MY PHILOSOPHY

MY PHILOSOPHY
When we show our respect for the other living things, they respond with respect for us.----Arapaho Proverb

Thursday, November 25, 2010

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!

Hard to believe it's already Thanksgiving, isn't it?  Especially with some magnificent colors still left on the trees.  And it looks as if Mother Nature has saved the very best of her fabulous hues for last!!  I love it!!!!


Ah!  Time to celebrate the bountiful harvest with elaborate feasting.  I just love all the vibrant colors, textures and aromas of Autumns delights! 






 I am overflowing with gratitude for all of the beauty and abundance in my life!




Even though it will still officially be Fall until the Winter Solstice occurs on December 21, this will be the last time most of us will acknowledge it.  Rather, we tend to move on now, looking ahead to celebrations of the Winter Season such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Pagan Yule, etc.  And so, Thanksgiving is really more of a farewell to Fall, but boy does it ever go out with a bang!





I WILL miss all the brilliant colors, but thoughts of the Season of ice and snow is ever so gently beckoning me onward with the promise of even more delights ahead.  Which is as it should be!




And so, as Fall ever so slowly  winds down, I wish you much......





May  your Holiday be filled with abundance on every level!



Happy Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

A FEW FUN 'FOTOS'

When something catches my eye, I photograph it!  And LOTS of things catch my eye.  Thank goodness for digital cameras that don't need expensive film and developing.  I no longer have to limit myself to one roll of film or count how many pictures I've taken so far, I just joyously click away. Not all of my shots are worthy of the cover of National Geographic Magazine, of course, but I HAVE had my moments. And then , of course, there area those infernal moments when you see THE picture opportunity of a lifetime and where is the camera????  Oh well, it happens!!!!

Today I have compiled just a few odd things I've seen along the way.  Some are just plain funny and others fill me with wonder.  I hope you will enjoy them.

One day, I was walking along the edge of Lake Harmony in Pa. and saw, of all things, an alligator!!  Well, I saw his head anyway, the rest of him must have been buried in the mud.




On a recent walk in the woods behind my home, I came across these wonders.  You need to know that we've experienced some really strong winds off and on around here for months and yet this tree has somehow stood here solidly, on tip toe!!!





Now how amazing is that???





Equally amazing was this downed tree with a rock embedded into its root system.  I wondered if it was just kind of sitting there loosely, so I tried to lift it out.  But no way; it was like Excalibur all over again!  And obviously I was not pure of heart enough to accomplish the deed!





And yet just like the sword in the stone, it looked like it should be so easy!!!






Another time I was at Brady Lake and saw the strangest sight!  A tree apparently doing pull ups!  I wasn't going to get close enough to this one to see exactly how it was suspended, for fear of getting squished!!  But doesn't it look amazing just hanging there like that with no visible means of support?





This looks like two rock people sitting on top there.  I wonder if it was done on purpose or not.  You have to view it from just the right angle to get the effect.





Now I ask you, would you eat in a place with a name like this?  Even though the bus terminal is right across the street, perhaps they might have given the name just a little more thought. (There's no need to sue me for slander, it's only MY humble opinion!!)






Here is just a funny shot of my little red car parked, legally I might add, next to a little red fire hydrant.  I just thought it made a cute picture.






I know this is just a big crane atop that tall building, but I thought it really looked like a dragonfly.




I'm not certain what you thought of these pictures, but at least this glove is giving me a big 'thumbs up'!!





Well, that may have been quite silly but it WAS fun too, wasn't it?
 






Monday, November 22, 2010

FACES IN NATURE

Have you ever seen faces looking back at you when you are out in Nature?  No, I am NOT paranoid, I
mean friendly faces, or sleeping ones, or faces of any kind?  I do ALL the time!  Allow me to show you what I mean.

Take this fellow, for example, head cocked sideways; how shy he seems. 

                             

Or this timid looking little fellow, nervously asking, "Who's there"?



Not all of the faces I see are looking back at me though. Some are intent upon something known only to them.  Like this fellow just lying back in profile, contentedly watching the stream ripple past him.





And this most interesting face of a black man, perhaps Aboriginal, complete with beard, on his back just enjoying the cold water washing over him. He looks like he's REALLY enjoying it!!!





Here's a giant face, in profile, of a creature right out of Star Wars! He seems to be stalking something just out of my line of sight.  I half expected to see a long, slimy tongue come darting out of his mouth!!!





Apparently I frightened this poor old soul when I stepped over him in the woods.  I guess he didn't hear me coming!





And then there is this ancient one has been snoozing away for who knows how long!!!





Some faces seem to suddenly pop out of nowhere when you least expect them!  Peek-a-boo!!!





And last, but certainly not least, is this regal looking chap who just HAS to be King in this neck of the woods!





Why he's even wearing a crown!!!





So next time you are out anywhere in Nature take a good long look around and see who YOU might meet along the trail!







Sunday, November 21, 2010

NATURE WATCHING CROCHET STYLE???

Everything about Nature fascinates and delights me!  Coming across a tender little evergreen seedling makes my heart soar, finding some exotic wild mushrooms to photograph practically puts me over the edge, and watching a spider weave an intricate web that appears MUCH bigger than the tiny  creature could  POSSIBLY have enough 'string' for, fills me with wonder. I love it all!!!

Wherever I go I am on the alert, watching, watching, so as not to miss a single marvel.  Sometimes I'll just sit in one spot quietly and watch as the natural world goes about its daily business.  If you are still enough for long enough, you never know who might happen by.  I once had a fox couple pass within a few feet of me in the twilight and couldn't believe my eyes when a pileated woodpecker demolished a dead tree trunk in search of a meal right there in front of me (before noticing and chastising me severely).

