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.
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.
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!
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.
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".
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.
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?
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! ;-)
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)
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!
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!
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.
Right now the side of his face rests against my belly, skin to skin, his warmth magnified by mine. It is a wonder, an absolute awe-filled thing, that just days ago he was on the other side of me, tucked away and unseeable, a secret. Elliot. Elliot with the head full of hair. Elliot with the fifty-eight eyelashes. Elliot with the rounded nose that dips into rounded cheeks that slope to the tiny chin that quivers when he cries, lifts when he smiles in his sleep. A landscape. Elliot. Tiny boy so like and unlike all the other boys who have been born before. So like and unlike whatever small person I imagined my own son to be. Perfection is a rare if not impossible thing, but how could he not be, right now, so young, so soft, exactly as he is here, breathing in and out, making the sounds that all mothers and fathers know as first-speak. Secrets. He is revealing them to me, unspooling them by the minute, by the number of his sighs, and they tangle around my legs and body until I am war
Beautiful. Love that 'too much conluded praise'. Reminiscent of Wallace Stevens, or perhaps Robert Hass. Thank you
ReplyDeleteGood names to have here. Thank you!
DeleteThat which is difficult to notice speaks volumes!
ReplyDeleteYes, and I've found it also alleviates stress... Sometimes focusing on the small things make all the difference.
DeleteI know the feeling, Emily. You worded it much better than I could, though.
ReplyDeleteI doubt that, Sandy. But thank you. :)
DeleteThis 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.
ReplyDeleteI 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.
DeleteEmily:
ReplyDeleteI 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
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!
DeleteAh, the healing beauty of quiet details...
ReplyDelete"And say nothing..."
ReplyDeleteI 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???
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.
DeleteThis whole blog is nothing but much ado about nothing! :-)
DeleteSo 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".
ReplyDeleteI love how particular words choose you, Linda. Interesting, indeed!
DeleteHi. Very beautiful images, especially the reflections of green on water. There is so much beautiful to see in the world. Jane
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jane. I completely agree.
DeleteDetail. It's all about noticing the detail. And you do a mighty fine job of noticing, in words and images.
ReplyDeleteLast 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.
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?
DeleteThanks 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! ;-)
ReplyDeleteAh, how wonderful. A few photographs and words rippling out all the way to Oregon. Hope the lesson plan went well, SPT!
DeleteShort, sweet...beautiful!
ReplyDeleteSometimes a few words are all you need.
DeleteBeautiful words and images. :)
ReplyDeleteHello Emiy,
ReplyDeleteI 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)
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!
DeleteGorgeous 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!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Emma. I do like that word--ponder--and all it implies. Good to meet you, as well!
DeleteHello Emily. This is lovely, the concluded praise and the saying nothing. Mmmmmmmm. Very still.
ReplyDeleteThat was what the walk through the woods felt like. Bless the reprieve, yes?
DeleteBless 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!
ReplyDeleteBy 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.
That would be wonderful, Lasuza. Thanks so much. I'm hoping I'll get to Strasbourg at the very least. :)
DeleteWhat beautiful photos! I lived it Minnesota a long time ago and have such wonderful memories of that great state…Thanks for stopping by, Laura
ReplyDeleteIt's a bit of a gem, to be sure. :)
Delete