I was doing some garden work this weekend – pruning flowers, pulling weeds, and trying to tidy up a summer’s worth of growth. We’ve had an unusually wet summer which has allowed some plants to grow like weeds (and even the weeds have been growing prolifically too!). As I was going about my work I was surprised to find this grasshopper sitting and watching all I was doing. He didn’t attempt to jump away, but rather he seemed content to be out in the open and observing. He had a great place to sit, perched on the head of the black-eyed susan. It’s always fun to find creatures in the garden, whether it’s grasshoppers, bees, butterflies, or even the occasional dried shell left behind by a cicada. Within a few weeks many of the creatures will have left the area in preparation for fall and then winter. And hopefully my pruning will be done and the garden beds will be put to rest and covered before the first snowfall.
florals
Balancing act
I’m pleased to announce that I have a collection of photographs that will be exhibited at the Hudson Hospital in Hudson, Wisconsin beginning this Wednesday, August 3rd. The hospital has a wonderful healing arts program which includes over 200 works of art throughout the entire campus, including patient rooms. My images for this exhibit are titled “Close to Home.” I have been interested in the belief held by so many people that we must travel to faraway places to find the beautiful things in our world. Yet in the small area of my city lot with its small brick house and gardens is a world of great beauty and wonder, like this monarch butterfly that balanced on a purple coneflower one hot day in July. The exhibit runs from August 3rd through December 11th. There is an artist reception this Friday, August 5th from 6:00 to 8:00pm. I invite any one near the Twin Cities area to come to the reception or to stop by the Hudson Hospital to see their fine exhibit. For more information about the hospital or for directions, please go to www.hudsonhospital.org.
Wisconsin’s wild lupine
We ventured north this weekend to the shores of Lake Superior. After a miserably cold and rainy week the weather cleared in perfect time for the weekend, and with little to no winds and mild temperatures it was a wonderful time to explore new areas. We wandered the highways and county roads of northern Wisconsin and even went to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. After the wet and late spring we’ve had, the roadsides are now in full bloom. We were first treated to the white daisies and orange hawk weed that were abundant throughout the central part of Wisconsin. Then as we reached the south shore of Lake Superior and continued to the north in Bayfield County, the lupine were in their prime. I had seen photos of the wild lupine in the Bayfield area before, but they appeared to be in a large garden area. I was not prepared for the plethora of blooms that were gracing the sides of the highways. This photo was taken along the side of Highway 13 just north of Washburn. With their blue, purple, pink, and white spikes they were a treat to the eyes and a reminder of how much we appreciate the colors of spring that replace the white of our winter season.
The time of peonies
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about memories and the ability of something or someone to bring an avalanche of thoughts and feelings to the forefront of one’s mind. In the past week and a half our yard has been filled with the sweet scent of peonies in full bloom. The blooms has been so large and heavy that they have weighted down the long stems of the plants, causing some of them to droop all the way to the lawn. Unfortunately their blooms and aromas are short-lived, and yet maybe that’s one of the reasons they are so appreciated when they are in their full bloom. My parents have always had peonies in their yard and I’ve been lucky to bring a couple of their plants here to Minnesota to add to our yard. Needless to say, my memories of peonies include my mom and dad, as well as their parents whose gardens and yards also were filled with peonies. It’s a delight and an honor for me to be able to continue this tradition.
Why flower photography?
I’ve been trying to understand why I am drawn to photographing flowers when there are so many other things that one could use as a photographic subject. Flowers are generally available, although in Minnesota they are not in their “own” environment during our snowy winter months, but can be found in the humidity and warmth of a conservatory or a floral shop. Yet just because a particular flower is blooming does not mean that a beautiful photograph can be made of it. The best conclusion I have come to is that I am drawn to color — the bright colors, the subtle colors, the hues and shades, and the combinations of multiples colors together. This photo is of a plant that many people would not even consider growing for its beauty — catmint. It can become big and it can become floppy. And yet in its own way it is a beautiful combination of shades of lavender and purple. Today I found this stand of catmint near some salmon-colored poppies. The two seemed to be subtly and beautifully complimenting each other in the soft and wonderful way that only nature can provide.
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