I was recently out photographing before sunset. What I was hoping would be a calm evening was developing into just the opposite. The heat of the day and the increasing humidity were causing the wind to be quite blustery. My first instinct was to turn around and go home, but instead I decided to go with it. Silhouetting the flowers behind the glow of the western sky, and using a longer shutter speed, I let the flowers “dance” in front of the lens. The more I watched, the more I enjoyed the unpredictable movement of the flowers. The images seemed to take on a life of their own almost as if knowing that summer is fleeting and now’s the time to celebrate it.
florals
Summer roses
We’re in the height of rose season – their colors and scents abound. We have a wonderful John Cabot climbing rose that blossoms out in profusion mid-June, becoming engulfed in a riot of color. I’ve had cuttings in almost every room of the house, and yet the bush itself remains full too. The blooms hold for many days and then they drop their petals all around – a reminder of their beauty even as they move past their prime.
Scents of the late spring garden
Our warm sunny weather turned to mist and clouds yesterday morning, reminding me of my days living in the Pacific Northwest. The dampness of the mist and rain held all the wonderful scents of late spring in the air. I wandered our yard, enjoying the smells of the peonies and roses. As I rounded a corner, I got a hint of orange. Our mock orange bush has been flush with blossoms and is nearing the end of its bloom. Although its colors aren’t as bright and showy as the peonies and roses, the white glimmered amidst the spring green under the gray skies. Its delicate petals will fall for a few more days, and the green leaves will remain until next spring when we can once again marvel at its short burst of white blossoms and delicate smell.
Peonies in a row
If you travel west out of the Twin Cities on Highway 12 you quickly leave the urban life behind for farm fields and open spaces. We did just that yesterday morning – our destination was Swenson Gardens near Howard Lake. Celebrating Peony Days at Swenson’s was a true delight – to sight and smell alike. With fields of peonies in bloom, and a view of the horizon all around, we enjoyed learning about all the different varieties of peonies in so many colors that I’d never seen or known about. It was a wonderful place to explore and immerse yourself in the sights and smells of late spring.
White lilacs
We’re fortunate to have both purple and white lilacs surrounding our yard. With some recent rain and higher humidity levels the air has been heavy with the sweet smell of the lilacs. Knowing how short-lived their blossoms are, I cut some and brought into the house. This old pink hobnail glass pitcher that had been my mother’s seems the perfect vessel to hold them and let them release their fragrance throughout the house.
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