Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Tracery

Tracery.  A word that is not in my every day language.  But it was the word chosen for Word 4 Wednesday.  Have you heard of Donna's meme?  Every month, Donna of Garden Walk Garden Talk picks a word randomly, and bloggers write a post using that word.  Today the word is tracery.

Tracery?  Hmmm.....  Sometimes her words are quite challenging.

Tracery's an architectural word, the definition being:

  1. Ornamental stone openwork, typically in the upper part of a Gothic window.
  2. A delicate branching pattern.

Well, I don't have any gothic windows in my garden.  But I did see this the other day which reminded me of stained glass:


Before I had a chance to look up what I thought was a butterfly, Cynthia of On a Hays County Hill identified it as an Eight-spotter Forester moth (Alypia octomaculata).   A moth!  Not a butterfly.  A moth that is frequently seen during the day.

Like this Hummingbird Clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe), that is also often seen during the day:


What does this have to do with tracery?

Well, as I was noticing the Eight-spotted Forester's wings, and the beautiful (although hard to see) pattern on the clearwing hummingbird moth, I realized there was tracery everywhere in the garden.

In every butterfly:


In the smallest of blooms:


Even foliage:


Tracery


Tracery


Tracery


I couldn't stop seeing it, once I had started!

Man-made tracery may be pretty.


But nothing compares to the intricate patterns and beauty of nature.
I guess that's why God is often called the Great Architect.

Look for tracery in your garden.  I guarantee you'll see it.

Thanks, Donna, for another word that opened my eyes to seeing the garden in a different perspective.

28 comments:

  1. What a lovely post! You have special eyes and a very special spirit

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    1. Seeing all the tiny details in their design made everything alive seem a bit more special. So often we forget to really look closely at the beauty of nature.

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  2. It's amazing the many different ways we can see the paintings by the hand of God. Beautiful post.

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    1. I rarely talk about God in my posts, but it was apparent to me that these were all painted by God.

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  3. Holley it was amazing once your eyes opened to it...I couldn't stop seeing it and loving it...wonderful post!

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    1. Glad you saw it, too. It was like a revelation to me.

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  4. What a great word choice! Yes you could see the tracery in all your photos. I love it!

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    1. Donna always comes up with great words. Challenging sometimes, but always fun to relate to the garden.

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  5. Man only copies what God has already done in Creation. Very beautiful!

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    1. And that is tracery! All those patterns on those Gothic windows are just simple copies of complex natural patterns.

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  6. You amaze me Holley! What a great interpretation and wonderful photos. If I'm being homest then ... I didn't know what this word meant. I'll never forget it now. Lovely post!

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    1. I once worked for an architect, and he specialized in churches - but still, I had to look up this word. I don't remember ever really using this word, even back then. I love learning new vocabulary!

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  7. I enjoyed your illustration of tracery...butterflies are an excellent example. And all your other examples bring out the beauty of lines and designs in nature.

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    1. Butterflies are probably the easiest illustration of tracery to find. But I might not have seen it elsewhere if I hadn't started there.

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  8. Haha good job. Tracery. Learn something new every day.

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    1. And I bet you see and remember tracery in your garden, too!

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  9. Beautiful examples Holley. You are so right, tracery is all around, it just takes seeing it in a new light. Literally, as light passes through and illuminates the 'panels between the ribs' in nature or passes through the a man-made or plant filigree.

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    1. Thanks for the additional explanation. Of those I've shown, I guess the hummingbird moth would be the best example of that.

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  10. Hi Holley, I have also been contributing to Donna's meme, and yes her challenges are lovely to comply as it brings us wonderful information, even if sometimes really "challenging". Now, we will always think of tracery everywhere. But i really love your tracery photos in this post especially the crocus and leaf patterns.

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    1. You are so right, Andrea! I really like the challenges because I learn so much, and I get the see the garden in a different way than I would otherwise. That's really a gift!

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  11. Nothing compares indeed to the intricate pattern created by nature :) Lovely post!

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    1. If you look closely, it's truly amazing all the patterns in nature. Such beauty right before our eyes!

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  12. What a great way to get close and look at the beauty around you in a new way. Thank you!

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    1. I always think of plants and bees, butterflies and blooms as beautiful. But now I'll notice their pattern, not just the color and texture.

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  13. interesting post. Never thought of my garden as tracery. a brand new perspective.

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  14. Super examples. It is true, once you start looking you really find everywhere~!

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    1. I couldn't stop seeing it! I was amazed I had never really noticed it before.

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