trees

beautiful mess, part two (autumn)

255/365: early autumn riot

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This image expresses the tangled mess of nature and the absolute profusion of life that exists anywhere the natural world is left undisturbed if even a small space or a limited time. The energy and chaos and intermingling of so many different life forms, colors, textures – to me this is what nature is all about. It’s not an idealized concept of ‘landscape’ but it’s very real. For me, these scenes are full of hope – a testament to the how strong, robust & resilient nature can really be.

see ‘beautiful mess, part one’ here.

better safe than sorry

241/365: wild mushrooms

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Any mycologists out there? We came across these gorgeous mushrooms the other day in the woods. I kind of thought they looked like oyster mushrooms…and wouldn’t THAT be a yummy find! But I would have to be 200% certain before I ever threw them in a sauté pan.

coming attractions

233/365: korean maple, late summer

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In the dog days of summer, there are hints of a new season waiting in the wings. We feel it in the cool of the morning air, the gathering dark of the evening, and the urge to turn on the oven instead of firing up the grill.

junco?

Fortunately Brad and I were having a bird ID dispute on the deck. We just put up the feeder and, while we were at the cabin, the birds discovered it.

Brad claimed they were juncos. I didn’t believe him so I took a really bad picture on his phone. It turned out to be the only shot of the day.

You will notice that there are NO birds in THIS picture. But I’m still happy. I salvaged something and managed to NOT miss a day taking a picture. In spite of myself.

blog080415_junkoes212/365: accidental tree pic

good bones

A favorite tree seen on our daily walks. It happens to be dead. Stark, scraggly, and standing tall against the sky, it was impossible not to notice it in the midst of the lush green woods and marsh. I wouldn’t say it stood out like a sore thumb – I enjoyed the contrast.

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210/365: tree skeleton

not afraid of the dark

Photography is all about light. Some days, though, the sun has set and I realize I haven’t clicked a frame. This can a big frustration but, then, limitation can spark creativity, too. Letting go of any expectation that the images will be sharp & clear, embracing this grainy, dim aesthetic, looking for any trace of light – it results in a different type of picture. Always better than throwing in the towel on the daily photo and often quite surprising.

blog071715_maple with raindrops at twilight194/365: raindrops on korean maple at twilight