelings I cannot imagine ever having again, of the trust I gave him and the identity I built around him. All of these things I miss. I will feel forever nostalgic, forever bereft, and forever grateful for knowing him. I long for my husband with all that I am, physically, mentally, spiritually. And he is out of reach, yet somehow always accessible inside. Perhaps this is what this foreign word translates to in my own life.
I thank Egidio for introducing me to this word and for the opportunity to introduce Jim to all of you. May you enjoy your longing as something that helps you know that you love.
A quiet moment In harmony with nature While tourists stroll by
I got an opportunity to visit the Portland Japanese Garden today. The juxtaposition of clean, geometric lines and natural areas was so very calming. The uneven surfaces required a slow pace. Visually and mentally, it created quiet in me, even though there were plenty of people around. And now, at home at my laptop editing and posting the photos I took, I am enjoying a very quiet moment indeed. Thank you, Ritva, for inviting me to share it!
I’ve rummaged through my archives and found some treasures. A small shoe my son wore long ago. A green-eyed friend I once spent Christmas with…
…a glass of champagne from my daughter-in-law…
…some bumpy rope from a three mast Great Lakes schooner…
…my sister’s camera…
…a soft waterfall…
…a round nail-head in an old fencepost…
…and some beautiful jewelry that resembles my daughter’s work.
This Scavenger Hunt reminds me of a favorite song by Dan Fogelberg:
Here is a poem that my lady sent down Some morning while I was away Wrote on the back of a leaf that she found Somewhere around Monterey
And here is the key to a house far away Where I used to live as a child They tore down the building when I moved away And left the key unreconciled
And down in the canyon the smoke starts to rise It rides on the wind ’til it reaches your eyes When faced with the past the strongest man cries Cries
And here is a sunrise to set on your sill The ghosts of the dawn moving near They pass through your sorrow and leave you quite still Sitting among souvenirs
And now, I’m feeling quite nostalgic and content, grateful for my life and the beauty that surrounds me. Thanks, Anne, for this Challenge! Do visit HER POST to see all the possible items to search for in Lens-Artists posts this week.
Sofia invites us to revisit Lens-Artists Challenge #20 – from 2018. Sofia has done extensive and exquisite Door photography – do visit her blog! I found another Lens-Artists Challenge on Doors from 2022. Here’s a link to my response to that one.
How has my perspective on Doors changed since then? Have I found new doors to photograph?
Yes. I have discovered even more portals. And I’ve even learned a new term – “multiverse”. I try to imagine the infinite possibilities of doors.
“The un-wanting soul sees what’s hidden. The ever-wanting soul sees only what it wants. Two things, one origin, but different in name, whose identity is mystery. Mystery of all mysteries, the door to the hidden.” ~ Tao Te Ching
“Crater Lake inspires awe. Native Americans witnessed its formation 7,700 years ago, when a violent eruption triggered the collapse of a tall peak. Scientists marvel at its purity—fed by rain and snow, it’s the deepest lake in the USA and one of the most pristine on Earth. Artists, photographers, and sightseers gaze in wonder at its blue water and stunning setting atop the Cascade Mountain Range.”
“Iron Mountain Lookout, located in the Willamette National Forest, was a fire lookout structure that stood on a prominent rock pinnacle above Highway 20. While the lookout is no longer there, having been destroyed in 2007, the site is still a popular destination for hiking and wildflower viewing. The mountain itself is part of the Old Cascades and offers stunning views of the surrounding peaks, including the Three Sisters.”
“With its ideal location on the magnificently rugged Oregon Coast, the entire city of Newport is a natural observatory that offers a number of fun and educational activities for the whole family. Spend the morning exploring tide pools, combing the beach for fossils and spotting marine life in their natural habitats. Then head over to the Oregon Coast Aquarium where you can pet an octopus and walk through a glass tunnel surrounded by sharks. Newport is also home to two lighthouses, one of which is the tallest on the Oregon Coast. Historic Nye Beach, with its colorful cottages and laid-back atmosphere, is the perfect spot for a picnic and a quick rest from all the sightseeing.”
You hold in your hands a guidebook of destinations. With a rush of excitement, you realize that these are not far away, they are within a few hours of your home. How were these amazing places formed? What is their geological history? What species live there? What kind of seasonal changes affect them? Are there trails there that I can hike? And finally, how can I get there from here?
There is so much to learn and so much to live for. I am so grateful to have such beauty surrounding me! Thanks to Tina for inviting us to share so many things we’ve learned and for her examples of photography techniques
scillagrace 