It’s hard to believe that the summer season has come and gone and suddenly it is September already. Well, Summer hasn’t  exactly left us, as we are still very much feeling her blazing presence, but the leisure time, the vacation time she brings along has long since gone. Having been awarded an extra day of freedom from my labors this weekend, I decided to grant myself a little digital vacation time. Wandering through photographs from our recent coastal adventure, I got lost in the fascination of exploring tiny worlds through the lens of a camera.

Evan and I were very fortunate to enjoy a little leisure time exploring the southern Oregon Coast this summer. This vacation was a long time in coming and we weren’t sure it was even going to happen until it did.  It was such an extraordinary experience, every single moment, and it was, by far, the highlight of our summer season. After so many months of restricted diets and limited motion, we indulged and imbibed but that aside, the nature magic was truly amazing. We spent mornings sitting in the sand, waiting for the fog to clear, afternoons of endless wandering, evenings watching the sun sink into the sea and nights of never-ending stargazing.  It had been quite some time since our last night sky adventure and we were reminded how special it is to be able to experience those moments together (stargazing will require a post all its own, of course, so I’ll save that story for another day).  You know how I adore a beautiful desert sunset and watching the sun slowly descend behind those majestic Sierra peaks. But watching that fiery, ball of light sink into the sea is a whole different sunset experience. One moment I found myself awe-struck by the vastness of the ocean waters and the infinite boundaries of the horizon.  The next moment, entranced with a glance by the minuteness of the tiny worlds existing at my feet.

One thing about the Oregon coast that I find endearing are the never-ending trails weaving through lush, dark forests. With sunlight peaking through, here and there, and micro worlds everywhere along paths leading to the most amazing coastal viewpoints. And the moisture…oh, what a treat, while enduring the heat of this harsh, desert summer! I found myself, many times, admiring the ocean view beyond a field of wildflowers, struck by the power of the ocean waters. Then suddenly, with a closer look, amazed at the delicate beauty of a flower covered in dew, tiny strings of starlight, the world reflected in a drop of water.

Wandering, eyes upturned, taking in the tallness of ancient trees, suddenly captured and enraptured by the gossamer of a spider’s web.

It is almost too much to take in, yet you can’t help but be compelled to search for more. In the darkness of early morning, a minus tide promises to reveal a micro world of ocean wonders. At first glance, there is not much to see beyond the rock formations stretching out into the sea. Keep on wandering, take a closer look and a whole, new world is revealed, a myriad of life existing just below the surface, dark and glistening.

As the sun slowly protrudes, the fog begins to dissipate while the tide creeps in. Lulled by water lapping against the rocks, entranced by the dance of undulating waves, overcome by the sound of the universe, then suddenly distracted by the scuttling of tiny feet playing hide and seek. It is amazing, the things you find lurking in the cracks and crevices when you pause to take a closer look. Tiny worlds concealed in the colors and the textures of a broader universe. Seemingly empty and stationary objects, suddenly teeming with life and movement. A crabby creature apparently glaring and staring, upon closer inspection, blows bubbles with seawater and sparkles in the sun.

You never know what the universe holds until you stop to take a closer look. And you’ll never know the true state of things unless you pause to consider a wider view. There are tiny worlds everywhere, existing within the grander scheme of things.  It’s nice to get lost in those expansive views. But it’s good to keep an eye on the little things, too.

Take it in. The big and the small, enjoy it all.