"Water, water, everywhere..." pt.1

I have been quite remiss in updating this little site as frequently as I desire. It wasn't for lack of subject matter (every moment of existence is bursting at the seams with something fascinating and wondrous to write about). It was more due to the distractions of life coupled with general procrastination. 
Every one of the distractions provided me with that burst of joy, that surge in my heart for the world we inhabit. That immense gratitude to the fates for having the chance to exist in such an amazing and seemingly unlikely place. 
It is a difficult task to translate these moments into writing... particularly when you've never been much of a writer.
Throughout the winter season and this somewhat chaotic spring, there has been one 'topic' that has consistently recurred, time and again, providing awe and appreciation in each moment. Had I actually been writing articles regularly, there would now be at least fifteen articles about water. 
Yes, water. 
Plain and simple "Dihydrogen Monoxide". H2O. That special molecule composed of two little atoms of Hydrogen linked to a big atom of Oxygen. As the most abundant compound it is found almost everywhere (and in almost everything) on Earth, possessing a neutral PH of about 7.0, it is clear, flavorless, ...
Sounds rather unexciting when described scientifically, right? Not something we see 'normal' people getting all worked up over every day. Well, I'm rarely called normal. And I hope you rarely are insulted with such a label as well.
Beauty lies in simplicity.
Yes, beauty does lie in simplicity. In both meanings of the word lie: 
Beauty resides in simplicity. You will find beauty there in water. The forms it takes, the forms it creates, the light it bends, the impact it makes - 3 little atoms holding hands. An element of creation. A force of continual motion.
The lie, the falsehood, of the beauty within the simplicity, is that it is not simple. Ask anyone who has called out to the sky for rain to sprinkle on their parched crops or their cracked lips, anyone who is trying to find ways to to ensure potable water is available to large populations, anyone being swept through the onslaught of an intense hurricane, scalded by steam, or who is trudging through snow. Look at the shapes of the land. It moves through all things, moving through them to return again, continually. Water is far from simple.
As I stated earlier, there have been many moments in the last few months in which I stopped and stared in awe at the world around me and, in almost every one of those moments, the focus was water. While I will not subject you to fifteen or more separate writings on these moments, I will follow this one with a couple which focus on some of those experiences and thoughts. For now though, I would like to stop the procrastination and post this.


In the meantime, take a look around. "Water, water, everywhere..."

(Tule Fog. Southern Central Valley California. Looking WNW. January 2010.)

(Pacific Ocean. Trinidad Beach California. May 2010.)

(Garden succulent. Eureka California. May 2010)