Photography | Reflections on the Teche

Archive for the ‘Photography’ Category

This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Sunflower Farm

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, Bergsbaken Farms, sunflowers, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on August 11, 2021| 17 Comments »

Today is my 60th birthday. I gasp when I see that. Sixty years is a long time! I share my birthday with two sisters I met right here, connecting through blogging, Linda Mitchell and Julieanne Harmatz. Happy Birthday to you, too!

This week’s photo is a fun one. I found it on Instagram, posted by Trina Bartel, another fellow blogger. She tells me it was taken at Bergsbaken Farms in Wisconsin.

(The photo) is from a sunflower farm in a tiny town in Cecil, WI (NE WI). It’s a huge field of sunflowers that you can visit for a suggested donation of 2 dollars each. There are props (like the bike) that you can take photos with. The bike is on the edge of a huge sunflower field. It is at the entrance. This sunflower farm is about 3-4 years old. I believe it was created as a way to generate money for a struggling family farm.
Trina Bartel (click to follow on Instagram)

Blue bike on Sunflower Farm by Trina Bartel

A bouquet of sunflowers
in a basket just for you
sing “Happy Birthday!”
Margaret Simon, draft

Please join me today by writing a small poem in the comments. Try to respond to others with encouraging words. Thanks for being here. I love you all!

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Spiritual Thursday: Respect

Posted in Gratitude, Photography, Poetry, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged Brain Pickings, David Whyte, Respect, spiritual journey on August 5, 2021| 8 Comments »

Spiritual Journey First Thursday is being gathered today by Linda Mitchell.

Linda Mitchell is gathering Spiritual Journey First Thursday posts. Her topic suggestion is Respect. I wasn’t going to write. In fact, I emailed Linda and apologized, “I’ve got nothing.” However, in the spirit of respect for this community of writers and because I’m awake on the last day of my summer break, I am writing.

Respect is born out of Love. The two are intertwined like the threads on the knitting needles. God calls us to Love.

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
1 John 4:16

This morning I read a beautiful poem by David Whyte, The True Love.

so that when
we finally step out of the boat
toward them, we find
everything holds
us, and everything confirms
our courage, and if you wanted
to drown you could,
but you don’t
because finally
after all this struggle
and all these years
you simply don’t want to
any more
you’ve simply had enough
of drowning
and you want to live and you
want to love and you will
walk across any territory
and any darkness
however fluid and however
dangerous to take the
one hand you know
belongs in yours.
David Whyte, Brain Pickings

Step out of the boat and give your hand to God. Find true love with God. Trust the safety you feel. Hold your hand out to others in respectful response.

Miramar Beach, Florida (photo by Margaret Simon)

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Where Gulls Fly

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Writing, tagged #beingmamére, #smallpoems, beach, hopesview, seagulls, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on August 4, 2021| 30 Comments »

I am currently writing in a hotel room in SandDestin, Florida. We are being completely quiet to not wake up my sleeping grandson. My daughter has business here, so I came along to help with Thomas. (His daycare is on a summer break.) The beach views are wonderful, but I can’t take Thomas out on the beach because he hates the way the sand feels on his feet. We spent more time playing in the kiddie pool. He also enjoys running down the hotel hallways and hearing his voice echo. Oh, the joys of being a toddler!

I took a few beach pictures on my phone, but I flipped back to Hope Dublin’s Instagram photos (@hopesview2021) and found this amazing one of flying seagulls. My summer days come to an end this Friday when teachers return to school.

Please join me today by writing a small poem in the comments. Support other writers with comment replies.

Sand tickles my toes
while seagulls float on air
sing an August song.
Margaret Simon, draft

Thomas finds the T on the keyboard. He can also find M for Mamére.

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Crepe Myrtle Shedding

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, Crepe Myrtle trees, Lory Landry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on July 28, 2021| 23 Comments »

I’ve noticed recently on my morning walks that the crepe myrtle trees are doing something weird, shedding their bark. Surely this is something they do yearly, but I’ve never noticed it. Of course, I googled it.

As all Crepe Myrtles grow and mature, they shed last year’s bark, revealing a colorful, mottled bark beneath. Once the tree has reached full maturity, several years after planting… you are in for a real show. Sit back and enjoy the unique texture and coloration that shows up on their wood once the bark is shed. Because the Crepe Myrtle is a deciduous tree, it sheds all its leaves during the winter, leaving behind the beautiful bark on the tree which makes it a centerpiece in many winter landscapes.
McDonald Garden Center Blog

I took a few pictures with my phone, but I wasn’t satisfied with the artistry of the photos. So I text my friend, teacher-photographer Lory Landry.

