Late Autumn Flora In Oaxaca City
A Return To The Plant Kingdom, Bathed In Sepia
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Since landing in South Centro Oaxaca nearly two weeks ago, my eye and lens have been preoccupied with the earthiness and patina of this, new to me, old neighborhood.
Waking this morning I was aware of missing the plant kingdom, missing the tropical flora, missing all those shades of green. Walking out the door, I knew today’s focus would be on all that is growing in this verdant city.
On my walk into Centro proper, I realized I had not communed with the Agaves in nearly eight weeks. How did this happed? It was partly due to spending five weeks in San Felipe del Agua.
Sure I could have made the trek to the Santo Domingo gardens, but I didn’t. It was farther than I wanted to walk, a five mile round trip.
I was also making friends with the Agaves I discovered in that northern neighborhood. They were not quite the same, yet they did a good job of standing in for my favorites. Sometimes good, is good enough. There is also that piece about, absence makes the heart grow fonder. It’s all true.
This pair of blossoms are only a block from my current abode. In real life they are a bright yellow. In color this image takes a backseat as a pretty flower picture. In monochrome these two look like they were made for each other.
Viewing a scene like this in blanco y negro, encourages me to make up a story about them. I see them as shy lovers. As old friends that have spent their entire lives together. Friends that will slip into old age together.
Like many human couples, when one goes, the other will not last long. That’s the way love goes.
