Love in the Time of Covid 2; Hope

Bluebonnets at Turkey Bend Texas

The world has turned on its heel and our heads are still spinning.  As much as we’ve become accustomed to the accelerating pace of change, this one is nearly unprecedented, and is on a worldwide scale.  We’re experiencing a flood of unpleasant emotions; anxiety, fear, uncertainty.

Poppies along the Bush Highway, Arizona

I’d like to continue to do my small part toward encouraging a more positive one.  Hope.

Bear with me, please.

Hope shining in, San Clemente California

Several years ago I blogged about creating starbursts, a photographic technique which I favor.  In fact, I like to use it so much that some of my photo friends enjoy teasing me about it. 

Marble Viewpoint, Kaibab National Forest Arizona

During the last couple of weeks, I’ve noticed that these images are getting a lot of love on my social media feeds.  I think that’s because the starburst is visual shorthand for new beginnings, possibility, and hope.  Not only that, but these images at sunrise and sunset tend to have an orange glow.  Orange engenders confidence, comfort, and cheer.

Lee Flat, Death Valley National Park

With the involuntary redefinition of my life (along with all of your's, I’m sure) has come time to reflect.  I wonder sometimes about purpose.  There may come a time in this crisis when I’ll go back to medical work of some sort.  We’re not quite there yet, thank goodness.  For now I help in my own community and share beauty when I can.  And, with luck, a bit of hope.

Kofa National Wildlife Preserve Arizona

Love in the time of Covid

 

Petroglyph, Spur Cross Ranch

No, I don’t have any striking wisdom.  I just thought I’d offer a few thoughts and some recent Arizona images.  Shooting helps me maintain a sense of normality and beauty settles my nerves. 

Lupines and poppies in the Harquahala Mountains

Three weeks ago, acting on a tip, I headed out to the Harquahala mountains near me.  There were flowers, those astonishing miracles of desert springtime, and I had a great time, getting into all sorts of uncomfortable positions doing macro photography.

 

Spur Cross with brittlebush

Then last week, on a professional project, I took a couple of long hikes in the Spur Cross Ranch/Jewel of the Creek area north of Cave Creek.  It looks like spring out there, too, but is also shockingly green from the rains the week before.  The cottonwood trees have greened up and there is a profusion of grasses along parts of the trails.

 

Owl's clover at Organ Pipe NM

Later in the week I visited Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.  By then we were all thinking obsessively of avoiding virus transmission and, though I was in the campground, I was particularly careful about avoiding others and the public restroom (nice to have options) and was doing a lot of handwashing.  I’m grateful to be able to bring my house with me on the road. The hikes were lovely, as were the carpets of owl’s clover and Desert star I found while scouting. 

 

Cactus bud, after the rain

Nice as that was, I’m planning to work on projects closer to home until we can all get a handle on this crisis.  I’m already brainstorming places to shoot which are away from other folks, as well as quirky little projects at home.

A flood of people seems to be hitting the popular natural places, rather defeating the purpose of being out.  I’m also feeling strongly about neither visiting gas stations any more than necessary nor being in a far-away place where search and rescue would have one more contact, should I have an emergency.

 

Meet Gypsy, adventure dog

Thank goodness bicycling and dog walking (a blessedly solo pursuit in our little town) are officially sanctioned, even in shelter-in-place locations. Our new pooch is under a year old, and still needs three-a-days in order to be tired enough to sleep, at least until 4:30 AM.  So we walk.

We’ll all just have to see what comes up, my friends, but I’ll try to share some peace through images in whatever way I can, even if they’re from last year.

There’s more in the Spring Gallery on the website.