One of my favorite places to go, whether to photograph or to soothe my soul is the McNeely Conservatory in Como Park. The Sunken Garden flower shows are a feast of color to the eyes and a treat to my sense of smell. Right now the summer flowers are on exhibit in the garden. I was fortunate to be there one night this past week when there were only a few fellow photographers. It was peaceful, calm, and very quiet except for the water flowing at the base of the sculpture. This bronze piece is titled “Play Days” and was created by Harriet Frishmuth in the early 1900’s. On this night the young woman was surrounded by a beautiful reflection of the evening sky and the blooming flowers of summer.
summer
Up north to the lake
“Up north to the lake” is the common weekend occurrence here, whether it’s a small lake or a big lake. And the biggest lake is Lake Superior. We spent the weekend in Ashland, Wisconsin, along the southern shore of Lake Superior. It was a perfect summer weekend — warm daytime temperatures, cooler nighttime temps, the lake close by, along with a special 4th of July celebration. We were treated to beautiful sunsets with calm waters that reflected the boats in the marina as well as the fireworks that were set off after dark. A perfect dose of summer relaxation!
Kansas wildflowers
We just recently returned from the Biking across Kansas ride where we traversed from the Colorado border, across the wide state of Kansas, to the eastern border with Missouri. As the state has had plenty of rain this spring, the landscape was lush and green. Although I was focused on bicycling (as opposed to photographing), what jumped out to me were the beautiful wildflowers that were dotting the fields and roadsides. The coneflowers, butterfly milkweed, daisies, spider-wort — all were bursting into bloom. Last year at this time I spent over two weeks in Iowa and was fortunate to document the daily changes in a prairie area. That experience gave me a new appreciation for the wildflowers that grace our landscapes with their burst of color and beauty. So our mode of travel across the state of Kansas by bicycle gave us front-row seats to this amazing display of blooms.
Bougainvillea red & white
My exhibit of photographs titled “Paths and Portals” ends today at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. Thanks to all the people who came to the receptions (the opening and the closing) and to those who left comments for me at the Center. This image “Bougainvillea red and white” was one of the more popular photographs. Perhaps the colors speak of warmth and summer, while we’re still battling winter’s grip here in Minnesota. This scene is from Tucson, Arizona and caught my eye with its contrasting colors as well as the details that were so artistically painted over the door.
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