Enders Island Garden - Stonington, Connecticut

The gardens at the Enders Island retreat are so beautiful, especially because they're growing along the peaceful walking paths of an actual tiny island in Stonington, Connecticut, all framed by the Atlantic. One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.

An especially vibrant batch of dahlias.

Trona Pinnacles, California

If you're driving anywhere near Ridgecrest, California, be sure to stop by the Trona Pinnacles. More than 500 tufa formations on a river bed that dried up 10,000 years ago. You can hike around, marvel at the desert weirdness, and if you're lucky to arrive a couple days after a rainstorm—see some wildflowers. More here.

Night Flowers

White flowers can be part of the background during the day, but at night... pow!

Heather Farm Park at dusk

A walk around the park and its various gardens just before this week's heat-wave set in. The Gardens at Heather Farm have sprung for a deer fence this year. Apparently deer were eating a lot of the plants, including the celebrated Rose Garden. I have noticed a big difference in the flowering plants since the fence went in. They're flowering in abundance. Everywhere you go, there's something blooming. The park looks stunning.

I started at the nature pond where I spotted a Great Egret, some Grebes, and a Forster's Tern, diving for food.

Part of the Butterfly Garden in full bloom.

A type of Manzanita at the Diablo Ascent Garden.

Echinacea at the Heritage Garden.

The roses are going gangbusters at the Crowden Rose Garden.

Back through the Nature Pond area at sunset to watch the tern do its thing.

Patterns in Nature

Lan Su Chinese Garden - Portland, Oregon

I take my son to the Lan Su Garden
on a city block in Portland
we frame our views
through multiple windows
watery leafy bridges surround
mountains the size of my son
this doesn't have to be here, I think
yet here it is


Poem #15 - NaPoWriMo

Mt. Diablo State Park - Summit Trail

poison oak and stones
never hindered us on our
accidental hike


Poem #14 - NaPoWriMo

Pow! Spring

As far as this little tree's concerned, it's spring.

 

Monarch Butterfly on a Zinnia

My mom-in-law has some great butterfly gardening areas in her yard. I tried so hard to get a shot of "wings open" but I guess when the butterflies sip nectar, they prefer their wings closed. They only seem to open them when they're getting ready to alight or take off. Perhaps if I had a super-expensive camera, or more patience. I do love that the head and thorax are spotty. I never noticed that before.

Trees of Southern Texas

My beloved Uncle Jacinto died recently and I just got back from San Antonio to attend his funeral service and visit with family. My Uncle was an extraordinary man and I'll miss him more than I can say. Here are some of the trees of Southern Texas: colorful, rugged, scented, givers of much-needed shade in the hot summer sun.

In front of the church in Helotes.

My Uncle and Aunt's back yard in the hills of southern Texas. I saw a road runner but he wouldn't stay to have his photo taken.

One of many birdhouses on their property.

This is a tough tree.

Sunflowers are a gift that keep on giving

Man, the bees love these sunflowers. They're at 'em all day long. Little finches are pecking at the leaves as well, leaving them ragged and limp. I imagine the squirrels will be next once the seeds start to ripen and dry. If you want to feed the wildlife, plant some sunflowers.

More blurry flowers from Heather Farm Park

Heather Farm Rose Garden

I promised myself I wouldn't be one of those photographers who takes photos of blurry flowers, but this "miniature" setting on my camera takes such pretty flower photos! It boosts the color somehow too. Even though these are all true-to-life colors, they look "glowing." The problem I have with flower photos, roses in particular, is that their "glowing" quality (which probably comes from sunlight bouncing off the petals) makes for some bad, blown-out photography with very little detail or depth. But this camera setting kind of helps fix that.

Here they are: blurry roses from the Heather Farm Park Rose Garden. I commend the volunteer gardeners who keep this patch of land so beautiful throughout the year. Flowering plants survive by attracting pollinators so pretend you're a bee or a butterfly—this must be your personal heaven.