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!