Birds, Horses, and Joy
I am reading Lamb’s Tales from Shakespeare. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society mentioned it, and I remembered I had a copy. But I can’t seem to gain much traction reading anything these days. I’d rather be outside.
Yesterday was my oldest’s horse lesson. Some of these pics are included (at the moment) in the sidebar slideshow. But here are a few more.
Learning to ride such magnificent creatures is fun. But my youngest seems to feel that it’s equally fun to learn about cats…
…and to gallop joyfully around the finally-dry corrall on two legs rather than four.
I’ve never noticed before this year how much spring and fall resemble one another. But the state of mind is different.
I’ve been snapping photos of birds for my bird log. I’m trying to capture as many of the birds of this place as I can with my camera — the animal-lover’s version of hunting, I reckon. I’ve set up a “Birds” page where I can keep track of them all and share them here. (*Edited to add: I’m rethinking the page, but still going with the photo project.)
So there you have it — not much to say. I’m all eyes these days. I often think of writing as an act of worship; returning my words to the living Word. But eyes can worship too. Ann Voskamp says we “pay tribute to God by paying attention.” I am grateful for these sights that nourish my soul. After such a long, leaden, sleeping winter world, the return of color and life seems to be trickling back into my spirit through the camera and the eye.
6 Comments
jama
Another beautiful photo post, Janet! I love your worshipping with the eyes.:)
Carol in Oregon
I get your blog posts by email, and often think my comment, but don’t come over to write it. But these pictures (and all the recent ones you’ve posted) are so sumptuous. I especially like the fifth one down with the fence and road and trees. You live in a beautiful area, Janet.
I have an Abacus poster calendar (11×14 poster you frame and change each month). This is the first time I don’t love the picture of the month. But it illustrates what you wrote about spring and fall resembling each other. We have a white oak in our front yard that screams fall (and whispers “dead”) with the brown leaves still attached. But they won’t fall until the green ones push them off. (There must be a lesson in life there…?) Here’s a link to see the calendar:
http://www.spectrumamerica.com/store/products/1_calendars/page/1/94_abacus_calendar_2011_11x14/
I just ordered your book yesterday; I’m excited to read it!
GretchenJoanna
You really cheered me up this morning with this post and with the cummings poem. Now I am going to exult in the day that the Lord has made and forget my troubles.
Janet
Jama and GJ, thank you! It cheers me that some of the uplift I’m feeling is getting passed along.
Carol, I’m delighted and grateful and TERRIFIED that you are about to meet my book. I’m resisting the urge to pull my copy off the shelf and start flipping through it nervously… I hope it’ll be the next best thing to a meeting in person for a Berryfest.
Amy @ Hope Is the Word
Thanks do much for sharing your artistic eye with us! These pictures are gorgeous! I’ve been thinking that I need to read your book, too. . .
Janet
I’m honored that you’re thinking about it. Right now I’m enjoying reading your thoughts on Berry!