My theory is that when you’re out and about taking photos, you have three areas you can look: up, out, and down. I guess some people add a fourth: at their phones. What a waste that is! You can also look at the big picture or zoom in (literally or figuratively.) I love a grand view as much as the next person but one of what I think of as “my things” is finding beauty in things that other people might miss and that often means looking closely. Often we’re too busy seeing everything that we miss a number of interesting somethings. Here are some somethings I enjoyed while back in “my” park in Illinois in early November.
My husband saw me cropping this photo and said how much he liked it. There weren’t lots of edible things left, and maybe these weren’t, but they looked as if they were waiting for a bird to come and enjoy the feast.
Anything looked at closely becomes wonderful. ~A. R. Ammons
These always remind me of some sort of coins.
“Almost nothing need be said when you have eyes.”
― Tarjei Vesaas, The Boat in the Evening
Beauty can be found in even in things that are getting wrinkly. Isn’t that comforting as we age? 🙂
“There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
I absolutely love milkweed, especially when the seeds are trying to escape. There’s something about the contrast between the hard shell and the ethereal, feathery seeds that is unfailingly beautiful.
“In a world myriad as ours, the gaze is a singular act: to look at something is to fill your whole life with it, if only briefly.” Ocean Vuong, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous
Color me dumbfounded! I never knew that this is the winter look of wild bergamot which when flowering, is what I call a Dr. Seuss flower, one with sort of a wild and crazy shape with things sticking out in all directions. I just love all the little sections that are seen when the flowering part dies.
“…we must never lose sight of that gaze with which we look at things.” ~László Krasznahorkai, Baron Wenckheim’s Homecoming
This, that and the other thing 
Is that a caterpillar on the wild bergamot? These are wonderful quotes to along with your images, Janet.
If you’re talking about at the top, I think it’s a bit of milkweed fluff. I don’t see anything else.
No, not at the top on the bottom of the fluff under the seeds that are still in the pod. That green bit. Is that just part of the pod? It looks like a caterpillar to me.
I think you’re talking about on the shot of the milkweed, where my copyright is. That’s part of the pod.
Ah! Thanks for clearing that up for me. 😀
🙂
Fab clicks.
Love the milkweed.
Agree, we miss many because we are in a hurry.
Love those wonderful quotes.
Thank you for sharing.
My pleasure. Thanks for the visit and comment. 🙂
janet
You are welcome Janet.
Thank you for sharing the beauty of nature through your lens!
It’s one of my favorite things to do, Amy, so I’m always happy when you or anyone else enjoys the photos.
Nature is inspiring. The first pic makes me think of dangly earrings. The second last make me think of a hair decoration… perhaps a fascinator. Lovely shots, Janet.
I can see the dangly earrings and the hair decoration as well. Isn’t “fascinator” an interesting word…and one that SpellCheck doesn’t know. 🙂
LOL! Fascinator is quite British. Spellcheck does not know a lot of words. 🙂🙂🙂
Love your images and perspectives, Janet. I, too, am fascinated with the beauty of nature as it ages. It is sort of comforting to know there is beauty at all stages.
I agree. Dead plants can be as beautiful as when they’re in full bloom, albeit in a different way. Glad you liked these, Madison.
It really is all about perspective! There’s no wrong way to approach a scene, and each angle can tell a very different story.
Definitely. You also notice different things when looking in different directions so you should try to vary where you look.
A photographer after my own heart. Broad views and vistas can take one’s breath away but can the tiny, the minute, the overlooked!
❤️. One of my favorite things is to highlight those overlooked beauties.
So much beauty in nature, Janet. The Bergamot is wondrous.
Thanks, Sylvia. I thought the bergamot was quite something too…even when I didn’t know it was bergamot. 😁
Lovely
Thanks, Sherry. Sorry for the late reply but I just found your comment in the spam folder. Not sure why, but it’s now liberated and thanks again.
janet
Interesting! LOL Actually, I love this post. The first photo caught my eye because it looks like a watercolor painting to me. I love the Dr. Seuss flower. You are so right about seeing beauty that others miss. Cameras help us focus if we use them. I’m impressed with each of the photos. Even human wrinkles are photo-worthy on someone besides me!
Good point about the wrinkles, Marsha. 😁. I’m pleased you liked the photos so much. 😘
🙂