In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Grid.” This week, let’s take the humble grid out of the shadows, and make it the star.”
When I think of grids I think of conservatories. My favorite public garden is a perfect subject for this week’s Daily Post photo challenge. Most often, the flowers and plants are the stars of my visits to Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. This post features the bones, or the grids, that hold the thousands of glass panes in place.
You will find grids and grates wherever you look in the Longwood Gardens conservatory. The fragility of the flowers and foliage is protected by the strength of the metal, while the glass panes let in the life-giving light.
The view looking up reveals even more grids and glass.
Grids are used outdoors also as a support for vines and other plants. This is a row of spectacular clematis vines that were on display this year.
“The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless.” ~ Billy Graham
One Wish & One Prayer to spread the GOOD NEWS = Two Shoes
How long has it been since you dusted off your witnessing shoes?
“Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand safe against all strategies and tricks of Satan. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.
So use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will still be standing up. But to do this, you will need the strong belt of truth and the breastplate of God’s approval. Wear shoes that are able to speed you on as you preach the Good News of peace with God. In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. And you will need the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the Word of God. Pray all the time. Ask God for anything in line with the Holy Spirit’s wishes. Plead with him, reminding him of your needs, and keep praying earnestly for all Christians everywhere.” Ephesians 6:10-18
Yesterday, while watering my flower beds I spotted a tiny glimmer beneath a bird feeder. An egg lay there, its grey-blue shell speckled with brown. I think it is most likely the egg of a finch. They are plentiful in our area, and frequently visit our birdfeeders, making their nests in the trees in our yard. I might try to save the beautiful piece of nature, and thought the perfect resting place was the ‘enveloping’ security of an oyster shell. What a strange and lovely pearl the humble oyster holds…I love this unique combination of God’s handiwork.
My best description of being enveloped cannot be captured by a photograph, but it is perfectly described in this verse from the Psalms—
“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” ~Psalms 91:4
It’s time for a trip “Down the Shore” here in Southern New Jersey. We always find a new “beachscape” on arrival in Strathmere, New Jersey, our favorite beach town. The waves, a true “Force of Nature” have danced to the rhythm of a couple “Nor’easters” and altered the contours of last summer’s beach.
Strathmere Beach/Atlantic City can be seen in the distance
In the distance, men have built huge resorts hugging the water’s edge, but given enough time, the force of nature, in this instance the ocean, will reclaim it all.
Pilings worn away by the force of the ocean waves
“Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea– the LORD on high is mighty.” ~ Psalm 93:4
“For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.”
~Folliot S. Pierpoint
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Early Bird.”
“For this week’s photo challenge, get up early and explore the morning light.”
“Symplocarpus foetidus, commonly known as skunk cabbage or eastern skunk cabbage (also swamp cabbage, clumpfoot cabbage, or meadow cabbage, foetid pothos or polecat weed), is a low growing, foul-smelling plant that grows in wetlands of eastern North America.” ~ Wikipedia
I love this photo I captured of an unfurling skunk cabbage growing beside a creek bed. The early morning light highlights the intense green of the leaves and reveals the texture of the plant in the soft shadows.
Skunk cabbage does have a bit of an odor, but only if you get close enough to break or step on it. I always enjoy seeing its early awakening, a sure sign of Spring.
Sunlight slants through my back windows in the mid-morning hours. This is a favored spot for displaying a vase of flowers. I enjoy the silhouette of the arrangement as much as the actual flower.
In this photo you see a birdbath that is a part of my earliest memories. It was my grandmother’s, and I remember standing beside it, so small that my eyes were level with the rim, trying to resist the temptation to swirl my fingers in the water. My mother had the birdbath in her yard for many years, then my sister had a turn using it. Last night, my sister and I exchanged birdbaths. The smooth sides of the mirrored interior were causing the bees from her hives to slide into the water and drown; there is no rough foothold for them to stand upon as they drink. The concrete birdbath I had in my yard will do a better job as a water source for the bees. Joy filled my heart early this morning, as I peered down from my back window and saw not only the treasured birdbath, but the pastel rays of sunrise reflecting in it’s surface. I couldn’t have planned a more perfect photograph for the weekly challenge.
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Blur.”
Fishing Boat, Montego Bay, Jamaica
I am returned home after ten days spent in one of my favorite vacation destinations: Jamaica. I’ll be blogging more about my stay and some of the unique sights, sounds and activities I took part in, but for today I’m using one of the photographs I captured as an entry in the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge. This week the challenge title is “Blur.”
“A throwaway shot, or purposefully unfocused? This week, find beauty in a blur.”
Sunrise in Montego Bay, Jamaica. A fisherman soundlessly glides past the sleeping Royal Decameron Resort.
This photograph was taken in the ‘blurred time’ between the dark and the dawn. As the fisherman rowed past me, I captured the photograph never realizing until just a few moments ago, that his boat was named, “God Bless.” A good reminder to me that so often in the busyness of the day, GOD BLESSES ME, and I am sometimes unaware of his hand of blessing upon my life. Thank you Lord for all your many blessings. GOD BLESS you all on this Easter Monday.
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Wall.”
I love shadows on the walls. This week I wandered into an upstairs room and found my geraniums, backlit, and casting amazing shadows on the wall. Of course I had to enter into the Shadowland.
Winter rain brought me a blessing this week; I glanced out my window and was immediately entranced by the huge drops of water clinging to the bare branches of a nearby tree. Summer foiliage would have obscured this view. In the pared down beauty of the winter landscape I was able to glimpse hundreds of earthbound diamonds glimmering like stars in the rainy mist.
“May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.”
~ Old Irish Blessing
I love this song by the Dove Brothers, a classic Southern Gospel quartet. This tune and rhythm will make you want to jump up, sing and dance.
“The morns are meeker than they were,
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry’s cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town.
The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.
Lest I should be old-fashioned,
I’ll put a trinket on.”
– Emily Dickinson
– An afternoon walk in a November woods yielded some beautiful “Minimalist Photographs”. Most of us are so entranced by the grandness of the colorful trees in Autumn, we miss the tiny, simple treasures at our feet.
“It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real after all.”
~Laura Ingalls Wilder
“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain; it was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his scarf and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
And a voice said, “Why are you here, Elijah?”
~ I Kings 19:11-13 (TLB)
Minimalist photography is characterized by a large portion of negative space, a fairly monochromatic color palette with good contrast, and an interesting subject that is able to stand on its own to capture the interest of the viewer. At first thought, it may seem like it would be easy to shoot an engaging minimalist photograph, when indeed it can often be the opposite. A minimalist photo can also effectively tell a story, in spite of its relative simplicity, and it is anything but “plain”.
