When I was little my mom used to make shadows on the wall at bedtime. One of my favorites was the flapping flying wings she created with her hands. Parents amuse their children and more importantly protect them from immediate harm. They/we also want to protect them from future dangers precipitated by the past recklessness of mankind.
Consoling as they might be ... we know that our wishes, thoughts and prayers are just shadowy starts. If wishes alone had wings we would elect the best leaders to withstand the naysayers that for years blocked actions to improve environmental conditions.
In some places there is flooding, in others raindrops rarely fall and drinkable water is scarce. There was a time when I assumed nature's gifts were limitless and accessible to all. Now I'm a little more careful about how long I let the water run from my tap.
A few rainless days and plants quickly become parched. I kick up more dust along the paths that I walk. Maybe someday they'll figure out how to make rain clouds wherever whenever needed. Meanwhile, when the sky doesn't supply ... there's watering to do, fires to burn out and heat warnings to suffer through.
This brings me to a few thirsty thoughts I once had (below) about a garden.
Above, the sunflower's center reminded me of an eye's iris. You can read about how plants actually do "see" the light they reach for, albeit very primitively
HERE. Plants surely must also love the feel of raindrops after a dry spell, as I do.
This post is a work of art in every sense of the word! The images, your commentary, the poem. Thank you so much for gifting us.
ReplyDeleteThank YOU, Helen, for saying that. :)
DeleteWhen it rains after a long dry spell in the desert, the plants give off a very unique and wonderful smell. I often think it's their way of celebrating, and I've grown to love the smell!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, things just get so complicated with climate change. sigh....
ReplyDeleteWe must stop taking so much for granted. Lovely pictures.
ReplyDeleteIt was my Dad who used to make those shadows on the wall for me and my brother.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your reflections, and your poem. And thank you for the link to the fascinating article about plants seeing.
The life of a raindrop. It's like a meditation. So refreshing and got me out of my head.
ReplyDeleteThat was a beautifully done journey. We are on the verge of rain falling where I live. I will think of this piece when the local raindrops go on their journey.
ReplyDeleteLove this beautiful post!
ReplyDeleteHaving spent the first 15 years of my life in a third world country where some areas had no running water or electricity, I appreciate the good life in the U.S. and am always doing my share to conserve, recycle and compost. I wish more people will do that.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poem and images. The flowers are lovely, I would like to walk along that path. I hope you are having some rain, keeping all the plants happy. Take care, have a happy new week!
Agreed. Water is brought by a tanker to some homes on reservation lands. People put bricks in their toilet to use less water when flushed. Other folks take a shower for as long as they wish. Some folks do not have water or electricity.
ReplyDeleteRain this summer has been rare ~ finally we had a little last night ` but in the 90's today ~ sigh
ReplyDeleteYour photos and post are awesome ~ very creative and expressive ~
Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
It is sad to have a leader who has never wondered why the rivers flow even when there is no rain, that wetlands are useless puddles and sometimes are nothing but muddy patches in the way of developers.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Your photos are always a pleasure to see, and your words give me much food for thought. We all need to play our part for a better tomorrow, for our children and their children.
ReplyDeleteMaria - well written and provocative, as always. The sunflower photo is stunning. We have had just the tiniest bit of rain the last two days as thunderheads have rolled through. The ground is so dry, any rain would just run off at first ... water is a truly precious gift.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poem ! For years I complained about the rain and the cool weather at least in 80 % of my posts. And now I do the opposite, the poor plants and the poor little animals here beneath on our lawn, it's all yellow, now water, in some parts of
ReplyDeleteBelgium there is water restriction. I have asked my neighbors on the first floor who have a little garden to put water out for the foxes, hedgehogs, squirrels etc, apparently they do ! Sunflowers are my favorite flower !
Rather than figure out a way to make rain clouds, better we change our ways - NOW - to protect the natural hydrology cycle so that rain is distributed where it is is needed, as has happened throughout the long history of life on earth. There is as much chance of that happening as there is of Pierre Polièvre issuing a reasonable statement, or Bolsonaro ceasing to systematically destroy the Amazon rainforest.
ReplyDeleteOur world is, indeed, in a grave situation requiring immediate actions, cooperation and solutions. Yet unhelpful leaders with distracting wacky notions lurk in Canada, too. Recently, I read an article titled: "Where would Poilievre take the Conservatives? Not to the far right, but the far out"
DeleteIt is really hard to believe that Canadians would support him, but I thought that about Stephen Harper too.
DeleteIt would be lovely if parents--and people in general--could see beyond their immediate needs and beliefs when it comes to protecting their children and the only planet we have. Sadly, we both know better. Things are dire... and fewer and fewer gardens get to gasp at the gift of a water drop. I so hope we, as a specie, do better.
ReplyDeleteI so admire the way your perfect photos illustrate your well-written thoughts. We are surely more careful with nature's resources these days. We (as in all of humanity including the two in this house) need to keep getting better and better at it.
ReplyDelete