Slowing Down and Taking Time To Observe

We lead such fast-paced lives as does most of 'modern' society.  There are always deadlines to meet, meetings to attend, and the constant stress of work takes its toll on your mind and soul.  We stay so busy that we often miss the beauty of God's creation.  It is right in front of us and in our haste to meet the next obligation, those beautiful things in nature are obscured.

I like to slow down in the evening or on the weekends and observe - really observe things around me that I might otherwise miss.  I captured a few things in photos below of things that jumped out at me.

7 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; 8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. 9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? 10 In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind."  Job 12:7-10

This is some Rainbow Swiss Chard. The stems are bright red, dark maroon, hot pink, yellow and white.  As pretty as it is to look at, it is delicious and healthy to eat. I like planting it next to something green like kale for the contrast.  It lights up the garden like a neon sign!

Speaking of chard, while I was picking off some of the bottom leaves that were touching the ground and feeding to the cows, I observed a snail slowly making its way across the leaf.  Sometimes burdens of life may weigh us down, but at least we don't have to carry a big shell on our backs...

Back when I was farming in the early 2000's, I spotted a clump of Louisiana irises growing in the ditch in front of an old home site.  The ditch always had water in it and the irises were as happy as clams living there. The beauty of the flowers caught my eye and I got my shovel and scooped up a shovelful and brought home to plant in the ditch at our house.  Since then they have spread and spread.  The ditch at home is now filled with green foliage most of the year, but in the spring, they bloom with the most gorgeous flowers you've ever seen in your life!

What a beautiful flower!

As I was trellising our tomatoes in the garden using the Florida Weave technique, a dragonfly lit atop a t-post.  You could see right through his wings.  He was poised to take off and fly away quickly, but I caught him with my camera phone as it zoomed in on him.  It reminded me of a helicopter on an offshore helipad.

Finally. a lizard sat lazily sunning himself in a terra cotta pot   His body was green, but his eyes were a brilliant blue.

Each little flow’r that opens,

Each little bird that sings,

He made their glowing colors,

He made their tiny wings.

All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful:

The Lord God made them all.

- Cecil F. Alexander 1848