Look closely!

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

Pokeweed

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

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #138 – Natural Light

“Natural light” is this week’s theme, one that’s right up my camera lens. I’m enthralled by light. As a morning person who feels that if I didn’t get walking before sunrise I’m running late, I have lots of sunrise photos…so I’m going to avoid those. Those of you who follow me have seen lots of them in various posts. Let’s go with something different, something smaller than grand vistas, which have already been done beautifully by our hostesses.

I’ve shared this photo before, but it’s one of my favorites for showcasing natural light.

“May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Light in Descanso Gardens, California.

“O, Sunlight! The most precious gold to be found on Earth.”
― Roman Payne

Light on milkweed pod.

“We went down into the silent garden. Dawn is the time when nothing breathes, the hour of silence. Everything is transfixed, only the light moves.”
― Leonora Carrington

Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch, Gilbert, Arizona

“My first memory is of light — the brightness of light — light all around.”
― Georgia O’Keefe

Since I held off on sunrises, let’s grab a Wyoming sunset to close.

Almost an empty-nester

Gossamer

I have a few more shots of milkweed to share over the next days, but I’ll be on the road for the better part of three days as I drive to Arizona to find a rental house for us. After being on the the road for almost ten hours for two days and eight or so the third, I won’t have much time for reading posts. As always, I’ll answer comments. I’ll be sharing photos that strike my fancy, so we’ll see what comes along. I’ll keep you updated and also, I hope, entertained.