Saturday, November 3, 2012

The Lady in Red


Beauty means this to one person and that to another.


And yet when any one of us has seen or heard or read something beautiful they have experienced the same kind of emotion;
a feeling of being uplifted.


What is it about this Japanese Maple,
whose beauty changes with each season;

its colours fade but its beauty continues to grow.


Whether it's leaves are crimson bright and curling from the cold,


or dangling like exotic-looking spiders at the end of a branch,


even brown and shrivelled,


glimmers and streaks of red remain,
providing a different sort of beauty
no less nourishing to the soul.


I don't know if we realize how much we need beauty in our lives and how little pleasure would be left if it were to be gone.


"It is the smile on the earth's face, open to all, and needs but the eyes to see, the mood to understand."
~ John Galsworthy ~



27 comments:

  1. Great series of the evolution of leaves! The colors are lovely too.

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  2. A lovely progression showing a sad farewell to the Japanese Maple leaves - but knowing that she will reappear again next year.

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    1. She's a beauty for sure :) and one of the few plants I fuss over, she'll wear a fancy burlap coat for the winter.

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  3. De sublimes photo accompagnées de très jolis mots... Un très séduisant cycle de la vie.
    Gros bisous

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    1. Thank you Martine, she is a classic red beauty!

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  4. That maple leaf, through your fine eye, certainly makes a brilliant subject for beauty's thriving and dimming and fading away. And, what is it about red that is so compelling?

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    1. Thank you Lee, yes, the colour red, especially the deep red in the last photo is an eye and heart catcher for me.

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  5. Hello Rosemary!
    A wonderful photographic series.
    Fantastic red leaves.
    Have a nice day.

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  6. Replies
    1. Thank you! I'm looking at your posting name as I type this reply and realize that's how this tree makes me feel, Joyful :)

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  7. This titel says enough .....Thats a nice song,
    but also lovely pictures Rosemary.

    Greetings, Joop

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Joop, I hadn't remembered this was also the name of a song until you mentioned it :)

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  8. Excellent captures of the dramatic stages this Japanese Maple passes through. What a beautiful shade of red!

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    1. Thank you Tammy, this maple is stuck on beautiful no matter the season! I love the way it retains streaks of red, even in decay :)

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  9. Oh...you bring back sweet memories Rosebud!
    I love this song, "lady in red" by Chris de Burgh :)
    Japanese maple leaf is my all time favorite wilderness beauty.
    Guess what? The song is playing now in the background as I read your post!
    "I will never forget the way you look tonite.."
    Awesome picture story.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Ash, and now we will both be humming that sweet song all weekend :)

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  10. Todas las imágenes son muy bellas!! Saludos!!

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  11. Wspaniałe zdjęcia liści od ich pięknego czerwonego koloru, do już zwiniętych, prawie bez życia. Pozdrawiam.
    Great photos of their beautiful leaves of red color to the already collapsed, almost lifeless. Yours.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Giga, they are indeed beautiful until the very end :)

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  12. Beautiful! You have such wonderful gifts.

    This is Jill...I lost chillin'withjill so am starting over.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Jill, I'm glad you've re-started your blog and hope in the end you won't have to, Chillin' With Jill will return :)

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  13. Beauty in whatever form pleases the viewer is essential. It transcends the monotony or frustration of our everyday lives and holds a moment pure and authentic. The cyclical occurance of natural beauty is a constant as valuable as the sunrise. To live without it would be to not live at all. Your maple is pure beauty. :o)

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    Replies
    1. That is pure poetry, thank you! Thanks to this blog I go out my front door with the determination to "find" something fascinating to photograph each day.

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  14. Very beautiful macros on these leaves. But I really love the last pic with the quote.

    How in the world have I missed all these posts? I've been so busy lately chasing birds that I haven't been home to read so I apologize for that. You have some really great captures. You take something that is overlooked and make it stand out. Excellent eye of an artist:)

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  15. Also your blog is very nice, but this series is fantastic!

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Thank you so much for your kind words :)

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