One of the most delightful signs of spring is the emergence of the lilacs. Here in Minnesota lilacs are used as trees, shrubs, and even hedges. They are in every neighborhood, with some bushes looking like they’ve been there for decades. By the sides of the highways and roadways there are blocks of lilacs, all in full bloom with various shades of purples, pinks, and whites. Even more exciting than the sight of lilacs is the wonderful scent that floats throughout the air at this time of year. A fresh rain shower, a light breeze, and the air is alive with their floral scent. I have cut some of our lilacs and brought them into the house to enjoy the scent. Although the blooms don’t last long, I will not tire of replacing the spent blossoms to enjoy their fragrance for the brief few weeks that they grace our landscape.
spring
The unexpected strikes again
In what seems to be a theme, once again I’ve been surprised by the unexpected scenes that present themselves. A dear friend was driving home from work the other night and told me about a field of US flags that were just down the hill from the Minnesota State Capitol Building. In my mind I was picturing a few small eight-inch tall flags. And yet when I went there to see for myself, I was amazed at a lawn full of 800 full-size US flags along with another area filled with 1,500 pinwheels. This amazing scene was set up by the Minnesota chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America (www.pcamn.org). Their Child Abuse Prevention Healing Field was in honor of Minnesota’s children and also those people who have survived child abuse. With late evening light streaming across the flags and the Capitol Building, and a light breeze to unfurl the flags, it presented a very striking image. For a few short days this scene graced our Capitol grounds, causing many passers-by both on foot and in cars to stop and reflect on the scene, the beauty, and the cause.
Spring’s softness
Last week’s photograph was of vivid red tulips. In the bright sunlight of spring, colors often become bold, striking, and rich in contrast. But there’s also a flip side to the season, and that’s the softness that’s found in the spring palette. When the sky is overcast, or in the early morning or late evening there’s a calming and quiet hush that sometimes settles over the gardens. It’s almost as if nature is resting after all its exuberance in bursting forth after winter. In trying to photograph this softness and hush I’ve chosen to take this image with a slight blur, making this more about the shapes, tones and feelings rather than the direct representation of the tulips.
The richness of tulips
Our spring and warm weather has us all wishing for more of both. These tulips in our backyard are in full (and beautiful) bloom, although last year they weren’t blooming until after the first of May. It’s a treat to have green grass and color after our months of winter and white snow. I have photographed the yellow and red tulips many times (and you may yet see some of those images here). But today I set a new challenge for myself. As most photographers know, mid-day is NOT the time to photograph bright flowers in the sunlight. The colors become washed out and the photos are too bright. My goal was to see if I could come up with a “good” image taken in the bright sun of mid-day. What I did find was that I loved the contrast of the blue sky against the red tulips, and by getting down low under the tulips I was able to take advantage of the vibrant red and yet not have the color wash out. I welcome any comments and thoughts you might have about my final outcome.
Pasque flowers announcing spring
One of the first prairie flowers to bloom in the spring are the pasque flowers. They thrive in gravel prairies and are found in various areas throughout Minnesota. Yesterday I ventured south of the Twin Cities to a Minnesota Scientific and Natural Area. When I first arrived, the morning was cool and overcast, but I was thrilled to have found a wonderful slope dotted with these small pasque flowers. Standing only 4 to 5 inches tall, they are easily overlooked from a distance. As I walked along I found more and more of these little gems pushing their blooms up from under the brown grasses. I spent over an hour photographing, all the while accompanied by the sounds of Canada geese and mourning doves. As I stopped to take in the beauty of the landscape around me the skies slowly cleared and I was treated to a warm sun and beautiful pasque flowers against a blue sky — a delightful and wonderful welcome to spring.
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