Have you ever blown on a smoldering ember just to keep it burning, and possibly to become a flame again? It seems that it just takes a puff of air to create the possibility of fire. Here, in just moments, with the wind from the right direction, a smoldering forest fire erupted into a gigantic pillar of hot smoke. I was startled to see how threatening this fire seemed although it was miles away. And then the calculation of that distance provided another measure of how ferocious this fire must be. It burned quietly for days, possibly a lightning strike in dry timber. And then a hot wind changed into an impending disaster.

I've witnessed many times how hot wind can explode a smoldering issue into a disaster. Some folks are firebugs.

This is the Yaquina Head lighthouse on the coast of Oregon, near Newport.

As I look at this photo several years later, and consider the dismal weather, my own weariness, my suppressed grief over my father's death just a week before, it is a wonder that I have a photo to share from that day. I moved my camera all over the hillside trying to find a composition that pleased me. I was discouraged with the sky. But it is the brightness of the yellow flowers that appealed to me that late afternoon as they do even now.

Ray Hanson is a volunteer. I thought he was an employee, possibly even the manager or owner, of this historic hardware store in Huntsville, Alabama. Harrison Brothers opened their hardware store on the town square in 1879. It is the oldest, continuously operating hardware store in the state. Now owned by the Historic Huntsville Foundation, it purchased the store from the family in 1983. It is run entirely by volunteers.

How do you want to use your spare time? There is virtually no limit to the possibilities of being a volunteer: at museums, hospitals, camps for kids, park naturalist, job mentor, homework helper, on and on. Skills that were honed by years of work are still valuable as a volunteer; new skills can be learned and practiced in an entirely different environment. It's something I've been thinking about. I've got time and talent that could be used somewhere, somehow.

So here's a close-up view of the Queen Anne's Lace that I shared yesterday. The flower appears to form a bird's nest as it begins to open and mature. I am fascinated by the intricacies of each portion of the blossom. Many parts create the illusion of lace or a white cloud that floats at the top of the stalk. The details are wondrous. I converted the image to black and white to draw attention to the structure of the flower. Even weeds are marvelous!

Better known as Queen Anne's Lace, this wildflower is abundant along roadways.

Also known as wild carrot (hence it's proper name "Daucus Carotus"), it is called "bird's nest" in England and from this photo, one can begin to see the hint of a nest when the plant unfurls each portion of its blossom as the flower in the background shows. While it can be eaten, it bears a resemblance to hemlock which is poisonous. Best to not get the two confused.

Sunset on the Mink River in Door County, Wisconsin...

It was a short journey from the car, through the darkened woods, to the edge of the river. I never tire of sunsets. And often the sky is even more spectacular when the sun has disappeared from the horizon. I was photographing a sunset in Mexico with a friend. The sky was full of wondrous color as the sun dropped out of sight. He was ready to put away his camera and get in the car and return to our lodging. Wait, I said, this sunset has only begun, and it promises to get even better. And so we watched the sky and the clouds and the color until it was nearly dark. We hadn't spoken since I had encouraged him to stay. Finally, he said, "Wow!" I said, "There's always more to see."

I've been missing from the blogosphere for a few days. I was traveling through Illinois and Indiana.

But I'm back home now.

This photo is of a simple lock on two rather large doors. I'm uncertain as to how effective it might be, but I think it may just be to prevent the doors from swinging open; more of a latch rather than a lock.

So many of the plants in our yard have a short bloom time. There are many plants that contribute to a profusion of color. And then there are those like this Morning Glory that has beauty past its prime. Ah, to see beauty in all living things beyond their prime, including we human beings.