Enchanting | RedGage
This is a moonflower that I grew this year. I was excited about it because (like year-except I forgot) I was afraid they were not going to bloom. But they wait for September for me anyway. A moonflower is a very unique beautiful flower that not only smells enchanting, but is magical to see. It only blooms one time, one night and than its life is over. So for a short few hours, the world is blessed with their existence and there beauty until sunrise.
This photo is a moonflower at the end of its life cycle. The closer they get to dying, the more their scent goes away.
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Your pictures are exceptional Eva and I love your friend's comment on the bridge! You see through the camera lens, just as you do without the camera, much detail that other's miss. I spent time in the SC Botanical Garden at Clemson this Saturday and it's such a great resource of peace and tranquility and like opening a door into another world of beauty!
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting. I agree a 100%, the Botanical Gardens is a place that I feel most people who love Nature will find a tranquility and peace that touches deep within. Every time I go to the Botanical Gardens, it feels like when I leave my soul has been cleansed. It is odd saying that but nature is so much a part of me.
DeleteNot odd at all Eva, but a very beautiful and articulate perspective! That's from the heart... and nature constantly calls us back to her...the mother of us all giving nourishment for the soul... for all of our sensory faculties are receptive, and engaged and alive ... in another Eden~
DeleteThose are beautiful words to live by. Thank you for sharing them. That is one reason why Autumn is my favorite season, The mother earth gifts us with one final cleanse while she rest for the winter. It is through her abundant beauty during Autumn that fills our hearts and souls with gratefulness while she rest. Through this process we learn so much about being thankful for everything in our life.
DeleteI so agree she gives us an "Attitude of Gratitude" as she teaches us about life... and death. She's beautiful when awake and when resting, but she's beautiful beyond comparison in October as she is preparing to shed her outer cover while she rests through the winter. Then in late March thru April, May and June she calls us again to witness the miracle of her awakening and the stunning beauty of all her treasures in full bloom~
ReplyDeleteWith your artistic talent, your intuition and passion for nature, I sense you would enjoy and identify with the beautifully hand crafted books about nature from Gwen Frostic... illustrated with her own art and poetic wisdom: http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/to-those-who-see I walked past her book, "To Those Who See" in an obscure book store in the mountains of NC in the 70s...and the title just literally called out to me. Just a sample Excerpt on Spring:
Now…life in all its countless forms is beginning to stir…timed to the cycle of the sun…each life is born on time…
Eggs of turtles…frogs…and insects are hatching…millions of seeds are sprouting…the things which will not awaken are giving life to those that do…and thereby shall live again this spring…and always…
The sun is higher…the days are longer…and the magic of spring has touched every living thing…each…attuned to life…is ready to rise in a mystical kinship with beauty…
~ excerpt from To those who see by Gwen Frostic
I gave my book to my cousin for her birthday, but think I will order another from Amazon where I saw a good used one for $4.
I agree with your definition about natures change. It is like every season change-we watch and learn so much. Each transformation brings with it an abundance of learning and beauty.
DeleteI will have to check that book out. It sounds beautiful. Another great book is: "As far as the eyes can see". It is a book about a man who walks the Appalachian Trail-and the way he describes his experience and the beauty he sees is breathe taken. This is a tiny part of the description of the book from Amazon: "This book is for anyone interested in getting beyond the day-to-day slog of the hike to explore the emotional and spiritual dimensions of a long journey on foot."
I actually fell in love with this book because I found something unique about his writing. When he describes something, it is like he is 100% connected to the essence of nature.
All of this talk has made me want to visit the Botanical Gardens (which I do often) A friend and I are going this morning, so I am real excited about that. I know it is a little too early to capture photos with the autumn colors, but I do believe I can find a few colorful leaves *smiles* we will see.
I know you will enjoy each visit to the gardens Eva, because whether the colorful leaves and autumn color are there or not, you will be one with what you find there. We are fortunate in the Carolina s and Georgia to still have an abundance of... and such a variety of Nature to explore from the mountains to the sea.
