Monday, September 7, 2009

Just a Closer Look . . .


Is it a sleeping baby dragon? That was my first impression.

But no, it's only a Red Velvet okra pod that developed into a curl because of its position in the fork of a branch.

Still, I think it's pretty darling -- almost like those netsukes I was talking about a while back.




I love the close-up abilities of my little camera. And I love how on the computer screen I can see things really well . . . things that I might otherwise have overlooked . . . from the textures of bark, rusted iron, and worn wood . . .

. . . to the somewhat surreal or artificial look of these Kousa dogwood seed pods. . .

. . . to the patina of weathered red paint atop the rough geometry of an old barn . . .

. . . and the road map of magenta veins on the back of a lab lab bean leaf.



I've been thinking about how much there is in my small world, particularly when you take a closer look-- there are days and days I never leave our farm . . . and when I do, I rarely go far. I've been here in this lovely place for 34 years now -- and I'm not bored yet.

But I do feel surprised and honored when bloggers of a decidedly cosmopolitan nature stop by to see what's up in my tiny neck of the woods.

Some of these cosmopolitan blogs are new over there on my blog roll. Recollections of a Vagabonde is one. I followed Vagabonde to some tiny islands off the coast of Newfoundland -- islands that still belong to France. I had no idea that such existed. (Good thing the previous administration didn't know about this either, back when they were renaming French fries 'freedom fries.' A French toehold in North America! Boy, would that have gotten W's knickers in a knot.)

Maia's Into the Moonlight took me to lunch at a beautiful ranch in Portugal and on to Patagonia before I recalled that I had work to do in the here and now. I commend both of these to your attention!

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6 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

Wow, that okra pod is a work of art!

Celeste Maia said...

First of all, thank you so much for the lovely words you dedicated my blog. I am very touched.
You do live in an enchanted world. Of course it helps to be observant and sensitive to the beauty around you. The images you showed are lovely, as if all the things you showed were alive and breathed very softly. The okra pod is a little animal, he could be found in a tree in Africa.

Vicki Lane said...

Really, I should have had that okra pod bronzed. But instead we ate it.

Reader Wil said...

I saw the netsukes and I love them! They are exquisite and unique! I had never heard of them before! Your okra pod is lovely and very special. Thanks! Thanks also for your visit and comment.!

Vagabonde said...

Thank you so very much for your kind words on your blog about my posts. Now I am going to have to watch what I write knowing that a writer is reading my posts– how scary. Be indulgent with me as English is not my mother tongue. We just went to Asheville a week ago to visit friends and revisit the Biltmore (which we had not seen since the early 80s.) It is such a magnificent place. I took many pictures and shall make a post on this visit in the future. Your photographs are excellent. I marveled at the color and configuration of your velvet okra – I had never seen okra of this color before and the shape is quite unusual.

Vicki Lane said...

Thank you, Reader Wil! I'm very fond of the netsukes -- there are some truly amazing examples on line.

Oh, Vagabonde, your English is wonderful! There are so many of you polyglot bloggers out there that I am ashamed at my lack of languages. I have a little Spanish (rusty with long disuse,) a minuscule speck of French, and a one time acquaintance with classic Latin. I hang my head in shame.

I haven't been to the Biltmore is quite a few years -- I always loved seeing the servants' areas: kitchen, laundry, pantry. So amazing. I look forward to reading your post on it.