Photo Challenges – Lens-Artists Challenge – Five Elements

On December 4, 2024 By TimelessladyIn photo challenges8 Comments

Now and then, I am quick enough to prepare a post for the Lens-Artists Challenge. This week, the challenge is to use photographs that portray five elements that make up the world around us. The elements are fire, water, wood, earth, and metal.

My first photo portrays fire. The fire of the sun is an element in all of my photos. The view is what I see as I stand in my front yard and attempt to watch the setting sun through the trees.

Dandelions conquer whatever earth their seeds land upon. I love the way the clocks of the plant let loose their seeds in puffs of wind or are blown into the breezes by a wish-filled child. If I look closely at a dandelion in the fire of the sun’s rays, each small piece of fluff seems to mirror the sun’s light.

The sun’s rays seemed to deepen the shadows of the heart carved into the tree’s wood.

The last photograph combines the elements of water and metal. It is a bit blurry, but it was taken with my phone through a plate glass window as we finished Thanksgiving dinner in a favorite restaurant. The ship is sailing down the Delaware River near Philadelphia, and we are on the other side of the river in New Jersey. The light illuminated the metal ship with fire and reflected in the water.

Thanks to the hosts of the Lens-Artist Challenge.

Perspective – Gobbledygook – Not!

On October 28, 2024October 30, 2024 By TimelessladyIn Perspective20 Comments

The word for today’s Ragtag challenge is Gobbledygook. I looked it up to ensure my take on the definition was correct; I was thinking foolishness, junk, etc. I was not far off. Some synonyms for Gobbledygook are bafflegab, double-talk, gibberish, rigamarole, song and dance. Most of these have to do with the spoken word.

I don’t know about your area, but I live near a major swing state and an important city for the upcoming election. I am across the river from Philadelphia, and our media stations are from the city. The commercials, at this point, are constant political GOBBLEDYGOOK. All of the candidates have gifts, talents, and flaws. Of course, I lean heavily toward one candidate, as most of us do now, but I am tired of ALL the negativity bombarding us.

Only a few more days until the election itself is behind us. To counteract, I hope, the possibility of the rampant fraud in the last election, I voted early this year. It was the first time I took advantage of this type of voting. I am in my 60s and have voted yearly for decades.

We thought we’d be one of a few voting early. Oh my! I knew that was a wrong assumption as soon as we pulled into the parking lot of the voting center. Inside, there were long lines, but the atmosphere was wonderful. Doesn’t that sound odd? Everyone seemed happy and lively, and no one complained, campaigned to, or criticized the person near them.

I felt happy to be utilizing my civic right and duty. I voted. I am glad to support the candidates I think are the best choice for the country, county, town, and school board. VOTE! Vote early or on election day. But for those in my country, please vote. Thanks!

Phlutters – A Tragic Tale/Butterflies Part I

On June 3, 2024 By TimelessladyIn Phlutters7 Comments

I had a rude awakening to one of the perils butterflies and caterpillars face. In mid-spring, expecting the butterfly chrysalis to hatch at some point, I brought the butterfly houses out to the porch and hung them from the ceiling. One day, checking them, I saw a delicate wasp of some sort had gotten inside the house and was trapped. Being a bit of a bleeding heart, I shooed the wasp out and felt I had done my good deed for the day. Wrong.

Two more wasps, surprisingly to me, also found a way into the house. I let these out also. Afterwards, I looked at the seven chrysalis on the sides. What! There was some type of hole in the sides of a few. I knew some parasite had attacked them.

When another wasp suddenly appeared in the house, I knew that it would not appeal to my softheartedness; I squashed it.

Trogus Pennator Wasps eat the swallowtail caterpillars from the inside out and emerge from the chrysalis. I can attest to the truth of this remark. Three overwintered chrysalis have opened in the past week or two, and beautiful Black Swallowtails have taken wing after the long wait. I have seen them fluttering over the fennel plants, and sure enough, I found several of the tiny eggs on inspection.

This weekend, small caterpillars appeared. I have twelve safely in one of two, new butterfly houses. I have also kept the older one from last year. Now that I have seen one of the parasitical threats they face firsthand, I will redouble my efforts and save as many as I can manage.

I will be keeping a 2024 Butterfly Diary. The link is here: Butterfly Diary 2024. It can also be found at the top of the blog page in the bar beneath the title. I will try to create a sidebar link too. Thanks so much for following the butterflies with me.

Phlowers – Dancing with the Daffodils

On March 28, 2024March 28, 2024 By TimelessladyIn Phlowers11 Comments

The yard is dreary beneath rainy March skies, but the gardens are ablaze with the captured sunshine of daffodils.

I couldn’t leave so many of them to droop beneath the raindrops, so I cut them to create a bouquet to enjoy in the house. A break in the clouds enabled sunshine to pour through the window, backlighting the daffodils perfectly for their portrait.

“Daffodils with sunlit petals all ablaze,
Will ever create in me words of praise.”

Forgive me, my amateur poetical nod to William Wordsworth’s beautiful poem about daffodils. You can find his excellent poem below.

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

By WILLIAM WORDSWORTH (1770 – 1850)

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

**************************************

Daffodils are a part of Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge.

Definitely the daffodils are my “Whatsoever is Lovely” moment for Xingfu Mama’s Challenge.

The daffodils are definitely the dancers of Springtime. They move to the rain, the wind, and face the sunshine, dwelling in the music of nature.

Phlowers & Perspective & Project – The Year of the Dandelion

On January 2, 2024 By TimelessladyIn Perspective, Phlowers, Projects5 Comments

I enjoyed a quick walk on this second morning in January. The air, crisp with cold, was stimulating, waking me up and opening my eyes to the beauty in the winter landscape. The limbs and twigs of the trees against the chilly sky are God’s sculptures raising their arms toward the heavens. I could almost imagine them beginning to sing.

I searched for dandelion cones with fluff emerging from their tips. I am partial to dandelions; in fact, I have named 2024 my year of the dandelion. I want to be as productive and as resilient as this beautiful plant.

What do I love about dandelions? Perhaps it’s the color and shape. The flower reflects the Sun. I admire the resilience of dandelions. They will bloom wherever they can and grow lushly, even within the cracks of the street and sidewalks. Just today, I photographed this determined plant thriving in the smallest of spaces between the curb and the blacktop. I have read recently that one dandelion plant can produce up to 2,000 seeds. I hope to be as productive as the dandelion and spread as much GOOD NEWS as possible.

Here’s a fun project to do with children. You can string the unopened pods of dandelion seeds onto a piece of thread, and within 24 hours, they change and open up into perfect spheres. It’s so easy, and if you choose the right place, they will reflect the sunshine and glow and bring a touch of magic into the room. The photos below show the process. So much fun!