ReplyDeleteI have hiked many portions of the Appalachian Trail, and the Foothills Trail, but never had the time to hike over four days per trip. My favorite was where Va., Tenn.,and NC meet at the Mt. Rogers/Grayson Highlands/Rhododendron Gap section done in the middle of October many years back when the leaf turn was at its peak and it was the most beautiful I've ever seen. The Highlands are the closest thing to an alpine experience we have and from points you can see 360 degrees on a clear day. It's a high plateau with herds of wild ponies framed by both the "Blue Wall" of the Blue Ridge Mtns. and the peaks of the Smokies... "As Far As You Can See" is a good description for there. I have friends who have hiked the entire AT from Ga. to Maine in one trip and for each it was a life changing experience. Like you... all this talk makes me want to get out there somewhere this weekend ;>) So many books... so many places... so little time! I know you don't need to hear about another book, but "The Education of Little Tree" by Forrest Carter is one of my favorites of them all... and one I have read many times over, will read again and have given to my children and grandchildren! So if the winter finds you with reading time... the two I have mentioned are ones I sense you would find enchanting reads.
Life is indeed filled with magic... and I admire how you have harnessed your talents through your camera and your writing into "White Oak's World". We all have a deep need to understand and express why we are here... and to express our interests. There is an inner joy discovered when others share those interests. Thank you for sharing some of mine!
I am envious. My mothers ex-husband was a real outdoor kind of person and he too had great dreams about walking the AP. It was during that time that a few of us were gearing up and preparing to walk it in a year or two. Unfortunately, life changes so fast that often dreams are put on hold. What was the saddest during that time, is my mothers ex purchased us the AP patch in Ohio and the rule of thumb is you never display the patch until you have walked it. It always made me really sad to see that patch, so now I live the dream through books and such. I know there are a few people on Squidoo who has walked the AP and I love reading their stories.
DeleteThe Education of Little Tree-isn't there a movie out by that name? I am almost positive there is because my husband found it on TV one morning and we were watching it. Little Tree is a Native American boy who helps his step-grandfather make moonshine but he is taken away?
Yesterday my friend and I were talking about trees, and much they mean to us. I took a photo that hopefully I will be able to post sometime today that I am calling "Reaching for Heaven". I was standing under the trees and did an upper shot, it was amazing. I have taken a few photos like this but not a ton. It is only with certain trees that call to me to take that shot. As always, thank you for commenting, I appreciate you visiting and sharing.
Little Tree was made into a movie Eva, but like so many movies made from books, it was a poor representation of the book in my opinion. The casting wasn't great and it left out so much of the essential flavor of the book. Such as: "Grandma said I would come to know that the old sweet gum tree in my secret place had a spirit too. Not a spirit like humans, but a tree spirit. She said her pa, Brown Hawk, had taught her all about it. She said his understanding was deep and he could feel the tree thought. Once, she said, when she was a little girl, her Pa was troubled and said the White Oaks on the mountain near them was excited and scared. He spent much time on the mountain, walking among the Oaks. They were of much beauty, tall and straight. They wasn't selfish, allowing ground for sumach and persimmon, and hickory and chestnut to feed the wild things. Not being selfish gave them much spirit and their spirit was strong. Grandma said her Pa got so worried about the Oaks that he would walk amongst them at night, for he knew something was wrong.
ReplyDeleteThen early one morning, as the sun broke the mountain ridge, Brown hawk watched while lumbermen moved through the White Oaks, marking and figuring how to cut all of them down. When they left, Brown Hawk said the White Oaks commenced to cry. And he could not sleep. So he watched the lumbermen. They built a road up to the mountain which to bring their wagons.
Grandma said her Pa talked to the Cherokees and they determined to save the White Oaks. She said at night, when the lumbermen would leave and go back to the settlement, the Cherokees would dig up the road, hacking deep trenches across it. The women and children helped."
Grin... you'll have to read the book to know how that turned out ;>D Gotta run... Hope your weekend is wonderful.
Wow, you are right they did leave some of the best parts out of the movie. I wonder if they will consider a second part? One of my favorite things to hear are the Pine Trees talking/singing back and forth in the woods. While walking in a forest area, among the beautiful nature songs, if you listen closely you will hear the song of the Pine Trees. I actually wrote something about this (I believe a poem) I will have to look it up and share it on this blog. Hope you have a great day. Once again, thank you for commenting and visiting.
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