Symmetry and Disorder

This walk took me out by the aquatic center (aptly named, eh?) where the playground and ball field next to it were mostly flooded. There is a small stream that flows just on the the other side of this field and it has clearly overflowed its banks. That is a stream I have photographed several times...most recently with long exposures. Today, however, I was interested in finding the symmetry brought by the reflection in the calm water of the flooded field.

The field is relatively flat, of course. This means that where I'm standing is quite wet. Thus, as I noted yesterday, wearing waterproof pants is a good idea and now you also see that wearing waterproof shoes is an excellent idea.

Most of the time the symmetry is much more subtle and is often hidden among the chaos and disorder of the natural world. This plant produces seeds with feathery tails, no doubt to aid in their dispersal, in arrangements that are well ordered but masked by the flamboyance of the feathery additions.

Even with the symmetry is gone, there remains an elegance in the assertive shapes and textures that draws the eye.

While I try for variation in the paths I take with my walks, I have long ago ceased to find new routes to explore. Yet, I can still find new things to see and new ways to see the old things. Just imagine what you don't get to see when I am able to post photos from our travels when I focus on the big, the obvious, the amazing. What treasures the world holds when we walk, kneel, and stand long enough to see it.