Pelargonium (Geranium)Red has always attracted a lot of attention, and red flowers are always the most beautiful. Whether you are giving away or receiving flowers, red is a great choice.
Beautiful AmaryllisI love amaryllis because of its beautiful flowers, which last quite a long time and as by arrangement, they often flourish together.
Fungi PhotosWhile hanging out some laundry on a sunny November day, rare in this area, I spotted these interesting fungi. I am not sure what type these are. I love taking photos of mushrooms and other fungi. I hope you enjoy them.
Baby (Cat)My little cat just HAD to try to play chess with me!
Praying Mantis in My BackyardWe have a couple of praying mantises in our backyard. They like to hang out in our apple tree and passion fruit vine. Sometimes they are hard to spot because they camouflage so well. I just happened to have my camera out when I saw this praying mantis catch it's prey! It is very fascinating to see how small its mouth is yet it has such a big appetite.
Finches Dining on Rudbeckia SeedsTypically I don't deadhead my rudbeckia for this very reason. At the end of the season the birds love to eat the seeds. I had to take this photo through a window as there was no good way to get closer without scaring these sweeties away. They appear to be female gold finches or juveniles. I have nyjer thistle feeders further south in the same part of the garden.
Peeling Bark on a Madrone TreeTo me, one of the most interesting and striking characteristics of madrone trees is the beautiful mahogany colored bark which crazes and then flakes off year round exposing the underlying green bark which will turn brown, then orangish, and finally this deep hue before it sloughs again.
Rose of Sharon Bloom (Hibiscus syriacus)My little Rose of Sharon plant got a slow start this season, but is now blooming again! I just had given it a drink right before taking this photo. I love the color of the flowers.
Rough Green SnakeAlthough the weather is hot, it is good to be able to get out in the early evening and go for a walk with our daughter. She is a nature lover and has been picking up snakes since she was a child. She knows which ones can be handled. As we were walking, suddenly she stopped and grabbed this green snake from the limb of a small pine tree.
Cute Tiny MushroomsWhile I was weeding in my garden I found a bunch of these tiny mushrooms all over the ground! They were so cute! You can see just how tiny they are compared to my hand in the picture.
Hollyhock SkyThe beautiful sky and beautiful blooms reaching for the sun symbolize this perfect summer day.
Swans with Their New SignetsThis pair of swans I feed all year and when their babies are born they bring them to see us and then I keep on feeding them dog biscuits.
Snowball BushI captured this photo of my grandma's white snowball bush in Perry County, Ohio. Last summer while visiting her I noticed how it looked fully bloomed and I wanted to capture its beauty. This photo shows in detail the small flowers that make up the entire snowball bush.
Callistemon (Bottlebrush)This Callistemon Laevis has been growing in my front yard for years and there seems to be more blooms every year.
Poppin' with Color (Poppy)While visiting my brother in the rural area of central Utah, we had a drive through historic Spring City and came across these beautiful poppies growing alongside the road.
Carmine (German Shepherd)I adopted him when I married my husband, but my husband got him when he was a pup. He adopted him from a farm right after he finished basic training.
Purple BeautiesPurple is my favorite color and when I saw these flowers in my sister's neighbor's yard, I couldn't resist.
First Raspberry 2020Summer is officially here when the raspberries fruit. They are so pretty to look at and the taste of a fresh-picked raspberry is indescribable!
Coral (Domestic Shorthair)Meet Coral, my little sweet baby. We found her in one of the pet stores that is under of Humane Society. She was 1yr old. The 1st owner put her to the Humane Society because she doesn't like any pets in particular. The 1st time I saw her I fell in love with her. She loves going outside surprisingly she doesn't care about raindrops. Every morning at 8 she's in my bedroom waiting for me to get up.
Swimming SnailThe other day as I was walking past our bog pond I noticed something moving. Upon closer observation I realized it was one of the resident snails swimming in the water. I just had to get a video so that I could show my 6 year old. He loved it and I hope you do too!
Baby BluebirdsI checked the blue bird house to see if there were any little ones in there. I assume these are blue birds. The nest is full and it looks like these babies will be taking flight soon. They know how to duck down and hide. They are all asleep except for one. I guess he's on watch duty.
