Home » Crimson's Creative Challenge » In a Barren Field – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #149

In a Barren Field – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #149

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As many of you know, when I do decide to participate in Crispina’s challenge, I like to find a matching photo.  I can’t say that I’ve ever taken a picture of wind turbines, however, I was immediately reminded of a picture I once took in similar conditions. Always fun to get that muse going, isn’t it?

In a barren field, I look to my left

there is nothing

save for three mechanical trees

their metallic branches turning,

harnessing the wind

creating energy

Will more be planted?

 

In a barren field, I look to my right

there is nothing

save for one tree, its branches

stretching up, reaching

playing with the wind

creating energy

Will this one be replaced?

 

105 thoughts on “In a Barren Field – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #149”

      • Of course, a good thing.

        The two images alone, on a gallery wall even. Now you have an installation piece. You realize how hard that is to do? Smart. Simple. An reeking with discourse. Oh how I love the smell of discourse in the morning!

        Liked by 1 person

        • I knew it, was just engaging you 😉

          Oooh. It would have to be a collaboration since the first image is not mine. Love it, though. The smell of discourse in the morning – keeps one alive and alert, yes?

          Like

  4. That is prefect. Wonderfully woven words dealing with a perplexing question. Sad to think the solitary beauty might be replaced with the mechanical monsters. I read an article about the issue of rising electricity costs in Europe. They are blaming the rising costs on shortages of natural gas and a shortage of wind. Seems like they need to figure out how to turn all the wind broken by politicians into electricity

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  7. I sure hope not!!!!!! I mean I hope we don’t end up replacing trees with those metallic monsters!
    I love it and the contrast between the two and your photo, response and antithesis to the horrible wind turbines.
    xoxoxoxo

    Liked by 1 person

  9. I love your comparison of the “trees”. On my solo 8740 mile Harley trip I. 2013, I saw large “forrests” of these supposed trees throughout the Southwest & the Northeast. I’m not sure they conserve resources as it uses so much to build, transport and maintain. As I am a lover of the outdoors and pristine forrests, I certainly hope they are not their replacements. Lol. If so, we haven’t long for this planet.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Using these windmill farms in already open spaces is one thing. Cutting down trees to make room for them is a whole other (wrong in my eyes) issue. I’m with you, Jan. Give me nature over metal. Harnessing the wind into energy sounds like an ecological plan until we see what it takes to make it happen… plus the negative side effects they bring. We humans are so greedy with our need for power!

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you, Gigi. Oh man. I certainly hope it will. I am of the belief that it is, being in a farmer’s field, and all…
      Bite your tongue and perish the thought!

      Like

  11. Nice! I love the comparison of living and mechanical trees. Does make one ponder. I have them to the left of me and to the right of me, but here I am stuck in the middle with nothing but nature. We drip down in a valley and have a river flowing through and therefore are deemed unfitting. Yay!!

    Liked by 1 person

      • No, thankfully they are 10 or more miles on either side. I don’t even have to see them unless I choose to drive past them. I will have to admit I did take one picture of a field of windmills. It was a perfect fall day with a bright orange sunrise and the golden corn waving in the morning air. So, I guess it is true. There is beauty everywhere. You just have to see it.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Oh that’s good.
          And I believe your picture must have been lovely. There IS beauty everywhere. Those of us who choose to look for it will find it. I rather like Crispina’s foggy picture, too 🙂

          Liked by 1 person

  17. Ohh, I like the soft gray edges of these photos as well as the poem. To re-planting and re-seeding, to “real” trees and wind turbines that help us use natural energy. I was just at Cape Cod last weekend and noticed some smart looking contemporary wind turbines. I like them! (perhaps not a PC thing to say, but they do have their own glory, and they are another type of energy…)

    Liked by 2 people

  18. Great contrast both in your lines and the photos! Well done, you 🙂
    So, at the risk of being in a minority, I used to enjoy seeing the wind turbines in CA when my husband and I would drive across the state on a camping trip. I found them comforting in a strange sort of way, but they were “planted” in wide open fields.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you, kind lady! I am so very glad you like!
      And if just so you know, Pamela admitted to not disliking them, as have I. I agree when they are planted in a wide open field, they are more of a good thing.

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Great writing, Dale. I agree with the other comments about the contrast — and it looks like you’ve hit a nerve re: are they effective energy production or not? I don’t have an opinion about wind turbines per se. (I guess there wouldn’t be any forest fires that would consume them.) But when it comes to their impact on birds…don’t get me started! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you, Christine. It does appear that way, doesn’t it?
      If not for the birds, I would not be opposed to them. They use a ressource that I cannot imagine we would ever run out of…
      🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  22. Q

    I respect the first one but I insist upon always keeping and planting and enriching the earth with more of the second one. It is to our detriment when these glorious things are uprooted from the earth for the sake of development. And no, I am not one of those who falls into the “Well, we’ll plant more somewhere else after we take out all this land and put in a strip mall and a couple big box stores”. Because there is no going back once it’s gone.

    I love the contrast, I also love the message, even more.

    B

    Liked by 1 person

  24. What an outstanding piece, Dale. Fantastic! You seem to get better all the time.

    About the windmills: I see it this way: We need to get away from coal, oil and gas. There’s nuclear power, but that’s more dangerous than the lobbyists would have us believe and the radioactive waste will be around for thousands of years. They don’t look exactly lovely either.
    There may be safer nuclear options in the planning, but we’re not there yet and there’s still the waste.
    A windmill, once dismantled, is gone. The material can be recycled.
    The bird-shredding could be avoided with the right planning and with investing in newer technologies that are around, just not supported. If it wasn’t for the birds, I’d see absolutely no disadvantage in wind power. And commercial logging is far more of an eye-sore and tree-killer than these machines. Wind and solar is pretty much it at the moment, apart from nuclear power. If we admit that there is a problem with the climate, that is.
    (Sorry for the rant).

    Liked by 1 person

    • Oh my goodness, Gabi! Thank you so much!

      I am with you. Seriously. I am not opposed to the windmills and solar power energy as they are the ones, minus the construction of the things needed to capture/harness said natural power, that hurt the environment in the least. Yes, the birds are an issue, sadly. I don’t find them that ugly, truth be told. And if you say that there is a way to protect the birds, then by all means, let’s do what needs to be done! Nuclear power scares the bejeezus out of me and logging is way overdone.
      And no apologies for the rant. It was most enjoyable!

      Liked by 1 person

      • I didn’t think you’d be opposed, but I read the comments and a lot of these arguments are what I’m hearing here, too. Of course, at least where I live, it’s a matter of money and politics, where to build, who owns the land, who knows whom, who gives out permissions etc… so it’s the same-old here, with renewable energy, too. And of course there’s the still unsolved problem of energy storage. I’m no expert though, mind you.

        Liked by 1 person

        • I know. It’s a loathe, sorta like situation for many. There aren’t any in my vicinity so frankly, I can’t even speak for them. And of course, energy storage is a whole ‘nother kettle of fish!

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