Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #149: Cool Colors — Blue and Green

25May
by Oh, the Places We See
Green marsh grass in Kiawah Island, SC

You can’t do that, you know. You just can’t. No one wears blue and green together. They clash.

Ruby Kinard, Rusha’s mother

And so I grew up under the impression that blue and green were totally incompatible. My mom’s quote ranked right up there with another favorite mantra: “No self-respecting Southerner would ever wear white before Memorial Day.” And I bought into it.

Blue flowers, green ferns in an old pot
Blue flowers, green leaves look just right in this timeworn planter.

But the more I’ve seen of blue and green together — especially in nature — the more I realize that they not only “go together,” those thought-to-be-clashing colors actually look right. They BELONG together, if you will.

It takes a lot of blue to stay green.

Vineetha Evangeline

Ask anyone who’s seen the marsh at Kiawah about green and blue in the same photographic frame (See photo at top), and they’ll just shrug and say, “Why not?”

Or bike through Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains, and you’ll be faced with this two-toned beauty — fields of green under blue skies beside blue mountain ridges.

Sunny day in Cades Cove, TN

Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world.

George Bernard Shaw

Green/blue combos pop up everywhere . . . like this blue shutter window on the world in Bangkok . . .

Blue shutters in Bangkok

or this fishing boat moored for the day in Apalachicola, Florida.

Capt. TJ's boat in Apalachicola FL

Perhaps most endearing, however, are people who wear whatever makes them happy, regardless of what Southerners say — like this lady plying Cambodian waters in a boat filled with tourists.

Cambodian woman rowing

Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful.

Thich Nhat Hanh

See, mom? Anything goes when you have a smile on your face!

Thanks to Tina for this week’s challenge — Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #149: Cool Colors — Blue and Green. For more entries, check out the comments on her lovely post.

Wear what you want,

Rusha

22 thoughts on “Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #149: Cool Colors — Blue and Green”

  2. Curt Mekemson

    I bet your mom would look any your photos and agree with you, Rusha. .Blue and green are made for each other in nature! Beautiful photos.I think that the Great Smoky Mountain photo says it all. –Curt

    Reply

  3. maristravels

    You and me both! Along with Blue and green must never be seen, there was ‘Girls with red hair should never wear pink when all I ever wanted as a little girl was a pink frock! And then as I grew older and was out in the world my office manager thought fit to correct my jewellery by telling me that “Only pearls are acceptable before 6.00 pm. (as though any of us possessed the real thing!) and before that ‘Cast ne’er a clout till May is out’, i.e. don’t leave off your thermals until June!

    Reply

    1. Oh, the Places We See

      What fun memories! I’ve never heard the one about thermals, but it actually makes sense. I have a red-headed sister, so she wasn’t encouraged to wear pink. Now, I guess she wears whatever she wants! All of this is just too funny! Thanks for your response!

      Reply

  4. Toonsarah

    Nature seems to know better than your mother as she shows us every day that blue and green look great together – as your landscapes illustrate so well 🙂 I love your Cambodian lady too, and the blue Bangkok shutters are gorgeous!

    Reply

  9. Tina Schell

    well how about YOU Rusha – showing Kiawah’s marsh! You rock 😊. I can remember the same thing being said about white before Memorial day and about red and pink as well as blue and green. Can you imagine those old “rules”?! We’ve come a long way baby LOL. Loved your scenic response this week, especially the Cambodian woman (and the marsh scene of course!)

    Reply

    1. Oh, the Places We See

      That marsh was sooo green. We recently went to Pawleys — had never been there in April — and the marsh was still brown with only hints of blue. This shot in Kiawah was at the right time! As for red and pink, I had forgotten that — Mom didn’t like red and orange together! It’s funny looking back at these old “rules.”

      Reply

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