growth & decay
cucumber and tomato seeds sprout with new hope
a forgotten split apple withers and rots
cycles of life and death, growth and decay
March 29, 2010 in Nature, Photoworks by Marja-Leena
by Marja-Leena Marja-Leena Rathje
on printworks and other passions
by Marja-Leena
Wonderful contrast. Somehow, to answer in part the question from your previous post, the rot of the apple looks less threatening than what might be rot in the squash. I think that the apple is much more identifiable (well, one doesn’t know it’s an apple, but your caption explains immediately). The squash images were more mysterious, thus more sinister. They were labeled, but I didn’t pay sufficient attention to “Curcubita” and spent some time trying to figure out what it was.
I see lots of blogs that have made use of the macro lens, but of all of these I think you use it the most thoughtfully and imaginatively.
In a former life I was an electron microscopist and I loved the possibility of seeing into the strange micro-world of the cell interior.
It’s always been remarkable to me that new plants always sprout with two little leaves touching like prayerful hands. You shot is a beautiful example and I love the little seed husk cap.
I carved the first apple head I’ve done in years a few months ago. I must look in the cupboard to see if it’s shrunken enough for a doll.
Anne, as you probably know, I often like to keep some mystery in my images but I don’t mean to make them look sinister. I guess it’s human nature to want to identify what one is looking at, even it’s something abstract.
Wouldn’t it be fun to be able to capture photos through the microscope?! Thanks for your kind words.
Susan, yes, those two leaves ‘like prayerful hands’, reaching out to light and holding genes for a vegetable, a flower, a tree… a miracle of life that we take for granted.
That carved apple head doesn’t go moldy on you?
Now that’s a jolly good juxtaposition! I’m going to be able to eat my lunch outside today for the first time and am chomping at the bit to get out of the building in among the green growing things!
R, I’ve heard that the east of North America is sunny and warm, while out west it’s cold and wet, with even new snow on the mountains! Enjoy your spring, you deserve it after a hard winter.
I’m getting quite a dose of Northwestern weather, including underwater wildlife viewing! I am so glad we have our own place here where we can store enough garments for outdoor adventures in this climate!
Portland is quite pretty right now, even with the low skies and drizzle. Many street trees are in full blossom, as are flowering shrubs and tulips.
Everything has greened up.
Too bad for your holidays but good that you are making the most of it. Yes, it’s raining hard here, not lovely Easter weather at all! The magnolias are in gorgeous bloom though getting a bit rain and wind battered. I worry that the lettuce and spinach seeds I sowed outdoors last weekend might just be rotting not rooting! It’s a good day to get started on our taxes.
Nice juxtaposition. There does seem to be a balance of these this time of year, where new growth hasn’t yet overtaken things and the old rotted and dried out vegetation from last year is so clearly visible. I suppose that’s why Easter is celebrated now – the death and resurrection.
Leslee, excellent point! I hadn’t thought of Easter at the time I wrote this post, but it certainly seems timely now, thank you.