Sunday, May 3, 2015

EVERYDAY TREASURES

One of the most useful corollaries to persistently looking through a camera's viewfinder is how it teaches you to pay better attention to the world at large, even when you're not seeking to make photographs. Of course that, in turn, allows you to spot ever more images which beg to be recorded photographically. 

A delightful and inspiring circle. Though one which, when pondered philosophically, is decidedly bittersweet, because you come to realized how many extraordinary and lovely things are overlooked and ignored by folks too busy and self-focused to notice the beauty all around.

The emerging leaves on the little Japanese in my yard, backlit by the river's reflected morning sunlight, glowing ruby-red, is a prime case in point. One of those everyday treasures, pretty as a flower, that can almost take your breath away as it fills your heart with joy.   

8 comments:

Gail said...

HI GRIZZ - lovely image- nature's beauty and mystery so inspires and gives life and joy. Indeed :-) I am a collector of rocks - nothing grand but each unique and from various places - some far away like Japan and Ireland - some from special places in my/our life. Different colors, sizes and shapes and texture. As much as I notice the sights and sounds and smells of nature I too am fascinated by rocks and rock formations. I will take a picture of some of my rocks and share one day. I love to sit on rocks, sun bathe even (naked if the setting allows), a glorious feeling to have one's skin on warm rock - rocks change color and shape over time - they are used to build walls and line walkways and drive ways and design gardens - they are all beautiful to me. Again, I have rambled on too much. Happy Sunday -
Love Gail
peace and rock

Moonmuser said...

I collect rocks, too, but never naked, at least not that I'll admit.... I have people bring them to me from all over the world when they go on vacation or a trip. If they can't find a rock of interest, I ask for a shell, so I have both in a cabinet...don't know if you noticed. My former wonderful boss asked me to take the rock from Oregon with me in my car and then report on its travels dive leaving the beach where he found it. Rocks definitely carry mystery in their formations ..I wonder where they started out..did they come here on a glacier from farm away? Or are they just stuck here....maybe in
your river...

Grizz………… said...

Gail…

Funny you should mention rocks.

I've been chipping away at chunks of limestone all morning, "dressing" their edges so when you stack them into a low garden wall (behind our hostas) their rough, irregular edges, makes them look natural.

And I, too, am a collector of rocks. I have rocks I picked up as a boy, rocks from places I've been, things like agates from Lake Superior, rose quarts from the Dakotas, all sorts of fossils, special rocks from special places or that connect me to special people or events, and rocks which "spoke" to me—some rocks, intrinsically worthless, that I might not part with at any price, like a rounded disk of purple amethyst I picked up on a northcountry beach years ago, which I carry in my pocket.

See, your ramble was contagious. :-)




Grizz………… said...

Moonmuser…

Well, I saw on the news that yesterday was National Naked Gardening Day—which I suppose might have thrilled you for its near-limitless shock-value possibilities, but to me seems the height of madness and folly. I'm certainly not going to go a'wandering in the buff through stands of nettles, briars, and poison ivy. I'm kinda tough, but not stupid or masochistic. And the truth of the matter is that while an aging oak tree still looks pretty impressing without leaves, most aging humans—and quite a few barely out of puberty—would do well from the standpoint of positive visual impact, to keep their wrinkles and cellulite and sagging, jiggling parts unmentionable, under wraps, thus sparring the rest of us from possibly apoplexy or the decision to commit a socially justified felony.

Gail said...

HI AGAIN - yes, contagious :-) I love your love of rocks and all things natural. I have ones my Mom piked for me - such treasures - I could go on and on-

we had a nice time out and about - and we are making chicken tettrazzini now - yum
Love to you always
Gail
peace....

Grizz………… said...

Gail…

Nice day here, too. We worked in the yard until early afternoon. I did pork kabobs on the grill and made garden coleslaw—lots of stuff in there besides cabbage.

For the last couple of hours we've been sitting on the deck, reading, talking, fiddling on the iPads, taking some sun and sipping icy drinks while eating peanuts and flipping the shells over the bank. The big wind chimes have been dinging their deep tones with the occasional breeze. Birds are singing. The river is sighing along. Plus I have the front door of the cottage opened and Carlos Nakai is working his flute on the sound system.

Sweet, lazy, delicious, delightful day. Ahhhh…

Gail said...

Hi - I can almost "see" you - feel the sun and warm air - taste the icy drinks and hear the flute and wind chimes. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm lovely

We are planting today (well, Skipp is), tomatoes, zucchini and strawberry plant. It is a lovely day

Gail
peace.....

Grizz………… said...

Gail…

I've been hard at my writing, trying to get a week's worth of deadlines finished in one fell swoop…which I've just now managed. Thank God! That gives me the rest of the week free to work on indoor remodeling and whatever outdoors.

It's cloudy here now, with showers to come this afternoon late and into tonight. Warm though. be good, take care, enjoy!