30 Days of Perception: 21 - 30

Day 21: Reciprocal

"Hello little leaf, said I, you've found the perfect soft place to land! If I floated down from a tree, I would certainly look for a flowery landing!"

I just know that nature loves to be noticed and spoken too! An exchange takes place.

Day 21: Reciprocal

Whenever I walk along, especially on well-known paths, I connect with all the things I see. This rusting fence is a great favourite throughout all seasons when the scene changes accordingly. I say hello and run my hand along the rungs as I take in the changing scene. 

I feel that whenever I take notice of something, or someone, a silent exchange takes place. There is always a feeling of give and take.

Day 22: Silence and Stillness

I feel silence and stillness the best when I'm in nature, preferably in the presence of trees. they emanate serenity.

Day 23: Contrast

I love textures and colours and this capture expresses the contrast between them both. Even the soft netting plays a role in texture. 

Day 23: Contrast

Back to the park and away from the city's streets to be in nature and to seek out contrasts.

 I liked the contrast of colours of the bright pink of the chrysanthemums and the golden yellow of the Ginkgo leaves.

The contrast between the softness of the flowers and the grey granite steps leading up to another part of the park. We can also see a grassy slope covered in leaves and beyond that, 

a small slice of the pathway above.

Contrasts are what give a scene impact and presence and very often harmony.

 I like them very much.

Day 24: Patterns

Pattern perception, inspired by the natural world around us. Patterns are everywhere both in nature, in our bodies and in our behaviour. There's something reassuring about patterns, they give a feeling of equilibrium and inner harmony which can be seen in this sea-shell.

Day 25: Depth

A single bird sits on the crane. Beyond the city, the clouds part to reveal blue skies and gorgeous fresh snow on the surrounding mountains!

I love being able to see clear views of the horizon. It makes me feel uncluttered inside and free and encourages deep, slow breathing which is very calming. Such a view takes clears all the little thought forms from twirling inside my head! I feel renewed from head to toe and I have touched on the essential of existence!

Day 26: Rhythm

There is definite rhythm in the way the tiny black seeds are place in the pods, but also in the random way the seed pods seem to have fallen. It makes me think of jazz music!

As someone said to me: "seed-pod jazz!"

Day 26: Rhythm

When I look at the curves in these tablecloths, I see rhythm in the repeated curved shapes

like a slow dance with a sway to it!

Day 27: Change

This is a difficult challenge since the weather is uniform grey. The best I could do was to show photos taken through my kitchen window at different times of the day:

 Morning, noon and at night with the lights on in the building opposite mine.

These are the changes of lighting throughout the day.

Day 28: Wonder

I always wonder how leaves arrange themselves so gracefully when they fall from a tree. This particular one landed between two different patterns as if to draw attention to itself. It did! Wondrous!

I don't need a stunning sunset to feel a sense of wonder. The simplest of scenes all around me fill my heart with joy!

Day 28: Wonder

Seeing the eternal, infinite nature of everything around me.

When we truly see, we experience the spark of wonder that makes us connect.

I took this photo of the waxing moon early in the morning before it was really daylight.

Day 29: Interdependence

Whenever I prepare a meal or eat a fruit. I think about which country grows that food, how it grows and in which season. 

How dependent we are on the elements necessary to produce our food like: the quality of the soil, the rain and the sunshine. Then there are the people who harvest our food and the markets that sell the fresh produce. I am certainly grateful for all these different stages and feel a connection to each step and to the countries and the people

 which enables me to cook a delicious, healthy and tasty meal.

Just on one plate, I have pasta and Parmesan cheese from Italy, Chickpeas from Africa or Asia, Greek olives and vegetables from Switzerland and Spain. The basil topping comes from my own homegrown plant.

We are all interconnected and interdependent on each other.

The Italian pasta dish is called 'Cinque Pi' (Five Ps)

That means that the pasta sauce is made up of five elements beginning with the letter P:

Pomodoro (tomato)

Panna (cream)

Parmigiano (Parmesan cheese)

Pepe (pepper)

Pressemolo (parsley)

Day 30: Wholeness

When I think of the word 'Wholeness', I think of everything that surrounds me and that is part of my world: 

the sky, the clouds, the sunrise and sunset, the trees and the flowers, the buildings and everything I see that is part of me.

I am aware of all that and how I feel connected to all I see and experience.

Photography develops my awareness. It allows me to see things beyond simply looking.

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This is the last part of the online course with Kim Manley Ort

called 30 Days of Perception