March Photo A Day 25 - Flat

Nature teaches more than she preaches. 

There are no sermons in stones. 

It is easier to get a spark out of a stone than a moral. 

~ John Burroughs

Today's Photo a Day prompt was "Flat."  This, for me, was the most difficult prompt thus far.  First of all, it was difficult to think of something flat, that would be fun to photograph.  Now, when I was a girl, I had wildflowers pressed between the yellow pages of a very fat phone book.  These days, though, I leave the flowers growing in the field and take photos of them.  The region around me is not flat, but consists of gentle rolling hills.  Neither is the lake flat today, when the wind is cold and choppy. Instead, the lake is filled with churning blue waves, with white flags upon their crests.

Just the other day, when we walked the icy shoreline, I found a few small stones, one of which is very flat. So here is my subject, I thought.  However, I then encountered the other difficulty with this prompt. My inexpensive phone was not adequate for taking these photos, without the ability to focus carefully or to select a macro setting.

These are called Petoskey stones, and unless they are wet, they appear nearly monochromatic gray. They may be polished, but not tossed around in a rock tumbler, for they will disintegrate. I once believed that they were unique to our region, for they are named after a nearby town, as well as after a historic Ottawa chief who once lived in this region.  Alas, Wikipedia tells me that they are also found elsewhere in the United States, as well as in Canada, England, Germany and even somewhere in Asia.

Are you a rock hound?  I try to keep my sampling to a minimum on my nature walks, but sometimes a little talisman is hard to resist.  When I have admired them long enough, perhaps I will scatter some of them along the shoreline again for someone else to discover.  What rocks are unique or interesting in your area?  We have several others that I am learning to recognize.  I love to walk the beach in a light rain on a warm summer afternoon, because the colors and patterns of the rocks glisten brilliantly.

Wherever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you joy in your surroundings.

More about the photo a day challenge here.  Tomorrow's prompt is Team.
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