“To Be….Most Perfectly Alive!”

On By cindy knokeIn Flowers, GARDENING AT THE HOLLER, MY PHOTOGRAPHS

Sunflower and friend.

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“For man, as for flower and beast and bird, the supreme triumph is to be most vividly, most perfectly alive.” DH Lawrence

Lily of the Nile
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“The smallest flower is a thought, a life answering to some feature of the Great Whole, of whom they have a persistent intuition.” Honore De Balzac

St. John’s Wort
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“I have lost my smile, but don’t worry. The dandelion has it.” Thich Nhat Hanh

Red Coneflower
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“There are no flowers in the Moon; that’s why the Moon is a boring place!” Mehmet Murat ildan

Morning Glory
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“The sun shone through them, revealing a pattern of interlacing, delicate blue veins, visible through the opaque petals; this added something alive to the flower’s fragility, to it’s ethereal quality, something almost human, in the way that human can mean frailty and endurance both at the same time.” Irene Nemirovsky

Magnolia
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“How right it is to love flowers and the greenery of pines and ivy and hawthorn hedges; they have been with us from the very beginning.” Vincent van Gogh

May you see flowers everyday!

132 thoughts on ““To Be….Most Perfectly Alive!””

  2. Thank you so much for these exquisite photographs. All your photographs make me want to get a better camera. And be a better photographer!

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    1. You are a stunning photographer Alison and you capture the soul of the places and people you meet in your travels. Your posts bring me peace and pleasure. Who could ask for more than that? Cheers & hugs~

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  4. I’ve never seen St John’s Wart, they’re amazing and your photo’s are wonderful. I especially loved the quote by Irene Nemirovsky, the human condition does seem to be a mass of contradictions. Fragility and endurance, such a clever observation. A wonder how we manage.

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    1. She is just so amazing. She wrote Suite Francaise. the story of her life in France before and during the occupation. One of the best books I have read. She died at 39 in Auschwitz. She was a radiant talent. Thank you so much for your kind words~

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    1. They are so amazing and they are the marauders of flowers! They take over gardens, which is good at The Holler becuase we have lots of space to fill. I am so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you~

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    1. Oh that’s what I should do. I didn’t think of it so thank you. I have not received posts of people I
      follow also and it is frustrating. You don’t even know it is happening. I also have the likes I post erased.
      Thank you Sheri for your kind words. I find your blog courageous and important~

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  21. You are one blogger that I have returned to your About You and read so many times. Trying to take in the peace and tranquility that you live with on your “holler” is just something I fantasize about. I have always loved your blog

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    1. Wow, this is such a meaningful comment. Thank you so much. It took me quite some time to find my serenity and I am grateful that I have……most days!! Nature prodded me along. This is just a wonderful comment and it makes me very happy. Thank you~

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    1. Gardening is a path to peace, but then your painting is too, and considering your amazing talent, it is what you were meant to do. You can paint a garden. I can see one in the west, a homesteaders garden…. Your paintings are glorious~

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  24. Beautiful photos. I have been spending a lot of time looking at the flowers around where I live. Try to immerse myself in their beauty instead of thinking about the non-so-beautiful stuff in my life.

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    1. It seems like such a simple thing, surround yourself with beautiful and peaceful images, but it is psychologically powerful. Our brains are like computers, they repond to what we input. I have not watched TV, read or watched the news, since July 6 2013. I have focused on nature. I am so much happier. Bad news, negative images, become a form of vicarious traumatization, that we are often not even aware of. We feel helpless when we input it. Anxious. Hang around with hummingbirds, flowers, nature, we feel calm and embraced. So I humbly think you are doing something very important and that it will work! Good luck~

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  25. You alway take such closely detailed and beautiful pics of flowers, Cuz. The quotes are great too. As you mentioned some time ago, most of them are from men. Us guys do like flowers, ya know…, well, at least some of us…

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    1. I know and I love that particularly. These stereotypes are such hogwash. Look how many men are in love with flowers. They paint them, they write poetry about them, across cultures and time. Just like you Paul. How wonderful is that?

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    1. This is what makes blogging rewarding. The people you meet and the friends you make. People with whom you share common interests, and can discuss all manner of things. So very kind of you Linda and so very appreciated. I feel priveleged to know you through your wonderful blog my friend and the admiration is mutual. Cheers to you~

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  33. I am so delighted to know that if I lose my smile I can find it in a dandelion. No need to weed ever again. After all, I need all the smiles I can get. 🙂

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    1. I am sorry about the bad day, but so happy the flowers lifted your spirits! It’s the “Flower Effect,” and it is a powerful mood lifter. So many brilliant writers and painters and poets who experienced depression wrote about the uplifting effect of flowers. I will post more for you soon! Thank you~

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  41. Hi Cindy, we’re new to your site, by way of mutual blogging friend, Sheri Degrom. And I can’t tell you how happy we were to find you. Your post was beautiful and the pictures stunning. We will be sharing this with our networking friends. I tried joining your site. But had some sort of technical problem which I think is my side. We recently changed internet companies. As soon as I work out the kinks, we will be following you and look forward to stopping by and reading your posts and looking at your beautiful pictures again.

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  45. Now I see why Mom woke up buzzing about a new post she found. I came back to see what had her reeling and was myself caught up in the wonder of your post pictures and quotes. Truly magnificent! The seals were also beautiful, although we found ourselves pausing on the dessert. lol We will be back quite often as we are both fans now.

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    1. Your comment makes me happy! Thank you both so much. And yes, that was a killer desert! Key lime ice cream pie, with meringue and white chocolate curls! Deeeevinnne!

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    1. I am honored. Thank you so much! I love your blog and I love Scotland, probably because my paternal grandmother was a very proud Scot. I would love it anyway though, because it is so green, and wild and beautiful. Cheers to you! Your kindness is most appreciated~

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      1. Nope. Other flora… poison ivy; Black nightshade – it’s relative pretty purple flowers and the white berries are used for making a lacquer.
        Tomatoes are part of the family of poison ivy…but they don’t bother me.

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  56. Cindy, You have again stopped by and “liked” my current post, I do appreciate your continued support of my efforts. Thank you, take care, Bill

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