Posted on April 6, 2018 in Flowers, Lensbaby, Macro, Nature, Soft Focus
I found a subtle sign of Spring in my garden last weekend. These tiny Crocus’ popped through last Fall’s leftover leaves to add some color to the otherwise drab winter scenery.
Posted on July 13, 2017 in Flowers, Lensbaby, Nature, Soft Focus, Still Life
A favorite spot to photograph at Peace Valley Lavender Farm is the area where the bunches of cut lavender are hanging to dry. The fragrance of dried lavender can last as long as 15 years. I have a sachet in the car and all I need to do is squeeze it a little and the lavender fragrance fills the air! It’s one of those fragrances that I just can’t get enough of … just like lilacs and honeysuckle!
Posted on June 29, 2017 in Flowers, Lensbaby, Macro, Nature, Soft Focus
There were bumble bees galore at the lavender farm. Lavender is one of the bumble bees most favorite flowers to visit. Here is some interesting information from a study done by the University of Sussex in England:
“The tubular flowers of lavender make nectar extraction harder for the shorter-tongued honey bee, which has to jam its head into each flower to get to the nectar, Nick Balfour and fellow researchers at the University of Sussex observed when studying bees visiting an experimental flower garden at the University. Bumblebees spent 1.1-1.4 seconds per lavender flower, as opposed to the slower honey bee’s 3.5 seconds per flower. The length of time needed is crucial because bee foraging is about efficiency. The quicker a bee can visit a flower, the more food it can bring back for its colony. Two seconds faster might not seem much, but multiplied over thousands of flowers the benefit is significant.”
Who knew, right?
Posted on April 3, 2017 in Animals, Dogs, Nature, People, Seascape, Soft Focus
What could be more perfect than spending a day along the water’s edge with your best friend … and having the entire beach to yourselves?
Posted on February 10, 2017 in Flowers, Nature, Soft Focus
Longwood Gardens is a heavenly place to spend a cold winter day! Entering the conservatory after a brisk walk through the outdoor gardens is always a delight to the senses. The warmth, vivid colors, and sweet fragrance of the flowers make my heart sing! This is an image from the Acacia Passage inside the conservatory. This time of year the feathery foliage of the Acacia leprosa trees in this walkway bloom with yellow flowers. This photo was taken in Spring but was equally as beautiful when the area featured these baskets of pink flowers.