• flowers,  insects,  Plants,  quotes

    It’s interesting…

    Fern-leaf Yarrow and pollen laden bee

    The inner spirit is who I really am. My body is alive in this nature and exists in its frame. I do not need to be spiritual to find this. I only need to stop believing that the ego, the small self, is me. If I do, a different knowing emerges which has a largeness and a certain beauty. It is an expression of power and love beyond the usual definitions. To live in its knowledge is to know yourself to be free.

    from A NEW SET OF EYES by Paula D’Arcy

    This is fern-leaf yarrow, and is an upright, clump-forming yarrow that is native to the Caucasus, Iran and Afghanistan and is in the sunflower family. Interestingly one name listed for them is nosebleed. (?) It is considered an invasive species by some states in the US. And, man is still not on that list. I find these plants in almost every natural area I visit. I really like how they look and the pollinators seem to like them also, as you can see with the heavily laden bee in this image.

    I’m in a place in life where I resonate with the above quote. This process of uncovering who I really am, this knowing who I am, is exciting and freeing. Interesting that this bee does not consider what political party to belong to, what church to attend, what it’s favorite band is this week, and the other stuff we place in our lives. It lives in the knowledge of what it is and the life it is meant to live. It is free!

    It’s interesting that I have used the word interesting three times in this post. Now four. 😂

  • bees,  flowers,  insects

    A New Month

    Collecting Pollen
    Collecting Pollen

    “Soon it will be fall.  The frost will come… All of this is familiar. And yet none of this has every happened before as it is happening now.”

    Wendell Berry
  • bees,  insects,  Plants

    Busy Bee

    Loaded with Pollen
    Loaded with Pollen

    I sat by my pond the other afternoon with soft diffused light due to cloud cover.  A busy bee made his appearance moving from one flower to another collecting pollen. I watched with enjoyment and took a handful of photos but I mainly watched the constant movement. Look close and you’ll see the pollen on the legs.

  • Plants,  quotes

    Accept the Moment

    Milkweed Bugs
    Romping in the Pollen

    “When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back. A week is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny.”
    ― Paulo Coelho, The Devil and Miss Prym

    Being the dreamer that I am, I’ve had a tendency to wander off to the past or the future, knowing I cannot live in either. As I’ve lived with life’s necessary lessons, I’m more prone to live in the present moment. I’m not as prone to look back on choices and experiences that have altered my life with “regrets.” The regrets have been replaced with gratitude, allowing me to enjoy the wonders of the moment. Photography has also helped in that process. If I allow it, the camera offers me a chance to look closer and more intent at life. It helps me slow down, take it all in and enjoy all that is in front of me. Most importantly, my camera can only take images of the present moment. No need to look back. Instead accept the moment.

  • Canon Powershot G12,  flowers,  Plants

    Aaachooo!

    A Dusting of Pollen

    A few days ago my sister and I noticed the petals of her flowers and the leaves, along with her lawn chairs, and everything else was covered with a golden dusting of pollen. Excitedly I grabbed the little G12 and crawled around in her yard. First over here the over there. I didn’t really care if I got any keepers, and I didn’t, but I was having fun, feeling like a little kid.