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A striking flower at Mount Soledad
I have been to Mount Soledad in La Jolla / San Diego dozens of times, but this was the first time I ever spotted this beautiful flower… just a little reminder that familiar places can hold beautiful surprises.
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Sunset from Shelter Island in San Diego
A friend and I stopped at Shelter island as the sun was setting, and were blown away by the sights. Turn one way you have the deep golden colors of sunset. Turn another and both the sky and the water reflect the colors of the setting sun.
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Grackle — Long-Tailed Grackle?
This is a common bird, or so it seems to me, in the Austin area. They make quite a bit of noise, and gather in large groups at times, which might be part of why I tend to notice them.
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White-Winged Dove?
I was not sure if this bird was new-to-me, or different from others I had already photographed as I walked around the grounds of the State Capitol in Austin, but I typically shoot first so I can ask questions later. This is a case where I was glad I did… I had half -expected it…
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State Capitol Building in Austin, Texas
I was in the area, and had a few minutes, so I decided to snap a picture at the State Capitol. I see it in the distance so often, but rarely make the time to stop by and just walk the grounds or visit.
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Another beautiful Rose
I wasn’t sure my camera was focusing on this little Rose buds, and newly bloomed flowers, but I kept trying to take photos as the colors were so dynamic, and the flowers so beautiful. I have no idea what type of rose they are, but they sure are pretty. Hmm, possibly a China Rose? Wikipedia…
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Mealycup Sage
This flower had incredibly dynamic and striking color that drew the eye whether it was under full sun or braving a heavy drizzle. I got help from Siri as well as Google in identifying this one as it looked like it could be one of several options, but I think the technology and I agreed…
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Apparently I find a lot of weeds attractive…
This doesn’t actually surprise me, given as a kid I complained about pulling the flowers my Dad called weeds from our vegetable garden, but it is kind of funny how many flowers and plants I think are pretty I look up and find listed as weeds. And yes, this is another one. Per Wikipedia: Celosia…
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Prairie Dawn Rose?
Yet again I find myself wishing I knew more about flowers. When I photographed this one I figured I was getting another shot of a Beach Rose, but google and the magic World Wide Web lead me to believe this is a Prairie Dawn Rose. A rose by any other name is still beautiful, and…
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Sunset over the Gulf of Maine
This beautiful sunset was shot in the Gulf of Maine sailing between Bar Harbor and Boston.
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Calendula, and a discovery, Mary’s Gold = Marigold
Per Wikipedia: Calendula (/kəˈlɛndjuːlə/) is a genus of about 15–20 species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae that are often known as marigolds. They are native to southwestern Asia, western Europe, Macaronesia, and the Mediterranean. Other plants known as marigolds include corn marigold, desert marigold, marsh marigold, and plants of the genus Tagetes. The genus name Calendula is a modern Latin diminutive of calendae, meaning…
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Day Lily — Pretty in Pink
This was the only flower of its type, hanging out amid a bunch of other blooms, eye catching for its color and uniqueness. Per Wikipedia: Daylilies have been found growing wild for millennia throughout China, Mongolia, northern India, Korea, and Japan.[10] There are thousand-year-old Chinese paintings showing orange daylilies that are remarkably similar to the flowers that grace…
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Yellow Coneflower
Echinacea paradoxa, the yellow coneflower, Bush’s purple coneflower, or Ozark coneflower, is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to southern Missouri, Arkansas, and south-central Oklahoma, It is listed as threatened in Arkansas. When the petals are down towards the ground like this I find it easy to understand how they got the name coneflower, this is one of the I…
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Echinacea Double Scoop Raspberry
Another coneflower variation. I love the colors in this flower! Per Wikipedia: Echinacea /ˌɛkɪˈneɪsiə, ˌɛkɪˈneɪʃiə/ is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the daisy family. It has ten species, which are commonly called coneflowers. They are native only in eastern and central North America, where they grow in wet to dry prairies and open…
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Up, in the sky… it’s more than just a contrail…
I spend a lot of my travel time looking down at plants, but I also try and remember to look up, in to the distance and at the sky. Usually when I look at the sky I’m hoping for interesting birds, but this was a fun sight! The brilliant blue sky, with no clouds in…
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Sunrise as we sailed to Quebec
I may not be a morning person, but I can set an alarm to get up and catch a glimpse of sunrise before I finish my night’s rest, and it is often well worth the effort!
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Spiraea japonica
I ran across this pretty flower, that grows in clusters, in two different colors on our walk in Reykjavik. This lighter color seems to be known as ‘Little Princess’. Per Wikipedia: Spiraea japonica, the Japanese meadowsweet or Japanese spiraea, is a plant in the family Rosaceae.
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Beach Rose?
I saw this pretty flower growing in a park in Reykjavik, Iceland. The buds are just as pretty before opening up into a beautiful bloom.
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Recent Sunset among the clouds…
Sunset is always magic, there are some who call the time around Sunset and Sunrise Magic Hour, while others call it Golden Hour – in part for the beautiful, golden colors that fill the sky and dance among the clouds. Whatever you call that time of day, I hope you find some beauty in it,…
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The Determination and Beauty of Wildflowers…
Growing up I had in my life two marvelous elders who could name any, and every, flower they saw, or so it seemed to me. Over the decades I’ve spent a lot of time appreciating the wonder and beauty of flowers. And there was a time when I would take pictures of eye catching flowers…
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Open yourself to the unexpected and be amazed by what you see…
This weekend I took a scenic detour. I was hoping to see some wildflowers, and I guess I wasn’t the only one. Some birds were flitting around, having fun. Then one took a rest, in the perfect place for me to try and snap a few shots. I love trying to get pictures of birds…