Dear Reader:
It wasn’t until Anne and I attended the International Creativity Workshop in Provence ( almost two decades ago-yikes!) that I understood the quote ” To see the world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wildflower-William Blake
Most of the exercises in creativity focused on changing our perspectives on how we see the world.
One photography trick is to lower yourself to the level of the subject (of your shot) and then play around with colors or form… since I love wildflowers-these are shots taken from my front yard.
Another trick is to include flowers and other natural beauties in two subject photos.
When I think wildflowers I immediately think of one particular person-Lady Bird Johnson!!!
Today we remember her in connection for the Highway Beautification Act ( or the Lady Bird Bill) She spearheaded her mantra ” masses of flowers where the masses pass.” She rewarded highway department engineers for integrating sustainable landscaping on their road designs. Winning designers were invited to the Lady Bird Johnson LBJ ranch for a barbecue.
On her 70th birthday she and actress Helen Hayes created the National Wildflower Center. ( today part of the University of Texas at Austin) After her death a state paper took up her cause and raised $150,OOO to buy seed packets for school children to plant along roads in communities.
So until tomorrow… ” Where flowers bloom… so does Hope.” Lady Bird Johnson
ichaseferalcats
John Turner
Legally Ohm
Becky Dingle
I kept thinking of my Mother while I read your article today. Her favorite flower was Queen Anne’s Lace which grows well in NC . She wanted me to have some so we went to a local nursery and she was appalled when they told us they didn’t sell the plant because it was a weed. So often times when I went so often to help take care of her I would stop on the side of the road to pick some for us. As for Lady Bird Johnson ..well, she told me that everytime we were on any Interstate Hwy with her…