Tag: #SixWordSaturday

Poking Through a Human Made Mess

~ oneletterup ~ 17 Comments

SixWordSaturday

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I am usually rewarded when “looking down” during walks in the woods. I often spy a tiny flower or encrusted leaves or moss or even random fungi on a log. Followed by inspiration to crouch down and capture my discovery on camera.

These small treasures belong in the woods I love so much. The place where I – a mere visitor – go to clear my head (despite the roaring of cars and trucks from the nearby highway) and enjoy total solitude surrounded by nature at its finest…whatever stage it’s in.

I follow a path cut through the woods for the utility company to access. It is also used by ATV riders in the warm months and snowmobile riders in the winter. As well as dog walkers and walkers like me with camera in hand.

The path eventually leads out of the woods to parking lots of two local businesses.

During a walk last month I recently looked down and was horrified to see evidence of bulldozed trash. A whole growing mountain of trash. It wasn’t just a few dropped beer bottles leftover from a party in the woods (which is bad enough), but piles of household trash, construction debris and rusted metal pushed back into a huge mound.

I have no idea who owns this land or if this is technically illegal.

I do know it is just plain wrong.

Peeling and Curling in the Sun

~ oneletterup ~ 34 Comments

During a walk last week, I took a step back from looking at flowers and vines and tall grasses. I noticed a fence “guarding” the river behind it. I am not sure how long ago it was painted, but apparently it’s time for a fresh coat. Or maybe just a new fence. But that’s the town’s problem.

In the meantime, as the sunlight caught the peeling paint and cast this old tired fence in a new light (no pun intended), I aimed my camera up close.

The flowers would have to wait.

SixWordSaturday
photo a day: Texture
colors and letters: With the letter P

[I have ventured into trying to use the block editor WP has forced upon us…and then went back to a hybrid. Time will tell how long this will take before Patience is lost to Aggravation.]

An All Too Brief Pandemic Pause

~ oneletterup ~ 34 Comments

 

on the road

What a sight it was a week ago Friday.

Six hours of driving (almost) nonstop. Highways to city streets to country roads. Following the GPS lady’s directions – every minute bringing us closer to our CovidCation. The weather was beautiful – almost too good to be true.

Faster and faster we drove (well I did…my husband’s foot is not as leaden as mine).

We were out-running a virus after all.

Get my lunch out of the backseat please! The car was packed with 2 coolers, 2 suitcases and laundry baskets full of necessities. My gluten free toaster in one of them. As we learned bringing our kids to college, laundry baskets work out well for car trips…as they can nest when they’re empty for the trip home.

It occurred to me that travel by car meant I could bring Full Size Bottles of whatever I wanted. So I did.

My laptop and our cameras…carefully packed. We remembered the tripod for a group photo. Paw Patrol bubbles (but of course). Decks of cards. Guitar.

We arrived at the lake house in the Pocono Mountains around 6:30 pm.

Within a minute a short blonde 4 year old came running out…Grandma! And somehow he was up in my arms with his arms wrapped around my neck, legs encircling my waist. I don’t know how I picked him up but I must have. The first full on leap into my arms hug since February. Far too long.

After that, my daughter and I shared a good long hug. Face to face for the first time in 6 months. Then hugs for my son-in-law, my son and his girlfriend. We had tested and quarantined and stayed safe. Carefully planned and orchestrated.

All those hugs felt so good.

Of course we were joined by the two family dogs: Lutra and Taco (who have been featured in this blog before). They enjoyed themselves immensely as well.

We were in our own little bubble.

bubbles

A four day pause from virus fears.

firepit

What a sight to see.

No masks.

No social distancing…except from the family swimming across the lake.
(Grandma which one is the dada and which one is the mama? Grandma I think the bigger one is the dada….)

ducks

It was glorious.

~~~

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #109: What a Sight
Ragtag Daily Prompt: Pause
SixWordSaturday

Looking forward to the other side

~ oneletterup ~ 41 Comments

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.”

Rachel Carson

from the back fence

Behind one sturdy fence lies a river
Rising and falling with every tide
Each day the moon is relied on
Nature carrying us along for the ride

I took a break from a long walk in our local park recently and took a seat…alone…on the memorial bench we had donated to honor my in-laws. My view was interrupted by the metal fence separating me from the river beyond. But I knew what was there.

Bordering trees and plant life often double as reflections on the water’s surface. River banks are exposed when the tide is low and disappear when the tide is high. There is something strangely calming and comforting about this. The predictable pull of the moon. An ebb and flow of the changing seasons and time of day.

Nature at its finest with a lesson at its core.

It was hot as blazes the day I took this photo. What did I expect for July? Exactly what happens every July.

I hold out hope upon hope that a predictable life will return someday.

When we get to the other side.

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BeckyB JulySquares: Perspectives
Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Back of things
SixWordSaturday
V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #105: Quotation

I spied with my little eye…

~ oneletterup ~ 35 Comments

BeckyB JulySquares: Perspectives

SixWordSaturday

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I almost missed witnessing a clandestine dewdrop convention during a walk last week. Fortunately a glint of sun caught my eye…stopping me in my tracks.

What is that?

I carefully trespassed a few yards onto an expanse of lawn to investigate. Nobody was out and about…so I was safe to proceed.

First look:

drops far back

How the heck were those drops hanging there? No signs of a cobweb that I could see.

Gotta get closer.

Second look:

drops closer

Maybe…it really was magic.

Third look:

drops floating

Yup. Magic. That explains it.