Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Two common phrases: “It will never cease to amaze me,” and “a rock and a hard place.”

Let me put them together for you: How a tree can grow between a rock and a hard place will never cease to amaze me. 

I’m a little kid about this, awed by the genius of a tiny seed — from sycamores or hemlocks here in the East — to fly on the wind and locate cracks in rocks, where it can absorb moisture to germinate and grow. And, as it grows, it extends roots vertically into rocks, making the hard place its foundation for years to come. The whole thing is an inspiration — starting small, making the best of an imperfect situation; patient and persistent, it gets settled and anchored, then grows and even thrives.

This photo: Sunday, April 26, along the North Branch of the Potomac River, between McCoole and Black Oak, Maryland.