Sometimes, Just For Beauty’s Sake

Posted byonbeyondbluePosted inUncategorizedTags:, , , ,

MGM movies begin with a roaring lion and “Ars Gratia Artis“. Recently I’ve noticed that MGM has added a translation for those of us not fluent in Latin and I now know it means “Art for Art’s Sake“. I love the sentiment behind this and after some thought, decided that after writing about retirement, wellness, the dangers of wolves prowling our fences, photography, birding and a few other topics maybe readers would enjoy scrolling through a variety of images that I simply consider beautiful. No punchline. No hook(s), no hoping to reach someone in need. Just beauty for beauty’s sake. Part of this idea came from watching people “read” posts. Most were drawn to the photos/images and it seems that’s where some were focused. I’ll add cations where appropriate. Enjoy.

A Great Egret stands in colorful stark contrast to the drab pool it was standing in recently at the Saint Marks Wildlife Refuge. You knew I’d start with a bird right?
Coastal Landscapes From Saint Marks National Wildlife Refuse and Saint George Island State Park. Double click on any image to enlarge and scroll through gallery.
Images from a drying lake. All of the above photographs were taken in the Lake Jackson lakebed as waters receded and were replaces by swamps, marshes and prairies.
Alone
Sometimes a photograph can convey powerful feelings about a time, place or situation. The lone Cattle Egret perched on a dead tree in the gloom is an example of one such photo. Meanwhile the Spanish Moss, cypress trees and mirror-still waters immediately remind any viewer they are at lake’s edge on a breathless southern morning. While capturing the lake photos, a Limpkin watches the photographer cautiously.
Because no discussion of raw beauty is complete without mountains and Alaska….whales and the Tongass National Forest.
And finally because I live in the land of The Mouse and this photo looked so beautiful that it looked as though it was generated by AI…Disney World.

I hope you have enjoyed this brief chance to escape and scroll. If you enjoyed this, let me know and I’ll revisit it from time to time. In the mean time, have a safe and happy holiday season. Treat your fellow human with dignity and respect (Matthew 22:39) and remember, we never know what our fellow human beings are going through. Thank you all for subscribing and following.

If you or someone you know is struggling, there is help. Call 988 or if you are in the Big Bend of Florida call 211. The 2nd Alarm Project has many resources available as well (2ndalarmproject.org). If you are interested in getting notified when a new blog is posted and are not subscribed, please consider subscribing by entering your email in the “subscribe” icon on the home page. Then you’ll get an email each time a new blog is posted. If you appreciate what you have read here, please feel free to share as you are led across your social media or via email. There just might be someone out there who needs to see this content. Thank you all and stay safe.

Published by onbeyondblue

Retired after thirty years in law enforcement. Experience in patrol, high liability training, narcotics enforcement, various levels of leadership and SWAT. Exploring And muddling through the next chapter now. Hoping to help other law enforcement and military personnel do the same by sharing my experiences, successes and mistakes.

5 thoughts on “Sometimes, Just For Beauty’s Sake”

  1. As always, simply well done! Thanks for sharing so much. I enjoy your writing and beautiful pictures, no matter what they are of or where they are from! Happy holidays to you and yours.

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment