Blog

Yesterday I had plans for this blog. Then came the beautiful snow. Yeah, I know, schools shut down and things got difficult. But what a pretty snow. Perfect for a nice quiet walk around Ives Preserve. So for the next few days, join me! And for an extra treat, just a nice quiet walk. No words. Not even the whoops, damn, didn't mean to get that close to the snow.

Here's an image that really gets all the stuff that can make grass flowers fun. Those dangly anthers, the feathery pistils, and long-awned spikes are all here. I guess I get kind of fanciful when I think of shots like this as capturing the spirit of the subject. So prepare to be subjected to some of those flights of fancy over the next few days. I know that what may be a spirit in the moment to one person is anything but to others. Maybe that will be part of the fun too. And maybe there will be some converts? This Indian grass shot is from Ives Preserve, which for me adds yet another layer of feeling, like getting into the spirit of that place. Aha! Another idea for a future series!

Max may be the most popular of our native sunflowers with gardeners, other than the very much larger common one. Max typically has the usual terminal display of blooms, but adds many lower on the stem, on shorter stems. This makes a very showy display. The narrow, somewhat pale foliage adds to the effect.

This is the next image in the folder with prickly-ash. Couldn't resist, and can't hardly wait. Prickly-ash blooms early, before leaves can slow the pollinating breeze. In this case even before the early blooming hepatica, which is just sprouting some new leaves here.