Today was a macro kind of day. There’s this funky little shop in Leucadia that I’ve been wanting to visit for a while. I love the way it looks…the green building, the orange fence, and the wonderful old truck used a planted filled with succulents. It’s called Glorious Gardens Landscape and they specialize in succulents and xeriscape (drought tolerant landscaping).
I wandered through the cacti and succulents in this tiny outdoor storefront. Succulents are like plants from another world. They have unusual colors, sharp angles and often geometrical design elements, and many sprout crazy flowers like flagpoles waving a celebratory banner. I am drawn to them. They remind me of some of my favorite people: resilient and quirky! These people listen to their own drum beat and persist and follow through with what others often see as crazy dreams or unrealistic projects. Lucky for our students–many of these people are educators working to make a difference in the world!
While waiting for my plants to be potted (yeah, I couldn’t resist!) I spent some time with my macro lens looking closely at these fascinating plants. Here’s an assortment (using the app fuzel) of some of the images I captured.
I fell in love with this particular plant today…in shades of gray. It’s both delicate and sturdy. Intricate and simple…and simply beautiful. And in it’s macro close up, I feel like I am looking at it eye to eye. It’s looking closely at me while I look closely at it.
What do you notice when you have a macro kind of day?
Thinking Through My Lens 
Wow those photos are beautiful! You should print them onto cards. Very cool and inspiring 🙂
Thanks, Casey!
I love that collage, and the words you write, too. We need to do more to look at our world from different angles, and find different perspectives. Your blog is a great example of how our lens can peer at the world in different ways. Thanks again for sharing!
Thanks Kevin. I think the challenge for many of us is creating situations that encourage us to use lenses in new ways. Photography and blogging help me do that!
Reminds me of one of my favorite sayings I first heard in German: “Man braucht von Zeit zu Zeit einen neuen Standpunkt, damit man die Welt wieder neu sieht!”
Thanks Anna. This is a great saying (thanks to Google translator)…photography (and writing) are definitely tools that help me see the world in new ways. You need from time to time a new point of view, so that one sees the world new again!
When I looked at the mosaic after reading your first part, I saw each image as another teacher, uniquely guiding learners– as a community garden and also each macro thinker with his / her own curiosity. Thanks for the garden tour, to remind us to discover and appreciate each unique learner and their quest within.
Thanks for stretching my metaphor even further, Sheri! I love the idea of the community garden of macro thinkers… Appreciation of difference is key!