Saint Patrick, Spring & Migration

Fujifilm X-E2, XF 55-200mm, ISO 2500, ƒ/5.6, 1/500 [Eastern Bluebird]

Imagery used as symbolism

In Native American culture, animals have specific meanings. They attribute the bluebird to happiness, joy, and contentment.

Seeing bluebirds is a sign of spring.  This Thursday, March 20th is the first day of Spring.

Fujifilm X-E2, XF 55-200mm, ISO 1250, ƒ/5.6, 1/500 [Red-bellied Woodpecker]

For many woodpeckers are protectors of the trees and refer to people who are protective of nature and their surroundings. It refers to an apparent surge of power and an industrious outlook towards life. They are also symbolic of prophetic and mystic powers.

Most cultures used those things we see to help communicate truths through stories. When those things in nature are not always with us, but come just during certain seasons they help to remind us of values in our culture.

Fujifilm X-E2, XF 55-200mm, ISO 800, ƒ/5.6, 1/500 [Yellow-rumped Warbler]

Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the trinity and in the process helped to establish Christianity in Ireland.

When he was about 16, he was captured from his home in Great Britain, and taken as a slave to Ireland, where he lived for six years before escaping and returning to his family. After becoming a cleric, he returned to northern and western Ireland. In later life, he served as an ordained bishop, but little is known about the places where he worked. By the seventh century, he had already come to be revered as the patron saint of Ireland.

Saint Patrick's Day is observed on 17 March, the date of his death.

What is powerful to me about his story is that he went back to Ireland after being treated as a slave by them.

Migration

Birds and people migrate in search of work—the old adage of the early bird gets the worm is why they look to work.

Nikon D3S, 24-120mm, ISO 4000, ƒ/6.3, 1/1000

This coffee farmer used to migrate to Atlanta from Mexico to find work to support his family. Now due to fair trade for his coffee he now no longer must migrate.

Nikon D3S, 24-120mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.3, 1/60

Tommy Bassett heard the story of the migrant coffee farmers from Daniel Cifuentes back in 2001 and by 2002 they had formed a cooperative.

Both Saint Patrick and Tommy Bassett traveled not to find work, but to liberate people. Saint Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland and Tommy helped to bring hope to the coffee farmers in Salvador Urbina and El Aguila located in the Chiapas region of Mexico.

Today JustCoffee.org has changed the lives of more than sixty farmers; their families; and their communities.

Today many of us will Wear the Green and avoid the tradition of getting pinched for not wearing it. The symbolism is to draw our attention back to Saint Patrick today. He migrated to Ireland to do God's work in telling the good news of Jesus Christ.

Fujifilm X-E2, XF 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/8, 1/35

This is the time of year where our family craves ice cream. One of the places when I drive by often get me to pull in is Bruster's Real Ice Cream.

Power of images

Today I hope every photographer takes a photo that will help remind people of something about the world in which we live that calls people to action. That is the power of the photograph.