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Archive for the ‘Nature Notes’ Category

white space

Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged abstract, beauty, colors, flowers, Inspiration, nature, Photography, white on November 18, 2014| 7 Comments »

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marigold

Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged artwork, autumn, botanicals, colors, flowers, gold, Inspiration, marigolds, musings, prose on November 14, 2014| 6 Comments »

during my travels

of all the herbs and plants left behind

the marigold alone did not survive

except

there is a single blossom

autumnal orange with patches of gold

broken off I suppose as its green stem dried

that blossom it still thrives

without water or soil yet warmed by the sun

at rest where I found it upon returning home

on the tabletop next to the kitchen window

we’ll see how long it lasts

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a second book of thanks

Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, On the Road, tagged abstract, birds, books, colors, dublin, gratitutude, Inspiration, ireland, landscape, nature, nature photography, photobooks, Photography, travel, UCD Belfield, water on November 13, 2014| 2 Comments »

Last year, I created a “book of thanks” for folks who made me feel very welcome in my travels around Dublin. As simply the guest of one of the conference speakers, I was free to ramble about the city and especially St. Stephen’s Green. This year, I was lucky enough to attend again (and even visit Galway). I decided I should do another book, to thank folks, and to highlight just a tiny bit of the beauty I saw as I meandered, this time, about the UCD Belfield Campus and its wonderful system of walking paths. The images are sorted into three sections: Amidst the Trees and in the Fields, Among the Birds, and Reflected in the Many Waters. Below are a few excerpts and the entire book is available via this link.

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a morning odyssey of autumn light and shadows

Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged abstract, autumn, butterflies, colors, Inspiration, light, motion, nature, orange, perspective, Photography, shadows on November 13, 2014| 6 Comments »

Back home, I was racing up and down the stairs trying to photograph the morning sun as it struck the burnt orange leaves of the oak tree. As I turned around to walk back down the stairs, I noticed the silhouette on the wall. For a while, I photographed those shadows, the subtle shift of the shapes as the wind stirred the branches outside, and inside, how my motion stirred the butterflies on the mobile hanging from the ceiling.

As for the orange leaves that first drew my attention … to my eyes, they are like stained glass.

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adagio

Posted in Inspiration, Music, Nature Notes, tagged abstract, adagio, adagio in d minor, beauty, birds, colors, feathers, Inspiration, movement, music, nature, Photography, Swan, wings on November 11, 2014| 9 Comments »

Recently, a family of swans swam past me. As they did so, several spread their wings in the sunlight. Slow movements that made me think of motion and music.

I took many photos, and I wondered what am I to do with these images? Then, I listened to a particular piece of music and suddenly wanted to put the images and that music together somehow.

I’m going to give it a try. I’m not sure that I will be successful, but it is good to have a goal. I’ll let you know what happens. But until then, here are a few images of the beautiful birds.

p.s. As for the music that moved me? Just one of those very popular pieces out there in the world, Adagio in D Minor by John Murphy, composed for the film, Sunshine (2007). So many variations on the theme available online, but here’s a link to a nice one. Enjoy.