Friday, March 11, 2011

Quiet Beauty



It's a quiet day here at our Little Red House. I am posting much later than usual. Yesterday was a day of gusting rain; I didn't sleep much last night, with water in the cellar and the wind rattling the branches against the house.




But earlier this morning, the welcome sight of the sun drew me outside. And the remnants of the storm were beautiful in their own way. Droplets of water clung to the last, stubborn rose hips and glistened on the azalea branches, where the new green of fledgling leaves was impossibly lovely.




The high winds brought down this branch from the wild apple tree, with it's fascinating green lichen -- another bit of beauty from the storm.




Can you see the blue sky in the puddle? Even in the depths of the mud, there is beauty to be found. You just need to look closely enough.




And in the end there is the water itself -- like so many glittering diamonds on the wild rose bushes.

So there is my dose of quiet beauty for today. I've been watching the news from Japan and my heart is breaking for the many people whose lives have been touched by the tragedy there. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

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21 comments:

  1. Yes, it has been just such a day...beauty to be found and prayer for those affected by the earthquake...makes the water in my basement pale in comparison...yours, too, I know.

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  2. Hi Mary,

    Yes, we too are saddened by the news coming from Japan. It takes the edge off being Friday and the beginning of the weekend. It is a reminder of how blessed we are and that earthquakes aren't likely to happen where we live.

    Prayers to all those suffering.

    Happy weekend. I see you had that awful storm that we had on Wednesday.

    Hugs,
    Joyce

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  3. We had the same torrential rains here and big gusts of wind that brought down branches. You truly found the beauty left in the wake the storm. My heart breaks for Japan as well.

    Kat

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  4. Mary Carroll. That name rings bells and whistles in my head. I heard that name most my life.
    Did you ever hear of Johnnie Carroll.
    Your photo's are beautiful and this rain is melting our snow at last.
    yvonne

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  5. i love lichen! the soft greens just slay me.

    beautiful shots

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  6. Hi Mary...

    My friend, what beauty you have captured with your camera! It's just stunning...wished you could have heard all of my ooohs and aaahs as I looked through each photo! What a gifted and talented photographer you are! Thank you sooo very much for sharing your creativity and talents with us here! This has been such a treat!

    Warmest spring wishes...
    Chari @Happy To Design

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  7. Beautiful pictures! I think all of our prayers are going up for Japan. What a tragic event! Carla

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  8. Mother Nature is a curious woman on one hand she creates such beauty and pleasure as you have captured in those amazing photographs and on the other hand, she creates such savage destruction and pain. My thoughts go to all those who have been affected by this terrible disaster in Japan and surrounding areas, and special thoughts to my husbands colleague who is missing in Tokyo.

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  9. Love your glimpses of spring. It's warming up here in N. Illinois. Hard to imagine the devastation in Japan...we only get a glimpse on our TV screens. I can't imagine what they are going through. Prayers are going up for all. Balisha

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  10. Love these pictures. The quiet after the storm ~ enjoy ;-)

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  11. The same weather here in RI today but with the grandchildren here I didn't get a chance to take many photos...yours are gorgeous!

    My thoughts and prayers go out to those in Japan who are suffering...how frightening....

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  12. What gorgeous pictures. Thanks so much for posting them!!!

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  13. As always, your pictures are incredibly beautiful. The sky reflected in the puddle is amazing.

    XO,
    Jane

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  14. And I, too, am just heartbroken over the devastation in Japan.

    XO,
    Jane

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  15. The news from Japan is heartbreaking and worrisome with that power plant. Your photos are calming and beautiful. And I love your lichen. Love it.

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  16. Mary, the lichen shot is exceptional....love it!...smiles.

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  17. Mary,
    I really like the puddle; typlifies spring with the light surrounded by the dark of winter.
    I stopped by for a visit and really like the gentleness of your blog; I think I'll stay!
    thanks for having me...

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  18. Gorgeous Mary.. Just gorgeous. I cant wait to see spring here. We have so much snow still and will have for sometime.
    xoxo

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  19. I just love the way the puddles reflect the sky in March - sometimes, blue and, sometimes, pink and, sometimes, gray, etc. We're still stuck in the dooryard because of the snow piles and the snow is just still too deep and "breakthrough" to walk across the meadow. I took a gorgeous walk down the lane, though. I smell it, I see it - spring is coming. I don't think that I could get tired of talking about or hoping for it, either.

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