Tag: nature

Slow and Steady

Grammy Writes10 Comments

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We’ve had DAYS of rain!  Some of it has been harsh, but mostly it’s been slow and steady – the kind of rain that gives birth to new Spring growth. The grass and trees are no doubt the greenest green they will be for the rest of the year.

The rain has also produced an environment conducive to snails apparently, as I have seen a prolific number of them lately. Like a gentle rain, slow and steady describes a determined snail perfectly. I noticed this particular little guy yesterday as he started his journey from one side of the trail where I walked to the other.

When he first felt my presence, he receded into his shell, wary of the danger I might pose. He eventually sensed I meant him no harm and even let me photograph his trek across the pavement. I watched him for about 20 minutes, protecting him from certain death at the hands—I mean feet—of oblivious joggers who passed him by; so distracted were they by their headsets that surely they wouldn’t notice nature, let alone enjoy it.

I am grateful to have witnessed the triumphant progress of this strange little creature who carried his house on his back and moved at… wait for it… a snail’s pace!

For Ragtag Daily Prompt: Grateful

Foto Friday #13

Grammy Writes20 Comments

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Echo the Footsteps – a haiku

Footsteps, now silent,

resonate as memories

across the old bridge

This bridge is gone now. It was a feature I dearly loved in my neighborhood, but because it was difficult to maintain, the political powers-that-be decided to remove it. I used to go there daily to observe nature, the changing seasons, and either the swift movement or sluggish ripple of the creek below. Dozens of photos like the one above – and my footsteps across this bridge – are cherished memories.

Perspective

Grammy Writes13 Comments

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I’ll admit

I didn’t see it coming.

It took me completely by

surprise. I was struck by an unexpected

notion, that the things I once thought magical

were maybe nothing more than just themselves!

The soothing stream that meanders through the meadow,

the autumn leaves as they fly across the moon,

the golden grain caught blushing in the sun;

might not really have a spirit of their own.

Could it be they are simply what they are;

lazy creek, dead leaves, ripened seeds?

Without a doubt, I must control

these hasty bouts of wisdom

before they shatter

me completely!

The delivery of this poem is something different for me. I have never attempted to format a poem into any particular shape before. A bit of a challenge!

This is my response to today’s one-word prompt: Delivery

The photo was taken in Colorado, near the Continental Divide

Autumn Splendor – a slideshow

Grammy Writes2 Comments

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In another week, the Autumn colors in my little corner of the world should be at the height of beauty. I will spend as much time as possible memorizing the magnificent colors and embracing the splendor of Fall. I wish I could create the perfect combination of words to describe the miracle that takes place when seasons change, but I fail at every attempt. All I know is that nature’s cycle is also life’s cycle. The birth of Spring and the growth of Summer give way to the acceptance of change in Autumn and the impermanence of life by Winter’s end.

I love to take photos in the Fall! I like to pretend I have captured the colors and saved them from certain death. Logically, the more photos I take, the more colors I rescue; especially the brilliant ones that only come out during this special time of  year, like burgundy, flame, tangerine and sunshine gold. It seems like a worthy and noble task to me, so I can only hope that winter doesn’t come too soon!

Because pictures are worth a thousand words (and words couldn’t possibly describe the glory I see anyway), here is a slideshow of some of my favorite fall photos.

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