Friday, March 14, 2014

Focus on Life: Checking Out - The Beauty All Around Us!





Um, No, not really....


Yeah. Had a hard time with this week's prompt "Beauty All Around." If you have been following my Focus on Life posts for the past 14 or so months, you might have noticed that I usually have no trouble finding beauty. But for this week, I wanted to capture some natural beauty in my environment. 

But you know that time between full on winter, and balmy spring? We call it Mud Season. Some years it would be over by now. Not this year. I refuse to illustrate Mud Season. 

But I did get out there and searched for beauty. It was not easy. 

I got scratches. I had to look down. I had to walk in mud. And snow, and muddy snow. But near a small brook that drains off a natural spring, which sends up liquid water all winter...I found some rather fragile beauty.  


The very beginnings of pussywillows
Would you believe - skunk cabbage?

And some more skunk cabbage



Mossy rock in the water












Tiny ferns growing out of the moss

















Let's see what beauty other people have found.














12 comments:

  1. Beauty is all around us, but sometimes we really have to work a seeing it. Your photos are all very lovely and full of color and great texture.

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  2. I almost did the mud photo but decided it just wasn't beautiful!! I do like the beauty you managed to find. It's nice to see some color.

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  3. Ooh, you captured the beauty just perfect! It's becoming Mud season here too, right now it's still Slushy season :) The willow buds are absolutely gorgeous!

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  4. Sounds like you suffered for your art this week... but it was soooo worth it :)

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  5. Beti! It must be a delight to see all those signs of spring!!! I am jealous...but hopeful our mud season will be over soon!!! Great shots and definitely beautiful!

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  6. I don't think I'd like mud season much, but I do love all of your amazing photos. I remember my 2nd grade teacher brining in a bunch of Pusywillows and arranging them in a vase on her desk. We all thought they were funny looking 'flowers' as we called them. But she reminded us that they meant that Spring was on its way and that made them the hit of the room!! I've loved them ever since!

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  7. I would love to see mud season here... We just got more snow... we unpacked the moving van on the green front lawn mid march 2002... I can't imagine moving furniture in her this year! I should see if I can find the pussywillow tree here and see if it's in bud?

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  8. Well, you managed to find some lovely beauties!

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  9. What lovely photos - it was worth the effort and the mud! Lovely to see signs of Spring at last.

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  10. Your trek in the mud was worth it. You got some fabulous photos.

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  11. I am fascinated by the skunk cabbage. Both the name and the almost alien looking pod pushing it's way out of the ground. Gotta go google that now! Lovely pictures by the way!

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  12. Oh I just got a jolt of nostalgia looking at the pussy willow buds. I had forgotten how much I love them. Thanks for enduring scratches and other environmental hazards to bring us such great photos this week!

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