Camping in the Rain

A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

A view of the start of Appalachia at sunset

The thing about

camping in the rain

is that when the rain stops

you go outside-

and you are lighter,

the world is lighter,

the birds are singing again

and a little joy creeps back

into your heart

and you walk the muddy path

splashing just a little bit more

than strictly necessary

smiling like you never saw the sun

until just today

when it pushed its way

past the heavy clouds

and shined.

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Rain-soaked White Cave Path at Mammoth Cave National Park, where my boots got muddy, and I smiled to be back outside.

Tall grass flattened by rushing rainwater on the hillside next to the path to the historic cave entrance at Mammoth Cave

A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us.

John Steinbeck

This trip was not what I expected. I expected quiet and peace and trails and warm nights reading by a campfire. What I got was a lot of rain. Thunder. Tornado and hail warnings. More rain. Flooded campgrounds. Then, periodically, the sun would come out and I would get out and go. It made every moment I spent outside really special. In Arkansas, I got to experience the warm steam rising from the ground at Hot Springs National Park on a cold day. In Tennessee, I got to run along the Mississippi River. In Alabama, I got to hike with my sister, Rita at a beautiful little trail system near her home. In Kentucky, I ventured into a deep cave (see last week’s post here) and came out with a resolution to face my fears instead of avoiding them, and I’m excited about that shift in my attitude. The trip wasn’t what I expected at all; but on reflection, I think it was exactly what I needed it to be.

Now I am home in Michigan, where all the spring flowers are blooming early. The air is cool and crisp in the morning, and the neighborhood animals (and the neighbors!) are making me feel welcome. I’m so happy to be here. Thank you for being here with me. See you next week.

a mass of lilies of the valley cover the ground in the woods near my home

Soaking in Texas

All beauty of this world is wet with the dew of tears.

Theodor Haecker

The morning after a stormy night

a few raindrops linger

and a silent fog rolls in

Love is not a hot-house flower, but a wild plant, born of a wet night, born of an hour of sunshine; sprung from wild seed, blown along the road by a wild wind.

John Galsworthy

I had a great time visiting my family in Fort Worth this week. The weather was unusually cloudy and rainy for spring in Texas, but not unwelcome -the wildflowers are more abundant than I’ve ever seen them this year. It was a short visit. Now I’m blowing on down the road like a wild seed on a wild wind.

Hope your week was beautiful Thank you for to everyone who shared your photos experimenting with frames! Keep on sending! Maybe they will end up in a future post. Love to you all. See you next week.

An absolute

patience.

Trees stand

up to their knees in

fog…

Denise Levertov

Spring Promise

I am going to try to pay attention to the spring. I am going to look around at all the flowers, and look up at the hectic trees. I am going to close my eyes and listen.

Anne Lamott

Texas Storksbill

Spring Arrival

Leaving behind a chilly wind,

And a little frost last night,

winter went away.

In the morning,

spring would arrive

with dewy promise.

I woke early-

going outside -

the roosters crowed,

and the sun rose

through cloudy skies.

I searched for signs:

Budding of trees,

Blooming of flowers,

Singing of birds,

Greening of grass,

And just like magic,

they were there,

and there I was

again to see it -

With wonder

And gratitude.

Prairie Verbena

Blossom by blossom the spring begins.

Algernon Charles Swinburne

Dandelion and Henbit Deadnettle

Bunch-flowered Daffodil and a camera-shy green insect

Bluebonnet

Salvia

Anemone and Prickly Pear

Golden Crownbeard and a contented bee

Grackles ignoring the signs…

All of these photos were taken in Texas - in case you are wondering about the change of scenery.

Thank you for being here once again. I wanted to remind you of my challenge a few weeks ago:

I have a challenge for you! I’ve been playing with perspective all month - on and off- sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t; but it always makes me see things differently; and it’s fun. So, my challenge is this: take a picture of something ordinary. Your toaster, your coffee maker, some tracks in the snow, a shadow that falls on your wall… anything; but take it in an unusual way. Then, if you like it - share it with me! I will post a gallery of the images in a future blog! Send them to rhodatude@gmail.com and make sure to include a little description of what it is and how you took the picture.

(click here to see the entire original post) - please submit photos by April 1, 2023 if you want your photos to be included in my April 5 blog post. I hope you are having a lovely spring so far. See you next week.