Sidewalk Flowers

I came across a book last week.  A picture book.  The little girl in the red jacket is walking with her father in the city.  With the eyes of a child, she looks for the beauty in the world around her.  She has a strong sense of wonder.

Her father is very distracted. He talks on the phone.  His mind is elsewhere.

I was profoundly struck by the power of these simple illustrations.

As a young mother with little children,  it was easy to see the world through their eyes.  They were always finding little treasures - things of beauty - wherever we went. 

They pointed out things I didn't notice.

I don't have young children anymore.  

 I have my camera.

This past week I've done something I've never done before.

I set my alarm to wake up 1/2 hour before sunrise 

and went out with my camera to photograph

the beauty in my world.

As I drove aimlessly in search of beauty,  I felt like the little girl in the red jacket.

Full of awe and wonder, I saw my world as I've never seen it before.

All I had to do was drive around and notice.  See.  

Fuzzy cows, checking me out, made me smile.

A graceful horse wondered what I was doing.

Another made me laugh.

These birds were kind enough to  fly overhead just at the right moment to help make my favorite photo of all.

"Photographs have given us visual proof that the world is grander that we imagined - that there is beauty, often overlooked, in nearly everything."

~ Annie Griffiths, National Geographic photographer

I've never really been interested in landscape photography in the past - until now.  I don't think I understood what it was all about. 

Seeing beauty in the mundane.

Getting pleasure from the unexpected.

Appreciating God's creation.

Becoming a little girl once again.

I would like to credit this book, Sidewalk Flowers.  It was published March 17th of this year.

I have a copy on order for my grandkids (and me).