Nature
To set the record straight, calla lilies are not normal "May flowers" in South Dakota. These flowers were growing in the planter outside my aunt Betty's California home. They were planted by a neighbor as a gift to and remembrance of the memory of Betty. They are as nice a tribute as any, if you ask me.
Flowering crab apple trees are something we normally see at a distance and appreciate for the few days that they flower. This morning I took my camera a moved in for a closer view. And the quantity and coloration of these little flowers was truly amazing. I took about 120 photo, though most are very similar.About half way through my shoot, I realized that I was smiling and that I had been for most of the time I was taking photographs. I guess it's good to find simple joy in the beautiful things that Nature gives us.
We don't have trees like this in South Dakota - at least in my part of the state. I think it is an oak tree and oak trees have a very distinct form of brachiation. The branches are twisted and, in my mind, gothic. I would have bare, twisted oak trees in front of my haunted house, if I owned one.This tree is about to leaf out and lives (happily or hauntedly?) on San Juan Island in Washington state.
I am resolving to try to re-invent myself as a photographer. Someday. But until then, here's another flower photo.
It was a sunny day in southern California when I snapped this photo. But it wasn't warm. In fact it ended up being about 20 degrees warmer in our home town of Watertown, SD, on the same day. But the green houses aren't flourishing yet in our part of the world.If you are in Corona del Mar, and like plants and flowers, look up Roger's Gardens. It's a bit of a tourist attraction and well worth the visit.
I'm on a "fuzzy" kick and, for two days, a "fuzzy ball" kick. From a distance these cacti are cute. But seen close up we learn that looks are deceiving.
Three tall palms trees enjoying the southern California breeze. My only thought is that sometimes you have to go a long ways from the palm tree's trunk to sit in the palm tree's shade.
Sooner or later I will run out of plants I photographed last week. Or I will clairvoyantly sense your boredom. But until then, here's another plant.I will tell you that the photographic challenge with this plant was trying to establish a focal point. I was shooting at 2.8 so I would get fairly narrow depth of field. The thinking was that rather than have the you look at the whole plant, I wanted you to see the serrations, the texture and the soft purples and greens.