Water

the source of life, and it is the essence of existence

Where did August go? I was looking at my calendar to book an appointment and realized that we are in the last week of the month. Yikes! Why does the summer have to go so quick, winter doesn’t seem to have that problem. Once again time has gotten away from me and I have not accomplished as much as I wanted this summer. How has your summer been? Did you get to do the things you wanted to?

One of the things I was trying to get done this summer was a complete inventory of my prints, totes, pillows and coffee mugs - I have things stocked at multiple places and it was beyond time to reconcile that. As I was finishing up my inventory process I had to find a particular image in my photo library of Ellis Pond. While I was looking for it I came across a photo I took earlier this year that I had forgotten about. I really liked this image and more so that morning, it was calm, foggy and quiet, so I called it simply “Quiet”.

As I was looking for the image below, I found it interesting how many photos I have taken out at this pond. I am lucky that I can walk to it in about fifteen-ish minutes, so it makes a bit of sense that it is a frequent stop. However, I think it is more about being drawn to bodies of water. As you may have noticed in many of my other photographs quite a few of them are around water.

"Water is the driving force of all nature."
— Leonardo da Vinci

This had me thinking about what draws me to water. Maybe it was because I learned to swim early and was always in the pool, or that I grew up near a reservoir, or maybe the trips with cousins to my uncles cabin on the Peshtigo River. Maybe it is something deeper that is ingrained in me.

I have heard before that that being around water is good for you, similar to walking in nature. So I went searching for what researchers have said about being near water and here are the bullet points:

• Reduces stress and anxiety

• Enhances creativity and focus

• Improves cognitive function and memory

• Encourages physical activity and better sleep

• Promotes social connections and well-being

• Improves air quality through negative ions

• Strengthens connection to nature, leading to peace and happiness

There is a bunch of details behind those points but I can certainly attest to the first two as something that I experience when I am around water. During the year I lived in Florida, one of my favorite parts of the day were the early morning runs along Bayshore Blvd. Being out early along the water, sky still dark and enjoying the relative quiet was a great way to start the day.

Looking out into Tampa Bay

"Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it."
— Lao Tzu

I have always known I like being at the ocean or around a lake, but looking back through my photos it is clear I am pulled to any source of water, be it ocean, lake, river, pond or spring. I also have a love of the mountains and the plains, any kind of vastness really, but I am pulled to water over the others. What about you, do you have a favorite landscape you are drawn to?

Here are three more images from that same pond, you might recognize them from previous newsletters.

On Ellis Pond (Click to see image in the store)

Waiting

The Foggy Mirror (Click to see the image in the store)

As always, thanks for reading!

-Karl

(and yes, I did mange to finish the inventory 😁)

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