Winter Memories on a Hot Summer Day

The problem with getting up really early is the number of times you have to listen to your local Morning Edition announcer carry on about the weather forecast. By repeatedly warning us about the upcoming heat today, he's set up his entire listening audience to swelter and complain.

Better he should talk about the chance to store up all that sunlight in our solar cells, or to get outside while it's still gorgeous. And boy howdy, it sure is.

(Oh no, now he's saying we'd better draw the curtains. Somebody put him on ice!)

Fortunately here at Talking Plants the subject is winter, as we come down the home stretch of our anniversary celebration by highlighting a year of great pix from our Flickr group.

Though there were some great frozen flowers to choose from -- some looked like iced flower pops -- I found myself drawn towards the darker depressing ones. Their effect on me -- last night when I chose them, anyway -- was calming, like seeing my inner colors projected onto a screen.

TP member Dave Getzy clearly showed some insight when he chose his Flickr name, pathos3. I find this frosted leaf shivering on a sheet of ice so sad! Dave writes, "I tend to walk/hike with my dogs a lot in winter, and the somber tones of the wooded areas around Fort Collins seem to reflect my mood this time of year. This picture was taken at Arapahoe Bend Open Space, on the southeast border of Fort Collins". Thanks for the insight, Dave.

photo credit: Dave Getzy

 

Now meet Danuta Majchrowicz, a good and constant friend of Talking Plants.

"What can I tell you about myself? I spent 7 years overseas working and studying languages and archeology in Poland, France, Israel and several countries of West Africa. I then worked with study abroad and international students in the US for 18 years, until recently when I started working for my husband (a retired cell biologist who rehabs houses when he's not playing golf). We've been involved with blind golfers for about 6 years now".

During the last year on TP, Danuta's submitted lots of optimistic flower portraits. For obvious reasons, however, I couldn't resist her deep and melancholy winter silhouette.

Danuta took this photo in Northwestern Pennsylvania on Christmas Day.

photo credit: Danuta Majchrowicz

 

I've got a few more pix this week, then we're off and running into Year #2. Assuming, that is, that my current stubborn funk frees me to celebrate the ordinary, the magical, the wonder of every day. That's where you come in...

11:49 AM ET | 07- 7-2008 | permalink

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