Tuesday 31 August 2010

Miracles - they are all around us if only we can take the time to see them.








To see the World in a Grain of Sand,
and a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
and Eternity in an hour.

So wrote William Blake in 'Auguries of Innocence'. Now there was a man who could see the miracles all around him if ever I saw one.

George (Transit Notes - see my Blog List) did a lovely post a couple of days ago about life's little miracles, which are all around us - the pattern on a butterflies wing, the cobweb..........

I posted a photograph of the gall on a wild rose stem, saying we called them 'pincushions' when we were children. Well, we were not so far wrong as Stuart Dunlop has kindly pointed out (Donegal Wildlife - see my Blog List) - quote:
'Your gall is the Robin's Pincushion' gall caused by a tiny (3mm) wasp 'Diplolepis Rosae'. The wasp larva alters the bud growth to form a series of chambers that it lives and feeds inside.' Stuart goes on to say that it is not harmful to the rose and that it increases biodiversity. If you want to read the full account go onto my comments for the day when I posted the pincushion.

Well, with these two small miracles in mind I put my camera into digital mode and took it with me when Tess and I had our walk this afternoon. On the way round I snapped anything small and miraculous that caught my eye. I have posted the photographs here. I think maybe we tend to see the larger things - the beauty of the tree rather than the individual leaf, so to speak. So here are a few tiny miracles on which to feast your eyes.

Left to right from the top:

Lichen on a stone.
Rose hips in ivy on a wall.
Remains of a stalk of cow parsley.
Stones under water in the beck.
An old pine cone.
Bark on a dead tree stump.

20 comments:

jeanette from everton terrace said...

I LOVE that Blake quote and something I try to remind myself of daily. I noticed once of my onions sprouting this morning and the colors were beautiful. The world is a wonderous place. Your images were quite nice to view with my breakfast this morning.

maryelizabethroche said...

What beautiful pictures!
I haven't been noticing the miracles lately, but I'll do better!
{And Thank You, I'm starting to feel better!}

M.E.

angryparsnip said...

The quote and your post today were wonderful.
When I got up this morning several Cottontails were running around right outside my studio window. The sun shinning through their ears was a glowing golden pink and as I stood there and watched them, I thought how lucky I was to be-able to live where I do.
Although... that said, I would love to live somewhere by a beck (your beck) Your photos were lovely.

cheers, parsnip

Loren said...

That's been one of my favorite quotes ever since I read it in college a lifetime ago!

I think that's why I have spent most of my retired years focusing on all the beauty that exists around me.

deb said...

Cow Parsley is one of my favorite flowers, so airy, so delicate and beautiful even in death. Thanks for sharing your daily miracles

Heather said...

I love all your little miracles Pat - they are each among my favourites to notice on a walk. I often think I've never grown up, as I still pick up a lichen covered twig, fir cone or interesting stone. My treat for today was to watch a tiny wren bathing in the top section of our new water feature - delightful. No camera to hand, sadly.

Gwil W said...

Blake's lines are so true if we take time to think about them and what they mean. When he says that he saw hundreds of angels in a tree, there's a thing to think about.
I remember now that I once saw a tiny yellow spider that looked exactly lik a corn niblet, it was walking along the path along the edge of a field of corn.
In nature it pays to keep all the senses, including the mind, wide open!

George said...

Glad to see that you have gone miracle hunting, Pat. I'm sure that you had as much fun admiring your miracles as you did photographing them. And thanks for reminding me of the Blake quote, which, I'm sure, is in the heart of so many lovers of nature.

Unknown said...

Nature provides us with countless miracles, Weaver, but we often forget to look. Thanks for the reminder.

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

Absolutely fabulous photographs and perfect poem. Thank you.

Von said...

Some of my favourite miracles here but I think tops for me is lichen! Lovely!

Arija said...

Weaver dear, for a long, long time I think ever since I can remember, I have been aware of God'd little miracles, a blade of grass bending in the wind, squishy ground squelching under your feet, a skeletal leaf or tiny feather, striations in rocks or burbling ripples in a stream, sunlight laying on a mossy rock or faerie slides on a toadstool.
We can all see them, just so many miss out on these wonders by deeming them unimportant.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

There are miracles of every size, everywhere if we but pay attention.
Lovely shots Pat.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dianne said...

These are cherished.
I see what you see.
pattern and light,
stone and seed.
wonderful creations.

I'll look inside now....
See ya!
Dianne

MorningAJ said...

I have made up my mind to spend September thinking about the good things in life, rather than some of the bad things that have been heading my way lately.
This was an excellent way to begin!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Seems I am not alone in noticing miracles - but we do need a reminder now and then, don't we?

Golden West said...

I agree wholeheartedly, Weaver, that the beauty of the nature deserves a closer look and I am grateful for it. You are right, wee Thomas the visiting cat is a flame point Siamese, quite a stunning creature himself!

Hildred said...

A busy day yesterday Weaver, and I missed your blog, but I so agree with you about the miracles that abound, - I guess the first and most amazing is the tiny brown seed that lies in your hand, and with care and earth and sunshine and rain produces such exquisite beauty.

Hildred said...

A busy day yesterday Weaver, and I missed your blog, but I so agree with you about the miracles that abound, - I guess the first and most amazing is the tiny brown seed that lies in your hand, and with care and earth and sunshine and rain produces such exquisite beauty.