Lloyds Lens Photography – Page 8 – LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

A Quick Update On My Natural Calendar

Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Awakening In March” and is available for purchase by following the instructions at the bottom of the page.

I’m the kind of person who is done with ice and snow about 2 days after Christmas. I have been longing for green leaves and a walk down a moss covered path for quite some time now. We still have a little ways to go yet but yesterday’s revelation of the Bradford pear with it’s swollen flower buds was just the boost I needed. So much so that I decided to savor the moment and post the closeup as a second post. I live at a higher elevation and the valley always greens up a few days to a few weeks before it does at my house. In addition to the Bradford pear I’m starting to notice that familiar crimson tinge on the red maple twigs that tells me they are waking up too. The sight of these things reminds me of being challenged to swim from the Battle Run “Beach” to the campground under water. Unless you’re Michael Phelps it’s only possible by occasionally coming up for air a few times. These buds are the fresh breath I need to get through until mid April. In addition I’m thrilled that we reset the clocks to Daylight saving time tonight and that means it’s no longer dark when I get home. ( Can we just move it by 1/2 hour and leave it there?). You might be discouraged to see the snow covering the delicate buds but have no fear. This actually helps them survive the cold! I have been reviewing the metadata on in my archive to judge the dates of my natural calendar. Last year this tree was in full bloom on March 16th. By April 2nd the the Japanese Maple at the shopping center had tiny new leaves. The Redbud was in full bloom on April 14th and on April 23rd the dogwood trees were just starting to open. On April 25th last year I took a picture of a wild mustard plant in full bloom. And by April 27th the blackberries had both bloom and deep green leaves.

In closing, I know that tonight’s post is a little longer than normal and that I didn’t really cover the normal topic of taking time to declutter the mind but I do find encouragement in stepping back and gauging how long it is before the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains reveals itself in it’s milder form.

Hello Friends and thank you for your support of my page. If you have enjoyed the photos or the writings please let me know by commenting and sharing my work on your social media. I also want to invite you to Follow Lloyds Lens Photography on Facebook

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Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251

Lastly, all of the photos are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographer.

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The Stirring

Color Photography

Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Absence In White” and is available for purchase by following the instructions at the bottom of the page.

March comes in like a lion and I awaken to a snowy world. Late winter and early Spring brings heavy wet snows in my area. By this afternoon the snow will be melt in a sloppy coating of slush but the early morning is cold enough to keep it frozen. The winter has been relatively mild this year and with the opportunity for snow days dwindling many commuters have decided to bag the day and stay home. I wouldn’t say that the road was deserted but it was rather quiet. I pulled into the parking lot of my day job and it was like a ghost town. The combination of snow and fog reduced the visible world to a tiny dome just a few hundred yards wide. I can hear announcements being made over the PA system of Yeager Airport on the next ridge line over but they may as well be the disembodied voices of phantoms lost in the icy mountain mists. I turned my attention to the Bradford pear in the lot. For some reason I been particularly drawn to this little tree over the past 14 years. Today it stands proudly in its little spot in defiance of the weather. The wet snow clings to each twig as if trying in vain to wrestle the tree to the ground. Something looks different about the tree this morning. It seems to smirk. I decided to move in a little closer and there before my eyes was revealed the sight that I have been waiting to see since Christmas. The buds on my little friend are noticeably swollen. The first signs of life returning to the world since late November! In spite of the wintery scene that surrounds me I began to feel a little warmer as I headed in to clock in and that snowy dome doesn’t seem so closed in anymore. It’s going to be a great day!

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Refilling

black and white photography

Hello Friends!Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Ready For Refill” and is available for purchase by following the instructions at the bottom of the page.

The thunder of the steel wheels and diesel engine quells to a rumble as the brakes screech. The train is approaching the tipple ready to carry another load out of the mountains. Empty cars clatter as they bump into each other when the train slows down. One by one the engine pulls them into position under the chute to be filled by the men who pull light out of the darkness.

There’s always going to be those days when we’ve given it all we’ve got and there is no more. We start of with a full load of whatever it is that we have to deliver. For the most part a trainload of coal will be delivered to a single destination but for the purpose of the illustration let’s suppose that the payload is divided up between several places. The train starts off with a mile of cars in tow. It stops and drops a few cars here and a few cars there. Sooner or later it will need to return home to refill.

We as humans start off with a load of whatever it is that we have to provide for those in need. All of it can be defined as one form of energy or the other. It could be spiritual energy in the form of prayers for those in need, or food for the hungry. Perhaps it’s simply our labor that we sell a little piece at a time to an employer. But whatever form it takes it’s a certain amount of our life’s energy infused into a token. Sooner or later it will run out and will need to refill our cargo and refuel the engine. We need to return home. For me that’s seeking God in the quiet time. It’s rest for mind and spirit as well as my body. I hope that it’s the same for you but however you get refilled it’s a necessary part of life and something that should not be ignored. If we find ourselves just going through the motions then it’s probably because we need to fill up again.

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I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simply message me on Facebook or use the contact form on my website and tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.

