Shadow Play

Yesterday was a gray day here in Minneapolis. Sometimes life serves up darkness and shadows, other days sunshine and fair skies. No matter what the weather I find joy in seeing how light and shadows intersect in our world.

Shadow Play

The weather forecast predicted light rain mid-afternoon yesterday, so I decided to go to Big Willow Park in Minnetonka for my hike early in the afternoon, hoping to avoid the rain. As I approached the park I saw the first drops of rain on my car’s windshield.

I brought my raincoat with me just in case, so I headed out to walk despite a few drops of rain now and then. Reflections of trees in Minnehaha Creek rippled as raindrops fell creating an impressionistic tableau. I saw a few people on my walk and interestingly it seemed that everyone I met was more apt to smile and say, “Hello,” than people were just a few weeks ago. For quite awhile during the pandemic it seemed that everyone looked away when I came upon them on walks rather than nodding, smiling, or saying “Hi”.

I’m happy to see that making eye contact, smiling, and saying, “Hello,” is coming back. Can this be because people are getting vaccinated and feeling safer in the world? I know that it has made a big difference in my own peace of mind as I navigate the world post-vaccination.

I enjoyed seeing different wildflowers at Big Willow than I’ve been seeing in my own neighborhood’s parks. There is a little used trail there that circles through an area filled with wildflowers. Many of them were blooming yesterday, brightening an otherwise drab day.

I was surprised to find plastic waste among the saplings and trees. Here, a plastic sleeve had been placed around the base of a sapling to protect it’s bark. Sadly it fell apart and is no longer providing protection to the tree. It shouldn’t have surprised me but the more aware I become of plastic waste and the more I try to change my behaviors to use less plastic, the more I see just how ubiquitous plastic is in modern life.

Contrast the plastic in the image before this one with the many forms of life springing up from a rotting log. When organic life decomposes it feeds new life. Plastic never decomposes as far as I know, it only breaks into smaller and smaller pieces, polluting the soil and water.

This time of year I love to photograph small plants and bushes along the creek. Here the reflections of trees in the creek mix with actual branches of bushes with reddish leaves emerging.

Before the leaves have fully emerged, shapes and tangles of canes and dried plant stems create graceful sculptures along the trail.

Another piece of plastic waste sits at the base of a large tree. Sigh.

Tiny white flowers wind through fresh new stems of grass.

I happened upon a colony of yellow violets. During my springtime walks this year I’ve see deep purple, paler purple, white, and yellow violets. I wonder how the different colors  of violets evolved.

Messenger

 

My work is loving the world.

Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird—

equal seekers of sweetness.

Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.

Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.

Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?

Am I no longer young, and still half-perfect? Let me

keep my mind on what matters,

which is my work,

which is mostly standing still and learning to be

astonished.

The phoebe, the delphinium.

The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.

Which is mostly rejoicing, since all the ingredients are here,

which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart

and these body-clothes,

a mouth with which to give shouts of joy

to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,

telling them all, over and over, how it is

that we live forever.

   — Mary Oliver

As I was heading back to the parking lot I saw this beautiful dog and his owner. I asked if I could photograph them and then we chatted for a few minutes. It turned out that he had recently adopted the dog from a shelter (he was the dog’s fourth owner) and the dog did indeed have some behavior problems. While I am usually not afraid of dogs, this one lunged at me with a fierce bark after approaching me in what looked to be a friendly manner. I’m no expert on dog behavior but I assume that this guy has had a rough life. Sending kind thoughts to both Jack, the dog, and his owner who told me, “Every week I think about taking him back to the shelter.” May they find a way to heal one another if healing is needed.

May you walk in beauty.