awakening

There is not a sprig of grass that shoots uninteresting to me.
--Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) 3rd US President

frosted windowpane

Frost is the greatest artist in our clime - He paints in nature and describes in rime.
--Thomas Hood (1799-1845) English Poet and Humorist

reflections

Life is like a mirror, we get the best results when we smile at it.
--Anonymous

Reflections on Laurel Fork in the Dennis Cove area of Carter County, TN.

let it roll

It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.
--Robert Francis Kennedy (1925-1968) American Politician

Above: Watauga River Abstract

character

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.
--Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) 16th US President

love is stronger

To live in the hearts we leave
Is not to die.
--Thomas Campbell (1777-1844) Scottish poet

Today I remember and celebrate the life of Steven Hunter -- a Milligan College student who died unexpectedly four years ago today. Steven meant so much to so many of us. I was fortunate to have him in class and serve as his pre-law advisor. I first met him in the spring before he transferred to Milligan for his junior year and we met briefly and talked about law school and his schedule. Months later, when he arrived on campus, I remember passing him on the sidewalk and saying, "Steven, right?"
He smiled and said, "That's amazing."
"What?"
"That you remembered my name."

Well, there was something unforgettable about Steven. He stood out and made an impression. Moving here from Ohio, Steven fell in love with Appalachia. He just couldn't get enough fly fishing and hiking. He was gracious -- quick with a 'thank you' and a kind, encouraging word. He loved to laugh and goof around. But if you got him talking about his family and his faith, you'd quickly realize that he was a serious young man with deep convictions. He had a beautiful heart. I'm very thankful to have known him -- and my thoughts and prayers are with his wonderful parents today. I'll end this with Steven's own words. On his Facebook page, he described himself this way:

I am a lover of simple things; my banjo, rocking chairs, and mountains to name a few. I am doing my best to live a life that pleases the Lord, trying not to stumble too much. I do my best to live by my motto: "No worries." Why waste time? It's all in the Lord's hands.

To see my previous posts about Steven, click here, here and here. Below is a video tribute I put together.

inner things

In a way Winter is the real Spring - the time when the inner things happen, the resurgence of nature.
--Edna O'Brien (b.1932) Irish novelist and short story writer

The stalks of dead weeds in the snow.

abundant life

Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.
--Eskimo Proverb

I post this today in memory of Shirley Swink and in honor of her husband, Bill. Shirley fought a long, difficult battle following her stroke with grace and courage. In her life, Shirley dedicated herself to her family and her church. She was sweet, and kind, and generous. And joyful. When I think of her, I picture her laughing and grinning ear to ear. She was full of life and a joy to be around. Throughout her long illness, Bill was there by her side -- Never complaining or thinking of himself. He gave himself completely to Shirley's care and in so doing, he showed us what love looks like in action. Today Shirley was laid to rest - but we will continue to rejoice in all of the precious memories and goodness she left behind. And as we thank God for sharing Shirley with us, we also thank Him for Bill and his powerful witness to love.

pesky weeds

I always think of my sins when I weed. They grow apace in the same way and are harder still to get rid of.
--Helena Rutherford Ely, A Woman's Hardy Garden, 1903

sensational simplicity

The simplification of anything is always sensational.
--G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936) English essayist and poet

This is a different photo of the same subject as yesterday's post, Rocky Fork. I zoomed in because I was completely amazed by the intricate forms appearing in the churning water.

Christmas Magic

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.
--Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993) Protestant preacher and author

A lazy, rainy day, and not wanting to venture out to photograph real trees, I took this out-of-focus shot of my Christmas tree.

Photo details: Shot with the Nikon D80 and 50mm f/1.8 lens, ISO 400, 1/40s.

surrounded by mystery

I would rather live in a world where my life is surrounded by mystery than live in a world so small that my mind could comprehend it.
--Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878-1969) American clergyman

When I zoomed in, I liked the lines and abstract nature of what I saw. Even though it's a very small waterfall, it has a lot of interesting detail in its layers of water and rock. This is Clear Fork Falls -- at least that's what I call it. I doubt the falls have an official name. After all, it's only four-feet tall (if that) and was created as a man-made fish barrier to keep non-native rainbow trout from invading the native brook trout populations upstream. Man-made or not, it's still a pretty place to stop along the Unaka Mountain Road to take a photo and be surrounded by mystery!

influence

The life I touch for good or ill will touch another life, and that in turn another, until who knows where the trembling stops or in what far place my touch will be felt.
--Frederick Buechner (1926-2022) Presbyterian minister and author 

 Above: Reflections along the Erwin Linear Trail, Erwin, TN

Seeing

The question is not what you look at, but what you see.
--Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

Stained-glass windows of autumn and ourselves

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.
--Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (1926-2004), Swiss-American psychiatrist & author

These reflections from Laurel Fork Creek, outside of Hampton, TN, remind me of stained-glass windows. If the water had been perfectly still, somehow I don't think it would have been as interesting or dramatic. It's the brokenness of the water that causes the light to sparkle and the colors to dance. The same, I believe, can be said for us -- that our true beauty is revealed through our brokenness.

Gospel finger painting

God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees, and flowers, and clouds, and stars.
--Martin Luther

Another amazing sunset last night. The sky in this photo looks unreal, but besides some minor color balancing and vignette correction, this is how it appeared!

Butterfly Abstract

I already posted a butterfly picture last Saturday (scroll down or click here), but as my posts this week seem to be taking on a 'photo tips' theme, another butterfly picture came to mind. This photo has been cropped. A lot. That's another benefit of digital - it's so easy to re-frame the photo, long after the butterfly has flown away. In this case, the photo was largely out of focus and was just about deleted. But then I noticed an interesting pattern of tiny flowers ringing the butterfly's colorful wings. I wish I could tell you that I saw this when I was snapping away -- but it was only later, when I had the time to really inspect the scene that this interesting detail revealed itself. So next time you're going through your photos, look twice. It's an opportunity to re-frame the scene, and create an entirely different look.