The first Echinecea of the season. The colors were a little pale so I decided to go with black and white to emphasize the shapes of the petals.
From John O’Donohue:
Beauty touches and renews our hope when it takes us out of the grid of ordinary time and brings us to another place, a place where history ceases and the weight of memory relents, a place ever ancient and ever new.
Here is another one from the red poppy series as we enjoy some much needed rain.
Today’s thought from John O’Donohue:
The graced eye can glimpse beauty anywhere, for beauty does not reserve itself for special elite moments or instances; it does not wait for perfection but is present already secretly in everything.
The red poppies are finally blooming at North Mountain park. I got up extra early to avoid the wind but I seem to need to go even earlier to avoid the crowds.
From John O’Donohue:
When the soul is alive to beauty, we begin to see live in a fresh and vital way.
This is one of the many poppies I found at North Mountain Park last week. I am going back tomorrow in hopes of finding the red poppies a little more abundant than there were last week.
Today’s thought from John O’Donohue:
The beauty of nature is often the wisest balm for it gently relieves and releases the caged mind.
Here’s another one from the rose garden.
And From John O’Donohue:
Even amidst chaos and disorder, something in the human mind continues still to seek beauty.
I spent an hour at Harry & David’s rose garden this morning. Then I spent two and a half hours editing and processing images for my class assignment. This one did not make the cut but I probably spent the most time on it so I decided to give it a place here because I still really like it.
From John O’Donohue:
Beauty does not linger, it only visits.
Can’t believe I have made it to day 80 already. And now the lavender is finally starting to bloom.
Today’s insight from John O’Donohue:
Our deepest self-knowledge unfolds as we are embraced by Beauty.
So, what I learned in class yesterday was that the thing that is closest to my lens needs to be in focus and then I need to adjust my aperture to get whatever else I want to be in focus. Worked out pretty well on this one I think.
And from John O’Donohue:
The wonder of the Beautiful is its ability to surprise us.
Here’s another one from the Hydrangea. This one got high marks from my photography teacher in today’s class.
From John O’Donohue:
When we awaken to the call of beauty, we become aware of new ways of being in the world. We were created to be creators. At its deepest heart, creativity is meant to serve and evoke beauty.
Today I headed to North Mountain Park to practice my new skills in defusing harsh light. The poppies were the stars of the show. These big orange ones were just about done, the red ones are coming on and the California poppies are just everywhere.
Today from John O’Donohue:
The Beautiful offers us an invitation to order, coherence and unity. When these needs are met, the soul feels at home in the world.