Photo Submissions: Grasses & Fields

August 2, 2023August 2, 2023 ~ melaniereynolds ~ 12 Comments

_{Young Wheat By Ms Scarlet Devon England https://wonky-words.blogspot.com/}

Hello Nature-led friends!

It’s true, your eyes do not deceive you! I am in fact a day late and a dollar short on posting July’s photo submissions. I shall accept all castigations now. I’m relieved to put this July behind me. August brings us one month closer to my favorite time of year, Fall. Nothing like a nice walk in the morning with a cool breeze and a symphony of colors in reds, golds and greens. I also love the smell of Fall. Unlike Spring, when U.S. Farmers spread “a land application of sewer sludge” which smells as pleasant as it sounds. I’m grateful I don’t live so close to any such fields anymore.

Today we celebrate grasses and fields!

The beautifully stunning picture above by Ms Scarlet reminds me of what I learned about the Ukrainian flag early in the war. It represents the blue sky over golden fields as a representation of being Europe’s breadbasket._{(Ukraine – Flag Institute)} It’s unfortunate that I and so many other people around the world should learn about Ukrainian culture and history due to an unprovoked act of war against them.

Ms Scarlet steals the show for this post with her time lapse photography of a wheat field near her home in Devon, England.

Transitions of a Wheat Field in Devon England By Ms Scarlet _{( https://wonky-words.blogspot.com/ )}– Click on any photo to embiggen.

As I compiled all the photo submissions Tracey Abell’s images had me thinking, “What’s the difference between fields and prairies?” Intrinsically I know the difference, but it’s always nice to look things up in a dictionary for verification.

Field; 1. A land area free of woodland, cities, and towns; open country. 2. A wide, open space that is usually used to grow crops or to hold farm animals.

Prairie; An extensive area of relatively flat grassland with few, if any, trees, especially in North America.

“These two photos were taken July 8, 2023, in the valley just outside Camp Hale Memorial Campground/White River National Forest near Minturn, CO. Elevation 9,200 feet. It was a windy afternoon and I took many equally not-great photos in an attempt to capture the rippling effect as the wind passed through the tall grass.”

Tracy Abell, Another Day On the Planet

Here is a great example of a field cultivated for human use, much to the joy of the birds too, I imagine.

^{Field of Sunflowers in France cultivated for oil. By Lisa Troute from South Florida.}

And here I imagine IDV stopping in a comical Buster Keaton fashion to take his picture on a downhill slope.

Buster Keaton_{(Photo still from ‘Go West’)}

“In the words of Ms Scarlet, this photo taken across Skylark field from Madam’s Lane has a ‘difficult horizon to cope with!!’” ~ 16^th July 2023 – North Norfolk, England – IDV.

Rounding up our field exploration is Dinah from down under with a vacant lot near her home:

^{Vacant Field By Dinah in Australia https://moreidlethoughts.wordpress.com/}

Oh, but wait! I almost forgot to include the Sugar Canes and Cane field!

_{Sugar Cane Closeup By Dinah Australia https://moreidlethoughts.wordpress.com/}

_{Sugar Cane Field By Dinah in Australia https://moreidlethoughts.wordpress.com/}

Now we close with a couple of closeups:

_{Dwarf Bamboo By Dinah https://moreidlethoughts.wordpress.com/}

_{Escaped Pampas Grass By Lisa Troute South Florida USA}

I hope you enjoyed this final and 12th installment of the Monthly Photo Submissions Request! Yes, that’s right! We did all twelve months of the year!

Below is a reminder of what we did together. I can’t thank my regular contributors enough for helping to make these posts possible! My next post, which you won’t have to wait a month for, will include some of my favorite contributions from each month as a final compilation.

Photos Submissions Monthly List:

January: Moss & Lichen

February: Ferns & Unexpected Blooms

March: Skies & Moon

April: Rocks & Fossils

May: Native plant Appreciation

June: Water

July: Grasses & Fields

August: Unknown Paths

September: A Tree

October: Leaves

November: Mushrooms & Fungi

December: Nature At Rest

While we will be taking a break from monthly submissions for the current future, never fear that I’m dreaming up new ideas to keep our community alive and interactive! I’ll continue to provide interesting and insightful posts related to nature and the struggles we share as human beings on this planet; I just can’t promise to do it with any specific timeline right now.

Until next time! Now go outside and play!

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!

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