Now that I’m twelve weeks into this blooming thing, I want to share a couple thoughts I’ve had on the process of finding and photographing flowers.
I just can’t help marveling at how much life there is here. Plants
everywhere! So much green! Which is kind of hilarious because, hello! It’s the blazing desert! Brown and dry and hot like the guts of a volcano!
But people have really gone out of their way to make this seemingly barren place an oasis. I know there’s some controversy over how much water we all use for landscaping, but for me it is absolutely worth it. A body needs trees to commune with every now and then.
I was happy to finally visit the Riparian Preserve in Gilbert this week, where we found tons of western horsenettle (among other things, of course). That place is the perfect example of embracing desert beauty while creating a habitat where even ducks and geese and turtles and people like me who crave rivers and lakes and oceans can thrive. We’ll definitely be visiting more regularly once the weather cools down.
Maybe you miss the mountains or the big city or the forest or the beach, but I have no doubt that there is something beautiful hidden–probably in plain sight–where you live. You just need to take the time to see it. Don’t knock where you live until you’ve done a little exploring. And definitely don’t eat these horsenettle berries. You’ll get crazy cow syndrome and die.
Just sayin’.
***
I’ve been mulling over these pictures of what the daily recommended amount of fruits and vegetables actually looks like all week. Somehow eating all that produce in one day seems both daunting and tremendously easy at the same time. (Maybe the daunting bit comes from my distaste for celery and tomatoes, which are included multiple times. Blech.)
Is it weird to tell people you like them via business card? Because I totally ordered business cards that say “I like you” on them. Should I have specified that it’s not like like? I’m married, guys. Let’s not get carried away. Anyway, I got the cards from Minted and can’t wait till they arrive!
As I mentioned yesterday, we invited people over for French Bread Friday, and they brought a bounty of breads from Proof. SO GOOD. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but please consider donating to Jared Allen’s indiegogo campaign. His raisin walnut country bread with a dab of honeyed goat cheese is divine, and I’m not usually a fan of either raisins or walnuts. Proof bread. Amen.
Thanks to this, I’ve been singing everything to the tune of the TMNT theme song. You should try it; it’s amazing.
The art history nerd in me has been chuckling over this for a week. ahh sorry i just i really need to look at this matchbook right now sorrryyyy HA!
And because I love my sister-in-law Emily and she loves Bon Qui Qui and everyone loves Montell Jordan’s 90’s hit “This Is How We Do It”…there’s this. You’re welcome.
Be nice. Remember who you are. Do rad stuff. See ya next week.
karajean says
Sometime when you go to the Riparian again we should meet up there for a play date! When the weather is nice Owen and I are there at least once a week for duck feeding and general mayhem.