We escaped from the Hideaway yesterday. We crossed from our county (Davidson) into Williamson, and through Wilson, and into Rutherford, a journey of 15 miles. Judy had cabin fever and wanted to go to Long Hunter State Park to find wildflowers. She has a long history with wildflowers, loving them as a child behind her home in Jersey County, Illinois. Back in the film days, we went all over everywhere taking photos of wildflowers that we put into a visual program that bored many a viewer. We found a few varieties yesterday and it was good to get out of the house without being in contact with another human being.

As I processed the images, I decided I liked this one best of all. And I admit it surprised me. More of an environmental portrait! But keep scrolling as my partner likes the one below it better! By the way, this wildflower is Yellow Star Grass.

I can't predict the future. I see and hear lots of predictions. Some are grim, some are buoyant. It's an illusion that we might know what will occur tomorrow or next week or next year. We have fear and we have hope. And it's all covered with this opaque layer that we so desperately want to peer through. If only we knew, and then again, maybe we don't. Today has enough challenges.

Today is the Third Sunday of Easter, and we are worshipping at home. Our last Sunday to be physically in our church (Belmont UMC, Nashville) was March 1, eight weeks ago. We have still been able to worship through the Facebook Live broadcast of our service, which has provided a significant way for us to remain part of our congregation.

Today's gospel lesson is Luke 24:13-35, commonly referred to as "The Walk to Emmaus". Two travelers encounter a stranger on their way from Jerusalem to Emmaus, about 7 miles away. When the strangers asks about their conversation, one responds with "are you the only one" who doesn't know what has happened with the crucifixion of Jesus, and the emerging account of his resurrection. Even without the internet, and news media of every kind, the travelers are astonished that the stranger is ignorant of current events. But then the story flips with the stranger sharing the long view of the Biblical story and how the current event is part of God's actions. And then he pauses to share a meal with them, and they recognize the stranger is the risen Jesus. The kernel here for me, among other matters and insights, is that the study of scriptures is not just about the past, but is also critical for us to see God's actions now and in the future. In the midst of this pandemic, we need the long view about truth and God's care for all of humanity. And, oh how we need to break bread together! 

This image is from Acadia National Park in Maine, September 2018, just outside of Bar Harbor.

It's a long story that I won't go into here, but I had to take Art Appreciation more than once in college. And I don't think I did much better the second time. But I found photography, or photography found me, in my senior year. So I have tried to work hard over the years to develop any skill, any understanding, about the basics of art. I am still lacking, and I have such admiration for some of my friends and how truly gifted they are.

All of that is to say that I am thrilled to live in a community with an exceptional art center and the dedicated people who share their love of art to all of us who want to know more.

I stopped at the ruins of this old church near Beaufort, South Carolina, expressly because I recognized the building from a photo by a friend, Al Wood. His photo is more evocative than mine because there is now a fence that goes completely around the structure and is difficult to omit from photos. Al's photo is actually better than mine, but not because of the fence. We came to find out during a tour of another historic Beaufort church that vandals were removing the bricks from this structure and the fence was built to discourage the disassembly. Fortunately, the gate was open when we visited and we could go inside where I found the textures of the walls and the forms to be image-worthy.

Today is earth day and I celebrate it with the detail of a painting I saw in the Parthenon last year. I am embarrassed to say that I did not note the artist but I was so taken by the bold strokes of the painter and how he/she was depicting the landscape. I love being outdoors and hope that we are doing our part to save the environment so there will be generations of artists who are captured by the beauty of the earth.

Today I share an image from last year during the tulip bloom at Cheekwood. We belong to the Frist Art Museum and Cheekwood Garden, both here in Nashville. Not only are they world class facilities, but membership in each provide free entrance to other museums and gardens. Although we are looking forward to their re-opening when the coronavirus is less of a danger,  we have enjoyed virtual tours at the Missouri Botanical Garden and Cheekwood recently. I would have paused and taken photos in lots of places, which is why I am no fun to be with if you are not a photographer. My motto is that you can never have too many photos, especially now when you just buy more digital storage. The time is approaching to renew our membership in both The Frist and Cheekwood. We love taking our guests to these places, and we will be there again.