“Do you have any good pictures of the peeling bark of crepe myrtles? I love how you see things and photograph them with an artistic eye.”

“I don’t think so. If I knew where some were off hand, I could take some.”

Not a full hour later, she texted me 8 close ups. I had a hard time choosing. This was our next exchange.

Crepe Myrtle Bark by Lory Landry.
On Instagram @leauxlandry

When Sun warms Earth,
Myrtle knows to shed her skin
and show her inside beauty.
Margaret Simon, draft

Leave a small poem in the comments. Be kind in your response to others. Share your inside beauty.

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Tree Bark

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Writing, tagged #haiku, #smallpoems #poemsofpresence, lichen, oak tree, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on July 21, 2021| 10 Comments »

This summer it has rained every day here in South Louisiana. The effects of climate change are here, warmer air, warmer oceans, more water vapor=more rain. We are waterlogged. However, the plants seem to love it. The trees are greener than ever, covered in resurrection fern that only turns green when it is wet. I’ve managed a daily walk between downpours. I took this picture yesterday of the bark on one of our oak trees.

There’s imagery here, metaphor maybe? Find your own way into a small poem and leave it in the comments. Be sure to respond to other writers with encouraging words.

This old tree frosted
white with lichen brightens
a trail to fairy heaven
Margaret Simon, haiku draft

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: The Beach

Posted in Photography, Poetry, tagged #smallpoems #poemsofpresence, #ThisPhoto, beach, Florida, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on July 14, 2021| 21 Comments »

One of our teacher-writer-blogger friends Leigh Anne Eck is on vacation in Florida. Don’t you just love a vacation photo that you can sink your dreams into?

Treasure
found in a sea shell,
an open sky,
a moment
with you.
Margaret Simon, draft

Take a moment to muse about this photo. Write a small poem in the comments. You may share on social media with #ThisPhoto, #poemsofpresence and #smallpoems. Be sure to leave encouraging responses to other writers.

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Fleeting Summer

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Writing, tagged equation poems, summer, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on July 7, 2021| 28 Comments »

Does anyone feel like summer is quickly going by? I did not, intentionally, make a list of goals for this summer; however, there is that running list in my head of things that are not getting done. So be it, right? Summer is for relaxing and taking each day as it comes.

When I look out of my window, I see this mandevilla vine going wild. It’s stretched beyond the reaches of the trellis. So be it… Let it go. That is what this plant teaches me. (This post is up later because I forgot it was Wednesday, another good sign of summer.)

Wandering Mandevilla vine, Photo by Margaret Simon

Summer sun + daily dose of rain = wandering time
Margaret Simon, equation poem

Please add a small poem in the comments. Encourage other writers with positive response.

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Sprinkler Backbend

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Writing, tagged Lisa Davis, small poems, summer, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on June 30, 2021| 38 Comments »

Summer is hot, no matter where you live, and the best way to beat the heat is to play in the water. This photo is sure to cool you off. It’s from Lisa Davis’s Instagram feed. Lisa was the site director for the National Writing Project at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA. (pronounced Nak-a-dish) She is currently retired (I think) and enjoying being a grandmother. I couldn’t resist her post of her granddaughter dancing in the sprinkler.

Is it possible
to fall in love with a day?
Joy
catches me in its spray!
Margaret Simon, draft

Add your flash draft of a small poem in the comments. Return to give feedback to others who write. Thanks for stopping by!

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Pacific Ocean

Posted in Photography, Poetry, tagged California, Kim Douillard, Pacific Ocean, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on June 23, 2021| 29 Comments »

The summer solstice makes it officially summer. What’s more summery than the ocean? Following Kim Douillard on Instagram takes me to the Pacific Ocean. She lives near San Diego, California. During the school year, she teaches third grade. Her happy place is taking photos at the beach. On her blog, Thinking through my Lens, she writes poetry, shares writing lessons, and posts amazing photographs. Last night I saw this picture which totally took me to a new place. Let’s see if we can make this photo come more alive with poetry offerings. Join me in the comments by writing your own small poem.

San Clemente, California by Kim Douillard

How to be an Ocean Wave
Rise up with grit.
Roar with spirit.
Open your heart and hands.
Make life grand!
Margaret Simon, draft

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: A Boy and a Cat

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Writing, tagged being grandmother, black and white photography, farm life, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on June 16, 2021| 33 Comments »

Last week I took both of my grandsons to a local farm. See this post. They were cautiously curious. While we walked around, multiple young cats circled and rubbed up against us. Leo has a cat at home, but I think this was his first experience with this gentle, yet intrusive cat behavior. I found this photo in my phone and made it black and white. Don’t you love how you can do that with a slide of your finger?