Before this month of March gets away from me, I must show you some of our latest photos from Arabia Mountain. The wildflowers blooming there have been so lovely and the air so pure and clean. On one of our visits, we saw quite a bit of rubbish left at the very top of the mountain. Since there was also a plastic bag there, I picked it all up and carried it down the mountain. When we got to the base of the mountain, another man was walking up. As we got closer to him, he looked directly at me and said with a touch of wonder in his voice, "I'm in heaven"....
Richard took this photo in one of the ponds on the trail. It is a reflection of the vapor trails from the airplanes that are constantly going over us to the Atlanta airport. On this day, it made a perfect design like the shape of a cross. This reminded me of a poem and I found it for you...
" Earth's crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God.
And only he who sees takes off his shoes.
The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries".
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
It is beautiful. Those red flowers are so bright.
ReplyDeleteDear Pastor Dennis,
DeleteThank you. And those red flowers? They are diamorpha and are really the plants themselves and will have tiny white flowers upon them very soon. Then, from a distance, they will look like pink flowers. The beauty on this mountain is astounding.
Every time you show us pictures from Arabia Mountain, I think, 'now, these are the best ones yet!'. And this time, I think they can't be topped!
ReplyDeleteDear Meike,
DeleteWe think our new camera captures the colors better than our old one. The red diamorpha can show its true colors and the vernal pools their liquid loveliness.
It's a beautiful place - you're so lucky to live there!
ReplyDeleteHey Sulky Kitten!
DeleteIt is a beautiful spot. What makes it even more beautiful is that we are only a few miles from a very busy interstate highway and busy shopping mall, and yet it feels like...one of the young men that I worked with said it feels like you are in another UNIVERSE.
I like that last photo....nicely composed.
ReplyDeleteHey!
ReplyDeleteThanks! That is by Richard of course, and when I show him your photographs that will make him feel good since you take such great photographs too! Hope you are doing well on your "floating palace"!
What a lovely post, and what a beautiful poem. Yes, you do have a piece of heaven within your reach!
ReplyDeleteDear Martha,
DeleteThank you and I am glad that I found the poem! We are happy to enjoy it, other people think it's just a big rock! If only they could see it the way we do.
Kay, that photo of the sun shining through the clouds is so divine. Really gorgeous. Someone leaving trash up there makes me so sad. What is wrong with people???? I'm like you.....I pick it up and throw it out myself. I plan to visit on my next trip to ATL. Maybe we can go together!!!
ReplyDeleteDear Audrey,
DeleteI was especially glad I picked up that garbage since the young man I met going up the mountain would be spared that ugly sight and could concentrate on the heavenly beauty!
Let me know when you are coming to ATL and I would love to meet you and show you Arabia Mountain! October has the yellow daisies, if you want to go back and look at my photos from that time!
Oh dear Kay, I received the most lovely package from you today. You are quite talented!!! Everything was so beautiful. Sophie was just nuts over the butterflies and I have to keep insisting that one of them really does belong to Clara! As for the cloth, it's much too gorgeous to use in the bath or kitchen....so when Soph asked if she could use it as a blanket for her animals, I had to agree. They're my favorite colors, by the way! And the doily is precious....will try to catch a photo of some of the items in use and forward them to you. Thank you again ~ I am really touched by your generosity! ATL is too hot for me usually (CLT is not much better!) so maybe October would be a good time to visit. Will let you know!
DeleteDear Audrey,
DeleteOh, I am so happy that you liked my crochet! I cannot tell you how happy it makes me that the cloth will be used as a blanket for Sophie's little animals! :-)
You are so right about HOT Lanta! We pretty much suffer through until October.
This has not been a very nice day for me today. You have made it so much better. Thank you for sending me this note! And I am sorry it took me so long to get that to you.
The Diamorpha does show up so well on these - it's truly beautiful.
ReplyDeleteDear John,
DeleteI think the new camera is doing its job well!
All of that diamorpha will be covered with white flowers in a few weeks...it's quite a sight.
Love these words and photos! Trash, well, I seem to pick it up everywhere. How can someone be so devoid of feeling and sense?
ReplyDeleteKay, I am hoping to do some sort of media event in Georgia in October. Would love to meet you.
For some reason the silhouettes of you and Richard touch my heart.
Hoping spring is galloping toward you,
Sharon
Dear Sharon,
DeleteOh, thank you so much for your comment! You either are a litterer or a picker-up of litter, we know which category we fall into!
HA! Spring galloped on past us and we now have summer...it is 85 degrees today!
Would LOVE to meet you and see you signing (and selling!) lots of copies of your new book! October is beautiful in the Atlanta area!
Oh, and guess what Sharon...I look so beautiful...from a great distance!!
I can see why that man said he was in heaven. How far of a drive is it to Arabia Mountain from your home? Really wonderful shots, the wildflowers are divine. That lone pic of you (bag in hand :) is striking, and of course the last one. I so wish I could join you for one of your walks.
ReplyDeleteDear Jane,
DeleteArabia Mountain is eight miles from our house and takes us about 10 minutes or so to drive there. Stone Mountain is 18 miles away but is a 35 minute drive.
Even if you are not here with me, just feel like you are walking along with me on my blog, it's so much fun to share this beauty, that someone else appreciates it! :-)
I can see I am going to have to dust off my hiking boots.
ReplyDeleteSoon as the rains are over, the wildflowers are ready to crawl all over the hills here. Inspiring post and pictures!
xx
julie
Dear Julie,
DeleteLook forward to YOUR photos of wildflowers! Do the flowers inspire your artwork?
Fantastic photos.
ReplyDeleteHey Kay!
DeleteThank you. You know I just looked at them, Richard took all of them except for the one that I took of him and perhaps the one of the sunnybells, the yellow flowers. All the rest by Richard, I think he is very good!
It really is an amazing place, thanks for showing us. So annoying when people discard plastic bags.
ReplyDeleteHey Barbara!
ReplyDeleteYou know we love Arabia!
At least that plastic bag was put to good use.