Mother Goose on Mother's DayWe went on a walk Sunday morning and then down to a nearby reservoir to look for driftwood. There we saw a goose suddenly rise up out of hiding in plain sight, hiss angrily, and flap her wings at us.
Timing Is Everything (Spider and Fly)This is a colorful photo I took of a spider that just caught a fly. I don't know how the spider let me get so close to take this picture, and I don't know how I was lucky enough to get it at this perfect moment. I guess timing is everything (for me and the spider.. not so much for the fly though).
Junco BabiesMy friends have a section of their yard that they leave unmowed in the spring and summer. This allows birds to nest there and pollinators to enjoy the flowers. They recently were able to enjoy their little "contribution to the animals" when a Junco chose it as their nesting spot. Look at this tiny, hungry babies!
Backyard Visitor (Fawn)This adorable baby showed up in our yard last week. Our backyard borders the gamelands, and we have seen adult deer walk down our driveway to graze in the fields across the street. We figured momma deer left the baby in our care, so she could feed and run errands.
Passionfruit FlowerIt is passionfruit season! Flowers are blooming everyday. I just love how detailed and beautiful they are that I had to share. :)
Blue Beauty (Butterfly on Sedum Flower)Autumn sedum beckons the bees making it almost impossible to capture the perfect photo of the vibrant blue butterflies that flit from flower to flower. Hoping against hope I wouldn't get stung, I planted myself next to the blooms, shutter in hand, waiting for the perfect shot. Behold, this "Blue Beauty" stopped for a sip of nectar, and click, I captured a forever memory.
A Sheltering Place (Chinese Maple Tree)After what seemed like weeks of non-stop April showers, we had a rare sunny day. My husband and I grabbed our face masks and went to visit an arboretum at a local college. The school was closed due to the virus restrictions, but the arboretum was open to visitors. As we passed a large and very old Chinese maple tree, I ducked under it's expansive network of low-hanging branches and looked up.
Moonlight (Siberian Husky)I got my puppy from a shelter when he was 2 months old on February 17 2019. My dog loves to play in water. Moonlight know how to blow bubbles under water on command and he loves belly rubs.
Buttermilk FallsThe quarantine was getting to me, and I decided to go for a short ride. I live near a dam and nature preserve, and felt confident that it wouldn't be populated. I took a leisurely drive enjoying the beauty of the area, and then I came to the falls. We had quite a bit of rain over the weekend, so there was a lot of water spilling down. Such a beautiful sight.
Rose Celebrating a New DayThis rose caught my attention this morning because it was the only one in bloom, at the very top and center, and with what appears as arms (stems) up in the air. It looks as if it's saying thank you God for a new and sun shining day!
Echinacea and Bee"Hands down, hold still, it's a bee!" The petals of the flowers, for some reason, were all in a "down" position while the bee was pollinating. Was it out of fear for the bee? Of course not, but it was kind of interesting to see the unusual position of the flower petals.
Mr. Red (Cardinal)It took about an hour to snap a picture of this red cardinal as I chased him around from bush to bush and from tree to tree. He finally gave in before I did.
Spikingly Beautiful Cactus FlowerThis gorgeous cactus flower photo was taken in my home state of Arizona. Cacti are more than just green humps with prickles! They have blossoms of red, pink, yellow, and orange.
Horse Lubber GrasshopperAt first glance, this grasshopper has a horse shape which is probably why it is called a horse lubber grasshopper. The colors are more profound against the bright green leaf background.
Storm CloudsWe have had a couple of days of rough weather coming from the northwest. Rain, wind and hail. What's that old saying, "April showers bring spring flowers"?.
Lights On! (Banana Flower)This was by far one of the most unusual botanical flowers I saw while going through the Waimea Valley in Hawaii. The stem looks like the arm of an adjustable lamp while the actual flower part of the plant looks like a light bulb with a globe on the top of it.
On The Bayou - Cypress TreesWhile staying in a cottage near a swamp in Louisiana, we had this beautiful view of the cypress trees, casting a reflection on the water, while hearing the insects chirping and cautiously looking for gators stealthily creeping up from the swamp.
Feeding Time (Egret)During an early morning hike along the trails of El Dorado Nature Reserve in Long Beach, California, I stumbled upon this little egret in the waters below. I stopped, found a place to hunker down, and spent my morning watching him hunt for breakfast.
