“Look deep into nature and you will understand everything better.” – Einstein
This week Amy selected Earth Story as our photo challenge theme. She says, “The natural world has many stories to tell. They are written on the ground, in the mountains and rivers, and on rocks and trees. Let’s share their stories through our lenses.”
I decided to feature a few pictures which show different segments of the earth and our natural world and each with its own story to tell. Each picture can be enlarged by double clicking it.
The header picture is flowers from a large orange tree in our yard. Right now the tree is full of flowers like these. Soon the pedals will fall off and an orange will grow in its place. By the way, the fragrance from these flowers is like a fine perfume!
Below is Horseshoe Falls (Canadian Falls) in Niagara Falls near Niagara-on-the-Lakes in Canada. This shows the United States in the distant background.
“The earth has music for those who listen.” – William Shakespeare
Early morning on the beach in Maine as the birds are out looking for food.
Angel Oak Tree on Johns Island (Charleston) South Carolina. This particular tree is estimated to be 400 to 500 years old and could live as long as 900 years (normal life expectancy). It is a southern oak tree (Quercus virginiana); stands 66.5 ft (20 m) tall and produces shade covering 17,200 square feet (1,600 m). If interesting in learning more about the Angle Oak Tree, I feaured it a few years ago in a post titled, “Big Can be Beautiful Too!” Click here to see it.
“On Earth there is no heaven, but there are pieces of it.” – Jules Renard
Sugar Loaf Golf Course is one of the most natuarally beautiful places anywhere around. It is located in the Carrabassett Valley in Kingfield, Maine, and It is known for its stunning panoramic mountain views in addition to being the hardest course in Maine. My husband and I know first-hand how challenging the course is. For example, notice the location of the tee box in the left-hand corner where we stand to hit our ball to the green below. Playing there is an unforgettable experience, it is so easy to get caught up in its natural beauty and spectacular views. This is how it looked one September; there was already snow on the mountains.
Granite, the most abundant rock in the earth’s continental crust, is located close to the surface. Below is an active granite quarry in Beebe, Que, Canada.
The picture below is a polished slab of granite which clearly shows the solidification of molten rock material (Igneous rocks) which formed close to the earth’s surface. I took this picture when we were in the process of remodeling our kitchen.
“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.” – Rachel Carson
Hope you enjoyed seeing a few examples of the Earth’s natural beauty. And to see even more of Earth’s wonders, check out Amy’s post by clicking here.
On another note: an exciting photographic opportunity recently came my way when I was invited to display one of my pictures in the Photographic Society of America (PSA) Member’s Showcase from mid-March to mid-April. (I was one of ten members from PSA’s Digital Dialogue Study Groups to be selected.) What a pleasant surprise! The direct link to the Showcase is http://psadigital.org/.
Stay safe and healthy and be kind to others.