joy | hope | love

It's not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something. May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, sharing what we have for the betterment of personkind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely. 
--Leo F. Buscaglia (1924-1998) author. 

little things matter

It's the little things that are vital. Little things make big things happen.
--John Wooden (1910-2010) Basketball coach. 

Just a reminder... It's not to late to pick up a copy (or two) of my 2014 Appalachian Treks calendar! :)

simplification

The simplification of life is one of the steps to inner peace. A persistent simplification will create an inner and outer well-being that places harmony in one's life.  
--Peace Pilgrim (1908-1981) American pacifist and peace activist. 

Above: A macro of a small plant amid a carpet of green moss. I was surprised to find anything so green and vibrant on the top of Buffalo Mountain in the midst of winter.

press on

I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying. 
--Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) South African anti-apartheid activist who was jailed for 27 years; Following his release, Mandela was elected President of South Africa. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

growth

Growth is the only evidence of life.
--John Henry Newman (1801-1890) priest and author.  

Are any of you iPhone users on Instagram? If so, add me! My user name is mwpeacock. For those who haven't succumbed to the iPhone and all things Apple, you can still see the photos I post on Instagram by clicking here.

dew dance

Let your life lightly dance on the edges of Time like dew on the tip of a leaf.
--Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)  Indian author. 

Still time to order an Appy Treks 2012 Calendar in time for Christmas!  Use code 'COUNTDOWN305' during checkout and get 25% off! (thru 12/14)

golden moment

To improve the golden moment of opportunity, and catch the good that is within our reach, is the great art of life.
--Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) English Poet, Critic and Writer. 

simplicity

Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough.
--Charles Dudley Warner (1829-1900) American author 

A macro of a small sprig of a plant growing out of moss and lichen.

no uninteresting things

There are no uninteresting things, only uninterested people. 
—G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936) English writer

Sorry if this one grosses you out (think of this as a pre-Halloween post), but when I saw it I had to run and get my macro lens. This has to be one of the strangest things in nature I've ever seen. This bizarre insect is simply known as a wheel bug - named for the round and spiny armor on its back. Fairly large (1.5 inches long) and slow moving, the wheel bug is capable of clumsy, noisy flight -- and is actually considered beneficial to have around, as they feed on nuisance pests.  When it encounters its prey, it uses its beak like a harpoon to attack and inject enzymes which paralyzes its victim. They shouldn't be carelessly handled, as a bite from one of these is said to be painful. Click photo to enlarge if you're interested.

choosing to see

To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle. 
--George Orwell (1903-1950) English author

Sprouts from moss on the forest floor.

Gather ye photos, while ye may

Can you tell I recently spent some time in the woods taking macros? This series of leaf photos that I've been posting were taken in the woods behind my house in the golden light just before sunset. I wanted to capture some color before it disappears and the browns, grays and blahs settle in for the winter -- and plus, I just love the color variation, the texture and the look of these beech leaves. Hope you don't mind, but I have a few more I want to share in the coming days.

Don't wait. The time will never be just right.
--Napoleon Hill (1883-1970) American author

gold leaf

When the trees their summer splendor
Change to raiment red and gold,
When the summer moon turns mellow,
And the nights are getting cold;
When the squirrels hide their acorns,
And the woodchucks disappear;
Then we know that it is autumn,
Loveliest season of the year.
--Carol L. Riser, Autumn

The Autograph of God

Everywhere I find the signature, the autograph of God, and he will never deny his own handwriting. God hath set his tabernacle in the dewdrop as surely as in the sun. No man can any more create the smallest flower than he could create the greatest world.
–Joseph Parker (1830-1902)

Wild blueberry blooms.

the little flower

The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of its scent nor the daisy of its simple charm. If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness.
--Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897), known as "The Little Flower of Jesus," Saint Therese was a Roman Catholic nun who was canonized a saint and recognized as a Doctor of the Church, one of only three women to receive that honor. Pope Pius XI called her "the greatest saint of modern times."

Let there be hope

The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring.
--Bern Williams

I love the look of new leaves in springtime -- so vibrant, crinkly and sharp. They burst on the scene with such hope and joy.

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

anticipation and inspiration

Every gardener knows that under the cloak of winter lies a miracle ... a seed waiting to sprout, a bulb opening to the light, a bud straining to unfurl. And the anticipation nurtures our dream.
--Barbara Winkler

The winter chill settled in again today, but I've got spring on my mind. It's impossible to be content in February. Fortunately, little sprouts like these growing in silence give us hope.

My thanks to Marie for her mention today of Appalachian Treks on the Blue Ridge Blog. To be honest, although we've never met, she was one of the main inspirations for starting this project two years ago. Her photos and stories inspired me to share my own journeys and experiences of this beautiful region. Thanks Marie!

And while I'm mentioning sources of inspiration, let me introduce you to a new local blog -- Kingsport photographer Earl Carter's Southern Visions. On it he shares wonderful photos of Appalachia, some old and some new, along with stories of the places he's visited and those he's meet during his years as a photojournalist. Check it out -- and be sure to click on the 'older posts' link at the bottom to see all that he's posted so far.

Photo info: Nikon D90 with Tamron 90mm lens at f/3.8, 1/30 sec., ISO 500.

the journey home

The world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles, no matter how long, but only by a spiritual journey, a journey of one inch, very arduous and humbling and joyful, by which we arrive at the ground at our feet, and learn to be at home.
--Wendell Berry (b.1934)

It's always exciting to see spring appear and begin to unfold. The forecast for this week is for more winter, but the signs of spring are all around. Today I arrived at the ground at my feet and got lost in all of the little harbingers of spring. My neighbors probably think I'm nuts. But there's something cathartic (as well as humbling and arduous) about lying face down on the damp ground and examining the marvelous, silent renewal taking place. And realizing this transformation all takes place at its appointed time. The earth turns, the axis pivots, the days lengthen, and the tulips grow. Order amid our chaos.

hope rekindled

Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again.
--Sarah Ban Breathnach

Time vs. Truth

Time, whose tooth gnaws away everything else, is powerless against truth.
--Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-1895) English Biologist

I'm continuing this week's theme of 'practicing seeing' by taking photos in and around home. I liked the simple composition here combining circular and the diagonal elements.