Organic lifestyle – Page 10 – LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

Saturday Morning Sunrise

There are few pleasures of life that are better than greeting the sunrise. The crisp mountain air fills my lungs as the golden light washes over me. It makes me feel energized. The rest of the world fades into the background. My whole world at this moment consists of nothing but the three rivers which join at this point, the mountains in distance and the morning sun. I will hold this moment in my spirit for the rest of the day. The Shawnee say that it’s bad luck to make camp where three rivers join but I respectfully disagree. This place is blessed by God. Today will be a good day. I take one last deep breath and climb back into my truck. I only have a moment to enjoy the view but the moment will be all I need.

Image taken in Gauley Bridge West Virginia on February 3rd 2018 on my way to my day job.

Little Blessings

Color Photography, West Virginia

One of the blessings of my Appalachian home is that there’s always some little treasure to find. I’m the guy who always seems to be drawn off the pathway to examine whatever might be in bush. Insects, small flowers, animal tracks and odd shaped stones are irresistible to me. There are little treasures everywhere. We just need to slow down and find them.

The image above was taken in Jodie, West Virginia, Fayette County.

Daydreaming of Summer

Color Photography

I can’t believe it’s still Winter. Well, more to the point, I don’t want to believe it’s still Winter. I’ve had enough of gray skies, muddy roads, cold and damp. I want to see green grass, blue skies and life everywhere I look. I miss the butterflies and honeybees that fill my yard. Warm weather brings songbirds to my mountain. I know each one of them by their voices. Some of them have returned every year to live in the brambles in the edge of my yard.

The Ironweed in the photo is a late summer flower. It emerges during the warmest part of the year.

Today I’m hiding from ice and snow but in my heart it’s still Summer.

Strong in the Storm

Color Photography, Thoughts and Musing

It the middle of a open field on the property where I grew up stands this lone Yellow Poplar. Now, I presume that quite a few people won’t understand why that’s a little odd. These trees do not resist strong winds very well. They tend to be found in clumps. Alone, this tree has no protection against storms. And yet, it’s been there surviving everything the weather can throw at it. I’ve seen it covered in ice, heavy snow and blasted with cyclone strength winds. This tree should have broken a very long time ago. Yes it’s got a few battle scars. These are reminders of the storms that failed as it stood defying the gale force winds.

Sometimes we wonder why the storm happened in our lives. There will always be a storm. But branches and leaves will grow back eventually. Like this tree our strength isn’t in the branches that can be broken. Our strength is in our strong roots than anchor us in the storm.

The Lost Art Of Being

black and white photography, Thoughts and Musing, wildlife

I watched this bumblebee working on the thistle and became enamored with the simplicity of its life. She isn’t in a rush to complete a quota. She isn’t distracted by all the activity of the other insects. She’s just being a bee and doing what she was born to do. She seemed to take pleasure in her small uncomplicated life.

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” ~Lao Tzu

I sometimes wonder if the reason why everyone is always in such a rush is that we have left our natural purposes.

Somewhere, deep down inside we all know who we were born to be. It has nothing to do with jobs, social status or the expectations of others. It’s the thing that you do that causes you to lose track of time. When you look up and you’re amazed at how much got done without effort.

When you are just being what you were truly meant to be. That’s what happiness is.