Hawaiian GeckoThis picture was taken on the last day of my trip to Hawaii at a unique Hawaiian botanical garden, home to this Hawaiian gecko.
Mini Flower Garden in a FlowerThis flower appears to be growing a mini purple floral garden within its pistil.
Orchid Rock Rose (Southern CA)I have seen some beautiful rock roses, but this orchid rock rose put me under its spell! The amazing colors and silky petals tremble in the mountain breezes. I hope they last a few more weeks!
Opposites Attract (Dog and Cat Friends)When growing up an example of opposites was always cats and dogs. When there were fights they'would describe the two people being like cats and dogs. Can't we all just get along? I think that this picture proves yes we can if they can. Here are our dog Baby, a Boxer and Whitey, the cat.
"Iris" Morning Delight!Photos of a white and yellow iris.
Will the Real Ellie Please Purr!Kittens are like spring flowers. They thrive with sunshine and love.
Nature's Oddity (Fungus)While hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains, I came across this unusual looking fungus growing on a tree. It looks like a piece of candy corn. I couldn't resist taking a picture of something so unusual.
Butterfly on a StickThis state park in Canada had pine trees, water falls, a large pond, and many other things to photograph. However, the most fun was chasing the butterflies and taking pictures of them. This one landed on the railing of the hiking bridge. The shadow from the butterfly on the railing makes a nice silhouette.
Atlanta Botanical GardenThis is a topiary on display at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens in the spring.
Snowy Morning (Maine)The view from the window this morning was veiled by feathery clumps of snow. You can just make out the treeline and the sun coming over the horizon if you look closely enough.
Autumn Visit (Frog)Autumn took over our swimming area with fallen leaves, and this little guy, who showed up one sunny afternoon. He didn't seem to mind having his picture taken, at all!
Our PondOur pond is a place we like to sit and watch our goldfish.
"Gotcha" (Chipmunk)While at the botanical gardens in Tempe, Arizona, I saw the chipmunk along the trail having a little snack and striking a pose! Gotcha little guy!
Morning Glories Growing WildPurple morning glory vines growing wild all around some of my husband's work benches. I have never grown any, but have always loved and wanted to. On October 10, 2018 a category 5 hurricane came through and left behind devastating destruction on homes and property. With our home and property being such a sore eye, seeing these beautiful morning glories just reminds me it is a new beginning.
Early October AsterHere is a close-up photo of a deep purple aster (possibly Aster amellus 'King George') taken in early October. This picture was taken just before the afternoon sun disappeared over the treetops.
Butterfly on Butterfly BushI haven't seen a butterfly on our butterfly bush in quite a while and then this little fellow shows up today, October 3rd. It looks like a monarch to me.
Incognito (Tiny Frog on Bird Bath)Look to the left of the bird bath on the rim. A little mini frog is perched there trying to look like the big ceramic frogs peering over the sides. Do you think he thought I might not notice? Such a little cutie.
Monarch on a ZinniaWe have so many butterflies on our zinnias and here's a picture of one.
Blue Dragonfly at San Diego Botanic GardenHaving a good time does not always require money. Every 1st Tuesday of the month, San Diego Botanic Garden offers free admission to San Diego County residents. (I only had to pay parking which was just $2).
Tiger DaylilyThese beautiful flowers come back every year. They have three tiers, which make them more unusual than others. I never tire of looking at them.
My June GardenI have been really busy planting since we added a new retaining wall upper tier. This gave us more yard space above and replaced a useless steep slope to the original retaining wall. Here are some photos after the new wall (seen in the background), resulting plantings, and my garden in general. The birds, bees, and I are loving it.
Pansies After the RainI planted these pansies in early springtime, they grew and grew after each rain. After one of the rains I was popping off the dead heads and they were so beautiful with the rain drops still glistening on there petals.
Sharing My Love For OrchidsWhile on a day trip visiting a garden green house filled with these very beautiful orchids, which stole my heart, I had to capture them in true time on our visit. They are so delicate looking, and truly up close is even better. For very little money you can visit places like this in a town near you. Experience all nature has to offer!
Red Dynasty TulipFlowers add beauty to our lives! Look closer and down inside to see the art life of the flower, where there is even more beauty that lies within.
Morning Visitor (Rabbit)It is officially spring! He seems very happy in my backyard.
It's Never Too Late For Planting TulipsI live in South Carolina where seasons are short, with a lot of warmth throughout the year. In January all the local stores marked down all of there tulips 90% off. These bulbs can be stored in a cool dry place until ready to plant. Here in South Carolina you are to plant tulips in Nov/Dec.
Butterflies Are Free (Spicebush Swallowtail)I wanted to share this photo of a butterfly with a pretty hot pink crepe myrtle flower. The butterfly is a spicebush swallowtail. The photo was taken very quickly as these butterflies do not light on anything very long; they are fluttering on by.
The Lonely DaffodilThis beautiful daffy is growing in a crack between the retaining wall in front of my home and a concrete strip next to the sidewalk. I understand that there was a garden there at one time before it was cemented over. So far this year I have been able to enjoy it for a week or more. Oftentimes someone plucks the bloom early on.
Backyard HummingbirdsWe call these two, the Bibs sisters, because they both have like a red bib on their necks, actually their throats, and it's adorable how they'll sit at a feeder together, and in this picture they'll even drink together from the same hanging feeder. They're female Anna's.
My Little Zen GardenI wanted to recreate a zen garden of my own. It has small water feature, with plants, rocks, a bamboo wind chime, and a Buddha statue to set the mood. It is so peaceful when the sprinkler is on.
ChrysanthemumsThese are one of my favorite flowers (chrysanthemums) or mums for short. They live well here in South Carolina and I can always get them to bloom 2 times a season. They are so easy to grow and just require a little dead heading (removal of old flowers) to keep producing more. When the flowers are spent, trim back cutting down to about 3/4 of the stalk. This will bring new growth later.
Dove Having a BathWe feed all the birds year round and have many doves. They love to enjoy a bath too. That is our old water pump from years ago, just as added interest to our yard. The bath tub is a bottom of a hot water tank that we cut off. It works perfectly and is the right depth of water for birds and bees!
Red Oak LeavesAs I looked from the kitchen window, I could see a spot of red at the edge of the woods and wondered what it was. I investigated this morning and saw that there are a few fall leaves still hanging on.
Yearling Bear SightingsThis is a time we see yearling cubs wandering around our property in northeastern Pennsylvania. Mama bears birth their cubs (usually two) and nurse them in their dens their first winter. After a year old (thus the "yearling" term) in the fall the mom encourages them to leave her and forge out on their own.
Doves in a Log Rolling CompetitionWe always had a lot of doves sitting in the trees on our river bank. One day a log drifted down the river and parked itself in front of my yard. The doves found this very interesting and went to investigate.
They look like they are having fun!
Fall at Mabry Mill, VAI took this photo on 10-24-07. It was a rainy day and it has turned out to be the best shot I have gotten of this beautiful place. I think it's due to it being a cloudy day.
Parking Lot FungiWhile out with my 17 year old grandson shopping for a Halloween mask, we saw these beautiful orange fungi in the planter median of the strip mall. I don't know exactly what type of mushroom they are but they were so bright and fun to see. We jumped out of the car with cell phone cameras at the ready.
October Blooming Clematis (Elsa Spath)It's been a hard year for all my plants. Things have looked pretty grim all season. I lost so many roses to spores that thrive in the damp. This may be the first year I didn't try something new.
Buckley Homestead GeeseOn a recent visit to Buckley Homestead County Park in Lowell, Indiana I was greeted by two noisy and curious farm geese. Buckley Homestead is a late 19th/early 20th century working farm. I enjoyed stepping back into the past for a few hours and visiting with the animals.
The Sideline Praying MantisAt a recent football game for my son, we got to enjoy the presence of this fun little guy. After getting some fun pictures of him cheering on the teams, we moved him to a safer location. Capturing his shadow in the photo was the best part!
Elephant in the GardenI took this photo in the butterfly garden. There were so many lovely beautiful, colorful, quiet little beauties in that garden! I must have taken 100 pictures that day. Thru the camera lens I peered and snapped photos and all of a sudden I saw an elephant!
Baby Dove on NestA pair of doves made a nest under the roof of our veranda. It has been incredible, watching them from day 1 when they started to build the nest, seeing mom sitting on the eggs and eventually, the first time we saw her bringing food to feed the little ones. I took the photo this morning when the mom flew off to find food.
