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. Surprising SpringSaturday, March 11, was the first snowfall of the winter. We have already had three weeks of spring according to the scientists who keep track of those things. And then after a beautiful, warm, spring day just 48 hours previous, roars in a wet, brief snowstorm. The large flakes left two inches of snow at our house. This brief visit of winter will likely not be much of an impediment to spring as the snow had all melted before evening. However, the forecast for the middle of next week is for two nights of hard freezing temperatures. Sure hope they are wrong.
Looking UpAnother shot from our visit to Cheekwood. Some of the blooms on this tree had already turned brown but some were fresh and new. I stood under this one and shot at a fast enough shutter speed to stop the movement caused by the wind and caught this fascinating background of blue sky and other blooms. Just by trying a different angle.
Before the FreezeThe tulips have begun to bloom at Cheekwood in Nashville. The day yesterday was delightful, sunny and warm, and we stopped there for an hour before we picked up our granddaughter at school. Not the optimum time to go, but there was far more blooming than I expected. And the aroma of the hyacinths was intoxicating.
Spring in the SycamoreWe went down to the neighborhood rookery this morning and counted more than a dozen Great Blue Herons in the sycamore tree with ten nests in various states of being constructed. The old tree that they used the last few years had fallen and they moved to a stronger tree. Some may have already laid eggs as one of the parents was snuggled into a few of the nests. This is a fun sight each spring, and I thought I was leaving wildlife behind when we moved to the city.
Happy MistakeIn the past, I would have discarded this image. It did not turn out as I had intended, the shutter speed was too slow to capture the butterflies in detail. It was a mistake. Or was it? The slower shutter speed, 1/40 second, does communicate the movement of the butterflies. the photo is more expressive of the near constant motion of these blurs of color. Not a mistake after all. I can even pretend that this was just what I hoped would occur. Some art is just a happy accident, being in the right place to see. And inviting others to see.
Back in the DayHow far back is the good old days? I remember listening, when I was very young, to Hopalong Cassidy and Roy Rogers on the radio. We lived in a duplex and I shared a bedroom with my younger brother and sister. Was that the good old days? My school years were spent moving from place to place, with my dad always changing jobs. That didn't seem like the best times. I remember that the air was dirty and coal soot would collect on the snow. There may be adventure and promise in the future, but there is comfort and nostalgia in looking back, although our memory is selective. How could it be so good when it wasn't in color? Yeah, I'm teasing some. But all in all, I choose today.
Leave the Driving to UsMy best friends, the ones who have had some kind of working relationship with me, know that I have control issues. I say, I can't help it if my hands just perfectly fit the steering wheel. I do like to drive. I like to know where I am going. And I am guilty of wanting to be in charge of how we get there and when. I have ridden the bus, and the train, and in airplanes, and helicopters, and in ferries. And I admit that sometimes it is more comfortable to let someone else drive. On our recent trip to Jackson, Tennessee, Judy discovered that the Greyhound Bus Station in downtown Jackson was an original art-deco style. History and Why Halfway We drove down at night to photograph it at night but there were no lights. So we went back in the morning and a bus was waiting to board passengers to Dallas. Most of us don't travel this way anymore but there are many with limited resources who find the bus will get them where they need to go.
The Best CameraAs I have heard many times, the best camera is the one you have with you. This is an image using my iPhone 7. And I'm not certain that my expensive Sony a7rii could make any better of a photo. I could make a much larger print using the Sony, but for the web, this looks terrific. And this scene was begging to be captured.
SprungThis is an update to an earlier post that showed the maple tree blossoms just beginning to open. Now they are in full bloom. The air seems different, not just unseasonably warm with a reminder of the calendar. Yesterday felt more like spring has sprung. Warm. Birds singing. The phlox has begun to bloom. The bridal veil spirea is blooming. It is probably difficult to see on this photo that is sized for the internet, and I didn't notice when I was snapping the picture, but there are strands of spider web stringing from blossom to blossom. I'm ready.
Seventh Sunday after EpiphanyThe Gospel Lesson, Matthew 5:39-48, contains familiar words even to those who do not claim to be Christian. "But I say to you. love your enemies...If you love only those who love you what reward do you have?" It is not reasonable to love one's enemies. And Jesus compounds the commandment because the word "enemies" refers to personal opponents, adversaries that we know. Enemies are not far off. They live next door. Sometimes we work with them. I have even witnessed that they can be in the same church. Our current environment warns us that enemies are everywhere. So we respond with fear, and exclusion, and war--the opposite of what Jesus said his followers should do. Love. Difficult to do. We love our enemies because God loves all. Every one of us. Do you know of Shel Silverstein's poetry? In his book, Where the Sidewalk Ends, is a delightful poem entitled "Hug O' War". I'd like to share it with you. "I will not play at tug o' war. I'd rather play at hug o' war, Where everyone hugs Instead of tugs, Where everyone giggles And rolls on the rug, Where everyone kisses, And everyone grins, And everyone cuddles, And everyone wins."
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