Patterns in my life

This post is about the patterns in my life that I love and that I am drawn to.

Tree bark:  I love the pattern of tree bark.  It remind me of childhood summers climbing trees, the smell of the sap on trees, and barrenness of the trees in the dead of winter.  The flakiness of the bark adds layers to the natural striations of the bark.  There are so many types of bark and each has its own signature looks, like a fingerprint.  I love the delicate vertical lines in this pattern contrasted with the rough texture of the bark.  This particular picture is from a tree in my front yard with some dead ivy on it.  source: mfreeze

 An artichoke: I love the pattern that the leaves form in this radiating pattern.  It's reminiscent of the pattern of rose petals but the green color and the weight of the leaves lends a heartier, sturdier feel to the pattern.  What drew me to this picture is that the artichoke is raw and whole, plus the light falling on the leaves shows off the vertical pattern of the leaves as well as the depth of each leaf as it rounds towards the top.  I love artichokes and am currently obsessed with them, so perhaps that influenced my choice.  Source for picture: http://www.epicurean.com/articles/artichokes.htm

Baklava:  The buttery phyllo crust sandwiched in between layers of chopped up walnuts brings back memories of make this with my mother for almost every holiday of my childhood.  I love the diamond shape of the pieces and the pattern that a fresh batch forms in the pan just after you cut it is amazing.  The cut shape along with the crispy flakiness of the phyllo crust that browns in different ways depending on the amount of butter on it and the cut of the dish produces a pattern like no other to me (and tastes fantastic!)  Source for picture: http://www.greatpartyrecipes.com/phyllo-pastry-recipe.html

Bubbles in a glass:  This is more of an abstract pattern formed by gasses in water coming out of solution as the temperature and pressure of the glass/surroundings changes.  This specific picture caught my eye one morning after I had woken up in the summer.  There is no clear pattern in the bubbles and most people would consider them simply random, but its amazing that the bubbles "pattern" is formed by inconsistencies on the interior surface of the bottle.  I find this "pattern" so interesting because the longer you stare at it the greater number of "patters" you see in it, it's really a pattern created by the mind.  Source: mfreeze

 

Cobblestone streets:  I love natural patterns...natural variation even when harnessed and forced into a mold by man.  I love the look of this street because it combines the more formed, rectangular stones with the natural (unaltered) stone formed into the road.  What I love more about the road than the visual pattern is the pattern of sound it makes as you drive over it.  This particular street is one I took a picture of while visiting Regensburg, Germany.  Source: mfreeze

Stormy sky:  I like this abstraction of a patten the same way I like bubbles on the inside of a glass.  A stormy sky isn't really a pattern but again it the pattern that your mind creates when you look at the sky, when you stare at the picture long enough.  A picture can't really do justice a stormy sky because there is a certain energy and a lot of movement in the clouds from the churning storm.  I always loved storms when I was younger and loved being outside in them (much to the dismay of my parents), and I think that's what drew me to this pattern. This particular picture is from my visit to Moosberg, Germany.

Keyhole:  I love keyholes, and not for any deviant reasons.  My reason behind loving this pattern,  especially when it is utilized in multiples, is unknown even to me.  It might be allure of the power they hold, concealing objects while allowing one a teasing look.  I like this particular picture because its again a mixture of natural patterns and man-made, since the keyhole is carved in stone and has been weathered over many years.  Source: mfreeze, Germany

Super collider:  This is an image created a computer model to simulate the creation of a Higgs-Boson.  This and other similiar pictures created from models and actual observations from super colliders I find to be incredibly beautiful.  They are glimpses at the smallest particles that exist and are the very building blocks of our existence.  Source: mfreeze, Deutsche muesum

Greek Key: Another reference to my Greek heritage.  When I see this I feel a deep connection with my ancestors in Ancient Greece.  I find it amazing that such a simple pattern can be so beautiful, and I think what draws me to it is also the very Geometric nature of the pattern because it's in sharp contrast to many of the other natural patterns that I love.  Source: http://splendidwillow.com/2009/09/27/timeless-greek-key-accent/

Ocelot fur:  I love cats, let that be known now.  What I especially love about cats are their incredibly beautiful coats with the natural variations in color, pattern and texture.  I have found that I like the untamed and unguided beauty of wild cats and the ocelot combines the size of a house cat with the wildness of larger cats, and it just intrigues me.  This particular picture I chose because of the varying brown/gold colors contrasted with the deep black spots.  Source:  http://sundsart.deviantart.com/art/Ocelot-fur-177148868