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"Flower of Light" |
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The flower is symbolic of our spiritual journey.
It is as if this mandala of white light shining through the center of the
morning glory is shining in us, opening our hearts with its music.
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"Lavender in the Wind" "Lavandre dans le
Vent" |
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The all-pervasive color and scent
of the fields of lavender delight the senses. Alive with newness, they
stand out in sharp contrast to the ancient abbey walls in the background.
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"Divine Presence" |
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There is a transcendent quality to flowers that radiates the sacredness of life. I named the flower image "Divine Presence" and later discovered the feminine image or Madonna within it, deepening my own sense of participation in the mystery, and inviting others to do the same.
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"Communion" |
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These two calla lilies, filled with light, seem to belong together--one flowing into the other. They are growing close together in a garden very near the place where the resplendent quetzal gives birth.
"Sustenance" Hummingbirds depend on flowers for the
nourishment of nectar, and the flowers depend on the hummingbirds to ensure
their survival through pollination. This relationship of mutuality appears
enhanced here by the striking harmony of color between the Anna’s and the
Mexican Sage.
Anna’s Hummingbird
(Calypte anna)
at Mexican Sage Bush
(Salvia leucantha)
Big Sur, California
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"Splash of Color" Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna) Ramsey Canyon, Arizona Hummingbird dances |
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How amazing to experience hummingbirds as they come to drink and bathe at the top of a fountain. One can see on this young male Anna’s the iridescent feathers of his developing gorget.
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"Magic Lily" Magic Lily North East, Maryland |
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This special lily is also called the Resurrection Lily, because it models rebirth. In spring, the leaves burst up through the ground. Within weeks, they die back totally, leaving only the bare earth, and giving the impression they have died. The stems come up later, as if by magic, and are soon alive with beautiful blossoms.
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"Water Droplets" Peony Vesper Hill Children’s Garden, Rockport, Maine |
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There is a magical garden in Rockport and a chapel overlooking the ocean, dedicated to children who have died. Walking in the garden as the rain stopped, I made a wonderful discovery: each raindrop on the peony was a lens portraying the lily behind it in miniature.
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"Rainbow Hummingbird" (Calypte anna) Big Sur, California |
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Alive with color, it is as if the Anna’s hummingbird is at the center of the rainbow. Although we tend to picture hummingbirds as being constantly in flight, they actually spend most of their time perched. Their life is a delicate balancing act between expending and conserving energy.
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"Sunflowers" Provence, France |
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The French name comes from the sunflowers’ turning to face the sun in the morning. Here, at dusk, they are magically backlit, a view not usually seen. Can you find the outline of a bear’s face in the upper right, with sunflowers for a nose and eyes?