When the phlox bloom in my yard, I know summer is coming. The blooms are tall and rise about four feet high. The color varies from pink to white, sometimes almost purple. For a week or two I watch the colors sway in the breeze. The color splash against the greens of the woodland always cheers me. This year I decided to make a triptych of close ups of three colors of the phlox blooming right now.
Bottlebrush Buckeye
This lovely native bush is in full bloom in early July. The blooms look like the brushes for baby bottles, hence the name. But this species is native to Illinois and its full name is Bottlebrush Buckeye. It spreads out and fills the shaded area. Some branches are low to the ground.
Amaryllis 2020
Amaryllis – the beginning
I got a gift of an Amaryllis for Christmas. I’ve been dutifully watering, turning it around and watching. The blooms are beginning to open. I got a new 35mm f1.8 lens, so I’ve been getting to know the lens and the Amaryllis at the same time. These are photos of the last two days.
Peonies Slightly Beyond Their Prime
Surprise! Fall Crocus Blooms
I found a surprising bloom of a fall crocus in a place I don’t believe I planted bulbs. Not that I’m complaining. Fall Crocus blooms are always a surprise as leaves are falling and most plants have died back. They are a very delicate flower, with translucence and a very thin stem. They often shoot up higher than the stem can support the bloom and end up falling down to the ground. Not this one! It stood up tall and strong so that I could capture it delicate beauty.
Image accepted for Open Lens VII Exhibit at Gallery 7
I am pleased to announce that an image, Delicate Balloon Flower, was accepted for the Open Lens VII Exhibit! The Opening Reception is this Saturday, June 11 from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm. The exhibit is open for viewing until July 22. I invite you to attend the Opening Reception or visit the gallery to see my image as well as all accepted into the Exhibit.
Open Lens VII at Gallery 7, 116 N Chicago Street, Suite 102, Joliet, IL 60432
Broken Down Rose
I find roses beautiful and I capture images of them often. After the first hard freeze of fall, I visited downtown Chicago and the rose gardens of Grant Park. There were still some lovely blooms, but also some broken blooms, where the damage of that first hard frost could be seen. I like the way a rose comes to be, blooms, opens, and then dies, leaving wilted and dried petals behind. I love the texture of the dried pieces of old flower. The stem of this rose broke, leaving the bloom hanging upside down. The break in food and water, along with the frost, killed the flower. But look at the beauty that still remains!
This image was captured with an iPhone 5s and then edited with PhotoForge.
Water Lilies from Hawaii
I love water lilies. Getting close enough to get a photograph can be challenging! This image is from the “old” days with my Minolta SRT101 and color slide film. It was taken on my first trip to Hawaii in 1983. I’ve always liked this image, but had forgotten about it. It sat in a slide carousel for a number of years, waiting for the chance to be seen again. I love the lighting, the water in the background, the the placement of the flowers. Looking at it reminds me of that trip to Hawaii, the sun and sea, the warmth. It also makes me want to look at those old slides from vacations “before kids” to see what other gems I can find!