renewal

January 06, 2025 • 6 Comments

Today is the first Monday of a new year - 2025 - a time of emergence, renewal and reflection, hope, and sometimes apprehension - about what lies ahead. In the early morning hours, I look out the bedroom window and see Jupiter, seemingly dancing around as I drift in and out of sleep. The planets and stars are with us regardless of what happens on earth. We have no control over them or the future, but we can embrace and watch with fascination.

Several things in our world have come to symbolize renewal in modern culture. All go through the process of metamorphosis, literally and figuratively. The first is the butterfly, and the fact that we saw part of this evolution last summer involved both observation and a bucketful of luck. The caterpillar below is feeding on parsley, making its way toward becoming a black swallowtail butterfly.

Here is the butterfly, drying its wings after emerging from the dried bit of a chrysalis in the lower left-hand portion of the photograph.

The yellow swallowtail also frequents our part of the world.

The lotus or water lily is a dominant, world-wide symbol of rebirth.
water lily/lotus for blog 2024

Daffodils - a certain sign of spring - start appearing in markets long before they emerge from the ground in the southern Rocky Mountains.

Finally, the egg, a perfect symbol of birth and life.

Still life - eggs 2

Thanks to TTT, Veronica, Terry T., Connie, Lisa S., Steve, Marilyn G., Jean & Sam, Karen L., and Catherine Sobredo for your comments at the end of 2024. I appreciate these and look forward to hearing from all of you as 2025 works its magic on us.

until next Monday,

a passion for the image©

Keywords: Blacks Crossing Photography, butterflies, daffodils, Daryl A. Black, eggs, lotus flowers, nature, New Mexico, photography

Comments

Blacks Crossing Photography and Writing

testing otra vez

Karren Lore(non-registered)

Thank you, Daryl, for beauty and hope. What a lift to the spirit, to consider the process of metamorphosis in all levels of life.

Steve Immel(non-registered)

Simply fabulous words and images today, Daryl. The photographs are among your best and your message is apt. The three image metamorphosis of the caterpillar to the butterfly is stunning. You've mastered tight shots of tiny things.

Here's hoping our metamorphosis as a society will be for the better. One hopes. As Tim says, :"We are in this together."

Ann Alexander(non-registered)

Gorgeous and moving!!

Tim(non-registered)

Excellent words, Daryl, to start the week. As we approach, with apprehension, the promise of a new year we are faced with a good deal of WTFs. I am trying to remain positive, believing good will prevail, and justice will have its own reward. If your readers are anything at all like me (!) they also might have that same belief. We can only hope. We are in this together.

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