Red Dirt Ramblings®

Firmly rooted in the Oklahoma soil

My Entry for Gardening Gone Wild’s August Photo Contest

Harlequin bugs on perennial sunflower
Harlequin bugs on perennial sunflower

My contribution for Gardening Gone Wild’s August photo contest is above.  David Perry, who is the judge this month, told us to get down on our knees while shooting.  For the past two years, David has been a huge influence on my photography.  I regularly read his blog, and I consider him a good friend.  He is a generous teacher, and I want to share one paragraph he wrote about this month’s assignment:

“Watch any great preschool teacher and you will see someone who spends much of the day on her/his knees. Kids don’t respond well to adults that tower over them and talk down to them. They respond to grown-ups who are willing to come down to their level, meet them eye-to-eye. And strangely enough, the world down there at kid level looks vastly different from the grown-up world above. You want to understand kids and get along with them, you need to get down there where they can relate to you.  It’s like that with a garden too. Too many of us take the majority of our pictures from standing height, which really limits both our visual understanding of a garden and the sense of intimacy we can capture.”

Since my life, for the last twenty years, has been all about kids, I understand what he means.  This morning, I went to the first school mass of the year with my youngest.  Although she is quickly growing up (she is a Big Chum after all), as she filed in with her classmates, her eyes still sought me while she held her Little Chum’s hand.

With four children (one grown, and three at home), my days are filled with parental duties like carpool, laundry, cooking, homeroom mom, etc.  However, when my life is over, upon review, I believe that those times when I held my babies’ hands, and led them into the garden after a summer rain, taking the time to point out an interesting insect, or the raindrops on the blooms, will be the ones they remember. I hope so.

To whomever wins this month’s prize, congratulations.  While I was out kneeling in the grass, time stood still, and these reflections about my children and all the other children of the world, came to me.  For that, I already feel like a winner.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Jenny B

    What a sweet blog, and a lovely photo. As a grandmother going through it a second time around, I can only affirm your thoughts. Time passes so quickly, I feel blessed to have another chance to make memories with my children and now the grands.
    .-= Jenny B´s last blog ..How To Survive The Summer Heat =-.

    Thank you Jenny. I’ll be interested to see how different it is as a grandmother versus a mother. I’ve loved mothering my children all these years.~~Dee

  3. jo

    Hiya Dee,

    Am I too optimistic if I see your picture as yin and yang: evil insect above and good ladybird below?

    Probably, Jo. It is a baby Harlequin instead. Darn the luck.~~Dee

  4. Jennifer

    Dee your photo is fabulous. I have entered for the first time and had a lot of fun coming up with a photo I liked.
    Good luck.
    .-= Jennifer´s last blog ..First time for everything =-.

    Thank you so much Jennifer. It was a really fun contest wasn’t it?~~Dee

  7. Linda

    I’ve wondered what those bugs are, too! Beautiful detail!!

    Thank you Linda. I thought your photos were beautiful too.~~Dee

  8. Randy

    That’s a great photo. I always wondered what those little bugs were. I’m glad you enjoyed your thoughts while capturing the shot.:-)–Randy
    .-= Randy´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday =-.

    Thank you Randy.~~Dee

  9. Lisa at Greenbow

    You are a winner Dee and not only for taking your dear children into the garden but when you take all of us into the garden. There we can escape our bugs, weeds and unpleasant chores that must be attended to and enjoy the beauty that you bring to the world through your garden and words.

    Lisa, you always say the nicest things. I’m blushing.~~Dee

  10. Pam/Digging

    So many sweet memories and wistful nostalgia as we watch our children growing up. I enjoyed your thoughts, Dee, and your photo of the fading flower and the insects still flocking to it.
    .-= Pam/Digging´s last blog ..Mellow and screaming yellows =-.

    Pam, I figured you would identify with it because you’re in the same place I am motherwise.~~Dee

  13. Jenny

    That is where I was when I said goodbye to my grand daughter a few weeks ago. She lives in Taipei and we see them so seldom. I was crouching down at the airport saying goodbye to her. They left and we both shed a few tears. Wish I could do more of the crouching.
    .-= Jenny´s last blog ..POMEGRANATES AND GARLIC =-.

    Oh, Jenny, that would be so hard. I feel for you and your granddaughter.~~Dee

  16. Frances

    Such a sentimental journey, Dee! I didn’t realize you also had four young’uns. It does take up our whole lives to be the mother to so many. And I can’t think of a better way to spend a life, even after they are grown up our world still revolves around them. And the garden. Wonderful shot and good luck!

    Frances
    .-= Frances´s last blog ..Finally =-.

    Yes, one of them is my Bonus Daughter, who became my child when I married HH. She still calls me her Bonus Mom. I can’t think of a better way to spend a life. Thanks.~~Dee

  18. Mr. McGregor's Daughter

    What a lovely post! You always put so much thought into things. The Harlequin bugs are really weird. I don’t think I have those. I’m also a fan of David Perry’s blog. If I ever get a good camera, then maybe I can start putting his lessons into practice.
    .-= Mr. McGregor’s Daughter´s last blog ..Down on Your Knees =-.

    Thanks MMD, and good luck in the contest.~~Dee

  21. Janell West

    Lovely. All of it.
    .-= Janell West´s last blog ..Child’s Play =-.

    Thank you Janell.~~Dee