My Father's World

This is my Father’s world, And to my list’ning ears All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres. This is my Father’s world; I rest me in the thought Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas— His hand the wonders wrought. Those beautiful words from one of my favorite hymns have been an inspiration to me as a photographer to look for and appreciate and try to capture God’s grace and beauty … whatever the season.  And even in the dead of winter, God's grace and beauty embrace us. You can find them in bare tree limbs, their silhouettes gracefully framing a picturesque river scene.  In the bright GREENness of ivy growing in the wild … And in coppery leaves, stubbornly clinging to a twisted tree on the side of a road. The leaves of magnificent old southern magnolias are as shiny-bright as they were in the summer ...  Rustling overhead, defying winter's icy breezes ... While their massive roots gently cradle fallen seed pods below ... The branches of twisted and gnarled cedars are heavy with beautiful clusters of  blue berries. Wouldn't they be lovely in a winter bride's bouquet! God's grace can also be heard in water cascading over a fall in a winding creek ... And as it trickles around the rocks along the water's edge. And ...  "In the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere." I hope you find God's grace in whatever the winter brings your way, and remember that no matter how cold it gets, or how long the days seem ... the flowers of Spring are quietly sleeping beneath their blankets of snow and leaves ... patiently waiting for God's "wakeup call. " I hope WE can wait as patiently!

A Year in Pictures

As we begin to count down the days of 2013, I'd like to share a little of the lagniappe I captured in pictures this year. Along with the pictures, I captured some lovely memories of where and when I took the pictures, so I was doubly blessed.   Let's begin with last JANUARY ... A Yuletide Sasanqua peeping out at me from behind its leaves ... Japanese Magnolia Buds reaching for the sun ... And a close up of a magnificent old Japanese Magnolia tree in Vicksburg. Moving on to FEBRUARY ... I fondly remember the day I used my zoom lens to capture this cardinal in a cedar tree several hundred yards away in the Vicksburg National Cemetery. Isn't he glorious! And, on the same day, these dried grasses caught my attention along one of the roads winding through the Vicksburg National Military Park. I love the contrast between the dark green cedar branches, the bright red cardinal, and the dried grasses. MARCH brought its own lagniappe, in the form of Irises at the Old Court House Museum in Vicksburg ... Wisteria to the Natchez Trace ... And the American Queen to the Vicksburg Waterfront. It seems as if it was just last month when I captured the next picture of a tree tunnel created by twisted old oak trees in rural Hinds County, but it was actually in APRIL. It is one of my favorites of the pictures I made this year. April also took me to one of my favorite places to photograph -- Mynelle Gardens in Jackson.  I was there on April 12th, and was just in time to capture the gardens at their prettiest! I'm pleased to say that several of my photographs were included in Our South magazine's feature article on Mynelle Gardens ... MAY graced us with happy little Daisies ... And regal Magnolias. Gardening with our granddaughter ... And delighting in our grandson ... Time marches on ... faster and faster these days ... and before I knew it, half the year had passed me by.   The month of JUNE found me rambling around country roads in pursuit of the "Queen of the Wildflowers," the elegant Queen Anne's Lace ...    While searching for Queen Anne's Lace, I found some colorful lagniappe in the form of these pretty "ditch lilies." What an "inelegant" name for such an elegant little flower! The highlight of the month of JULY, was having the pleasure of our grandson Maddox's company for a weekend.  It just doesn't get much better than watching a little one enjoying the simple pleasures of life, like playing with a water hose and delighting in his first popsicle ... What a joy this little boy is! In AUGUST, my husband and I took a short trip to South Louisiana, where we found ... Alligators And Frogs ... "Work of Art" Bridges ... Magnificent old oaks ... Sugar Cane  And Bamboo! SEPTEMBER found me rambling along country roads again, this time capturing a few pictures that were "there for the taking."  Here are just a few of the treasures I found "amongst the fence rows" along the way ... It was also in September that I visited a cotton patch that was in full bloom! A month later, in OCTOBER, I returned to that cotton field and this is the way it looked then ... Cotton is so much fun to photograph because each and every boll is different. Next comes NOVEMBER ... and late blooming roses. I captured these around the first of November. In stark contrast to the soft, pastel roses, November also turned the leaves on our Japanese Maple tree bright crimson. Doesn't God have a glorious palette for the different seasons! And that brings us to DECEMBER, when all is "merry and bright," and God's glory and love surround us. May your last days of December be Merry and Bright ... and may they bring back many happy memories for you as we reflect upon the passage of this year.  I'm so thankful for being able to forever capture a part of my year in the pictures I've shared today.  Seeing them again brought back fond recollections of many happy hours and "How Great Thou Art moments" spent in the midst of God's Amazing Grace and Glory.