Aristotle

Photo Location: Home Woods, Cannonsburg, (Cannonsburg) Michigan (Michigan)

Orange Day Lily - Hemerocallis fulva

Pope John Paul II

LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS POPE JOHN PAUL II  TO ARTISTS -  1999

"To all who are passionately dedicated to the search for new "epiphanies"  of beauty so that through their creative work as artists they may offer these as gifts to the world."

"Artists of the world, may your many different paths all lead to that infinite Ocean of beauty where wonder becomes awe, exhilaration, unspeakable joy.

"And may your art help to affirm that true beauty which, as a glimmer of the Spirit of God, will transfigure matter, opening the human soul to the sense of the eternal."

A special thanks to:

"Who Is My Neighbor? Conference & Art Exhibit" (Art - Faith - Community) (Neighbor)

Held at the Catholic Information Center (Catholic) - Grand Rapids, Michigan  April 25 - 26, 2014.


Photography by Richard Havenga.


Photo Locations:

1. Wasatch Mountains - Provo, Utah (Utah) 

2. Sunset Beach,  North Carolina  (North Carolina) 

3. Tin Cup, Colorado (Colorado) 

The Source

Into these pages
I have placed words
like seeds into the soil
of a well-prepared field;

pulled the weeds,
and watched,
prayed for rain,
and waited...

for germination and
this new spring season.
Vibrant and welcome
after a severe, relentless winter.

Now:
sprouting with encouragement,
growing with promise,
flowering with beauty.

The fruit of satisfaction
tastes better 
when sprinkled 
with recognition.

Now:
time to acknowledge
and confirm
the source of inspiration.

It is provided 
by the Holy Spirit
dwelling
within.

©  2014  Richard Havenga

Wordsworth

Photo Location:

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (Corkscrew) Audubon Center,  Naples, (Naples) Florida (Florida) 

Alligator Flag - Thalia geniculata

The Resurrection

"He is risen!"

Photo Locations:

1. Hartwick Pines State Park, (Hartwick Pines)  Grayling,  Michigan

2. & 3. Cathedral of St. Andrew   (St. Andrews) Grand Rapids, Michigan

Bloodroot

The genus, Sanguinaria, comes from sanguinary, adj.- bloody, savage, cruel. I've read that the white petals symbolize the purity of Jesus, and the "blood" exuding from the bruised roots or stems, represents the crucifixion. How poignant for Good Friday, and this coming Easter, which is about the time the Bloodroots usually rise here in Michigan.

I've always loved this short-lived, delicate wildflower, and take frequent walks to see its progress; blessed to have it growing at the edge of our Oak woods. 

A petal actually fell as I was photographing another cluster. Look at how this next one is so tightly wrapped, that it's hugging itself!

Group Hug

In the following photo, notice the deeply textured network of leaf veins; prominent, and sometimes reddish-orange.

So, I'm reading the Botanical description of this Bloodroot, in my Michigan Wildflowers, by Helen V. Smith. (Smith) I've been using it since 1974, (yes, I'm older than most of you) and it was published in 1961 and 1966, from the Cranbrook Institute of Science, right nearby in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Then my love returned for those unique, sometimes poetic Botanical terms. I recalled my long ago days with friends from Peninsula Writers, (Peninsula Writers) and how they enjoyed what they called: Found Poetry. We met each June, just after school was out, up at a Glen Lake resort. So I'm going to attempt to condense a page of details, and compile them into one, sort of poem, Botanically speaking. Right after this last photo.

The Poetic Landscape

"I know that seeing deeply is a state of mind and soul that develops, and when I see in a landscape that which mirrors my thoughts, I know I am beginning to find my poetry."





Excerpt from: The Poetic Landscape by Elizabeth Mowry - Artist & Author  (Mowry)  © 2001 



Photo Location:

Grand Teton National Park,  (Teton) Wyoming (Wyoming)

Flowering into Poetry

Layers of accumulated 
silence have built up 
over the years, 
producing a rich compost.

Combining earth's elements
into fertile ground 
for seeds of creativity 
to germinate.

Roots extending toward
life-giving moisture
searching the soil
for nourishing ideas.

New stems emerge,
breaking the surface,
seeking the warm light
of inspiration.

Surging with life,
opening its leaves,
gathering into verses,
flowering into poetry.

The land provides.
The heart responds.
The soul is gratified.
The Creator is glorified.

©  2014  Richard Havenga

Photo Location:  Home Woods


Trout Lily - Erythronium americanum

Click on photos to enlarge.

The Gift - Two

Along the sharp edge of dawn,
tomorrow
keeps its promise to return;
to carry this new day to you,
to bring another gift for you
to open.

You are brushed
by the fine fabric
of birdsong,
like banners
transparent
in the morning air.

You accept the gift.
Grateful, again.

