Flowers
Garden Party

I went to a garden party to reminisce with my old friends
A chance to share old memories and play our songs again
Rick Nelson
These are the some of the regulars who frequent the birdbath and feeders in our yard. The yellow ones are male American Goldfinches. The other three are House Finches – the males having the red coloring.
In the interest of full disclosure – I never got more than three of them to belly up to the bar at one time, so a little Pops Digital magic was needed to fill up the spaces.
To get a better view, click on the image and you’ll see a larger version.
Unassuming Charm
On A Pedestal
Poppy Progression
Poppies are some of my favorites. The colors are always vibrant, the multi-layer petals are interesting and the center provides a natural focal point.
This photo shows the poppies in three stages – the pre-bloom bud, the bud just beginning to burst forth, and full, glorious bloom.
If you have a large monitor, you may be able to view a larger version of this photo by clicking on it. To see other, previously posted poppy images, click HERE.
Beauty Fades

By plucking her petals, you do not gather the beauty of the flower. ~ Rabindranath Tagore
This is one of the first poppies to bloom and fade in our spring garden. I applied a texture to the image. To me, it didn’t seem right to gaze upon its unfiltered demise.
Click the photo to view a larger version of this image.
Spring’s Serenade (textured effect)

I’ve been fiddling with my images lately. (You might have noticed yesterday’s post – Morning Friends)
This image was originally posted last April (see Spring’s Serenade). When I first posted it I shared it with some friends and mentioned I thought it would be a perfect image for a textured effect. Well, I finally got around to trying one on.
It changes the feel of the bright, vivid original image. You should look at both and see which you prefer.
If you have a large monitor, you can view a larger version of this image by clicking on it.
A Flower in Medusa’s Hair
Slippers for the Lady

These are yellow Lady Slipper Orchids found growing wild at Potawatomi State Park in Door County, Wisconsin.
According to Wikepedia… Lady’s slipper orchids (also known as lady slipper orchids or slipper orchids) are the orchids in the subfamily Cypripedioidea. They are characterised by the slipper-shaped pouches (modified labellums) of the flowers – the pouch traps insects so they are forced to climb up past the staminode, behind which they collect or deposit pollinia, thus fertilizing the flower.
To view a larger version of this photo, simply click on it.
Poppy’s Purple Passion

This time of year you’ll see me post a lot of flowers. After the long winter, they are hard to resist.
This is a close -up of the very first Poppy to pop in Sara’s flower bed. I took the photo two days ago and it’s already gone – the victim of a strong breeze. However, there are several others that have taken it’s place.
Poppies are some of our favorites. I suspect I’ll post more before the blooming is done.
Click the photo to see a larger version.
Dandy Among Daisies

I greatly enjoy Macro photography. I love looking at small things up close because you see so much that usually goes unnoticed. This flower is a perfect example.
Who knew the humble dandelion was so intricate and delicate and, dare I say, beautiful? I found this common dandelion in our yard by a clump of emerging daisies. (That white spot to the right of the dandelion is a daisy bud about to burst open.) I was surprised at what I saw when I brought the image up on the computer screen.
Get an even better look by clicking on the image.