Hope Springs Eternal

 

White Trillium-a harbinger of spring

As I write these words, it is the very last few days of March and there is a steady snowfall outside my window.  So typical of March to have 70 degrees and sunshine on one day, then snow and wind the next.  Nevertheless, at this juncture it can be frustrating.  Just about everyone I know is so ready for Spring. It is the same back and forth pretty much every year, yet sometimes we never get used to that. We have to have HOPE that Spring will eventually come. I took this photo several years ago on a springtime walk in the woods. The White Trillium is a woodland flower that comes up in April and May.  It is such a delicate, beautiful flower and signifies to me the coming of spring as it bursts forth above the fallen leaves of the previous autumn. Not only is it a pleasure to behold, I found out that in some cultures and philosophies, the 3-petal structure represents balance of the past, present and future and also the connection between mind body and spirit.  Such an impressive connection for something so wonderfully simple.  Sometimes simplicity is the best.

So as we wait, impatiently, for the White Trillium to appear and the moment when we can safely put away the snow shovels away, I am reminded of a mindset that helps me carry forward.  The concept of Hope and how there are certain tools we can use to foster that hope.  One of these tools is one of my favorite Bible verses: Hebrews 11:1 which states:

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

The spiritual aspect of this verse has always brought me comfort, but on the more pragmatic level, the green grass, flowers breaching the surface and the warmer temperatures are yet to be seen and felt...but we have faith and hope that those days will arrive.  Of this, I am sure.  Every March I go through this.  I am wanting to visit nurseries and start to plant flowers and plan my vegetable garden.  Yet I have to reign myself in and practice both patience and hope.  

There is also more to utilizing the art of practicing patience and hope than just horticulture and the changes of the seasons.  I get frustrated and borderline depressed when I think of the current "State of Affairs" of our country and all the changes that are taking place under the Trump administration.  I really want, and need, to think positively about the future of this country and the future of the world. 

 So many things these last few months have shocked, angered and dismayed me that I don't know where to turn for solace.  I find solace in HOPE.  I look for ties from the past that at the time seemed monumental but eventually had a way of working out. I do what I can to help make my community and world a better place. Yet, I also have to protect my own mental health and well-being. Yet even the simple concept of hope is such an important tool in making things better: "If there is hope in the future, there is literally power in the present." Zig Ziglar

That being said, I can keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward based on the premise of HOPE.    Julie Etta Smith

The Ripple Effect

As a native Iowan, I am proud to say, once again Iowa produced more corn than any other state in the country.  In 2021 Iowa produced 2.5 billion bushels of corn, making it the #1 producer of corn in the U.S.  Illinois produced 2.2 billion bushels making it the 2nd most productive corn state.  In case you were wondering, Nebraska came in third and Wisconsin is much further down the list.  However, we are still the lead state for cheese, of course!

Since I grew up in Iowa, the beauty of growing cornfields was so commonplace I actually didn't give it much thought, until recently. Driving down roadways this time of year the corn has just about peaked in terms of height, but not ready to harvest just yet. As you drive and take a quick glance it is easy to spot an optical illusion, of sorts. The rows and rows of corn seems to move in a ripple pattern.

 This optical trick can only be achieved when the corn is planted in rows perpendicular to the road.  In Iowa that was usually the case.  In the beautiful rolling hills here in NW Wisconsin, some of the crops are planted in more curves, not rows.  The artistic beauty of the farmland is still present, but the ripple effect is not as frequently seen.  This ripple effect can also be found with some other crops, but it is much more evident with corn.  Think about our classic American tribute: America the Beautiful. Remember those "amber waves of grain"...waves. You can just see it rippling in the wind.  Although I usually picture wheat for that particular song visualization. Okie dokie...another important crop beautifying the landscape.

Now you may be thinking.... Julie what you been smoking? Or drinking?  Actually, nothing at all. Nothing that would hinder my ability to go out and enjoy the beauty of the season and also the joy of photography. The patterns and "ripples" in nature are a joy to behold and also to photograph.  Anyone that has travelled down a country road, especially this time of year...knows what I mean.

Antelope Canyon, Arizona

It's nice to appreciate what are seemingly the commonplace things in our world, things that perhaps we need an extra nudge to notice. There is beauty to be found in the cornfields. Beauty and patterns. Even if you are not a photographer...it's nice to explore the beauty in the everyday. Nature is full of interesting patterns. Another one that comes to mind is the ripple effect in stone that creates the illusion of waves.   An excellent example of this is found among the walls of the Antelope Canyon in Arizona. Just look at the way it could be perceived as ripples of water.

With all this talk about ripples, consider where the parallel got started...with water. Look at all the photographs dedicated to the beauty of water. I have many photos of waterfalls and it is intriguing to capture how water reacts in certain conditions.  Here's an awesome example of the Ripple Effect with water....

Photo by maxpixel.net

So enjoy the patterns of nature, what a lovely time of year to do that. When the snow starts to fly that will bring a whole new host of opportunities to looks at patterns...

Julie E. Smith