Beyond Day SixMy sometimes-daily blog of a photograph or two with a few words, celebrating all the days of life that flow through creation into perspiration, inspiration, reflection, sabbath, and resurrection. Full Moon at Thumb ButteBack in the film days (although it was still during this century), we took a vacation trip to Arizona. And as we were visiting near Prescott, there was a full moon. I looked around for a vantage point and found a shopping center that parking lot that had a clear view of Thumb Butte. I took about a dozen exposures at various settings and found this one to my liking. I scanned the slide and made a few adjustments in the digital image, not much.
Not One the SamePsalm 139, which is a portion of today's lectionary reading, is intensely personal. The repetition of personal pronouns emphasize the surprising intimacy in which God knows each of us. And unlike this wall of gears at the St. Louis City Museum, we are uniquely known. The psalmist goes back and forth from amazement that God cares for him to the plea for examination. Nothing is hidden. All of one's life is in plain view. And not condemned. It is like knowing the worst of someone and still loving them. And it is this stunning awareness of being loved, valued, created, that motivates one's change for goodness and gratitude. And the psalmist is amazed at the thought. As I am.
Another VersionThis one is a different moment from the one I posted yesterday and with a different processing approach. Just trying to learn new ways of doing different things.
The Right MomentI regret all the times that I thought the presence of some person was ruining my picture. This time I waited for the hiker to be in the right place, separated from the background. Without him the photo would be boring. Maybe it is now, but this man in his orange vest walking on the swinging bridge improves the picture and gives visual proportion to the waterfall. I did have to make some adjustments in the photo as the waterfall was in shadows and a bright sky was behind the hiker and bridge. And here there was also an issue of shutter speed and depth of field. A wide angle lens was used which has a greater depth of field. But I wanted to blur some of the water with a slower shutter speed but still have a short enough exposure that the figure would not be blurred. And as I share what I have done I realize that there are some other things I can still do to blur the water a little more. May have to try it.
Being SeenWinter strips nature to the essentials. The structure is revealed without color. Tree and sky. It is a time of waiting. A time of truth. Pretense is not possible. The real character can be seen. That must be why we all want to wear coats and hats and gloves.
UnavoidableI spent some time last night watching the Jackson Barrett auto auction. I was priced out of the opportunity to bid on classic cars pretty quickly. Then I saw 60 year old Suburbans that sold for as much as new ones. They looked new, and not old. Sixty years old and looked new. Several conversations I have participated in this past week seem to have focused on the issues of aging. That's not how they started. Aging wasn't even the primary topic. But aging intruded on normal discussions. Sometimes it is the shadows. Other times it is out in the open. Possibly, it's because family and friends are having birthdays. Some have lots of years but don't show it. How does that happen? I guess you have to choose your parents well. Funny. Would my children have chosen me? I hope so.
Hot Rods and Corn DogsSpringfield, Illinois. Where else? Springfield is one of the stops on the historic Route 66. And if you go through on a September weekend, you might experience one of the several car enthusiast weekends. When I lived there, I spent the weekend downtown (the streets surrounding the courthouse were blocked and cars and vendors were everywhere). I have hundreds of photos to prove it!
Just the ColorSometimes it is all you need. Morning dawn over an Indiana lake. Some clouds. Soft light and still water. Time to think and thank.
In the BeginningI am uncertain as to when I first heard about evolution, but I think it must have been during a college biology class. I don't recall that it was an especially surprising concept for me; nor that it conflicted with my faith. The biblical creation story is a poetic affirmation about the beginning of this cosmos and of human life. It is not a scientific explanation nor a historical timeline of the creation of life, just as scientific methods rarely address faith questions. Does the Genesis account begin with some assumptions? Sure, as I think all attempts to explain the beginning are based on some kind of assumptions. Scientists say that evolution or the Big Bang or some combination was the process how we all came to be. Maybe. Who knows for certain? I choose to believe (I have no proof) that before anything existed, God did and still does. I am amazed at the macro world and the infinite universe. I wonder about how and why. But I have a sense of peace believing there is a purpose. And that's enough for me. So I am in awe every morning, about the wonder of how this all came to be.
In the Eye of the BeholderThe wood stork is one of those birds that has beautiful plumage and a less than attractive head. While there are a number of storks species in the world, this is the only one in North America and was upgraded this past June to "threatened" from "endangered" as a species . It is a tropical/subtropical bird so it is seen in only a few places in the continental United States. I photographed this bird in Ding Darling on Sanibel Island, Florida last winter. They often ride the thermals and can be seen gliding with seemingly little effort in the sky.
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