Remedy

-
on thick days the rhododendron, the azalea shrubs in blush are too much concluded praise, 
so I slip into the quiet of green woods and green air and say nothing


Location: Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Dr, Chaska, MN 55318, USA

Comments

  1. Ian HillMay 21, 2012 at 10:38 AM

    Beautiful. Love that 'too much conluded praise'. Reminiscent of Wallace Stevens, or perhaps Robert Hass. Thank you

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  2. Wild_BillMay 21, 2012 at 11:41 AM

    That which is difficult to notice speaks volumes!

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    Replies
    1. Emily BrisseMay 21, 2012 at 12:24 PM

      Yes, and I've found it also alleviates stress... Sometimes focusing on the small things make all the difference.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousMay 21, 2012 at 3:48 PM

    I know the feeling, Emily. You worded it much better than I could, though.

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  4. Deborah CarrMay 21, 2012 at 5:31 PM

    This was beautifully and simply expressed, Emily. Now I have to go look deeper. Those brilliant tulips caught my eye. We appear to have much in common. Thanks for dropping by my blog.

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    Replies
    1. Emily BrisseMay 21, 2012 at 5:58 PM

      I thought so too, Deborah. When I was younger, I used to believe I was the only one that felt just so about the natural world, etc., but this internet/blog/small world thing has opened up the beauty of that misperception.

      Delete
  5. Walk With Father NatureMay 21, 2012 at 8:13 PM

    Emily:

    I like photograph two with the abstract patterned (an oxymoron?) pastel.

    And photo four. Oh my gosh! It has emerged barely enough to identify as the famed Ginko biloba!

    Richard

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    Replies
    1. Emily BrisseMay 22, 2012 at 7:51 AM

      Number two is actually a pond surface reflecting leafy greens. And I had no idea about the ginko! Glad you're here to help me expand my amateur naturalist inclinations, Richard!

      Delete
  6. Barbara RodgersMay 22, 2012 at 6:35 AM

    Ah, the healing beauty of quiet details...

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  7. PhilMay 22, 2012 at 7:17 AM

    "And say nothing..."

    I go to nature in search of that very nothing.

    And then return home to my nature web site, and struggle to convert the glorious nothing in to a mere something. Sigh...

    The best nature website would probably be just a single blank white page offering the words...

    Hey You! Yes You!

    Turn Off The Computer!

    Does anybody know how to monetize this business model???

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    Replies
    1. Emily BrisseMay 22, 2012 at 7:56 AM

      Ha! That's the strangeness of "capturing" nature, isn't it. Even the very best writers, photographers, artists, musicians... they might get close, but nothing is nothing is nothing is nothing, and no amount of something quite gets me the same way the silence does.

      Delete
    2. Nobody Saying NothingMay 22, 2012 at 8:32 AM

      This whole blog is nothing but much ado about nothing! :-)

      Delete
  8. shoreacresMay 22, 2012 at 7:22 AM

    So strange - even knowing which words you've chosen, I keep reading "concluded praise" as "occluded praise". I suppose I ought to think about that, but I'm not going to. I'm just going to enjoy your marvelous photos, and that rich sense of "green".

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    Replies
    1. Emily BrisseMay 22, 2012 at 7:57 AM

      I love how particular words choose you, Linda. Interesting, indeed!

      Delete
  9. Janetims128May 22, 2012 at 2:41 PM

    Hi. Very beautiful images, especially the reflections of green on water. There is so much beautiful to see in the world. Jane

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  10. Minnesota Prairie RootsMay 23, 2012 at 10:10 AM

    Detail. It's all about noticing the detail. And you do a mighty fine job of noticing, in words and images.

    Last week my husband and I were on a short walk through the woods and came to a river where I noticed the reflection of the trees glimmering upon the river's surface. I did not have my camera with me and absolutely regretted it. The light of early evening was absolutely perfect, too. Next time. I'm seldom without my camera, but we had just come from dining out and...

    Anyway, you reminded me of that wonderful evening with my husband in photo #2.

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    Replies
    1. Emily BrisseMay 23, 2012 at 1:37 PM

      So glad I could give you that memory back, Audrey. I know exactly how it is to see something beautiful and wish you had a camera. I experience that all to often when I'm driving alone and, well, should probably be keeping my eyes on the road, anyway! If nothing else, your description here of a glimmering river surface gives me a good mental image. Maybe sometimes the words are enough?

      Delete
  11. Lisa GoyneMay 23, 2012 at 1:50 PM

    Thanks for the pretty pictures and beautiful words... just what I needed on a rainy day in Oregon. Also, I love the notion of "green air" - may pose it to my students this afternoon for their interpretation. Now that I wrote that, I can see it turning into an entire writing assignment. Thanks, Emily, for helping with some lesson plans! ;-)

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    Replies
    1. Emily BrisseMay 28, 2012 at 5:14 PM

      Ah, how wonderful. A few photographs and words rippling out all the way to Oregon. Hope the lesson plan went well, SPT!

      Delete
  12. Jeffrey WilliusMay 23, 2012 at 11:11 PM

    Short, sweet...beautiful!

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  13. RobinMay 24, 2012 at 12:15 PM

    Beautiful words and images. :)

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  14. LilliMay 25, 2012 at 8:08 PM

    Hello Emiy,
    I do love the natural world, and your photographs - so here I am.
    One day, I will write a book too (or, finish what I started :)
    Kind regards,
    Lilli (in rural Norway)

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    Replies
    1. Emily BrisseMay 26, 2012 at 12:42 PM

      So glad you found my blog, Lilli. Another wanderer, in both place and words. Just checked out your blog, and I think we'll make good company at each other's spaces. Best!

      Delete
  15. emmaMay 27, 2012 at 9:27 AM

    Gorgeous combination of photos and verse. There's such a light mystery to your words that it is quite satisfying to ponder for a moment. Thanks for visiting my blog, I'm always pleased to meet other writers and nature lovers!

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    Replies
    1. Emily BrisseMay 28, 2012 at 5:11 PM

      Thanks, Emma. I do like that word--ponder--and all it implies. Good to meet you, as well!

      Delete
  16. lasuzaMay 28, 2012 at 4:31 PM

    Hello Emily. This is lovely, the concluded praise and the saying nothing. Mmmmmmmm. Very still.

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    Replies
    1. Emily BrisseMay 28, 2012 at 5:12 PM

      That was what the walk through the woods felt like. Bless the reprieve, yes?

      Delete
  17. lasuzaMay 30, 2012 at 9:09 AM

    Bless the reprieve. Interesting expression, trips off the tongue ( never heard it before), implying a sense of relief, but also the postponing of a punishment. I guess you were going for the former sense!
    By the way, for your trip this summer, I live in Western France. However, will send you some ideas for Eastern France. We're off to the Czech Republic this summer and so will be driving through eastern France and across Germany. Can't wait.

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    1. Emily BrisseMay 30, 2012 at 9:57 AM

      That would be wonderful, Lasuza. Thanks so much. I'm hoping I'll get to Strasbourg at the very least. :)

      Delete
  18. Cottage and BroomeMay 30, 2012 at 11:34 AM

    What beautiful photos! I lived it Minnesota a long time ago and have such wonderful memories of that great state…Thanks for stopping by, Laura

    ReplyDelete

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