© 2014  Richard Havenga

Photo Location:

Grand Teton National Park,  (Teton)  Wyoming  (Wyoming)


You may also like to see:  The Gift - February 14, 2014

Photo Haiku - California 2

snow on its shoulders
Sierra Nevada Range
warm on desert floor








Birch Aquarium
the bizarre world of fishes
grotesque Lionfish

a pipe with a face
the strange life of seahorses
who creates these things?

among huge boulders
constant fight for survival
Joshua trees live


You may also enjoy:  Photo Haiku - California   November 29, 2012


Photo Locations:

1. Lone Pine, (Lone Pine)  California

2. & 3. Birch Aquarium (Birch) Scripps Institute of Oceanography (Scripps) - UC-SanDiego- La Jolla, California

3. Joshua Tree National Park, (Joshua) California

Two Years @ WWFN

April 2, 2012 is the day I began my adventure into blogging. "Walk With Father Nature" is now two years old. I cannot believe the attention that WWFN has received. 

I never dreamed I would write this much, for this long. I had no idea I would create so many poems, Haiku, and creative non-fiction pieces. 

Over 325 posts have been published here, as of today's date. Over 200,000 page views have been recorded. I wish to give a HUGE THANK YOU to all of the viewers: 

• Visitors from 123 countries. 
• Hundreds of new acquaintances from around the United States. 
• 2,000 + connections from LinkedIn who are:
•  Bloggers, Writers, Poets, Artists, Photographers, Editors, Publishers, Authors, Teachers, Administrators, Professors, CEOs, and Naturalists. 
• Many Home School families are looking at WWFN regularly. 
• And of course I sincerely appreciate the support of family members. 

My dear wife, Mary knows the time I invest into every post; searching for ideas, composing, writing, revising, revising, and revising until I am satisfied with the results. She knows about the planning, work, time, travel, endurance and patience involved in collecting photographs acceptable for this venue. I work hard to match the words to my photographs; or the photographs to my words.

My awesome daughter, Sarah, a Writer herself, has been a devoted "Follower", composing eloquent responses to my posts, and is a constant source of encouragement for her "Daddy".

Many people on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, StumbleUpon, and those in my Circles, "Like" the Nature Photography that they see there. I assume you are all visiting the actual site at WWFN, and not merely "liking" it on FB, etc. I would like to see more discussions about the writing, the poetry, the learning... here at WWFN. I will reply to all of your comments. 

I also encourage you to check out the WWFN Archives: 2012-2014. Select a year, then select a month. Explore around through the seasons. 

You will of course notice the "Viewers' Favorites" column with every post. These may be subtitled: "Last 7 Days", "Last 30 Days", or "All-Time Favorites". 

You and your friends are encouraged to subscribe to WWFN with your Email to receive new posts as they are published. If you wish to write to me directly, you may go to my Google website: click here» Richard L. Havenga for my Email.

Also, click on any topics from the "Topics" section that appeal to you. There are hundreds to choose from: A to Z. I see I haven't used the letter X yet. 

Look over the "Readers' Comments" in the sidebar. Perhaps yours will be in there someday.

Remember my mission statement is always at the top of every post. I will continue to Give the Glory to God for this opportunity, this blessing, to share His creation in words and photographs. 

 Many viewers at WWFN have asked: "Richard, what are your favorites?"  From posts over the past 12 months (only), I've tried to narrow it down to 12 of my  favorite posts. Click on a few of these now, a few later this week, and please come back often to explore for more.

You may wish to compile your own list, then write a comment telling me what you like and why. Thank you very much for your participation. I promise to respond. 

Here are my personal favorites. Please click on the titles that appeal to you:

Only Silence Remains - October 14, 2013

The Same Sun - August 5, 2013

You - February 5, 2014

The River Dancing - January 20, 2014

Journey of a Journal - April 2, 2013

Willow's Shadow - September 9, 2013

A Wing and a Prayer - July 8, 2013

When - July 31, 2013

Silver Bells - Silver Prayers - December 30, 2013

The Way - March , 2014

Unspoken - September 30, 2013

Aspen Fire - October 21, 2013


May I please add a few of my favorite Haiku?

Willow Leaf - July 27, 2013

White on Blue - March 3, 2014

Gold Rings - July 11, 2013

Heron Sleeps - August 10, 2013



Readers:

I want you to know that I pray daily to God for the Holy Spirit (within) to inspire me to write. 

I truly and sincerely appreciate you being here at WWFN for these two years. I am blessed and motivated by your presence. Please help me to grow and sustain this blog by passing WWFN along to your friends and family. 

Gratefully,

Richard Havenga



Please note: 

April 2, 2014 is also Aaron's (would-be) 39th Birthday. Aaron is our only son. We still think of him every day. See "Journey of a Journal" above.