sparkling dewdrops
watercolors of dawn
flaunters of passion
ready to spawn
First Hour of the Morning
As the first light of day stretches across the horizon…
Photo Credit: Sharla Lee Shults
…the glories of Heaven…
Photo Credit: Sharla Lee Shults
…burst forth in magnificence…
Photo Credit: Sharla Lee Shults
…for a new day has begun!
Photo Credit: Sharla Lee Shults
[Photos taken beginning @ 7:30 am EST]
May the beauty of the day surround you with joy!
Symmetry in Nature 1
Nature. What compels us to seek her wonders? She calls us forth when we least expect it, inspires us beyond words and changes her moods more often than any woman! Captivating is her charm, fiery is her anger, breathtaking is her beauty! She is the epitome of poetry, the effervescence of life!
Have you ever thought about what happens when left meets right in nature? Is the left wing of a butterfly different from the right? Did you know a snowflake is completely symmetrical within itself, while not matching any other snowflake? What about something as simple as leaf symmetry? Some leaves are flat and wide; others are spiky and thin but if you fold one in half, is one side larger, smaller, fatter, thinner than the other?
Such questions go on…and on…and on… Nature is Fascinating. Luxurious. Amazing. Miraculous. Extraordinary. Splendorous. It flames within a natural framework often making the ordinary extraordinary. Do you agree? Not sure? Within the poetry and photographs below are only a few of nature’s finest! Thanks again to Barb Beacham, Life in the Foothills, for sharing some of her ‘flaming’ photography!
Symmetry in Nature
Sand dollars, seashells, and crabs
Spiny starfish under the sea
Two parts reflect along an axis
A concept known as symmetry
Honey bees, insects and leaves
One side the mirror image of the other
Beauty to behold as left matches right
Especially in butterflies one after another
Reflections along the water’s edge
Create amazing mirror imagery
Shimmering, shining in crystal splendor
The very dawn of existence’s mystery
Regal tiger, graceful deer, majestic elephant
Even the grunting, voracious agouty
One half the same shape and size as the other
Perfectly balanced, evocation of beauty
Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Proportions of Man’
Balances the human form in equilibrium
Life emulates the mirrors of the world
Especially reflections in an emporium
©2013 catnipoflife
Sharla Lee Shults
If that is not enough, visit 10 Beautiful Examples of Symmetry in Nature
Where have you seen symmetry in nature recently?
Flora ’n’ Fauna
catnipoflife is honored to feature more of Barb Beacham’s photography from Life in the Foothills. Barb has been recognized as one of catnip’s featured photographers on You have but one life, LIVE it! and Twilight.
Thank you, Barb, for sharing your awesome photography!
Flora ’n’ Fauna
Splendiferous, copious forests
Mark territorial landscapes
Where impressive oaks and lofty pines
Show off their stout and woody shapes
Desert plants and wildflowers
Adapt to extreme heat and aridity
Fierce, wild, red-to-orange and white
Emerge the cactus and desert chicory
The ubiquitous howling coyote
Announces its presence at night
Truly a song out of the fierce Wild West
Instead of a cause for sheer fright
Deciduous trees and shrubs
Common to most habitats
Shed their dry leaves in autumn
Forming nature’s welcome mats
Crackling sticks, dry leaves underfoot
Announce squirrels, rabbits and such
Deep in the woods silence is broken
As gunshot startles a strong buck
The nervous pristine white-tailed deer
Tan in the summer, brown in winter
Once statuesque at early dawn
Now suddenly becomes a sprinter
Stopping to rub antlers on a tree
The deer looks warily ahead
Time for a rest by a babbling brook
For a few shrubs and nature’s bed
©catnipoflife
Sharla Lee Shults
As a matter of fact, an ordinary desert supports a much greater variety of plants than does either a forest or a prairie.
—Ellsworth Huntington (Yale University professor, 1876–1947)
First Day of Fall 2013
Last remnants of summer will soon be only memories for the autumnal equinox is upon us today. At precisely 4:44 PM EDT, Sunday, September 22, 2013 the beginning of fall graces the Northern Hemisphere while spring bursts forth in the Southern Hemisphere.
Are you ready for this?
Read MORE @Awakenings!
Catch the Falling Leaves
If you ask me about autumn…
It is a graceful ballerina
Whirling and twirling across the ground—
The essence of a former life
Wherever nature’s spirits abound
It is one last fling before winter’s sleep
Flitting and flaunting vivid hues of gold—
Dramatic, enchanting, ah-h-h breathtaking
Awe-inspiring colors to behold
It is a season of predestined change
In a distinctive way nature acknowledges—
Random yellows, rusty oranges, bold reds
Exciting the soul through emblazon images
It is nature in action
Intensely, magically changing—
Summer’s palette transforming
As leaves gently fall off the trees
It is multicolored leaves blowing in the wind
Like the wild strumming of a fiddle—
The crux of fun for someone to rack in a pile
Then jump right smack dab in the middle
Run, jump, catch the falling leaves
As they flutter round and round
Stuff them in your pockets
For the child in you is found
©2013 catnipoflife
Sharla Lee Shults
“How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days.”
—John Burroughs (American Naturalist and Essayist, 1837–1921)
Beauty to Behold
Other than writing, being outdoors is my passion, whether mowing the grass or working in the garden. Today actually featured both and through the clearing away of accumulated growth came the uncovering of much beauty to behold beginning with the rising sun.
