Sunday, July 14, 2013
Pine Buff, Arkansas

It has been my observation that beholding beauty is a soothing experience. Given the daily dose of wars, pestilence, murder, larceny, extortion, threats, accusations, denials, excuses, embezzlement, disasters, and heaps of pure unadulterated organic barnyard material to which we are subjected, just a bit of soothing can go a long way. One of my personal beauty spots is a pond that is home to an American Lotus colony. I see it as a part of my daily routine — and the experience provides an all-to-brief moment of clarity.

Today, I stopped to shoot some of the huge blossoms. It takes either a long lens or waders. I elected to use the former versus the latter, since using the former also included crawling over a fence, or a long wade. After I was satisfied with the pixels I grabbed, it occurred to me that the camera forced me into doing something I could have done already, to wit: stopping and taking a closer look. I came to the realization that having a camera was not a required precursor to seeing something neat.

What’s even better is that my observation point for the Lotus colony sits on the shoulder of an interstate highway entrance ramp. So, if you stop to observe sans camera, you have the satisfaction of knowing that you have piqued the curiosity of some passers-by as they muse, “What is that nut doing walking around the edge of that pond?” That in itself has a scintilla of personal satisfaction. So, by stopping and looking, you feed yourself some relief and provide a boredom break for the traveling public. Two noble deeds.

Bonus Beauties

As I set the tripod to shoot the American Lotus picture above, I noticed some little pink flowers at my feet. They were happily blooming. They must be a hardy lot since it has been far too long since the Almighty has drenched us. They are not much more than a quarter inch apart. Consider these to be unexpected bonus beauties.

Susans

A few weeks earlier, before I had today’s epiphany, I stopped to shoot some Black-Eyed Susans along US Highway 79 south of Pine Bluff, my home stomping-grounds. The results were visually gratifying, and, as I recall, even with the camera in hand I was on the receiving end of several very satisfying “look at that nut” stares. If they only knew.

Stop and look this week. You need the break, and so does your audience.