#Lens Artist – Amy, takes us on a photo walk as Challenge # 117. This week, and Terri with Sunday Stills makes it a dry one. Since we live in a semi-desert area, dry pictures abound. #Tanka Tuesday sweetens the challenge because it’s poet’s choice of theme and type of poem. So here goes, I’m going to combine all of the above along with Cee’s Flower of the Day and Becky B’s October Kinda Squares
My sister-in-law and her pets live with us now. Today we took our two dogs for a mile-long walk through the Woodlake Rose Garden. I was on a quest for pictures of dry beauty like a well-aged red wine.
For once, I couldn’t take pictures to make my Kiwanis group proud. Last weekend Kiwanis recruited 37 volunteers, students and adults who spread mulch to hold in the precious moisture.
Once we got past the Kiwanis section, which could be likened to garden of sweet white wine, I didn’t have to look far.
Roses Spidery Pitied #Haiku 2/3/2
The garden sprinkling system fails consistently but the thirsty roses get some water. No one except Chuck House brings a hose and cleans them off. I wonder what would happen if all 7,000 Woodlakers came out to work in the garden for a couple of hours this fall?
Spiders are in heaven making silky webs to trap the dust and ashes in the air. The little bug on the rose can hide out almost anywhere in the garden except where he is. Does anyone recognized him?
Roses need deadheading constantly in the summer to keep them blooming beautifully. Due to COVID, we did not have the help this summer that we usually get from the students, and the Master Gardeners were not able to come until just recently. So you will see Zombie Roses on this walk.
Deteriorated Dilapidated, dusty Throw-away roses "Wait," shouted the grasshoppers. "Look at this elegant weave Spiders created." #Tanka 5/7/5/7/7
The garden could be the Secret Garden before it was rediscovered. The potential of beauty is there, covered with what looks like years of neglect. In reality, it’s only a few weeks. On the cobweb blanket, you can see the ashes from the forest fires.
This rose has company that puts it to shame. The beauty of the morning glory is deceptive. It chokes out its competition, the rose and takes over if left unchecked.
Vibrant Velvety Contrast Withered Crumpled petals Faded #Haiku 2/3/2
Some of the plants are not as loved as the roses. My great-grandmother used to make persimmon cookies. I do not think she would be happy to see this dry tree.
Some areas of the garden have still not been adopted by organizations. In those area anything goes. In this case, the rose is surrounded, not only by thorns, but by weeds.
Lost in a weed patch Propagating constantly Drowning in ashes #Haiku 5/7/5
Once in a while, you have to look up. The trees tell the long time story. Those blobs are cobwebs and debris.
After the garden walk, Cindy and Flo went home, Kalev and I drove home the back way on Sentinel Butte Road looking for more dry pictures. We weren’t disappointed. You can see the dusty, smoke-hazed, 157-AQI-sky. You can barely make out Colvin Mountain in the background.
It struck me that Woodlake is the perfect example of “the haves and have nots” when it comes to water. Wherever there is water, even just a speck, you see green life blooming. Otherwise you see brown deterioration.
Life-giving water Sucked dry by super hot skies Humans tricked the fruit Giving them a plastic teat Yielding oranges once more. #Tanka 5/7/5/7/7
I read this quote on Sylvia Bacon’s website,
“Beauty can be seen in all things; seeing and composing the beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph”
Matt Hardy
The weed and dead limbs contrasted to attract my attention.
As I drove around the corner, the hillside on the left marked the end of the dry land and the beginning of irrigated groves of orange trees.
I hope I achieved my goal of seeing and composing the beauty in this dry photo walk.
These images are inspired and submitted for the following blog challenges:
- Lens Artist – Challenge # 117.
- Sunday Stills
- #Tanka Tuesday
- Cee’s Flower of the Day
- Becky B’s October Kinda Squares
Don’t Forget to Head Over to See Kerry
Marsha Ingrao - Always Write 
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