Needles And Petals..... Sharp And Soft..... Color And Drab..... The Essence Of Nature   The Beauty

"On a Dark Desert Highway,Cool Wind in My Hair..." Your eyes settle on the faint outline of a dust devil swirling near the far off mountain. The day is cool and there is a softness in the air. Still, something is unsettling,something is ajar . Whoosh... Then you realize the romantic vision of this valley you had is being distorted by the vigorous growth of a new forest. A contemporary forest . A forest for the "new" age. A place where these "trees" are planted and grow to full maturity in weeks, not years. A forest of sight and sound, of light and shadow. Whoosh...Whoosh... The sound fills your head and then settles in your heart. This beautiful valley is now the power for your cell phones and devices. Because power is what a contemporary forest is all about. Grand and beautiful power. Whoosh...Whoosh...Whoosh... These trees do not have a flavor.They cling to your sight and sing to your ears. Still they do not smell fresh. They leave a slight "sour" taste in the back of your throat; a sadness as much as a taste. The contemporary tree is not about pleasure like its counterparts in the natural world, it is all about power. Whoosh...Whoosh...Whoosh... Cry these "contemporaries"and my soul.....dennis

Rural.. Abandoned.. Dreams lost.. Life........death ....           dennis

     Dark Skies...

The ever present Dark Skies: attempting to gather the light of the night into a gentle hug. Trying to smother the ability of the cosmos to keep a small light burning in the window. This night, those Dark Skies will lose their battle. They will be defeated by the forces of light. Fighting without the moon, the stars are themselves the star. Fight on Milky Way. Show us the way home. Keep the light lit in the sky we love...dennis

 A child of the ages created from the sands of time. Not blue or azure, but red. Desert red, as is expected from a creation of and for the desert southwest. While it is normally a placid and regressive puddle, there are the times the red beast roars to life.  Again, screaming at the stars that it is indeed alive and well!! Grand Falls, along the Little Colorado River, in "The Desert" of Arizona...dennis

Sunset is the end of the day. It brings a sense of completion to the wanderers in attendance. And yet sunset is not the end, but the beginning. The start of the next phase. It is a birth as much as a death. ….dennis

Faith needs no symbol. It is by definition a fervent belief that a human holds in their soul. Still ,we have continually objectified "faith" and built incredible businesses around the symbol of faith that has no price.. I hold my faith very close to my soul and need no false gods.. Still I do love architecture...dennis

Four walls blocking the light. A door which speaks to the visitors. Walkways leading your eyes to the darkness and the latent smell of incense mixing with the warm air. The intimidating house of worship calls, no, beseeches, "Enter and be among friends and companions" and yet one soft piece of beauty shines without favor. Beautiful sunlight streaming onto the old pine floor. Blue sunlight softened by the glass art of a craftsman. Soft blue light making this gathering spot like a welcoming friend. San Francisco de Asis Mission Church,Taos,New Mexico An adobe church surviving thru the years of adoring fans.

I travel through the natural world. It is my center, my soul, my being. The beauty and diversity is revealing. Nature pushes us to SEE in different terms. Nature gives us the strength that society seems to steal from our hearts and souls every day. Celebrate diversity ,Celebrate nature,Celebrate YOU! — at Saguaro National Park.

"We stare off the edge of the world hoping to find the answers. But willing to accept the realities, Of the beauty of life as we see it."...dennis

Lost in the sea of grass, the humble cabin watches the waves of amber sweep through the front door and out the back. The circle completes itself with or without our help...... dennis