The brightness of day
Flaunts its glory
Be thankful
Look up
Smile
Relax: Let Nature Be Your Alarm Clock
Word of the Day: Relax
Life is filled with schedules and deadlines. Most mornings begin abruptly with the harsh, annoying sounds of an alarm and first words of the day are often “Hurry, hurry, you [we] will be late!” Routines govern every minute of every hour and life in the moment is lost within chaos. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
STOP! In order to maintain sanity, RELAX! Throw aside senseless thoughts of “I will never get caught up!” Because you probably never will. The only true form of ‘catch-up’ is red, comes in a bottle and is labeled Ketchup! You will get done what you can get done, nothing more (perhaps less if you procrastinate)! The 24 hours, 1440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds (however you look at the course of a day) will pass regardless. You cannot add to it…that is all there is! So…slow down, chill, loosen-up, unwind, RELAX! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Embrace the Craziness of Nature
“Blue seeks peace and tranquility above everything else, promoting both physical and mental relaxation. It reduces stress, creating a sense of calmness, relaxation and order – we certainly feel a sense of calm if we lie on our backs and look into a bright blue cloudless sky. It slows the metabolism. The paler the blue the more freedom we feel.”
The Earth. An ocean planet. Our home.
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| A true-color NASA satellite mosaic of Earth. |
Enrich the Moment
Do something exciting before you relax!
Animals that are masters of disguise (camouflage) – Part 1
“Arlen Shahverdyan. Author’s Blog” has outdone himself this time. What a challenge! Within each photograph is an animal that is a master of disguise. See if you can find them all. Some are harder to spot than others, especially the Snow Leopard and possibly the spider. Arlen ensures us the photographs are real and natural, not photoshopped!
NOTE: Remember Arlen is Armenian but he includes the English translation on his blog!
Twilight
Barb Beacham from Life in the Foothills has graciously provided some awesome photographs to accompany the catnipoflife poetry Twilight. Barb was one of catnip’s featured photographers last month. If you missed her great photographic match to You have but one life, LIVE it! then, I encourage you to check it out. NOW! Yes, right now…just click HERE!
Thank you, Barb! You truly outdid yourself on this one!
Twilight
Between dawn and sunrise
Where time seems to stand still
The sun not yet visible
Ascends in slow motion until…
Sunlight scatters along the horizon
Where clouds catch the first rays of dawn
Erupting into a blaze of color
Only heaven could possibly spawn
Standing on the edge of silence
A sense of calm penetrates the soul
Hovering between darkness and light
Sheer magnificence to behold
Between sunset and dusk
Day’s last light seems to stand still
The sun barely visible
Descends in slow motion until…
Intense color splashes across the horizon
Where the sky catches the sun’s last rays
Illuminating a thin veil of haziness
Below the clouds that are now ablaze
A silhouetted figure lost and alone
Against the pending backdrop of night
Grasps the last red-orange rays of the sun
Fervently kissing the day’s twilight
With radiant images now past
The world becomes shrouded in grey
While the twinkling of night’s first stars
Engulfs the glories of the day
©2013 catnipoflife
Sharla Lee Shults
AND as an added plus to help you relax at the close of day. . .
Then, to top it off, introduction to a brand new blogger: benignguy
“Twilight drops her curtain down, and pins it with a star.”
—Lucy Maud Montgomery (Canadian author, 1874–1942)
Observe Diamonds of the Morning
Meet Skye, who is a recent recipient of the Very Inspiring Blogger award from catnipoflife. Skye not only showcases awesome photography but she is also a writer of poetry. She manages two blogs: The Sanctuary of My Heart for her writing and Oh, The Things We Shall See for her photography. One of my favorite poems from Skye was posted to her site only a few days ago. Check out Happily Ever After!
Skye is like so many of us who aspire to become good – great – writers. Within the writing world is a lot of fear, fear of acceptance, as well as rejection. If we are accepted, do we have the fortitude to move ahead with swiftness and accuracy of the mighty pen? If we are rejected, do we thrust that mighty pen aside or push that much harder for acceptance? Here are the words of Skye that will allow you into her world of fear.
Fear, lack of self-confidence, FEAR, has kept me from going confidently into anything. Settling for the status quo because it is comfortable and safe keeps me in a bondage like no other. I watch others boldly going forth. Grabbing at the brass ring and sometimes falling to the ground ~ other times attaining that ring and rejoicing. As I watch. Afraid.
Visit Skye at The Sanctuary of My Heart and Oh, The Things We Shall See. Follow and provide her encouragement to move forward toward achieving her goals as a writer. Her writing is pure and touching. You won’t be disappointed as you watch the beauty of her words unfold.
Now, a little touch of catnip poetry accompanied by the wonderful photography from Skye. . .
Dew on a Rose
(As Skye puts it: Diamonds on the Rose)
Sparkling and dancing dewdrops
Sway lazily with a slight breeze
Falling deftly toward the earth
Lightly touching petals and leaves
Dew’s wet water droplets
Quench life’s thirsty pups
Resting on a spider’s web
Before sunlight erupts
Dew-laden leaves and foliage
Grace the picturesque scenery
Within morning or evening
Visions of pearlized greenery
Pale light and soft shadows
Enhance the morning hue
As nature’s teardrops reflect
The day’s first hints of blue
Dew sparkles at first sight
As it silently settles on a rose
Colors burst forth in song
Sunbeams gracefully compose
A dew-kissed morning
Magical and fresh in its view
Revitalizes the inner being
As the rose opens wet of dew
©catnipoflife
Sharla Lee Shults
“May each day unfold for you like roses, sparkling in the dew, that open to the morning sun and bloom until the day is through. And may each passing moment bring a song as pure as angels sing but may there be above all things a peace that only God can bring.” —Author Unknown
catnipoflife 