WPC: Inspiration

monastery

This little abbey at the opposite end of the county where I live is my favorite place to recharge. It’s a quiet monastery that follows the Rule of St. Benedict. Their motto, Ora et Labora, pray and work,  can be seen everywhere, if not in words, then certainly in action. It’s quiet there, but busy.

I go there often for inspiration, especially when I find myself in a creative funk. I walk around the grounds. Pray. Walk some more. Sit. Think. Take pictures. Think some more. Pray again.

Every time I leave, I’m recharged. I think the peace I feel opens up my heart and mind and I am able to work past the blocks. Its the prayer, and the work. The inspiration for me to pray. And work.

 

WPC: Close Up and Beautiful

butterflyI have to start with the disclaimer that I know nothing about butterflies except they are beautiful.

Perhaps that’s all I need to know.

I took this photo quite by accident, in that I didn’t initially see the butterfly, or frankly, even look in its direction. I was wandering around the farmers market in Charleston, looking at fruit. I wanted peaches and it seems everywhere I looked people were selling tomatoes. Big, juicy, red, fresh tomatoes, but that’s not what I wanted. I wanted peaches.

I passed a couple selling plants a couple of times as I picked my way through the growing morning crowd. The lens cap was back on the camera, and I let it dangle loosely as I resigned myself to people watching. And more tomatoes. Suddenly, the man caught my attention and called to me.

“Hey! You’re taking the wrong pictures. This is what you want to photograph.” He pointed to a nondescript plant. I made a face at him.

“Come close. You can’t see it from there.”

Are you kidding me? That’s the lamest sales pitch I’ve ever heard. And yet, I went closer. What can I say? I’m the sucker that kept P.T. Barnum in business.

Only, wait.

There was a beautiful butterfly perched on the plant. I had to get close up to see it and get a picture. I was fascinated by the coloring. The blue flecks along the spots are my favorite part — mostly because I’m partial to blue, but also because it triggered some long forgotten childhood memories. I used to love  to draw, and that shade of blue and the dusky effect as it moves away from the orange spot was a favorite technique I’d use.

I took the picture. And now, I want to draw.

 

 

WPC: Half and Half

I’m sure I’m not the only one to think of posting my morning coffee with half ‘n half in it to celebrate this week’s photo challenge, Half and Half.

I usually post just one photo, but this week, I’m going with two, one from nature, and one from people. I think it’s interesting to note how in nature there is a certain complementarity — a balance if you look for it. Last week I accompanied my husband on an errand to his office, and I took my camera to entertain myself while he was fixing something or other. I wandered around the side of the building which is filled with cactus plants — I mean packed tight. Who needs a security system? Only a nut would try to get past that wall of prickly things. Anyway, I was enthralled by the coexistence of purple hearts throughout the field of cacti, side by side, adding color and life to an otherwise boring landscape.

cactus

That’s how I feel about my better half — he complements my insanity with steadiness. He balances my world. We are half and half – a whole, but retaining individuality.

chairs

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