A few weekends ago, I made a trip out to Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture where my friend Nichole is an apprentice in the flower fields. The first frost had come in New England, and I deeply needed to see something - and someone - flourishing.
I learned so much from her about acceptance and change. Lessons she's learned from life on the farm. I'm sharing one of those lessons on the Equals Record today.
"She had followed these flowers from start to finish—and here we were at the start again. I guess circles are comforting that way. The further you are from where you began, the closer you are to the next beginning."
(photos) on film with Pentax k1000 for The Equals Record | globe amaranth at Stone Barns
Beautiful essay and as always beautiful photographs. I'm jealous of your talent! I can definitely relate to what you wrote about. Some of the things I've learned the past couple years are "success" is not a definitive endpoint, crying is part of dream-chasing, and also that life passes forward. And the flowers will bloom again :) They need to die to make and release their seeds! This is the first year I'm really appreciating beauty in the late autumn-- everything seems to be brown and dead, but the air is fresh and you can see straight through the forest because the leaves aren't blocking the view. My winter advice from a midwestern native aka pro: get outdoors whenever the sun is shining (and sometimes when it isn't), and when it snows find somewhere where you can try snowshoeing or cross country skiing!
ReplyDeleteAnna, I think "get outdoors whenever the sun is shining" is such great advice! I hate being cold, but it's so important to just be out breathing fresh air.
Deletealso "crying is part of dream chasing" is pretty great advice too.
exquisite images!
ReplyDeleteLong time reader, rare commenter here- your writing and your photos are exquisite. Please please please never stop.
ReplyDeletethanks so much for your kind words! Knowing that you're reading is really special.
Deleteyou make me so happy. such a beautiful day. a small reminder that life is better with you in it. xoxo
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful!
ReplyDeletesuch a exceedingly small world we live in! so glad you know nichole and even gladder you were able to head to the farm for a visit. there are good things there.
ReplyDeleteErin, I'm so glad to know her and you and the farm! Now, if only we could coordinate these three at once. Good things abound!
Deletean* (ahem).
ReplyDeleteThis is gorgeous, Sam. I love everything you do!
ReplyDeleteyou are so incredible. i love your eye and your voice, sam. it really kills me (in a positive way) that someone could have so much talent.
ReplyDeletecara, I was thinking about you this morning actually. I'm working on writing about "darkness" in photography and your eye has really inspired me pushing myself in that way. I'll write more to you over an e-mail, we need a creative catch-up anyway.
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