Thank you again for your support of my page! 😊

In A Breath’s Space

Color Photography

Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Downtime At Three Rivers” and is available as prints by following the instructions at the bottom of the page.

The big blue truck rolls to the foot of Gauley Mountain and coasts to stop at the wide spot near the three rivers. It’s cool day but not as cold as it has been. The Spring of 2018 was well under way and the redbud was in bloom. I sat for a while with the windows down just absorbing the fresh air after a long winter of being stuck in the house. It was one of those rare “no agendas” days when I can get out for a little while and enjoy the sunshine. Best of all, I get to take a breath. Most people over the age of 6 minutes probably consider themselves expert breathers. Most healthy people don’t even have to consciously think about filling their lungs with atmosphere and then letting it out again. But that’s just breathing. Taking a breath is something more. It’s less mechanical and more spiritual. It’s the difference between maintaining life and truly living. Our lives have purpose beyond our responsibilities of maintaining a daily existence. Ecclesiastes 12:13 tells us that the duty man is to keep God’s commandments but duty and purpose are two different things. Duty is the pathway to purpose. I believe that God has an individual purpose for each one of us but in general I believe that the purpose of mankind as a whole is to simply spend time with God. Before the fall of Adam God would come to him every day just to visit. The bible doesn’t really mention an agenda. There is no talk of thunder and lightning or thick clouds of smoke. Just a walk through the garden and the conversation between friends. No thou shalt or thou shalt nots. (Which are actually intended to get us back to the point where we can enjoy that friendship again. ) It was just friends hanging out.

To slow down and take a breath is to push back all the distractions of modern life and give space for that simple conversation between friends. The one without a wish list or complaining about all the bad times. You see, our friend desires that simple conversation as much as we do. But he’s not rude. He won’t barge in and demand your attention while you’re too busy. He won’t change the subject when you need to talk about the issues that he’s already been working to resolve. He simply waits for us to settle down and be ready in that “breath’s space”.

After a few minutes of peace and quiet at the three rivers area and a good conversation while snapping photos I’m ready to head towards the house. My friend assures me that He’s going to be close by even though the conversation is over for now and that we can pick up the conversation again anytime I’m ready. I fasten the seatbelt and the big blue truck starts to roll again towards home.

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Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simply message me on Facebook or use the contact form on my website and tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.

Thank you again for your support of my page! 😊

Symbiosis

Color Photography

Hello Friends. The feature for tonight is titled “Symbiosis” and is available for purchase by following the instructions at the bottom of the page.

The cool misty rain floats in air and gently settles onto the forest floor. Because the ground temperature is warmer than the air the fog rises up almost immediately. The fresh scent of the moss wafts through the woods. As the rain slows to a halt the birds resume their songs. I decided to take advantage of the break in the weather and venture out. Throughout the sea of soft green that carpets the forest the tiny orange speck catches my glimpse. At first I thought that it was a gumball or piece of candy dropped near the trail but when I was close enough to focus on it I saw the tiny mushroom. To get a positive ID was a little beyond my reach but because of the location and growth medium I believe it’s some kind of Mycorrhizal fungus. No. Not “fun Gus”, fungus. Believe it or not Mycorrhizal fungus are a pretty important part of God’s design for planet earth. There’s a whole lot of impressive vocabulary connected with describing it’s job but for the purpose of this post it’s job is to deliver nutrition to the plants. In return the plants turn the nutrients into food that the fungus can eat. They don’t just grow next to each other. They share a root system. For most of us the word symbiosis is one of the first natural science terms that we learn. Just in case you were busy shooting paper balls through a straw at your classmates that day it means a partnership between two or more organisms. They are stronger together working as one than each would be on it’s own. The relationship means not just surviving but thriving.

Today’s world is pretty rough. Everywhere we look there are divisions and competition between people who have different angles on life and how it should be lived. Each side has it’s own talents and the potential for success in survival of the world but is there something more? If we could really come together in true partnership with each other and organize are talents while respecting each other’s needs what could be achieved? Because of the relationship between the fungus and the plants that surround it the underlying soil is far more productive for both. It’s productive enough to improve the life of organisms that are not directly connected to either the plants or the fungus. The fertility from the union helps the plants produce higher quality nectar which feeds the bees that produce the honey that fuels their flight to an other type of plant growing in a garden that gets fertilized by the bee and grows into a fruit that is eaten by us. We benefit from the strange little mushrooms that we’ve never seen.

And we might benefit from the relationship the doctor who cares for us has with the person who brews his morning coffee and ensures that he has a productive day even though that person might be someone who we don’t see eye to eye with in any options.

In closing I want to plainly say that my intention here is to encourage everyone to treat each other with kindness and respect. Because that person on social media that just makes your blood boil could be more important to you indirectly than you think. But even if they are not it’s still best to not engage with them and give your attention to someone and something that does have a mutual benefit so that you can get that positive return. 😊

If you would like to Follow me on Facebook the web address is

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If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simply message me on Facebook or use the contact form on my website and tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.

Thank you again for your support of my page! 😊