Category Archives: Wild flowers
Columbine
Dear Friends, I am not very good at Flower shots, but i can never resist shooting these red columbines that grow wild in Crex Meadows til Tomorrow MJ
Badlands After 5 PM
Dear Friends, this image was taken last August when the Mentzelia bloom on the red scoria. These white blossoms are found growing right out of the rocky slopes and only open after 4 PM. Most tourists overlook them cause they are a prickly looking plant until the blossoms open, then they are magnificent. til Tomorrow MJ
Wood Orchid
Dear Friends, this pretty orchid is found in the red pine forests and is called the pink lady slipper. They like the acidic ground and shady light that the forest provides, and these conditions make subtle sunlight for flower photography. I got lucky as this particular bloom was very vivid in color and had a bee perched on top, the only drawback to these conditions are the wood ticks that also thrive here.. til Tomorrow MJ
Pasque Flowers in the Wind
Dear Friends, this group of pasque flowers (a wild crocus) was blowing in the strong winds of Crex Meadows. I was experimenting with the multiple exposure setting on my camera, this was five exposures in a single frame and photoed as the wind moved the flowers around, I liked how the greenery was multiplied and emphasized the fuzziness of these plants. til Tomorrow MJ
A Web
Friends, this tiny spider is trying to spin a web in a thistle plant, a prickly job at best. Maybe he will catch a honeybee, til tomorrow MJ
Weekly Photo Challenge: Summer Lovin
Friends, i love photographing beauty in nature and especially macro work, so while nosing around the wild lilies,in my childhood we called them tiger lilies, i discovered a small butterfly nectaring inside the cup. He is a hairstreak and these small creatures are easily confused with the Karner Blue, a rare butterfly also found in Crex Meadows. til Tomorrow MJ
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/summer-lovin/ other contributions on this theme can be found at this link
Hope
Friends, this flower (pasque) is the first to bloom after the winter season, and reminds me that good things await with the blooming of spring. It points to God as the basketball player raises his index finger and points upwards, he knows where the strength and blessing come from, and so do i. All the blessings of spring to you all, and may you walk in peace this day. til Tomorrow MJ
Milkweed 2
Friends, I reexamined my milkweed images for the essence of the fall explosion of tiny white hairs that carry the seed on the breezes. I like the essence of a single seed at the point of hairs emanating from the seed. I tried to emphasize this point with some special effects from Color Efex Pro. Do you like? til Tomorrow MJ
Milk weed
Friends, not sure that i like this shot, but the best i was able to get the day i was in Crex. I like the background colors and the hidden seeds in the nest of white hairs. this is the theme for Lets See you best shot on Facebook, til Tomorrow MJ
Strange Blossoms
Friends, hopping around the tall grass prairie remnant in Iowa last week, we found bottle gentian in a beautiful shade of blue. I photographed from several different angles but liked this one the best because it includes the leaves. These are not buds but are blossoms that are closed on top, Is the grass behind, distracting? til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 