"Beauty Defined"

I shall rejoyce in the special moments of time we share. To pause and wonder at the beauty of a quiet place, a familiar landscape previously unnoticed-remembered not in the mind but in the heart.

Art is a way of looking, of feeling, of living. Art is the shortest distance between you and me.

hrallen

"Cistena's Scent"

For the plant lovers I have this wonder photo to share. Filling my garden with a sweet wonderful scent, nothing can compare to the Purpleleaf Sandcherry. Small delicate flowers adorn this showstopper plant. For those who have not had the pleasure to behold the sweet passion of this plant, I can only recommend that you find someone who has one or visit a nursery where one is in bloom. The aroma of this majestic pleasure will leave your senses filled with joy. "Cistena's Scent" is a truly remarkable creation.

hrallen

"Easter Lily Impressions"

Foregoing any religious significance of the Easter Lily, I wish to make a few comments as to the impression of the Easter Lily in my life. As a child , I would wait in anticipation for the Easter Lily to emerge. I would always imagine the spring with it's warm sun air enveloping me. I dreamed for the day of the soft rain cascading on the tin roof of the old farm house I once lived in. Spring was always special but it wasn't official until the Easter Lily blossomed in majestic beauty. Bold yet delicate, soft in it's display, the Easter Lily has always been a personal favorite of mine. The poetry of this flower is in it's design. As my childhood clamors in my memories, I cherish the moments of my past. I share these moments with my family and will pass on to my grandchildren the beauty of this important ritual. For nothing is more important to me in life but life itself.

Standing with my wife at 6:00 pm. I took this photograph of the Easter Lily. I share this with you and I hope your memories will inspire you as mine have me.

hrallen

"Romancing Spring"

All over the world, spring is being celebrated. I, for one, have waited in anticipation for Spring to usher in it's joy of rebirth, the sleeping trees and bushes and exotic plants that encompasses my yard. Nothing more exciting for me is watching my cherry tree erupt in beautiful exaltations of flower.

The cherry blossom is more than a flower. It represents a newness for life. The cherry blossom is a celebration for tomorrow. Life is hard enough with all that we have to tend with. But with the cherry blossom, we have time to reflect on the joys in our own lives. The people who love us. The friends that are true to us. The pets that share our homes. Our co-workers that become our second families because we spend so much time with them. The neighbors that live next to us. Spring is a time to Romance our future. A time for anticipation. A time to make new decisions. A time to reflect our past. A time for accounting. A time for change.

The photos are from my cherry tree. I have waited for several blossoms to appear before taking these photographs. Using my digital SLR, I took these photos this morning, under a beautiful 10:00 am sun with dew from last nights cold still resting on the petals. With a chill in the air and the music of the birds in the background, I took several photographs. These are the ones that I found most attractive.

Each photograph has it's own version of Spring poetry. I hope you enjoy each one and recongize the beauty of the cherry blossom.

hrallen

"Bird Of Paradise"

Artist Sandy Maudlin is the author of this wonderful painting, "Bird Of Paradise." A local artist who teaches painting, Sandy has inspired many forms of artistic work. Her paintings include oils and acrylic, but her true love is that of the watercolors. Her latest venture is that of abstract which includes mixing of watercolors and oils to achieve an unusual texture to her work.
"Bird Of Paradise" is indeed a poetic statement, resulting in this magnificent piece. From my private collection.
hrallen