Life’s Sweet Ordinary — through my lens

awesome: extremely impressive; in the senses – filled with awe

Doesn’t Nature sometimes fill you with awe?

(photos of pussy willows taken yesterday May 5, 2009 — spring has arrived north of 55 here in northern Alberta)

Today Shutter Sister Karen Walrond has a post titled “Up Close and Personal”. She talks about how she (like me) is not so fond of roses yet loves the beauty of other flowers. Her husband asked her to plant roses in their garden and now that one of them is in bloom, she photographed it up close. She talks of how she’s shocked at its beauty when looked at up close.

I love lilies. Copyright © Diane M. Schuller. All Rights Reserved.

beauty found within a single cell of a chain link fence. Copyright © Diane M. Schuller. All Rights Reserved.

 
My Friday offerings are a response to her question, “…show me some everyday things that stun you with their beauty up close.” May you look at everything up close today and this weekend and may you find beauty in the most unexpected places.

Today is Earth Day around the globe. Being responsible stewards for the environment is not a one-day event; living responsibly every day is how we really make a difference.

Web of life. Copyright © Diane M. Schuller. All Rights Reserved

“This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.” ~Chief Seattle

The environment column I write for one of the local newspapers goes online a week after it appears in the newspaper. For a list of some of my recent columns dedicated to making a difference to the environment, with a focus on simple everyday changes, visit the Everyday Earth Wise archives index. Perhaps you will find some small way you can make a big difference — in your life and to the environment. If each of us makes an effort to make small changes, each of these small changes add up to make big changes. Consider talking to your children and your grandchildren about the environment and being responsible stewards. Help them grow a garden this year, learn to compost, and go for walks in nature. If we teach them now, they grow up learning the important habits of a responsible earth steward. Although it’s best to get outside with them, visit Eco-Kids Canada or Eco-Kids (World) for some great online resources and teaching tools. I’ve listed a few books below for you or the kids but there are many more available at your local library or bookstore. Turn a new leaf starting today!

Before you head off to take some green action, here are links to two of my archived environmental columns. Please note that the newspaper does take these down after a time so if you find either or both of these helpful, I’d recommend printing it out. Here are tips on Repurposing Around the Home and a Do-it-Yourself Eco-Clean Kit. Print them out and put them to use — you’ll be surprised how easy it is to be green and how much money you will save too.

Earth Day is (also) for the Dogs.

Earth Day (Rookie Read-About Holidays)

The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time

Everything Kids’ Environment Book: Learn how you can help the environment-by getting involved at school, at home, or at play (Everything Kids Series)

Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home

An optimist is the human personification of spring.  ~Susan J. Bissonette

Canada Geese, Trumpeter Swans, and a wide range of ducks on frozen ice here in Alberta. Copyright © Diane Schuller. All Rights Reserved.

... notice the Northern Pintails in flight. Copyright © Diane Schuller. All Rights Reserved.

young elk fleeing to safety

This small group of young elk (wapiti) are in a field near our home. The cows (female adult elk) are kicking out their last year’s offspring and the youngsters are forming their own small herds. I captured this group of young gals just over a week ago as I was leaving home, heading to Edmonton. It was a very overcast morning and I shot from inside my car because they were already beginning to flee at the sight of my vehicle.

Wapiti is a Shawnee word meaning white rump. Although these photos aren’t the most vivid, if you look closely you’ll see that distinctive white rump. (The photo I linked to below shows the white rump much more clearly.)

The elk are a large member of the deer family and are extremely dangerous in the wild. The adult cows are highly aggressive all year long and the bull elk (males) are dangerous during their rut (breeding season in the autumn). They do a lot of damage to farmer’s land, trees, and are dangerous for those with horses. We have so many elk in our area and they have no predators so their herds are growing by leaps and bounds (pun intended). Wolves are natural predators but we don’t have wolves in our area. I posted another image of these elk at Flickr if you’d like to see that image as well, especially if you want to more clearly see that white rump.

(I haven’t forgotten about the second cupcake post but wanted to share this with you before I forget.)

A pair of mule deer caught on our side road. Living where I do, meeting up with deer out in the open is a common occurence. What appears to be round white spots under their muzzles is really the frost from their breath. There is also a trail of their frosty breath along each deer’s back that, in the small size of this photo, doesn’t show as clearly as the full size version.

I often take some of these occurrences for granted yet, because of comments received on my daily photos, I’ve learned that many people are surprised and interested in some of the things I consider day-to-day ho-hum. What sorts of things do you consider ho-hum, yet others are actually quite interested in?

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All images in this blog are copyright protected: Copyright © Diane Schuller. If you are interested in using them or purchasing a print, please contact the artist (contact information in the tabs at the top of this blog) and we’ll work something out. Thank you for respecting my copyright and for doing the right thing.