nature can be a perfect example of balance …
for the most part anyway …
*I think Mr Cardinal in his fancy red ‘suit’ sensed I was lurking at the window trying to lean in close with the camera … notice how the top of his head is smooth … his fancy ‘comb’ is down flat*
when I opened Diane Dreher’s “The Tao of Inner Peace” recently … this passage popped off the page at me …
“When you feel yourself part of nature, You will live in harmony.” ~Tao 13
*Love the soft blush of the double hollyhock and Mr Daddy Longlegs owning it*
I like to open books and let my eyes fall on words on the page … have you ever tried taking a very deep breath and posing a silent question in your mind … open the book and notice what words reveal themselves …
*this beauty was confused and kept knocking itself against the skylight on our back porch … I gently rescued him using a broom … he rewarded me with a chance to snap some photos of him at rest … not that I was looking for a reward mind you … I do get excited about the prospect of getting to enjoy nature up close and personal*
sometimes it really does seem like a message from the universe …
just what I needed to hear …
reading is something I wish I could do more of … a new to me … thoughtful and cool blogger … Ana from I Made it So … had the good idea of listening to audio books …
I have enjoyed those on long car trips …
*lots of spiders busy with webs in the forest … go in for the close up and you will see that this spider built the center of its web and now seems to be working from the outside in to complete it … spiders are VERY industrious indeed*
at home it would take some discipline to remain focused and keep up with the reader ….
I really do want to give it a whirl while creating in my art cave sometime … time to visit the library
all of the photos above were taken either in our garden … on our back porch or in a nearby woodsy park … my youngest son invited me to take a morning walk in the woods … the photo of the spiderweb is quite wonderful clicked in the close up … as is the butterfly … if I do say so myself
“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.” ~Thomas Merton
Magpie's Nest ~*~ Patty Szymkowicz 
Love this series of shots! Nice variety. Beautiful.
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Patty; I’ve missed you! This is a beautiful post, to get back to visiting your Blog. Love your photos and words – a beautiful marriage always. Those audio books are wonderful! Enjoy! xxoo
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I never tire of ‘nature shots’, and these are outstanding, Patty! Love the spider web and the butterfly. **sigh** so beautiful!!! Hugs, Terri xoxo
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these photos are wonderful! i felt like i was walking along a path with you…thanks for the dose of pretty and marvelous in nature.
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nature is wondrous.
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What a beautiful and inspiring post. Your photos are remarkable. What a sweet son to ask you for a walk.
xx,
Autumn
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Patty..
We had to use binoculars to check out two deer fellows halfway down the drive in the field. Antlers were still in velvet..think they were father and son due to the difference in points. Saw three juvenile girls the day before…they had visited my swiss chard and Asian pear tree…dainty hoof prints told that story.
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Beautiful pictures. I was afraid it was the spider that popped out at you for a minute there.
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I was deeply moved by your gorgeous nature photos. The one of your butterfly is spectacular. I see where it has lost part of it’s left bottom. It doesn’t take long for the perfect design to become imperfect due to nature’s harshness.
I see I am not alone in wanting the Sally Jean book. Looks like it’s as popular with others as is is with me. But it is wonderful that you are letting it loose, just like you did the butterfly, yet another generous act.
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Just plain wonderful ,,,gorgeous shots!! Thanks for taking us on a nature walk…it was great!
Love the quote too and I love audio books too…play them in my studio sometimes.
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Geniale Bilder Patty und der rote Vogel ist ja der Hammer 🙂 Ich wünsch dir was. l.G. Alexandra
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Oh, Patty! I was laughing pretty hard after reading your post. You will have to stop by the blog and see why. I SO did NOT find the moment to stop and wonder!!!!!
Great pictures, by the way! I love your turquoise birdbath!
xoxo
lynn
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Wow! This nature photos are so wonderful, dear Patty! As each photographer is envious 🙂
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Patti, you hit the nail on the head for me with this post.
Every now and then we all just need to get grounded and this post of yours did it for me.
I enjoy walks in the park with my son who’s back here for a while, I’m treasuring every moment as he’ll be gone again all too soon. Today we’re checking out a couple of galleries – he’s nurturing my soul!!!!
Shane
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I always get talking books for the 8 hour drive to my parents. It passes the time very well, and I hate having to stop and pause the story! :)) x
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Oh How I Love your nature shots, most especially the tree from below! Fantastic and it reminded me of the articles on trees in Washington, D.C. that John Kelly has written on B3, several in the past week. I am off to water, for the second time today, just my potted plants.
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Oh so refreshing…nature…nothing can take its place. Thanks for sharing your photos.
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Beautiful shots Patty!!! I’ll do anything to get back to nature….
have a happy week!!
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Beautiful photos and words… well blogged!
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Yes, yes, yessss…. I do that too. Silently ask a question and open up a book. Especially when I’m “stuck” and keep thinking in just one direction… it really helps to let the mind flow in all directions and find answers in unexpected places. How awesome that you do it too – but I could have known didn’t I!
LOVE your nature shots… makes me think I should go outside for walks and take my camera more often myself… I could do with the walks but I’m afraid my pics won’t be as beautiful as yours. I enjoyed looking at them AND reading your post today! I embrace you from all over the ocean!
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Wow, awesome nature pics!!
I’ve got a new camera for my b’day, you’ve inspired me to go out and take a few snaps!!
Jan x
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Stunning photos — yes, nature IS the best eye candy of all. That butterfly in particular. And the wreath. All of them!
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Patty, These photos are the best!!! This is my third attempt to leave a comment. Each time there was a major mom-interuption and off I went! Speaking of balance…! I love how you used sprigs from your boxwood and the strawflowers {i think} to make the heart. On the butterfly photo, and I’m sure you planned this in advance, but the inclusion of the aqua stripe from your broom takes this photo up a notch…loved that pop of color in the photo! And Daddy long legs…I loved how it captured the little segments from his legs. I might need to send this photo to my sister just to remind her of some of my childhood antics. She was deathly afraid of spiders….me, not so much. Just to keep her in line, I would gather a few daddy long legs…well, you can guess the rest. I could say something wonderful about each of these photos…such a beautiful post! Xo, Sue
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Just what I needed this morning….. Opening up the book and the words appeared before my eyes. And it was your post!
Thank you! Hugs,
M
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you call THAT a daddy longlegs?!?! We call that a tarantula! Ha! I must say I do love living where I do! But i do love the pretty butterflies!
Great art journaled pages in the other post. Hope you are enjoying what’s left of summer…xoxo natalea
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