Hold on to Hope – Look for the new leaf Feb. 4, 2026

Is this a tree, or what? We rescued this little maple tree from the lawn mower, when it was just a few inches tall. That was in the Spring, and it had some healthy leaves on it, living in a pot inside the house. Then when Fall came, those leaves dropped off just the same as if it had been outside. Read more

Feeling Overwhelmed? Stare at the Clouds Jan. 8, 2026

Take Heart – We’re gonna get through this Is the news getting you down? Me too. We need a way to remember that this is not all there is. That the world keeps turning. The sun is shining and the birds are singing. Read more

Discontent, disillusionment, or dystopia? Dec. 6, 2025

The phrase “The Winter of our Discontent” came to my mind as I was preparing to write this post. But I wasn’t aware of where it came from. Turns out, John Steinbeck wrote a book with that title, drawn from the first line in Shakespeare’s Richard III. They are both dealing with moral corruption and the drive for material success. From around 1593 to 1961, to 2025, humanity keeps circling back to the same troubling state. Read more

Strawberry Bush – food for thought Oct. 9, 2025

American Strawberry Bush, found at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge I discovered these berries on a walk down a fairly dark forest path. The flash of red really caught my eye, so I went macro to capture these very tiny miracles. Read more

Embracing All the Stages of Life Sept. 2025

“Natural Ikebana” When I first caught a glimpse of this flower, I was attracted to the way the sunlight was highlighting the main flower in an otherwise shady area. Then, as I enlarged the photo and looked more closely, I could see all the stages or phases of this plant. Read more

Take a Break – pause to refresh Aug. 13, 2025

Contemplate the Water, Sun and Sky

Even though this is a still picture, when I stare at it, the water seems to move. This is Wheeler Lake, part of the Tennessee River, so it is constantly moving. Let your eyes focus on the water and see what I mean. Read more

The Puzzle of Life – Show me the Box! July 10, 2025

This post is a deviation from my normal pattern of writing. Normally, I would share a photo of nature and offer prompts for contemplation. But these are unusual times for the United States, and even the world. Never before in almost 250 years have we been subjected to such uncertainty and chaos. So many things we have counted on for stability and security ARE GONE. Read more

Exploring with Expectation – June, 2025

Craving Adventure

Going somewhere new and different can be exciting, stimulating, or frightening. I seem to vascillate between loving comfort and security, and craving new adventures. Since I took up photography, I have this need to see something other than the view from my window, or all my photos would look the same. Read more

Contemplate with Music – feel the peace – May, 2025

Different conditions call for different actions

This post is quite a departure from my usual practice of contemplating a photo in silence. I hope you will allow the music to soothe your anxious thoughts and give you something to hold on to. Read more

Learning from Nature – rebirth, evolution, restoration

…..As a rule, I try to keep my posts timeless, without reference to current events, so they will continue to be relevant into the future. But the Spring of 2025 is an unprecedented time, at least for the United States. Other countries are very familiar with dictators and unjust rulings, but tell me it isn’t happening here! Read more