Places In Your Mind
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| Dandelions in a Field |
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| Green Mountains from Addison County |
You ride out certain of where you are going because the place you remember has been in your mind for years.
After an unsuccessful short look-see from memory the day before, I search the county map to find the road at the intersection where I am sure the field in question is. (Well, maybe not.)
The field is still there, on the road I drove on the day before (photo previous post). I didn't realize that until I saw the site, sloped with tall trees and shrubs, not the flat land I remember.
A beautiful day, I keep going on the dirt road. At one spot, blinker on, I pull over.
There in a grassy field are thousands of dandelions! Across the road I see the Green Mountains. Lincoln Gap, I believe, is in the center of the photo.
What's more, I discover spots to plein air paint, and, more places for my mind to keep. Not a wasted day.
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Really?
Is driving around just to take photos of wildflowers worth increasing my carbon footprint? Not really. There is a guilt thing going on about that.
Out in Nature, clear views, clean air farmland with a polluting combustion gas fueled vehicle threading along the roads. What image does that make?
So beautiful and I am sure there are very happy bees around. I know you do not like the idea of just driving around. I also think this was was good for the soul so it wasn't just a ride around.
ReplyDeleteCathy
Wonderful post ~ and gorgeous field of dandelions ~ Simple pleasures ~
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Good point, Cathy
ReplyDeleteIt was fantastic to get outdoors.
Carol, So true, a simple pleasure it was.
ReplyDeleteMy dear, your carbon footprint is baby sized compared to many who cry the loudest about such things. I hope you thoroughly enjoyed yourself. Honestly, you made me want to go take a drive just to find fields filled with dandelions, or more likely goldenrod, here. No guilt required, in fact - none allowed. :)
ReplyDeleteBecki,
ReplyDeleteDiscovering fields of wildflowers is a happy event. I hope you find some.
Sometimes you need to offset the carbon footprint against the mental health benefits of a road trip and, to my mind, the latter should win.
ReplyDeleteRe the benefits of an electric vehicle, I recently read an article about the environmental impact there is in just making the electric batteries...it's huge and not in a good way. Of course that particular fact is well hidden by the electric car makers.
Maryanne,
ReplyDeleteGood point.
I read the battery fires are a concern as well. The urgency of reducing pollution is understandable. Adding as bad to the problem is reckless.
I love to cycle and walk. Cars are a necessary evil for me.
ReplyDeleteJenny,
ReplyDeleteThere are no city bike lanes where I live or on roads outside the city. You have to ride in with traffic around town.
I am not that brave. Thankfully, walking to stores isn't much of a hike.
I was among dandelions today while photographing tulips.
ReplyDeleteWilliam,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the reminder! Your flower photo series is a highlight of my spring!
I agree that driving to find a good spot to take photos of wildflowers is not a "bad" thing because it was bringing you closer to an appreciation of the beauty in nature, even if it's a field of dandelions.
ReplyDeleteBecki,
ReplyDeleteEvaluating excursion value against a carbon footprint instead of whether or not one feels like going out can be a change for many. Everyone thinking that way might make a difference to a local area.
I did such an evaluation yesterday. Instead of a long drive, I decide to walk dowtown to have lunch on the Green. The problem I ran into is that I ate my sandwich already. lol