A Day of Longing...

There are days when we want more than we have, more than there is, more than we deserve. We know we should be grateful for all that is, but that doesn't stop us wanting, longing for what was, longing for an intensity of what's to come - if only we knew what it was. On days like this I have to remind myself that the smallest of things make me happy; to step back and take stock of my life and realize how very lucky I am. 

I was chatting to a photographer yesterday and said how excited I was that I had finally received my new Fuji Camera. He asked me what I liked to photograph. After much thought I replied "Things Not People". Then, to change the subject, I countered "What do you like to shoot?" Without a moments hesitation, he replied "Everything. I find beauty in everything".  "Hmmm". I said not sure what else to say.

Calla Lily in a Petals Vase

Photography forces you to look through the lens and life and all its idiosyncrasies. And in doing so, one sees almost everything with a fresh perspective, we change our perception and view point to find comfort; we find beauty in what is interesting and familiar as we try to make sense of it all. We are all on our own journey in life. For me it's a constant state of curiosity and exploration. And while I will never understand all there is to know, I surely believe the deep longing I have, which often catches me unaware, is to understand this precariously rich journey I am on and my purpose in life. But do we ever appreciate all that we have until it is too late to truly enjoy it?  

In the early hours of this morning, unable to sleep, I turned on my computer and saw the images of this week's shipment Amanda had posted. A deep sense of longing, that's omnipresent in my life, quickly surfaced. Suddenly the images were not enough, I grabbed my car keys and drove into town, the back windows down for Charlie Baer who'd come along for the adventure. He was the picture of contentment, head out the window, eyes closed, as the passing wind danced with his dense canine coat. 

The streets were almost deserted; the journey took no time at all. The lights of the orb in the shop window gently glowed, beckoning me inside. I felt almost silly as I stood in my pajamas in front of the fridge, the cold concrete floors reminded me my feet were bare, wondering why I had come. With Charlie still in the car, my only company was the gentle hum of the fridge. 

Hydrangea in Petals' vases

When people come into the shop, they often take a deep breath and exclaim: "What a beautiful smell!" When had I stopped smelling the flowers' heady perfume, the earthiness of forest floor, the minerality, the oak, the concrete, the leather?  I stood for a moment, breathing deeply, simply enjoying the profusion of it all especially the textures and colours of the different blooms. 

Why do flowers make me feel at peace? What mystical powers do they possess?  What do flowers mean to you?                                                                                                                                                  ...njb

Mustard Vanda Orchids 

Speckled Mokara Orchids

Phaelanopsis Orchids

Gerbers

Gerber

Scabiosa

Scabiosa