Friday Morning Walk

"Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads."

Henry David Thoreau

 

This Morning on the Back Porch...

My back porch was a welcome haven for me this morning, peaceful and cool. Also enjoying my humble backyard garden were tiny insects going about their work, and they provided the chance for me to work on my macro photography. The task is to create the "perfect storm" of subject, lighting, and camera settings. In the meantime, half the fun is the journey! (There's an app called "Picture Insect" that works like a charm to identify the insects you encounter.)

Though totally unaware of it, a Pearl Crescent (aka, Phaon Crescent) patiently posed for me on a hydrangea leaf....

...another new fig leaf has emerged overnight...

...and a Green Crab spider makes an attempt at spinning a new home on a butterfly bush.

Do you find old cemeteries fascinating?

I find that old cemeteries are fascinating places to visit. Whether it's a far-flung plot in the countryside with simple wooden markers or the well-kept graveyard of a resplendent cathedral, when we enter old burying grounds, we experience a peace and serenity that slows down our pace. But we can also find ourselves caught up in intrigue and mystery as we read the names and dates of those interred; we try to read a story into the epitaphs written by the survivors. We wonder about the joys and struggles faced by those who lived decades - maybe centuries - ago. 

I've visited many local cemeteries and was fortunate enough to also visit a couple of European cemeteries. Here are some of my favorites.

In Munich, Germany:  The Alter Südfriedhof (Old South Cemetery), established in 1563 as a plague cemetery, is now an official Munich park. Like all old burial grounds, Alter Südfriedhof has mature trees and shrubs that create an oasis; a retreat from the traffic and bustle of the city.

Salzburg, Austria:  St. Paul's Cemetery (Petersfriedhof) is the city's oldest cemetery and one of their most popular tourist attractions. You can stand here and gaze up at catacombs that date back to antiquity.

Carthage, North Carolina (Moore County):  The Old Scotch Burying Ground was founded in 1775. This is the final resting place of immigrants from Scotland who were born in the Village of Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye. A list of all interred in this cemetery can be found here: 

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2148638/old-scotch-graveyard

Southport, North Carolina:  Massive stone obelisks stand alongside worn, wooden markers in the Old Smithville Burying Grounds, founded in 1792. Some family plots are sectioned off with ornate iron fencing; some with simple wooden planks. Sheltered and cradled by the branches of stately magnolias and oaks, this graveyard is located just steps away from where the waters of the Cape Fear River meet the Atlantic Ocean.

Richmond, Virginia:  Hollywood Cemetery is the burial site of Presidents James Monroe and John Tyler, as well as the final resting place of Jefferson Davis and his family. Situated on a bluff overlooking the James River, this beautiful cemetery spans 135 acres of rolling hills and valleys, and features layers of impressive, sometimes elaborate, monuments and mausoleums. A visit to Hollywood Cemetery alone is worth a drive to Richmond. 

Collateral Butterfly

 

I always spot the butterflies. I had been out taking pictures of some other things, and this one caught my eye as I was getting into my car. A little brown Skipper of some variety, visiting a wildflower that was growing on the ditch bank.

 

Butterflies in the Backyard

The backyard Lantana garden gets a visit from a beautiful Cloudless Sulphur. 

The Cows

 

Reverence Farm is a "diversified, thriving polyculture" in Graham, NC, and this is one of their Jersey girls. She's part of a dairy herd in residence that produces A2A2, 100% organic, grass-fed milk. Reverence Farms is one of the producers that provide their farm-fresh, grass-fed meats, eggs and dairy products to Saxapahaw General store, as well as providing organic, whole food to many customers in the area. 

And for someone like me who loves to photograph animals, these cows with their pretty faces and large, expressive eyes make good subjects.

reverencefarms.grazecart.com