Thursday's Force of Life

 I know that I must spend more time outside when I discover things that are on the path where I walk or work or play outside. This leaf looks rather ordinary on the surface from the top from its most shown view. It even looks a tad scruffy with that hole in it and the ragged sort of edge where some little caterpillar has decided it was the days meal, no care that it was altering the whole leaf. But the real beauty is not this side .. I glimpsed this leaf because it's under side was showing. And what beauty it holds. I think maybe that is true about people sometimes. There are those that we think look a tad scruffy or maybe they are rough around the edges .. but maybe if you listen they have a story to tell .. or their underbelly .. their insides... their thoughts or words tell their beauty. I found this one to be quite striking. I found the color to be the one thing that grabbed my attention first and then examining this leaf more closely I loved the way that the purple were like visible veins of life flowing through this spectacular specimen. The patterns and the edges of the ridges were so compelling! And closer still the center leaf with all the hair protrusions and even the holes didn't distract from its underbelly beauty!! I love this leaf .. i am sure that is evident .. haha. I want to try to use this in dyeing although I do not know what kind of a leaf it is. It was attached to a vine that was dark in color and those hair protrusions feel rather prickly. But the colors of purple and green are just so wonderful .. a combination I will have to repeat .. I love it's display of life force ..

 I hope you've enjoyed these things in nature that move me .. and inspire me to emulate the beauty that I see.