Photography, Soul Salve

morning Masterwort

Monday was difficult. Here's the run down, I:

• spent a fair amount of time bawling my eyes out, mourning the mortality of everyone I love.
• burned myself with tea kettle steam and had to do all my morning chores with salve, bandages and a glove on my right hand. Thanks to Eden Salve my fingers are pink today but barely sore and fully functioning.
• discovered moldy tomatoes (once beautiful garden and farm produce) in the dehydrator that I had forgotten to take care of in all the activity of the weekend.
• washed sheets, towels, underwear. Washed more sheets, towels and underwear.
• helped the kids change the cat litter, again. Have I mentioned I don't like owning a cat, never wanted a cat and made my husband promise I wouldn't have to take care of the cat when I finally agreed to getting a cat 4 years ago. No hard feelings dear, I know how these things go.
• lost patience with my squabbling, attention deprived, going through sugar withdrawal (2 sets of grandparents had just left) youngsters. Thankfully I didn't say "shut up, just go away and leave me alone" but that's what I felt.
• cut hot peppers with my bare hands and later picked my nose (come on, at least I didn't pick and lick). Let's just say hot peppers up the nose hurt.

But I found some solace from the day behind my camera lens. And through my tears and frustrations (because of my them?) captured the beauty of late summer flowers. Both those in my garden and a bouquet I picked from a zinnia plant the wind blew over.

Monday's photography and the beauty it rendered, was a salve for my soul. What's your soul salve on those really bad days?

morning Anenome

morning bee on Armeria (sea thrift)

afternoon Zinnia