Earth Story (26MARCH2022 Lens-Artist’s Photo Challenge #192)

Hello readers, this week the Lens-Artist theme is Earth Story. Amy invites us to share about the earth from our lens. 

Starting with photos that remind us that humans are part of the earth story. 

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Now a little section from Bleak House (reading along slowly for the 2022 #Dickenschallenge – here and here) and so this section stood out today as Dickens depicted the vibrancy in the earth’s fruits: 

     “He lived in a pretty house, formerly the parsonage house, with a lawn in front, a bright flower-garden at the side, and a well-stocked orchard and kitchen-garden in the rear, enclosed with a venerable wall that had of itself a ripened ruddy look. But, indeed, everything about the place wore an aspect of maturity and abundance. The old lime-tree walk was like green cloisters, the very shadows of the cherry-trees and apple-trees were heavy with fruit, the gooseberry-bushes were so laden that their branches arched and rested on the earth, the strawberries and raspberries grew in like profusion, and the peaches basked by the hundred on the wall.

     Tumbled about among the spread nets and the glass frames sparkling and winking in the sun there were such heaps of drooping pods, and marrows, and cucumbers, that every foot of ground appeared a vegetable treasury, while the smell of sweet herbs and all kinds of wholesome growth (to say nothing of the neighbouring meadows where the hay was carrying) made the whole air a great nosegay. Such stillness and composure reigned within the orderly precincts of the old red wall that even the feathers hung in garlands to scare the birds hardly stirred; and the wall had such a ripening influence that where, here and there high up, a disused nail and scrap of list still clung to it, it was easy to fancy that they had mellowed with the changing seasons and that they had rusted and decayed according to the common fate.”

                             ~Charles Dickens in Bleak House: CHAPTER XVIII, Lady Dedlock

 

The last photo for today has a little story to go with it.

• Do you see the little flowers below? They are called ‘Jumping Jack’ Perennial Viola. I brought home one little transplant back in the spring of 2009. They were near the art room that I taught in back then. The transplant was wrapped in a wet napkin and made the journey just fine. 
• The little violas have come back every year since then; however, this year they are five times the normal amount. Perhaps a little too much, but they are so beautiful and these small, cold-weather flowers bloom in late winter and early spring, bringing a little cheer (like the daffodils).
• Also, it never fails, each year, when I see those first viola blooms emerge, I am reminded of my own story (on this earth) as I think of that season in my life (who I was then and what my aims were – I was teaching art and it was such a passion at the time…).
• Anyhow, each year, I have different memories unfold when I see the violas emerge – the memories come and go quickly – and I smile for them.  
• So… I guess these little “jumping jacks” are a bit of a memory flower.

 

• What about you, do you have a memory flower?
• Or do you have some photos that depict part of the earth’s story? If so, join us by going here: https://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/2022/03/26/earth/.

 

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