Long ago, I developed a habit of looking down when I walk, instead of viewing the horizon. I’d like to tell you that I do that because I have always collected rocks and fossils. The truth is that we had large dogs when I was a kid, and you had to watch where you stepped.
However, I do collect rocks and fossils. I remember the thrill as a child of finding my first piece of petrified wood; the joy of finding a chipped flint arrowhead on the shore of the lake; the fascination with impressions in stone left by ancient leafy ferns and spiral ammonites. I scoured hillsides, lake shores, and rock quarries to find my treasures. As I held them, I tried to imagine what the world was like when these were formed.
As I stepped out of my car at the post office the other day, because I always look down, I noticed these impressions of leaves left in the new cement. I wonder if some day, thousands of years from now, a wide eyed little girl will find them in the rubble and wonder about the “ancient world” in which we live.
urban fossil
yet another urban fossil
a not quite monochrome urban fossil
This is my entry in Aileni’s Monochrome Weekly Theme. To view black and white photographic delights from real photographers, follow the link. I was thrilled that she featured a photo of mine from last week’s “Ominous” post!
Other posts you might enjoy:
{ 8 comments }
Very good – well observed. I too collect rocks though I have had to shed a weight of them due to various moves.
.-= Aileni´s last blog ..Dolbadarn Castle, Snowdonia. 1965. =-.
I carried mine with me through every stinkin’ move for forty years … my husband loves that
I look down too. I found $1.31 total while on a recent trip. On the beaches along the west coast, I filled my pockets with stones and driftwood pieces, (one looks like my big toe, left foot).
When I lived in Colorado in the early 1990′s. I had to remind myself daily to “look up”, as I forgot that there were mountains about me. The urban fossils are great. And I wonder too, how they’ll be “seen” by future anthropologists, or how all that we’ve done will be seen.
You continue to inspire me with the photos you post, if not for the content, then for the idea of just using the camera more often.
Good stuff!
.-= Spadoman´s last blog ..A Whirlwind Trip =-.
Yep, I bend down to pick up pennies, too. My kids could never be bothered. I have to remind me to look up, too. Whadayamean, I inspre you? You inspire ME!
Great pics, Shelly!! I was in a science fair way back when and I did my project on fossils. I think they’re very cool. Imagine a simple leaf like that leaving a big old impression on the world. It’s kinda cool!
.-= Jessica The Rock Chick´s last blog ..Feeling Neglected? =-.
I like that comment. Such simple things CAN “leave” big impressions…you had a pun and didn’t even know it, did you?
Interesting and I like your thoughts forwards and backwards
.-= foto CHIP´s last blog ..Scenic Sunday 56 =-.
Thank you! I appreciate your visit.
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