March 10th, 2007
good planets are hard to find
Sorry to be tardy in getting Good Planets up this morning. However, we’ve had a rather crazy week and I’m running a little behind. Last weekend, Don was knocked out of action with a kidney stone and ended up in the hospital for a couple of days. All is well and, despite what some of you may hear to the contrary, the health care system up here is functioning like a well-oiled machine. So, back to the wonderful photos submitted for this week’s edition of Good Planets. The theme is “home” and as I’m sure you’ll all agree, everyone rose to the challenge as the photos are lovely.
Peter de Wit in Nova Scotia sent this photo of Musquodoboit Beach, eastern passage NS. He writes:
It was -5c the day this photo was taken, and WINDY, about
-15c windchill. Some good Canadians were surfing anyways, about 5 or 6 of them. Changing into wetsuits out in the freezing wind. I had my winter jacket on.
Peter also sent this wonderful photo of the lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove and writes:
One of the more famous landmarks of Nova Scotia. Here it is in late fall, when all the tourists have gone home. Of the two photos, I guess this one is more ‘home’, as it only minutes away from where I sleep every night.
Cathy of Looking Up writes:
I’m delighted to share the macro shot I got of a snowflake just outside my living room window.
Cindy Mead of WoodSong Nature Photography, and the ever wonderful WoodSong blog, sends this photo and writes:
Here’s a photo I took near our home of a very popular trout river- we visit it weekly it’s my hubby’s favorite fishing spot- I tag along and watch river otters and birds :) I don’t do alot of scenics because I hear a bird or see a flower and off I go!
have just returned from a trip to the Memphis Botanic Garden-the daffodils are at their peak. I love this planet!
Richard Wiley sent along this great photo and writes:
This possom comes up on our back deck in the evening to eat bird seed.
Coincidentally, Ruth of Body, Soul, and Spirit, sends along this photo and writes:
I watched this opossum venture out from its home under this log beside the Speed River. I know virtually nothing about these animals and have never seen one before in the city.
Robin of Dharma Bums writes:
In keeping with your theme of “home” I am sending a photo of one of my favorite local birds: Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius). I think it’s one of the prettiest birds I’ve ever seen, and it’s one that visits our backyard in spring and fall. Definitely a reminder of home.
Celeste of Dzonoqua’s Whistle sends two photos of her home in coastal Oregon. She writes:
My home is an a-frame, unobtrusive, just big enough for my family, with all outdoors around us to live in. I have learned a lot about myself living here, who I really am, what makes me tick. I am really myself here, and I’m thankful for that gift, something I’ll carry no matter where I may have to live in the future. It seems the big picture of all life comes into its proper perspective here. I can hear myself think(or not think, just be…).
This picture kind of sums up what I feel about “home”. The top of my house peeping out from the surrounding woods–a small, simple place, full of loving family, deep within natural nature, “far from the madding crowd”.
You can read Celeste’s complete post about her home here
SBGyspsy of The Gypsy’s Caravan sends this lovely river photographed near her home during a recent “deep freeze”.
Xris of Flatbush Gardener sent along two photos taken in front of his home in New York City. The first depicts:
Bees and Crocus tommasinianus in my front garden
The street tree in front of my house
Evan of Fairfax, Virginia, sends along this colorful Blue jay.
From The Fatlady Sings, I received two wonderful photos of flowers. Of the first, whe writes:
…a vase full of peonies. The hot colors look like a bouquet of living flames – and the scent! Just one of these fills an entire room with perfume. A vase full and you feel like you are living inside a bottle of Chanel!
some Monarda. I’ve always thought the crown-like petals look like flickering flames….
Liza from The Egret’s Nest of Boulder Creek, California, sent along this scene and writes:
I really loved the way the sun was coming through the forest and lighting up bits and pieces of it. After a rainy week, this was a welcome sight. Now, where did I put my sunglasses! And, gloves . . . it’s still cold out! Brrr!
Susannah from Wanderin’ Weeta in the Lower Fraser Valley of B.C., sent along two photos and writes:
Home is a swallow’s nest under the overhang of a shed at the bird sanctuary on Reifel Island.
Or a bald-faced hornet’s nest over the marsh near Crescent Beach.
