
Long Beach, WA — USA — August 28, 2017

Long Beach, WA — USA — August 28, 2017
As I sat by my pond yesterday afternoon, the sunlight streaming through this spider’s web in the corner, caught my eye. What an appropriate response to this week’s photo challenge I thought, as I ran inside to get my Panasonic!

Though I dislike walking into spider webs, I appreciate the value arachnids have in keeping bug populations down. With all the birds that live in this space, who knows how long this spider will last!




After walking the grounds for a half hour, I decided to engage this eclipse of moon over sun from my west-facing deck. In the process of surveying for my spot, I snipped some fresh Hydrangea and Rudbeckia blossoms to make a vase for Monday. Knowing how merciless bright morning sunlight is to such displays, I resolved to take photos of the vase in its setting throughout the eclipse, and present them without enhancing color and dark/light.

Sun Rising
All photos taken by Panasonic DMC-F247 on AUTO for ‘scenery’ or ‘close-up’. None have been enhanced, thought I did straighten a few and crop one or two!

Sun is rising at the same time the moon begins to cover it.




As the light changed from strong morning glare to the softness of evening (in less than an hour) the texture and color of each Hydrangea petal mellowed. Such a gentle experience. So happy to be here.


In 1962, Malvina Reynolds wrote this poem which Pete Seeger put to song. I listened to it often when I was in high school on his LP album God Bless The Grass. Seems apropos to offer her thoughts today — as an affirmation — we’ve been here before.
“From way up here the earth looks very small,
It’s just a little ball of rock and sea and sand,
No bigger than my hand.

“From way up here the earth looks very small,
They shouldn’t fight at all
Down there, upon that little sphere.

“Their time is short, a life is just a day,
You’d think they’d find a way.

“You’d think they’d get along
And fill their sunlit days with song.

“From way up here the earth looks very small,
It’s just a little ball,
So small, so beautiful and clear.

“Their time is short, a life is just a day,
Must be a better way,
To use the time that runs
Among the distant suns.

“From way up here the earth is very small,
It’s just a little ball,
So small, so beautiful and dear.”
Written by Malvina Reynolds, set to music by Pete Seeger ©1962, renewed 1990.





Long Beach, Washington USA









Wood is my totem. I love touching it, carving it, warming my home with it, nurturing and admiring it as it grows — and — yes, I’m a tree hugger!
My dear neighbor, Carolyn has a lovely bed of mini-roses. As a thank you for a neighborhood party I hosted on Saturday, she brought me this sweet posy.
For more flower arrangement and gardening inspiration please visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden