Diverse Impressions

As I review my photos taken over different days, sometimes I feel the need to share just a few, even if they're not necessarily related to one another.

Perhaps a photo that speaks to me will speak to you as well.

Here's a cell phone shot taken of one of my favorite sections of the walk around the Res. Whenever I'm there, I feel like the trees are inviting me to walk among them.

Trees Show the Way

Back home, in our garden, bees get speckled with pollen on them as they go about their business.

Pollinator - Top View

Pollinator - Side View

This lily looks a whole lot better than it smells. We had a blossom from this plant inside for a few days, but the smell became a bit strong! Certain lilies are best enjoyed outdoors. 

Lily Life

 All photos © 2021, all rights reserved.  Contact philslens@gmail.com for licensing or to order prints.

---

Carol's Garden and Akela

During a recent visit to my sister-in-law Carol's house, I snapped some photos of her amazing garden, and of her Seppala Husky dog as well. The garden is the result of an intensive project begun during Covid to revamp the front yard from mostly grass to mostly gardens. The gardens are filled with intense color blooms which make it a joy to observe and walk through. Below are some of my favorite photos taken during the visit.

Her garden contains magnificent dahlias.

Delightful Dahlia

... and some other purple blooms, much loved by several insects.

Small Yellow Flyers

Bee on Task

While not as colorful as many of the plants, this blue spruce tree has plenty of camera appeal as well.

Bristling Blue Spruce

Here we take a brief intermission and introduce you to Akela, a Seppala Husky (also called a Seppala Siberian Sleddog). Check out the movie "Togo" (2019) to learn about Seppala Huskies. They're an intelligent and amazing sled dog, now considered a different breed from other Siberian Huskies.

Seppala Smile

Akela is one of, if not *the*, most alert dog I've ever met. He is always paying attention.

Eye on the Prize

Now back to more garden photos of a much smaller animal: a praying mantis.

Natural Pest Control

Special Garden Visitor

New Dahlia

Dancing Joyous Petals 1

Dancing Joyous Petals 2

Outreach

Bee Bliss

I enjoyed the textures displayed in the large petals of this hibiscus.

Sails Up

Once again, back to the glorious dahlias.

Basking Petals

Dahlia Derriere

 All photos © 2021, all rights reserved.  Contact philslens@gmail.com for licensing or to order prints.

---

Delicate Balance

It so happens today is the 20th anniversary of my marriage.

According to theknot.com, "The traditional 20th wedding anniversary gift is china, which is a beautiful representation of the delicate balance you've mastered in your relationship after 20 years together."

Here I present some images of delicate balance in the garden.

Bees atop the butterflyweed:

Bee Above

Bee Afloat

Bee Aloft

This next creature is only a few millimeters across. It is the infamous Asian lady beetle, which, sadly, is considered a pest. It is very similar looking to a ladybug, which is a beneficial insect.

Small Traveler

Shasta daisies stand proudly in the late afternoon glow.

Daisy in the Light 1

Daisy in the Light 2

A bright black-eyed Susan:

Golden Eye

 All photos © 2021, all rights reserved.  Contact philslens@gmail.com for licensing or to order prints.

---

Upside Down in the Sun

Relatively early one spring day, I was out in our yard taking a close look at some Solomon's Seal we have in our garden. The sun was hitting this particular patch just right. As I peered under the leaves I found a bee hard at work relocating pollen as was his calling.

I grabbed my camera, macro lens attached, and took these photos.

Anti-Gravity Gathering

Bee Glow

All photos © 2019, all rights reserved.  Contact philslens@gmail.com for licensing or to order prints.

---

Colors of Spring

Spring has arrived! We've had beautiful, stunning weather. The trees and plants are very happy and have most definitely figured out that it is time to bloom. It's a great time of year to be a photographer; plants have so much color and they pose very nicely, hardly moving, except when it's windy.

Below are some recent captures, mostly all spring flowers, with an occasional bird, bee, or duck thrown in for good measure.

This first photo is a very tiny portion of the most magnificent pair of trees gracing Wellesley College's Pomeroy Hall in the Quad courtyard.

Centerpiece

These next photos are taken in our garden.

Curves

Daffodil Orange

Through the magic of the camera lens, we get to see some mid-flight pollination in this next photo.

Bee Work

Late Day Reach

Edging

Deb planted some unique daffodils last fall for new color in the garden this spring. I think Deb forgot she ordered these mini-daffodils; they were a nice surprise for both of us.

Standing Pretty

This shot is almost directly into the sun. I'm intentionally causing lens flare side effects. What you see here is exactly how the camera caught the image.

Ray Drenched

Photographers often talk about "bird in flight" shots (because they're so dang hard to pull off well.) One doesn't hear so much about "bee in flight" shots. That's one of our cherry trees above this bee.

Bee Best in the Golden Hour

Glowing Daffodil

The next couple of photos were taken at a nearby park where I frequently walk.

Painted Tulip

I was delighted to come across this fellow. He was having a good old time performing acrobatic tricks in this tree, singing all the while.

Baltimore Oriole

We visited Arnold Arboretum a few days before "Lilac Sunday" and the row of lilacs did not disappoint. They also had a wide variety of wisteria. This one, from China, was the furthest along and outstanding.

Hanging Wisteria

Negative Space

Lilac goodness. They have many unique varieties of lilacs at the Arboretum.

Bunches of Color

Reflective Wading

White Cups

After leaving the Arboretum we visited the nearby Allandale Farm garden center. Deb bought some new additions for our garden while I snapped some pictures.

Petals in the Sun

Rose Layers

Reaching For the Sun

All photos © 2018, all rights reserved.  Contact philslens@gmail.com for licensing or to order prints.

---

Flower Power

Spring is here. The flowers are blooming all around and there is plenty of photo fodder, especially when armed with my 60mm macro lens.

Without further ado, enjoy the photos!

Hanging in There

Busy Bee

Rose Colored Non-Rose

Thing in the Grass One

Thing in the Grass Two

Center Mount

Ring Lit

Spiral Growth

Nucleus

Not Salt

Crowning Glory

Morning Dew One

Morning Dew Two

All photos were taken with my Olympus 60mm macro lens, hand-held. Many of the images cover areas as small as an eighth of an inch.



All photos © 2016, all rights reserved.  Contact me for licensing or to order prints.

---