Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Spring Break (SWF)



Against a blue sky, scarlet blossoms,
so lush and heavy on their long stems,
it seemed the bough would break beneath them,
or tip the tall tree forward, yet further, from where it hung,
an umbrella poised for picnickers to the sandy beach below.



Where shells of all shapes and sizes,
bleached by the sun and carried by storms,
were tucked into pockets and held for safekeeping
apart from the water’s edge.




So that on this day,
wrapped in the warmth of an afternoon sun,
I might stare inside their tiny spirals
and disappear into their desert island.


The shore of Stillwater River
A tiny paradise in the middle of southwestern Ohio



See more Skywatch here.

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30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh boy, makes me eager to to get beachcombing again! Freshwater shells have their own special beauty.

Anonymous said...

you are so lucky to find these kind of shells! I collect them whenever I get the chance.

KaHolly said...

Refreshing post.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

The closest I get to animals with shells are the snails that inhabit my garden. I love to find those little conical shells. They are one of natures marvels.

Grizz………… said...

Lovely photos and prose, Nina, as always. I especially liked the shell shots; if you didn't know better, it wouldn't be difficult to suppose that the "beach" where they'd washed up was a stretch of Southern salt, and not along one of my favorite pastoral Ohio waterways.

NCmountainwoman said...

Wonderful post. I loved the idea of the tree becoming an umbrella. Ah, your way with words is amazing.

bobbie said...

I LOVE the shells! and the last photo of Stillwater Creek. (Isn't that a great name?)

Paula & Skip said...

Lovely pictures and you have such a great way of expressing your mind. Great blog.

Guy D said...

Great skywatch post, the last photo is my favourite, well done.

Have a great weekend!
Guy
Regina In Pictures

Carletta said...

Such a lovely post! Photos and words to complement each other!
Stillwater Creek looks like a wonderful place to visit.

My Sky post is here:Carletta’s Captures.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pictures !
Gr.
P-TER

marcia@joyismygoal said...

Wow this is so like a post i would do keep looking up and down--I love it esp the first shell shot

Photo Cache said...

beautiful pictures. have a great weekend.

Merisi said...

Like a walk in Paradise - beautiful! :-)

kden said...

Loving the shells too. So different from ocean shells but beautiful too.

Weeping Sore said...

Plum blossoms and sea shells - what a lovely conjunction. Your meditation on the shells is poetry. Your sense of the pleasure of your place on the globe shines through your words.

bowledover said...

Lovely pictures, shells, running water and reflective prose.
Its lovely to visit you on SWF.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pictures, I esp like the scarlet against the blue! Nice!

Arija said...

Such a beautiful post Nina! Love the red blossoms against the blue and sea shells are right up my alley.

Kathie Brown said...

I love the red buds against the blue sky Nina. Do you get seashells there in Ohio?

Jane Hards Photography said...

Clever title and those first ones are just exquisite.

vincibene said...

Wonderful series!

Larry D said...

Excellent photos, happy SWF!

Tink *~*~* said...

Loved seeing your shells - I'm an avid collector, although I have to say I never thought of hunting for them in Ohio!

TGIF - w00t! :)
Tink *~*~*

Now Playing at My Mobile Adventures *~*~* :
Retail Therapy Skies Over Fort Myers, Florida

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos and I love the poetic words that accompany them!

Happy SWF :)

Appalachian Lady said...

Great photos and words. We don't have maples (isn't that a red maple?) blooming yet.

Anonymous said...

what a lovely post and i enjoyed your photographs too.
thanks for sharing.
have a wonderful weekend.

Jeannelle said...

I love the shells and the name "Stillwater". Happy SWF!

Carole said...

Just wonderful!

Venkatesh said...

this blog is wonderful and worth reading...

-Venkatesh
http://sliceofthought.blogspot.com/