As the lily among thorns

As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. Song of Solomon 2:2

Fall of Spring

Tree fall upon Falling Creek

Portals Below

Petal Rain

Annunciation

Annunciation

A friend commented on the latest Falling Creek Photograph, that I have the best eye and the best camera. That comment amused me. If only she knew the camera I use is not the best. By far. The camera for instance used for this was a point and shoot Canon A540. Today the camera would cost less than a hundred dollars. I have said many times, but to no avail. Give me any camera and a little time to learn its limitations, and I think I could possibly create as compelling an image, as I could with the 'best' camera. This is not boasting. It is like giving a new gun to a marksman. At first, before sighting in, knowing how it shoots, the target cluster would be to the right or left. After a time, with adjustments, spot on. Knowing that 'angels' dwell in the light, I enjoy going about, deliberately shooting into the sunlight, in order to capture them. More often than not, they are camera shy. Ever so rarely, one is caught and it becomes a joy, the interaction with the unseen world. You say, that is no angel, it is mere reflectance and aberration. And you would be correct in your rational mind. And that is your problem. Everything to you is rational, explained, determined. It is my task or joy to attempt every now and then to upset your rational world and show you the hidden,mysterious realm that dances upon your needle. Think how Mary felt when the angel appeared to her. And praise God that she was not the rational type and dismissed the greatest priviledge woman has ever known, the annoucing that she would carry in her womb the Lord who created her womb. Marvelous mystery.

A Stroll Below

Nathaniel and I took a stroll. We came these portals down below. Beckoning to the two, our twins smiling up through the blue. Well, we took a deep breath, and from the world above we left. First we saw this leopard frog, and then this little talking dog. He told us your just in time, this is the spot for the cloud journey line. So we stood and along came an owl. He said, tickets,tickets with a scowl. Thats just grand, I said to the little canine, but how in this world, can a ticket be unfurled? Silly ones! Old Owls just calling for the fat little ticks! And so we hooked up upon our cloud, and my, how we were full of wooos and wows. We swooshed about through the air, we dive bombed some cats and gave 'em a stand up hair! We rode for what seemed hours and hours, then we gently set down among some dogwood flowers. We thanked Mr Owl for letting us ride for free, he said, go in love, you dwellers in the world above. And so we walked and found our portal place, and it wasn't long before we pushed up into the world of haste. We were only gone but for a blink, and as we explained our absence, we gave each other a wink. Now if you find us one day walking down the road, and then all of a sudden , you only see a hopping toad. Ne'er fear, we are only visiting the world of n'er a frown and n'er a tear.

Petal Rain

Since Monday we have lived under the clouds, void of the sunshine. Around 2:16 today, Thursday, March 31st, the sun returned, peeking out here and there behind the rolling clouds making their way east. The creation of this scene was begun in my mind yesterday, when riding past this dogwood, I noticed the petals had been knocked to the ground by the weeks rains. It was now a matter of time before getting back. In walking Nathaniel in the stroller this afternoon around 6PM, I took the little Canon A570 from the car and brought it along. I set it on P, with flash and composed several frames. It took all of a minute, but I had already visualized the scene. This is a good case for always having a camera, or, it really does not matter the camera. I do not think the Nikon D5000 would have done a better job. If this tree was in my yard, I would have climbed it or taken a ladder and taken the shot directly looking down from the trunk. I liked the pines in the background though with the late sun rays, so this works just as well. So there you go. Simple camera. Previsualized scene. Just a simple act of capturing the visualized scene.(Not always this easy).

Ode to Stonewall

ODE TO STONEWALL
by Miles O'Reiley, a Union Officer

He sleeps all quietly and cold beneath the soil that gave him birth
Then break his battle brand in twain, and lay it with him in the earth.

No more at midnight shall he urge his toilsome march among the pines.
Nor hear upon the morning air the war shout of his charging lines.

No more for him shall cannon park or tents gleam white upon the plain;
And where his camp fires blazed of yore, brown reapers laugh amid the grain!

No more above his narrow bed shall sound the tread of marching feet.
The rifle volley and the crash of sabres when the foeman meet.

Young April o'er his lowly mound shall shake the violets from her hair.
And glorious June with fervid kiss shall bid the roses blossom there.

And white-winged peace o'er all the land broods like a dove upon her nest,
While iron war, with slaughter gorged, at length hath laid him down to rest.

And where we won our onward way, with fire and steel through yonder wood,
The blackbird whistles and the quail gives answer to her timid brood.

And oft when white-haired grandsires tell of bloody struggles past and gone.
The children at their knees will hear how Jackson led his columns on!

Luke and John

A certain man had six sons and the younger of the first three sons said to his father, "Father, give me the portion of goods that falls me."
The father of the six sons had nothing to give so the younger son of the first three fled from home. And not many days after, the younger of the first three sons went off to sea. He journeyed to a far country and had no possessions on which to waste his prodigal living. But when the wars did end and he was spent he entered the ministry and though he continued to want, he tried to join himself to the citizens of many country congregations. He even went into the fields to throw his pearls before the swines.
Though many gave him everything, including their pearls of great price, he continued to want. Buying lands and planting vineyards he sold them for pottage and the pods on which the swine fed.
Then one day as the younger of the first three sons was sitting in his rocker in the shade of his vineyards, a man came to him and said,
"If you will but sell to me your inheritance, you shall never want and you shall have hired servants and bread enough to spare."
And so he sold his inheritance and arose early the next morning and called his yard lady.
"The grass is tall and ripe unto harvest. I have been to many lands and in all these lands no one fairer than you was ever found."
"Come with me and we shall reap the harvest of the tall grass before us. We shall never want."
And so he arose and with the pottage stuffed in his wallet, journey to present the fair yard lady the gift she so wanted.
But when he was still a great way off, his Jack Russell, as Balaam's ass did so long ago, spoke. "Enough is enough!" and ran him into the ditch with a halt as the bumper kissed the trunk of the swaying turkey oak.
And now the son of the youngest of the first three sons falls upon the prodigal, has compassion and gently kisses him. And the son says,
"Father, our sins against heaven and in his sight have been great and we are no longer worthy to be called his son. Had I the best robe, I would wrap you in it. Had I a ring, I would put it upon your hand and sandals upon your feet. Had I a fatted calf I would kill it and we would eat and make merry."
And as the son of the youngest of the first three sons spoke, he heard the father calling for yard lady, yard lady, yard lady.
He then became angry and would not respond to the son. Many came and pleaded with him but still he scowled in silence.
"All these many years we served you, never transgressed your commandments, we were the model family. Yet, you never gave us your heart to make merry with us. You sold your inheritance and went into a far land to seek yard ladies."
And so the son will always have these thoughts, which will always live with the son.
And what thoughts he has shall be your thoughts.
Were we right to make merry and rejoice for the son that has returned from a far land and is alive again?
The grass grows tall and the yard lady is lost and is not to be found.