Geese EvacuatingUnfortunately many areas of the country this summer have experienced heavy smoke from wildfires. I live on a river where many geese live and for a while, I would see them every morning walking up the road in single file.
June Bug on WatermelonMy mother and I put a wedge of ripe watermelon outside as an alternative for the hummingbirds to sip juice from. We went outside to tend to the garden and saw this massive June bug feasting on it, rolling around in its juices. The contrasting colours were so cool.
A Rose Named CharlieA friend lives in a house built around 1920. There are a lot of treasures to be found on the grounds. Old, unkempt apple and plum trees. Flowering hedges here and there. Peach trees.
Little Duckling ClematisI've posted pictures of the Little Duckling clematis a couple of times before. This one is a little different and a little special.
Cute Little SquirrelNow there's a nice little rodent. He (?) really seems to be enjoying that apple core I tossed out. Golly, I didn't know squirrels liked apples so much.
Road Hogs (Wild Turkeys)These wild turkeys think they own the road, on my way home from my son's one night it took me ten minutes to get them out of the way so I could continue on. I opened the window and yelled at them; they just took their time.
Lovely LiliesI love all the lilies I have in my garden. Unfortunately, this year especially, I only got to see them for a short length of time. The deer think my garden is a salad bar and ate every lily within 3 days of blooming.
Early Signs of Spring (Apricot Buds)I am not very keen on cold weather. In South Africa, we are used to warmer weather, so this winter was particularly cold and unpleasant.
Loving a ChickenI save my food scraps to take to my neighbor's chickens. There is one little hen that gets out of the pen most every day. When she sees me coming, she runs down the path to meet me and follows me to the pen. She lets me pick her up and put her over the fence back into the pen. She wants to eat too.
3 Butterflies and a Bee on EchinaceaAfter reading how important planting native plants are to the health of bees, butterflies, birds, native animals and the environment, I am adding more native plants to my little "Mom's Memorial Garden".
Dahlias and Their PollinatorsI took my grandchildren to the rose garden near the Point Defiance Zoo. We got lots of good photos of the kids, 4.5 - 16, as well as these closeup dahlia ones.
Stillness in BloomWhile visiting a garden in Olathe, Kansas this past July, the stillness of the statue amongst the movement of the flowers captured my attention. It was such a captivating moment as she peeked out of the flowers when I walked past her. I just had to take a picture.
Orchids in SingaporeThese are beautiful orchids with waterfalls in the background inside on indoor garden in Singapore. The garden is a huge glass dome where all kinds of tropical flowers are grown - absolutely beautiful! There is every kind of orchid you can imagine!
The Most Welcome BeesWithout bees, there would be worldwide, mass starvation. Their health and their abundance has been in jeopardy for years. I don't follow this issue closely, but I do make mental notes while I'm out gardening.
Black Swallowtail ButterflyBlack Swallowtail Butterfly that I raised from an egg. 6-15-2018
Box of Blooms and ButterfliesMy boyfriend and I bought some inexpensive seeds and had no experience with these flowers and little about starting them from seeds. This is the result! It is also the first of our boxes. It takes our breath away! The butterflies are just as enjoyable! Hope you enjoy it too.
The Hypnotist (Coneflower)This simple flower turns into a hypnotic experience if one stares at it closely. Like an old-fashioned optical illusion, it starts to move and pull you in...truly inescapable! Now you try! Do you see it moving? Give it time.
Euonymus Foliage with Three ColorsMy little community has a lovely pond in the middle of the complex. We have gold fish, three little "waterfalls" and this unique bush. It has green, yellow, and green and yellow leaves. It's very peaceful to sit and just listen.
Debra''s PeoniesThis peony was moved to my house from my mother's two years ago. This is the first time it's bloomed. I think it's just gorgeous! It's in a vase with my red roses.
Mini Garden TourLast year, early one morning, I put together and posted a very nice tour of a few of my flowers in bloom. This tour was not planned, so don't expect anything fancy.
Saguaro BloomingThis is a picture of our big beautiful saguaro cactus in our front yard. It is blooming and birds come to visit the flowers throughout the day. As big as it is it does not have any holes. It's amazing how huge they can grow and thrive in such hot environments. To have flowers bloom makes them that more fascinating !