But I don't fool myself for a minute.  I know I am NOT the only one out there watching!  Out in Nature, EVERYONE has to be watching carefully or they just might wind up in somebody else's stomach for dinner. In a situation where everyone is listed on the menu, it doesn't make sense to do otherwise!

Walking along I can FEEL eyes upon me at every turn and hear the hush that comes upon an area as I crunch along in the leaf litter with my noisy human feet, snapping twig after twig as I go.  How many little creatures are present, I wonder, and hoping I will pass by without noticing them? 

This was the impetus for me when my Free Form group challenged us to each make a needlework piece representing the theme "Somewhere in my World".  As the title implies, this marvelous group is comprised of people who like to push the craft(s) to their limit in self expression.  There were no rules, (or it wouldn't be 'free') , and no patterns to follow either, and your work could use ANY  'form' you desired ( mixing a multitude of techniques). In other words, anything goes!!!!

For my piece, (which was my very first attempt, by the way),  I made a wall hanging using crochet and knit.  I entitled it "Nature Watching", where one can't be certain if you are the seer or the seen!  I must say it came put pretty good for someone who had never 'colored outside the lines' with my crocheting before.  And here is what I came up with.



Since it's pretty hard to really see any detail,  here are a few close ups.










This event was all put together by a wonderful artist named Myra Wood featuring 61 freeform fiber artists (including me!) from all over the globe.  Myra has a book published with the results of the show each year.  For more information about the Freeform Fiberarts Guild and the books,  you can go to the link under  'blogs that inspire me'.

Perhaps I have succeeded in inspiring YOU to get out there and watch Nature watching YOU!?!  Enjoy!!


Friday, November 19, 2010

JUST A FALL WALK IN THE PARK

No matter the season, or if I am walking in the woods, meadows, below the dam or around the lake, Beltzville State Park always delights me at every turn.  But I really like it most of all in the fall, when things quiet down and the crowds go home. On days when the lake is unruffled by the steady passing by of boats, lying there so calm with barely a ripple, I can enjoy it's meditative stillness to the fullest.  I particularly love to see all the colored leaves that settle on the bottom so picturesquely.


This year there is a great deal of wood in the water.  It must be a real hassle for the fishermen in their boats, but I think it looks beautiful.  Sometimes the pieces look like a 'Lake' Ness monster surfacing, especially in a fog.  To me, this one looks like a large birds head, perhaps a sea gull or maybe a bald eagle. Look very carefully and see if you can find it.



Or do you see it better close up?


When I can pull myself away from the waters edge and head inland even just a bit, there is SO MUCH to photograph at every turn, that I am most grateful for my digital camera that doesn't eat up tons of film and need expensive processing, so I can bring it ALL home with me!  I just walk and click away as each new leaf and twig is even more beautiful than the one before and every turn in the path brings ever more delights.  I won't bore you with a million pictures here, but sit back a spell and enjoy the few I have weeded out of the bunch to share with you. It was a real hard decision, but the winners are........





















And how about these bright green leaves in the middle of November!  Autumn is sure taking her sweet old time this year, and isn't it grand?  By now we should be looking at nothing but naked trees and shrubs and still the magnificent colors linger to delight us!






Now I know that dandelions are very sturdy little fellows, but this just HAS to be the last
one of the season!!!  And what a pleasant surprise it was to come across on the trail!






And last but certainly not least....I wonder who lives in the heart-shaped hollow in the bottom of this tree.  Perhaps one day I will go calling to find out.




                           

Well that was a nice little respite, wasn't it?  I sincerely hope you enjoyed this little fall walk in the park with me.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

MEET A SPECIAL FRIEND OF MINE

I am fortunate to live close by to beautiful Beltzville State Park, complete with a very large lake.  It affords me SO MANY fun and interesting things to do.  There are quite a few access points to the park and each one has its own unique features.  One of my favorites leads to a less popular side of the lake, where years ago, I met a very special tree that I would like you to meet.

My friend lives on the very edge of the water in a secluded section of the lake.  I have visited in every season, talking, singing and occasionally regaling it with poetry.  My tree has provided me with both a comfortable place to sit and swing my legs and a cozy spot to curl up against its solid trunk with a good book or pen and paper for writing. 



I have been present to witness the unfurling of its leaves in the Spring, and seen the very last of those delightful golden beauties drift gently down to the ground in the Fall.  It has offered me a shady oasis on many a hot Summer's day. We have even seen each other once in a while in the dead of Winter when the road wasn't closed due to snow and ice and the level in the lake was low enough to get through without wading in the  frigid water.

Whenever we visit, I like to see what I can find along the waters edge to decorate the tree with, to honor my old friend. Sometimes I even bring dried flowers from home as an extra adornment. We got together just last week on a very mild day.  There wasn't much to choose from this time around, but I was able to find a few offerings just the same.




The lake is filled with freshwater clams and I found many more of their empty shells than usual since the water level was still very low from the long, dry Summer.  I thought they looked really pretty spread out along the branches.





I also tucked a few shells in some of the crevices along with little pieces of blue string I gathered along the way.




A very interesting, shiny rock and a thick piece of birch bark offered to be part of the decorations too.





There was a length of cotton rope just the right size for a garland and two pieces of rounded black birch bark that hung from it perfectly, like bracelets, a bunch of pine cones for the crotch on the right and an interesting  piece of driftwood with a face on it, on the left. 



There were a handful of bird feathers and some empty seed pods to place in a small hollow in the center there and that definitely helped to round things out.  All in all it's not a bad attempt but I will have to return one day before Winter sets in, to adorn my special tree friend with some of my dried flowers.

I hope you enjoyed meeting this special friend of mine.  I will have to take more pictures throughout the seasons to share with you.  It really is a most lovely tree, especially when in full glorious leaf.