Edges and Order - New York Times

From Verlyn Klinkenborg of The New York Times comes this paragraph today...

Nearly every image of nature I have ever come across misses the sense of intricate confusion underfoot in the woods, the thickets of goldenrod collapsing into each other along the roadsides, the rotting tusks of fallen beeches broken against the western hillside. It almost never makes sense to talk about the purpose of nature. But now — until the snow comes at last — I could easily believe that the purpose of nature is to create edges, if only because every edge, no matter how small, is a new habitation. As purposes go, that could hardly be more different from my own, which is to reduce the number of edges here, so that the big pasture is bounded by four clean lines only, free of interruptions from sumac or knotweed or shattered maple limbs. Left to itself, nature is all interruption.

It is almost as if he is issuing a challenge to the photographer in me. I know what he's talking about though, I've taken those images and trashed them once they were developed because the focused view in the picture captured nothing of the actual image my eyes saw as I clicked the shutter. I was already thinking  of some sort of photo project dealing with the woods along the bayou behind my house after visiting FFF this morning and reading his agenda list for the new year. Who knows maybe Fred and Verlyn can inspire something that will lead to a furthering of this stumble toward the next phase of my life.

BTW -- Happy 2007

Source: Edges and Order - New York Times

Looking Back on 2006

I have a lot to be thankful for in this past year.

It was a little over a year ago that I stumbled into the online Floyd County community and met (virtually) Fred, Colleen, Doug and David and all of their friends in Floyd County, Va. It was their examples that led me to start this blog (so, if you want to blame someone for these ramblings...).

It was the year we made our third family trip to the Valle Crucis area. I made my first trip up the creek my ancestors settled over 200 years ago and discovered that the valley is gorgeous. The view from the upper portions of the valley were breathtaking. I think, after spending time with the maps, that we were probably looking at the upper valley from the back porch of the cabin we rented for the week. After two trips to the headwaters of Clark's Creek, the road to Nettles Knob is beginning to feel like going home. We are still dreaming our mountain dream from the flat coastal plain of Texas.

It was the year we became Grandparents. Who could have foreseen in the '70's that we would have ever come so far? Logan was by yesterday, and the boy is getting big. I can't wait for him to get to the point where he'll be talking.

It was our first anniversary trip to the shore instead of the hills. That means that at some point I am going to have to make a run northeast away from the coast for a little elevation. We did enjoy the stay on Padre and the view from the balcony overlooking the beach.

This was the year I met many interesting people online. To all of these folks, let me say

Happy New Year