STOP! You want me to smell what?!?!

So, I'll drive around (if I have a spare moment) and I'll see something beautiful that I want to take a picture of... sometimes it's some flowers, maybe a tree or group of trees, a sunrise or sunset, an interesting formation of clouds... any number of things out in nature.  So, I'll pull over, roll down my window (or sometimes get out of the car) and start snapping away.  Inevitably people will drive by and more often than not, give me the weirdest look.  Sometimes even a nasty one.  Now, once in a while, I'll get the good Sameritan who stops and asks if I'm ok.  I let them know that I'm fine and thank them for stopping.  But as they drive off, they give me that infamous weird look as if I'm a freak for being ok and pulled over for nothing.  I have a camera in my hand, obviously I'm taking a picture of something... so I'm not pulled over for no reason.  I see it in their eyes, though.... What the heck is she doing?!  She's stopped on the side of the road for no good reason and is taking a picture of what?!  There's nothing there but grass and trees.  She must be doing something wrong. 

Maybe it's just me, but that's what I envision going through their minds as they drive off with that raised eyebrow and pursed lips.  How dare you, lady... you made me care and I stopped for nothing!  People!  I'm just taking a picture of NATURE.  You know, that thing that's all around us?!  You remember hearing the old saying, "Stop and smell the roses" don't you?  Well, I stop and take pictures of them.  I'm not doing anything wrong and I certainly don't mean to make you go out of your way.  You shold be thankful that I'm ok and you don't have to get your hands dirty with some problem that's not yours.  Unless you just wanted glory for being the hero, in which case, you're not stopping for me, you're stopping for you, so quit wasting both of our time and get over yourself.

And when you think that I'm taking pictures of "nothing", here's the "nothing" that I see:



This was such an interesting looking tree,
simple beauty seeming to be growing
in the middle of overgrown crap.
(close-up below)



This is a close-up of the tree above



These are just a sample of my most recent photography.  I hope you enjoy and I would love to hear what you think about them.  (constructive criticism only please)

Don't forget to stop and smell the roses once in a while.  Smell them, take a picture of them, sketch them, but don't pick them... leave them where they grow in order to share them with others who come along the same path. 

Look around you.  There's beauty everywhere!