Prettier

8 08 2025

It’s not my intention to ignore all the ills of the world on this blog, just to make it a place of peace and beauty.

Two nights ago, clouds stymied my moonrise photography attempts, but Mother Nature put on a show, nonetheless. You can’t really call that a rainbow – a light prism? – over Brumley Point, but it was a much better sight than the image I took the day before that looked like Brumley, which looks enough like an old volcano, was actually erupting.

This was the second time it happened (and I was in a bit different location). Neither occurrence lasted more than a minute or two?

Do dragonflies bring you joy? It’s way out of focus here near the in-focus pinon tree – in my defense, I was pretty far away, and it was zipping faster than I could follow, let alone focus – but that little beam of zooming light (seeing it backlit against a far mesa is what caught my attention in the first place) brought ME joy! I realized that it was snatching flying insects out of the air, which I cheered wholeheartedly. The gnats are largely gone, but we have (still) big flies and (now) these weird little things that are bigger than gnats and almost as exasperating.

The moon did rise above the clouds eventually, of course. No matter the conditions here on Earth, it’s always, comfortingly, there – somewhere out there.

Most importantly, to paraphrase Mad-Eye Moody (apologies to non-Harry Potter fans): Stay vigilant!


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19 responses

8 08 2025
ChicoRey's avatar ChicoRey

Really beautiful pictures – love the one with the “boys”. And the little dragon fly. There have been so few butterflies, bees and other little creatures this year and the past couple. My hummers still come, but just a few. The really weird thing is I now have a (?) woodpecker drinking at the hummingbird feeders, along with the Baltimore Orioles! Now THATS strange!

8 08 2025
TJ's avatar TJ

The birds … desperate for any water/sustenance, from any source? That *is* concerning. Fortunately, there are butterflies (and/or moths?) and bees here by the *many*, as well as hummingbirds. I’ve been stymied by at least four hummers on four different wildflowers this year (mostly in the spring); they’re too fast, and I’m woefully slow – but quick to appreciate!

8 08 2025
Sue E. Story's avatar Sue E. Story

What a wonderful potpourri of Spring Creek Basin images! Dramatic landscapes to magical skies to tiny critters to beautiful big critters. Life in the Basin in five photos. Very nice, TJ. And I love seeing dragonflies too; not only are they gorgeous in their irredescent colors but their presence means water still exists…somewhere.

8 08 2025
TJ's avatar TJ

Yes, and thankfully we have water … and dispersed enough for all the horses to have no problem accessing it. It’s limited, but it’s *there*.

8 08 2025
jdsmullen4's avatar jdsmullen4

One of the greatest pleasures I get from your posts Is that they are not about the ills of the world! Those ills are so present and persistent and growing in horror day by day.

Your posts are a deep breath of cleansing air, of peace and beauty. Thank you!

8 08 2025
TJ's avatar TJ

Thank YOU! 🙂 I’m so glad these posts resonate with you. … There’s enough bad/concerning/anxiety-inducing news in the world, so from this recovering journalist, I thank you so much for your uplifting comment! I want this to be a place of respite from all of that. 🙂

8 08 2025
jdsmullen4's avatar jdsmullen4

One of the greatest pleasures I get from your posts Is that they are not about the ills of the world! Those ills are so present and persistent and growing in horror day by day.

Your posts are a deep breath of cleansing air, of peace and beauty. Thank you!

8 08 2025
karenflash3's avatar karenflash3

Beautiful pictures! I love all of nature! Thank you for sharing your part of the country!

11 08 2025
TJ's avatar TJ

Looking back, I think it’s my love letter to this country I love so, so dearly. 🙂 I’m glad to have you along for the journey, Karen!

8 08 2025
lovewildmustangs's avatar lovewildmustangs

A wonderful post TJ!!!

11 08 2025
TJ's avatar TJ

Thanks, Karen. 🙂

9 08 2025
baileytan's avatar baileytan

Such beautiful country. I watch fireflies too. It makes me smile. 😊

11 08 2025
TJ's avatar TJ

Oh, now FIREflies, we don’t seem to have any around here. A French friend who studies them (in the most scientific, brainy way possible that I can’t begin to understand!) has been to Spring Creek Basin twice, but he agrees that we’re just too dry. And the places where there are water are too unreliably/inconsistently wet. I chased fireflies as a kid … but I never thought about the LACK here until I met him!

12 08 2025
baileytan's avatar baileytan

That was supposed to read “dragonflies” .😂😜

13 08 2025
TJ's avatar TJ

I thought that maybe you meant dragonflies, but it gave me a chance to explain the weirdness of no fireflies here. 🙂 They’re both amazing, and fortunately, we have a fair number of dragonflies (couldn’t tell you what specific species)!

11 08 2025
csteinpaynegmailcom's avatar csteinpaynegmailcom

Thank you, TJ, for these beautiful images! XOXO

11 08 2025
TJ's avatar TJ

My small contribution to an antidote to the crazy beyond-world. 🙂

15 08 2025
csteinpaynegmailcom's avatar csteinpaynegmailcom

That light prism is amazing, I have never seen anything like that! Thank you, TJ, for sharing uplifting beauty in these hard times XOXO

15 08 2025
TJ's avatar TJ

There’s a lot of that out here – uplifting beauty – and I’m happy to share! 🙂

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