Sunday, June 12, 2011

Mostly Green Horizontality

A "long view" of the Lake's calm horizontality.

A Walk Around Centennial Lake. I know...again, you say? But it is difficult to stay away from the water with those fascinating, artistic, well-designed Canadian Geese...particularly when they settle and paddle in green waters, creating gentle turbulence and peaceful white and black accents against the natural green horizontals.  This is how it is right now, in the pre-summer heat. 

For purposes of this brief, illustrated essay, I am calling nature "the green horizontals," even when framed by vertical trees. They are of a piece.

Take the tree shadows in this photo, with the floating lily pads...totally serene. Harmonious shades of light green against the darker lake. 



This view alone is enough to cause your interior turbulence to subside.

See? Even in this less organized view of the natural setting, the geese are together and seemingly enjoying it. Two in the foreground dove at exactly the same moment, and although their position is now vertical, it is not the same as "human vertical."







Only occasionally, did a "human vertical" (the other broad category) make an annoying sound, such as "passing you," when the couple was hardly running. I made way, but the man didn't have to talk. It seemed like gratuitous one-upsmanship--maybe the geese were doing the same thing out on the lake, "passing you!," but I didn't notice.




More tranquility...
And more...
And a final dose of horizontal green... 



I know I will return to Centennial Lake, off Route 108 South, again and again. It always leaves me satisfied...and smiling! It is a community jewel of Howard County, Maryland. There are picnic areas, play areas, walkways, boats--all make for an enjoyable family outing.

Blog content/photos: Kay D. Weeks 
June 12,  2011

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3 comments:

Denée Barr Art News and More said...

Happy Spring!

Thanks for this posting, a joyful place and a special retreat.

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R. Weber said...

Very Monet! Wonderful!

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed your blog about Centennial Lake. We have had 3 families of geese on the farm this spring with new goslings totalling about 15. We have enjoyed their antics, the love of the adult geese for their offspring and the visits by other geese to see the new families. I must say I have not enjoyed the droppings everywhere, but that is life on the farm. Right now a Mallard duck has laid her eggs in my garden cart, hiding the eggs in the grass clippings. (smart gal since the heat from the decomposing clippings are keeping her eggs warm). I had to move the cart to under a tree since it was in the way of my getting to my garden tools...locals assured me that she would be able to find her eggs again. I understand it takes about 4 weeks to hatch so it will be interesting then.

Sally Bright
Cambridge, MD