The winter wind howls mournfully outside of my house that’s nestled safely into the hillside of my Appalachian Mountains. I expect that this will be the last of the January snow. Typically the next significant snowfall will be around valentine’s day and then the deep cold just before the buds began to swell. As I’ve said before, I watch the very small changes which are insignificant to most people. But what to do in the meantime? Thankfully, I’ve still got some sunshine in my pocket that I’ve been holding back for just such an occasion. I pull up the image of the small Pearl Crescent Butterfly and look into it deeply. Now there’s a difference between looking at a photo and looking into it. Looking at a photo is like looking at a map. We get familiar with lines and colors and get a general overview of the scene. But looking into photo is to be transported to another world. I can feel the warmth of the sun filtering down through the deep green canopy of leaves. I smell the loamy humus soil and feel the breeze. Around me the mottled light seems to dance as the trees sway softly in the late summer climate. A small set of wings flash in the path and gently land on the daisy-like flowers. It’s a Pearl Crescent Butterfly and it’s barely an inch from wingtip to wingtip. It’s a great idea to never neglect the small blessings of life. They add up like nickels and dimes. In spite of it’s diminutive size the tiny butterfly is unafraid when I approach. It holds its wings flat as if to say “Look how beautiful I am today.” I knew at that moment it was a gift from God, a tiny drop of sunshine that I could tuck away to warm my soul on a cold winter night.
Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.
Announcement:
I am adding additional social media to my network. Eventually, I’ll be leaving Facebook behind for a multitude of reasons. Even though the Lloyd’s Lens Photography page is strictly non-political I have been restricted from interacting with followers with no explanation for why. But it’s not just that. For years now Facebook has throttled content providers in general. They encourage us to grow our audience and then want to sell us back the access to them. In addition, they collect and sell the data from our interaction. So Facebook has become an entanglement of thorns. In response I have created the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe. We can still interact directly on the blog but starting today I’ll be looking for more platforms that respect the privacy of my followers and don’t limit who gets to see the post.
I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
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