And last, here’s my own contribution for this week…
My home is where my indoor and outdoor life meet.
Okay, that’s it for this edition of Good Planets. Thanks everyone for all of the wonderful photos. I hope I didn’t miss anyone’s submissions. If so, let me know and I’ll add it — it’s never too late around here. As for the next edition, I’ve decided to go with a theme again — it will be “A Memory” — however you wish to interpret that. The next edition of Good Planets will appear here on March 24th, so try to send submissions along by March 23rd.
Please note! You can peruse through past images from Good Plants in the archive, maintained by Pam of Tortoise Trail.
Bev



March 10th, 2007 at 10:39 am
What a beautiful collection of photographs, bev. The “home” theme was very inspired and inspiring. I’m already thinking about memory for next time. Wonderful idea!
March 10th, 2007 at 11:48 am
Gosh. Aren’t we wonderful? Your wall collage is a metaphor for humankind’s great love affair with nature, our inseparable connection to wild, fecund, furry, winged and green and the forms it all arrives in. The photos depicting the diverse images of our planet, the pleasure we take in sharing our delight . . . . splendid.
Though humble, and though up against stiff competition – the daffodils take the prize for this winter-weary contributor. I’m headed for Tennessee:0) (Whose antler’s and whose violin and what’s the iron ring thing among your treasures on the wall?)
March 10th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Hi Bev, thanks for putting it all together. I really like your collage wall. All my stuff is squirreled away ;0). Since you like bugs, here’s a little house+bug story. One day I found a Golden Buprestid crawling along the sink. I looked it up and it is one of the longest living bugs, it can “incubate” in lumber for 50-75 years. Our house has 75 year old “bones” and I’m sure the bug crawled out of a beam(I did look at some beams and found a few new exit holes). It’s a beautiful metallic green bug–I took it to school in a jar, kids loved it. ;0) Thanks again!
March 10th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
beautiful Bev! Glad to hear Don is ok.. and great job putting this lovely post together. Each is beautiful and I love your collection of rocks/wood- it really touches home for me as I collect many of the same things (except no violin) ;) well done my friend :)
March 10th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Beautiful pictures for a dull Saturday. I am very fond of light houses and the photo at Peggy’s Cove is lovely. I am one unhardy Canadian who would not be winter surfing.
Your collection looks fascinating! The best kind of home is full of interesting things from outdoors and indoors.
March 10th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Bev and all,
You’ve done a wonderful job of bringing to the sense of sight what “home” means to people. Lovely stuff. Thanks for sharing it.
March 10th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
All good photos, thanks for putting this togethor.
March 10th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
robin – Thanks!
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Cathy – the antler is from a White-tailed Deer buck that my neighbour found dead on the back of our land. A hunter must have shot it and not been able to track it. My neighbour borrowed a hack saw and salvaged the antlers and brought one to me. Sad end for the buck, but I have an antler to remember him by (we used to see him around often before his demise). The violin is a an old one that is in pretty tough shape. I rescued it from being tossed out as I thought it was pretty even though non-functional. The heavier iron ring was found in the old barn ruins on our land — it seems like it might have been off the outer casing of a motor or compressor. The other iron ring — the thin one around the starfish was found in the river where I was doing some stream survey work – I think it may have been a ring of of a wooden barrel. All neat things. Most of the objects on our walls have their own stories to tell.
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Celeste – Neat story about the beetle that you found in your house!
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Cindy – I’m not at all surprised to hear that you have a similar collection of objects at your place!
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Ruth – I’m partial to light houses too, and Peter’s photo is wonderful. It’s not often than you see the light at Peggy’s Cove without tourists all around!
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John – I was very pleased to see the wonderful photos that were sent in for this GP. It was fun to see how each person interpreted the theme.
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Peter – You’re welcome – and thanks for sending in such a terrific pair of photos!
March 11th, 2007 at 1:24 am
Hi, Bev,
Great job! Such a great diversity of interpretations, yet each one says “home” to me.
I loved your wall, and the stories behind each item.
March 11th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Thanks for the feedback Ruth and Bev. I’ll probably fix the horizon tilt thats noticable on the lower right before I make a print though :-)