The heat of summer brings the purple coneflowers into abundant bloom. And one of the best places to photograph these delights of summer is in my own backyard. Most photographers understand how important it is to be in close proximity to what you choose to photograph, allowing you to be there when the light changes, when the scene changes, and to observe and “see” the subject in much more detail. So my backyard is the perfect practice-field for me. Last night we enjoyed a beautiful evening — nice light, no winds — a perfect setting for photographing. This bloom was calling to me to sit on the ground and photograph upward, capturing the opacity of the petals, and colors of the entire plant, and to see it from a different perspective. Little did I know that there was a small insect hiding underneath too, posing just as I snapped the shutter on the camera.
Saint Paul
Double rainbow at Como Park
Spring is an unsettled time of year in the upper Midwest. Our weather comes from all four directions, oftentimes colliding over Minnesota. Last week we had a beautifully sunny and warm day. Until about 5:00pm, when the clouds rolled in, the winds picked up, and it started to rain. I headed to my office to get some work done, not realizing that the front was moving through quickly and it would be followed by clearing. About 7:30 the clouds parted from the western horizon, creating a beautiful low directional golden light. With the rain still to the east a vivid double rainbow emerged. I grabbed my camera and hurried to nearby Como Park and the McNeely Conservatory. Luckily I arrived before the rainbow disappeared, thanking the weather and photo gods for presenting such a stunning and vibrant display.
Urban cows and a great friend
When I was at the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site last summer I was fortunate to have a great housemate, Jess. A native Iowan (and proud of it!), Jess was a summer park ranger at the Site. While there we attended concerts and demo derbies, and explored cemeteries and the Iowa countryside together. Then this weekend Jess ventured north to the great state of Minnesota. With a quick tour of the Minneapolis and St. Paul tourist sites we included three urban cows that reside on the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota. These are grand sculptures — ones that I’ve photographed during the winter when they were blanketed with snow. This time they seemed quite serene amongst the greening grass, and tame enough to allow us this photo. Jess – thanks for your visit. I hope I live my life as enthusiastically as you live yours.
Looking for spring
Winter still has its hold on us here in Minnesota. We vacillate from cool to cold, cool to warm, and all the variations in-between. We have snow, it thaws, it freezes, then thaws again, leaving us in the middle of “mud season” (as a good friend of mine calls it). So when I get tired of winter and need a jolt of spring I go to the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory in Como Park. The current Sunken Garden display is filled with cineraria, primrose, azalea, cyclamen, foxglove and lilies. It’s a welcome visual and aromatic jolt to the winter-weary senses, and gives us the reassurance that spring can’t be too far away… maybe only another flip of the calendar page, from March to April???
Snow sculptures, before the thaw
The Saint Paul Winter Carnival concluded this past weekend, and just in the nick of time. We finally climbed above freezing on Saturday, January 31st with a balmy 45 degrees! It appears once again that our Vulcans have persevered over winter, and spring can’t be too far away. This is a photo of the winning snow sculpture this year, titled “Hormel McSwine & Friends” (obviously captured before our January thaw!). The sculptures were on display at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds and drew crowds of people admiring the art & craft, with the kids (and adults too!) wandering through the snow maze and dreaming of the summer use of the Fairgrounds, with animals, rides, entertainment, and all types of food on a stick! Warmer weather will prevail…soon!
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