A Reminder: July Photo Submissions Due Soon

July 26, 2023 ~ melaniereynolds ~ 4 Comments

^{Photo by Bruno Scramgnon on Pexels.com}

Hello Nature-led Friends!

I hope you all are staying comfortable and healthy despite the heatwave in many areas of the world and increasing cost of living expenses including rents, insurances, food and other commodities. I’m reminded of the time I walked into the living room of my childhood friend’s house as her mom was watching The Wheel of Fortune. There were a few letters visible in each word and I said, “You can’t squeeze blood from a turnip. What the heck is that supposed to mean?”

She slapped her knee and said, “That’s it!” I learned it means you can’t get something from someone or something that doesn’t have any to give. As we enter the true climate change era where heatwaves and severe storms increase with frequency, we’ll also start to reach a critical mass in global and local economies. A healthy economy is circular. To put it in a very oversimplified statement: You put into the economy by way of doing work so that you can pay for goods and services which in turn spurs new businesses and services, one that you may or may not work for directly. In short, if too many people get trimmed from the payrolls, there won’t be enough customers to pay for anything. I also feel increasing harassed by technology via automatic messages and push notifications (which I turn off immediately for any new service.). My doctor’s office sent me five, FIVE automated text messages to remind me of an appointment I had. I’m not brain dead, Doc! Geez!

I imagine a lot of people are feeling like turnips lately. We can’t give what we haven’t got and I’m running out of patience with some of these tech bro fools.

What’s still free is my love and appreciation for you dear reader and all who stop by to say “Hello” with an extra dollop of gratitude for those willingly to providing pictures for the monthly photo submissions request. Your participation keeps me going! AI could never replace you!

Reminder:

^{The Farming Community of} ^{Waverly WA USA By Melanie Reynolds}

July Submissions – Fields and Grasses

Show me your Elysian Fields or ornamental grasses (includes bamboo and palm trees.)

Due: July 31st

To be posted on August 1st.

The Fine Print: Photo Submissions Guidelines

Email to: natureledlife@gmail.com, Subject line: Photo Submission for [month] (Multiple months of photos in one email is fine.) Image: Attached as a .JPEG or .PNG file preferred. Captions each picture: Subject in the photo (if known), State/Providence & Country, Date (optional). Your name as you want it to appear, Your blog link (if you have one.)

Feel free to add any interesting notes about a picture. I love interesting stories behind things! Let me know if it’s just for ‘my eyes only’ or if I can share any part of it with your photo. Pictures must be your own or you have permission from the Photographer to share it. All copyrights belong to their respective owners. This is a free, fun, community site about nature. Non-commercial and ad free.

Photo Submissions: Water

July 7, 2023 ~ melaniereynolds ~ 18 Comments

^{A splash in the sea. Overstrand beach, North Norfolk, England – Inexplicable Device.}

Water is life. It may sound like a simple phrase to many, but for some of us it invokes a sacred sense of responsibility. Without water there is death. People, animals and plant life all rely on this most important molecule. It is a basic building block to life itself. Had I been born into the world of Greek mythology I think the role as a water nymph would have suited me just fine.

Peace

^{Weeping Willow over the water. South Florida USA By Marika Stone https://womanaloud.blog}

I find peace within watery scenes such as these. Calmness and reflection.

^{A drop among the lily pads. By Marika Stone https://womanaloud.blog}

^{Swan Family. By Marika Stone https://womanaloud.blog}

Reflection

Water offers us a reflection of ourselves and the world around us.

Wonder

When my son was a toddler he was fascinated by this little book. He had me check it out at the library so many times that I finally bought him his own copy. It’s amazing how much life can be found in a teaspoon of water.

^{One puddle from two angles, taken May 11, 2023, at Vega State Park in Colorado.
Tracy Abell Another Day On the Planet}

^{Flooding at Riverside Park, NYC USA. By Kerfe https://methodtwomadness.wordpress.com/ & https://kblog.blog/}

Water is a force of nature. Too much and that which gives life can also take it away.

Beauty

Water through the power of glacial ice or jet powered waterfalls has the ability to carve rocks into cliffs, mountains and valleys. I am humbled by it.

^{Areial view by helicopter of Victoria Falls Zimbabwe. By Lisa Troute}

One need only to look upon the power and beauty of something like the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.

^{Victoria Falls viewpoint in Zimbabwe. By Lisa Troute}.

Movement

Water has the ability to transport us across shores, along rivers and through deltas. Like many people, I think, I find a lot of inspiration when surrounded by water. Why do our best ideas come to us in the shower when we haven’t got a stitch of clothing or a pen to write with? Who says nature doesn’t have a sense of humor?

^{A wave in Porthcurno Cornwall England By Ms Scarlet https://wonky-words.com/blog/}

Until next time friends, may you find peace and inspiration everywhere you look!

Next Photo Submission Request

July Submissions – Fields and Grasses

Show me your Elysian Fields or ornamental grasses (includes bamboo and palm trees.)

Due: July 31st

To be posted on August 1st.

The Fine Print: Photo Submissions Guidelines

Last Breath

June 28, 2023 ~ melaniereynolds ~ 9 Comments

Hello Dearest Nature-led friends!

^{Photo by Francesco Ungaro on Pexels.com}

June Photo Submission: Water – Extended submission deadline

New Due Date: July 7th (subject to change)

Thank you to Lisa, Kerfe and IDV who have already emailed me their pictures.

Obligatory Fine Print: Photo Submissions Guidelines

Feel free to add any interesting notes about the picture. Pictures must be your own or you have permission from the Photographer to share it. All copyrights belong to their respective owners. This is a free, fun, community site about nature. Non-commercial and ad free.

Last Breath

_{Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com}

I’m heading home to say goodbye.

She was the best archnemesis a teenage girl could have asked for. We were young, brash and fierce. After thirty-five years I can honestly say she was the worst gold digger ever met! Why? Because she wasn’t a gold digger at all. She really truly loves/loved my dad.

At the peak of our hostility, we were eating in a nice family spaghetti restaurant when she looked at me the wrong way or made some trite comment. Who can even remember now? I flew across the table at her, and she was ready for it. We started to tussle right then and there. It took two servers and a busboy to separate us. We were informed in the parking lot we were no longer welcome there. As we all gathered in the car. My stepbrother and stepsister, little kids at the time, quietly sobbed in the backseat beside me. My dad was gripping the top of the steering wheel tightly and my stepmom and I waited to be ~~declared winner~~ yelled at.

Instead he said in a firm measured voice, “I really liked that restaurant.”

Now every time I think about that moment I laugh.

Her and I, we buried the hatchet some fifteen years ago now.

She was a rural postal carrier. Delivering packages where Amazons feared to tread. It was a hard job and sometimes dangerous. She’d been bitten by a dog and a squirrel, rolled in the jeep, blew out both rotor cups in her shoulders and dealt with wildfires, snowstorms and crazy people. So many times, she wanted to quit, but she felt she’d already been there too long to let go and dreamed of retiring with nice federal benefits and retiring happily ever after. She would text me from the side of the road on some of her toughest days. When she needed someone to remind her how fierce she was.

I’m frustrated and sad that she won’t get her happy ending. Cancer comes now to steal her from us quickly. She can rest now. Her shift has ended. I’ll hold the fort. I’ll keep watch over the ones we love. Cancer sucks!