Not only that, but I saw things from a new perspective. Carrying my camera around made me notice things that I would have walked right past otherwise.
Here are some of the things I noticed on my walks:
Woods:
Countryside:
Plants. Some are showing signs of autumn:
Some are showing the effects of the drought:
And some are showing the miracle of survival:
But what did I learn? Well, look at this:
This sweet little plant is flowering throughout the pastures, waving and nodding to all who pass. Looks just like gaura, doesn't it? Actually it is! I learned that there is a wild native gaura throughout Louisiana, Texas, and parts of Mexico. I never knew that before!
And I would have never seen its sweet little blooms if I hadn't gone for a walk. Thanks, Carolyn, for helping me open my eyes to what was right in front of me!
Oh what a wonderful post! You've captured the essence of walking and discovery so beautifully. Thank you for joining and for sharing your thoughts and images. You've warmed my heart this morning.
ReplyDeleteI agree, you did just what a walk should do, produce things new or to be seen in new light. Really nice post.
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely countryside to walk through! Pine woods always have their own kind of hush. And carrying a camera really does show you things in a different way--it's a little disconcerting sometimes how much power that little box can have to change the way you see the world!
ReplyDeleteLove the gaura! These grew prolifically near our home when we lived east of Austin, but they do not grow much in Hays County.
ReplyDeleteLovely! Also, your header is so beautiful! I think it is just perfect!!!!!
ReplyDeleteCarolyn - I really enjoyed the walk, and the new discoveries I made along the way. I wouldn't have done it without your challenge.
ReplyDeleteGWGT - A couple of these shots I pass by every day. But with a camera, they take on a new perspective. I loved that.
Stacy - I love the pine woods. I always feel like I can't be seen in them. And I always see so much wildlife in them, too!
Cynthia - They are so sweet to see out in the pasture. Not something I was expecting, though. A delightful surprise.
Kelsey - Thanks for your comment about my header. It will be interesting to see the differences in my garden next spring!
Is there a post you have where I can see more of that area? I am so excited I finally figured out how to comment on your blog. Blogger had been preventing me from commenting on many blogs and my own blog too!
ReplyDeleteKelsey - Sorry about your Blogger problems. I hope you can comment freely now. It must have been frustrating to not be able to comment on your own blog! My walking garden can be seen here and there in my blog. The best post is probably: Are you Boring?, April 25th. And be sure to click on the link in that post to my garden's before and after on Sweet Bean Gardening's blog.
ReplyDeleteLove that sweet native gaura! Would love a walk through those woods and countryside.
ReplyDeleteThe woods are lovely with the autumn light! What a magical post!
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty discovery! I love walking through the woods. It has a whole different atmosphere - very peaceful!
ReplyDeleteIsn't that just the best! So cool to learn things as we go...keep on exploring!
ReplyDeleteLovely little blooms Holley! The other thing with walks is that you get to notice the beauty of your immediate surroundings which one can often take for granted and easily miss :)
ReplyDeleteTo prawda jak się idzie na spacer z aparatem , to się o wiele więcej widzi, niż jak się idzie tylko pospacerować. Śliczne zdjęcia. Pozdrawiam
ReplyDeleteIt is good that you joined the autumn walk challenge because I get to enjoy the beauty of nature too. So many wonderful things are there for us to take pleasure in if only we 'stop to smell the roses'.
ReplyDeleteGinny - The wild gaura was such a treat to find! I loved seeing its sweet little blooms here and there.
ReplyDeletePlantPostings - Woods do have some kind of magical quality to them, don't they? Maybe it's all the fairy tales we learn as children!
Indie - I agree. I feel like I have to whisper when I'm in the woods!
My Garden Diaries - I love learning new things - and it was great to learn about something that is right in front of me!
Mark and Gaz - I agree. I have walked these areas for years, but with a camera, I looked at them a little differently.
Giga - Yes, without the camera, I would have walked right by these things, and not given them a second look!
Autumn Belle - As gardeners, you would think we would know how to 'stop and smell the roses', but this was a good reminder to do it even outside of the garden!
that's one of the greatest things about blogging, i think -- getting outside with a camera and paying close attention to things. i love that you found gaura! i always thought it looked more like a wildflower than a garden plant.
ReplyDeleteWhat an incredible walk! I like when I discover something new...makes my day.
ReplyDeleteWild gaura grows here, too. A friend has it in her garden reseeding itself all over the place.
ReplyDeleteGaura is my favorite wildflower that refuses to survive in my garden. To think how easily it survives in other places, when I have pampered and coaxed it, all to a bitter end! Thanks for sharing photos from your walks. They are gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteJennifer@threedogsinagarden
ReplyDeleteI agree that the camera does have a way of focusing your attention and making you notice things that you might not have otherwise.This sounds like a great challenge!
Daricia - You are so right. The wild gaura doesn't really look like the gaura we purchase and plant in our gardens. I wondered why this 'weed' had blooms that looked like the gaura I know.
ReplyDeleteSage Butterfly - I like learning something new, too! There's so much to learn in this world.
Girl Sprout - How fun! I bet it would be fun to seed some in the garden.
debsgarden - Perhaps you're being too nice to it! Actually, I've planted guara in my garden, and only this year had any luck with it. Not sure what I've done differently.
Jennifer - It was a fun challenge. I really enjoyed getting out and really noticing the countryside, instead of just walking right past.