Orchid

On days when I don’t post something longer I’ll try to post a photo – starting with orchids.

I took this on our first morning in Luang Prabang, walking along the road by the Mekong. The orchids were just tumbling out of the tree and hanging over the path in front of us – a moment too perfect to miss. I love the way that focusing on the flowers renders the background hazy, but you can still pick out trees, a smear of the Mekong off to the left, and an empty riverside street populated by a motorbike, a tuk tuk, and a riverside restaurant umbrella.

For now, I’ve put a slice of this image in my blog header to remind me of several things as I write here.

That I live in Laos. (Yup, still working on processing that one.)

That, after the bleak hours the night of our arrival, there was loveliness waiting for me at dawn.

And that unless I remember to stop and focus – really focus – on one thing at a time, each particular and fragile beauty will blend into the lush bustle of life.