One of the things I like most about hiking is the feeling of being close to the earth.  I place my feet, one after another, on a trail, over rocks, skimming the earthy surface of our planet.  My hike last weekend took me away from beach, toward the eastern edges of the county.  I rarely think of San Diego as mountainous…but then I looked out from Eagle Peak and saw these in the distance.

Even with other people around, there is sense of spaciousness out here, an opportunity to connect with the earth on its terms.  I love the way this hiker looks so small against the vast earthy background.

And you never know just who you will meet…like this cow grazing nearby.

I found myself drawn to the design of the tree branches…and wondering if these are trees dying from the long standing drought or just bare for the winter. (Our local coastal live oaks usually stay green all year long)

Surprisingly, the next day was rainy and stormy, accompanied by unusually high winds. It took a toll on many trees in our area.  This one, at UCSD, fell over, unearthing its large root system (taller than me). Luckily, this one caused no damage to people, cars or buildings like some in the county did.

I love tulips.  They don’t grow naturally around here (I don’t think it gets cold enough), but you can buy them potted at our local Trader Joe’s.  This one bloomed and was beautiful…and I love its subtle continuing earthy beauty as the bloom fades and dies away.

And today I couldn’t resist this still life–designed by the sea–complete with bubbles from the rising tide.  An earthy arrangement of shell, sand, water, and rock.

So, what is earthy in your life this week? You might look in your yard, head outdoors into nature, or even look in the potted plants in your house. Or maybe you will find earthy in places I haven’t yet imagined!

You can post your photo alone or along with some words: commentary, a story, a poem…maybe even a song! I love to study the photographs that others’ take and think about how I can use a technique, an angle, or their inspiration to try something new in my own photography. (I love a great mentor text…or mentor photo, in this case!) I share my photography and writing on social media. You can find me on Instagram and Twitter using @kd0602. If you share your photos and writing on social media too, please let me know so I can follow and see what you are doing. To help our Weekly Photo community find each other, use the hashtag #earthy for this week and include @nwpianthology in your post.

So, unearth the earthy this week, I can’t wait to see what you find!