Can't See if You Don't Look

It is hard to believe, but it has already been over a week since we took a very short trip to visit the Yellow River Forest and Paint Creek in northeast Iowa.  As I recounted before, the weather was beautiful during the full day we spent there.  A glorious moment, book-ended by a couple of chilly, windy, cloudy and rain-filled days that were far less attractive by comparison.  

As a result, we got ourselves out and about and we took the camera with us.  While I do not profess that I am an extremely talented photographer, I can come up with a few shots that I enjoy and am quite willing to share in a blog.  After all, viewing a picture often encourages the thoughts that lead to the writing.  Because I was there while the photo was taken, I can actually tap into the attached memory and feelings that come with the things I see as I view the image.

I remember stopping in mid-stride as I recognized the shadow pattern of the tree on newly greening grass.  In fact, I was extremely pleased that I noticed it.  After all, we were out to look for neat things in nature on this particular day, but that doesn't guarantee that you will actually SEE half of what is there for you.

This was another one of those beautiful Iowa days where the sky reaches into the back of its closet and pulls out the richest hues of blue it can find.  There were no clouds visible early in the day, which allowed the sun to shine brightly.  The buds on the trees were only just beginning to swell, so the naked forms of the branches could be seen clearly in the shadows they cast.

How many moments in a year could we have actually had the opportunity to see the shadows create this pattern on a green backdrop?  How special was it that we were there to look - and then how great is it that we were astute enough to SEE it too?

As I spent time taking a few pictures in hopes of recording this wonderful sight, Tammy wandered towards Paint Creek, which is located by the ridge at the left of this picture.  I was going to say something about the shadows to her - which I suspect she had already noted - when I saw something else that made me happy enough to say something along the lines of "Oh!  I like that!"

Tammy knows me well and responded with, "I thought you would."

We enjoyed watching the reflected sunlight playing on the rocks that loomed over the stream for a bit and I, of course, tried to capture what we saw with the camera.  I knew it wouldn't do it justice.  And so did Tammy.

"Why don't you take a quick video of it?"

So, I did.  Tammy's a pretty smart individual, don't you think?

We put ourselves in the position where we could look for beautiful things in nature.  A chance to exercise our senses of awe and wonder.  And because we take the time to look, we increased our own skill of actually seeing those special things.  But that's the trick - you have to look first, or won't give yourself the chance to see.