Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #303 – Connections

Published on by Yinglan

Happy Sunday! Donna from Wind Kisses is the lovely host for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge and she’s chosen a theme which I will surely have at least one good story to tell – connections. Thank you for the great theme, Donna!

Once, there were these two cucumber plants, born in the same cell tray. Though its roots weren’t interwined at birth, it soon became tangled in the clump of peat and coco coir that was its temporary home.

Here’s the thing about transplanting cucumbers: they don’t like to have their roots disturbed. Therefore, I either snip one at soil level or plant the two together. I didn’t have the heart to take either one’s life, so I planted these two plants together, giving each one a string to climb. In an effort to give each plant more space, I angled each string farther apart.

Now, I did not take this photo for this challenge. I took this photo before I read this week’s topic but when I saw this week’s topic, I knew this would be the perfect photo. I was photographing some nasturtium nearby when I noticed this. Apparently, these plants are inseparable, even now, with its tendrils interlocked. Romantic thoughts are flooding my mind like these plants have found its soul mates.

I honestly wanted to get one of these heart-shaped locks in Osaka that day and lock it there – at the top of the Umeda sky tower. After all, it was my birthday, my supposed lucky day. When I mentioned I wanted to get the lock, my mom and her friend suddenly wanted to know if I had a secret crush no one knew about.

Their curiosity made me sad because there I was, in my 30’s and I have no one. I thought about it. What was I supposed to put on my heart? And as much as I love a heart connection in Japan, my heart doesn’t belong here.

My final connection is one of nature. Almost all bodies of water in the world are connected. If you search for the map of the Colorado River, you’ll find that this river is connected to many rivers and lakes along the way. It’s amazing to find the origin of so many rivers and lakes to have come from this one river.

18 thoughts on “Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #303 – Connections”

  1. This was fantastic, Yinglan. What a perfect find in the cucumber vine connection. I love the image as an abstract and also the story you told. I didn’t know separating their roots would cause them to weaken Interesting. And hopefully your neighborhood mouse won’t be interested. Love locks, yes connections indeed. But I am glad you know yourself well, and know…. We can have love connections with other things…like nature. You always seem so content and connected when nature is at your fingertips. This was a nice read and I love all the images, Yinglan.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thank you. I’ve heard it as a rumor and decided to try it myself. I separated two cucumber plants and it began wilting the next day and died 2 days later. I’m glad I didn’t do it to these two plants.
      I hope the critters will stay away. It caused me enough anxiety trying to figure out what it was.
      I saw a lone love lock in Edinburgh and thought if I find someone someday, I will do the same thing somewhere, not lock it somewhere with others.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      1. Well I am glad those two cucumbers seem to be doing well. I have a squirrel that I have to constantly chase from my strawberries and snap peas. He’s fat so clearly my attempts are a waste of my time. lol. A love connection and love lock…one of these days…..

        Liked by 2 people

  6. A thoughtful and lovely post on connections, Yinglan. Interesting about the cucumbers – I did not know, and learned something new. The world of plants and creatures is a wonderful universe to immerse oneself in. You do it so well.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a reply to Yinglan Cancel reply