Posted on by Mike Ross · 2 Comments

Out of a compost heap, a sunflower blooms

First Sunflower
First Sunflower

So I’m driving around this morning thinking about Zeno’s Paradox of the tortoise and Achilles, when out of the corner of my eye I see the first sunflower of the season.

Back in April I discovered that from the withered tree, a flower does indeed bloom, but this was different, kinda-sorta. There, in a compost heap in front of an Amish barn was a single, beautiful four foot sunflower all alone smiling at the clouds.

I took several photos trying to find the best composition, but eventually decided to get up close and personal. What better way to celebrate the first day of summer than with an amazing flower growing up in the middle of dead grass and weeds?

Now if I can just find a tortoise to race that will give me a head start I can rest easy, once I win.

Posted on by Mike Ross

Yes Poppy

Pink Poppies
Pink Poppies

I was driving down to the lake yesterday when I saw a group of pink flowers in what was either a construction site or a dump. I pulled in to take a closer look when a guy in a pickup truck rolled down the gravel path in a cloud of dust and parked behind me.

He walked up to my window and asked if I had a problem. Maybe it was because I was parked in front of a locked gate with a huge private property sign, or maybe he was actually interested in my problems.

For some reason, rather than tell him I wanted to take photos of the flowers I told him I was checking my voicemail. That seemed to satisfy him and he left me with the poppies and several yellow finches that appreciate this kind of thing as much as I do.

Later I realized I could have said something witty like “The difficult problems in life always start off being simple,” by Lao Tzu. But I didn’t want to take a chance on pissing him off with all those flowers and birds waiting for me.

Posted on by Mike Ross

Voices of Freedom

Little Big Horse
Little Big Horse

“I was quite happy in my new place, and if there was one thing that I missed, it must not be thought I was discontented; all who had to do with me were good, and I had a light airy stable and the best of food.

What more could I want? Why, liberty!” Black Beauty

Posted on by Mike Ross

Shelter from the Storm

Pinetown Covered Bridge
Pinetown Covered Bridge

I was taking photos of this covered bridge and way off in the distance I saw two people with umbrellas. This mother and her little girl walked about a mile in a heavy downpour to have a picnic lunch and watch the rain.

At first I thought it was a little extreme, but looking at the photo I see it was a beautiful way to spend the afternoon. Note to self: next time bring a sandwich.

“Innocent droplets of rain make almost all events quite natural.” Visar Zhiti

Posted on by Mike Ross · 5 Comments

Listening to the Amish

Amish Horses
Amish Horses

I was driving down the local back roads this morning watching the Amish farmers get their fields ready for planting. They don’t like to be photographed but it’s hard to resist, fortunately he hid behind one of the horses and all you can see is his hat (I planned it that way).

It took a few minutes for him to get close enough and I heard him singing an old song I recognized. Maybe it was my imagination, but it seemed as clear as day and it went like this:

“Green Acres is the place to be. Farm livin’ is the life for me. Land spreadin’ out so far and wide, keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside.”

There are eight million stories in the naked county; this has been one of them.