nuts on the ground, but also in the air and water?

post #3
     Here's what's in the woods that made me laugh: I suddenly made a connection between the larger than usual amount of nuts under foot (acorns! hickory nuts! black walnuts!) and this year's strange elections! The crunch is everywhere. What saddens me, in addition to candidates who are unqualified and narrow of vision, is that there are so many potential voters swayed by ads (money!) and anger (radio shows!), who end up reacting rather than considering.  Also, the short memory span of too many citizens could be compared to squirrels, who bury nuts without being able to remember later where they are. For one thing, we Americans definitely need more than a short year and a half to get back on track following the thoughtless and severe damage from those eight years of unbridled short-sighted greed.

      Then today my son reminded me of the expression "Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn sometimes".  Yes, luck might work, but, really, shouldn't we each be putting our best effort and thinking skills toward improving the future for our children? Maybe tending to democracy is like taking the kind of photo I love to do. The viewing angle is usually not the first obvious one, the light changes, and the camera has to be in working order.  But at the same time you have to grab the occasion because it won't necessarily present itself again. This work takes practice, and it takes making mistakes and trying again. I believe in sticking with one's vision of what could be, photographically and otherwise, and in hoping and learning as the way opens. In any case, doing that sure does make a better photo....

     Here's to valuing our brains and our hearts -- Ann

(The forest photo was taken two days ago; the last two black walnuts photo was taken this evening, from the bedroom window; they may fall tonight, or wait until our first hard frost.)