(from April 16, spring flowers)
Apr. 19th, 2013 03:38 pmI came home this afternoon and saw the flowers coming up. They've been coming up for about a week now, but then we had snow and then horrid rain for three or four days (and cloudy skies when it wasn't raining). Suddenly I felt that time was fleeing and that I had to get outside and take pictures. Immediately. Spring is the quickest, briefest season--what was it that Robert Frost said?
There's this house on the corner, and the owners have a big hedge grown up along the sidewalk. In the wintertime it's pretty see-through because the leaves fall off, and sparrows perch in it year-round, so I like to look for birds when I go by. But today I saw that it had started budding leaves. And what leaves! They were just like flowers.
While I was doing my first pass (mostly to toss the blurry or under/overexposed photos) and flicking through pictures, waiting for them to load, zooming in and out to look at clarity etc, I found myself practically salivating over the photos. The really nice, really sharp pictures--I kept thinking that they were absolutely delicious.
Then I got up and ate dinner, just in case.
That said, there's just something in a clean, sharp macro photo that's...delicious. Some brain wiring has gotten fused, perhaps, but--well, the flowers look like they're cupping sunshine! Ahhhh, there's nothing like flowers.

Sunshine in the petals!

Everything else in the landscaped park is still mulch or just greenery, except for these tiny flowers. I don't know what they're called.

This is a closeup of the same.


We had some snow/rain after some of the flowers came up, so some of them are knocked over. But I think they look more interesting like this. What can you do with perfection, anyway?

Mostly I just like the shadow over there :D

Here's the nature's first gold - they're the bush that I was talking about before. I had the hardest time trying to focus a photo (the autofocus kept whirring as it focussed on one branch, then another, then back to this one, then back to another...) At this stage they are just like flowers.

They're not even flowers. They just look so happy! (I pointed the camera in the direction of the sun.)

I don't know what these flowers are called either, but they're just the slightest tinge blue and kind of lovely. Not individually breathtaking, just pretty.

Diva tulips.
I think I need to change my lj style. (After four years!) It's just not as wide as the dw one, and it's a pain with photographs; if you visit my journal you'll probably have to scroll; I don't think that the space is even 800px wide.
Nature's first green is gold
Her hardest hue to hold.
There's this house on the corner, and the owners have a big hedge grown up along the sidewalk. In the wintertime it's pretty see-through because the leaves fall off, and sparrows perch in it year-round, so I like to look for birds when I go by. But today I saw that it had started budding leaves. And what leaves! They were just like flowers.
While I was doing my first pass (mostly to toss the blurry or under/overexposed photos) and flicking through pictures, waiting for them to load, zooming in and out to look at clarity etc, I found myself practically salivating over the photos. The really nice, really sharp pictures--I kept thinking that they were absolutely delicious.
Then I got up and ate dinner, just in case.
That said, there's just something in a clean, sharp macro photo that's...delicious. Some brain wiring has gotten fused, perhaps, but--well, the flowers look like they're cupping sunshine! Ahhhh, there's nothing like flowers.

Sunshine in the petals!

Everything else in the landscaped park is still mulch or just greenery, except for these tiny flowers. I don't know what they're called.

This is a closeup of the same.


We had some snow/rain after some of the flowers came up, so some of them are knocked over. But I think they look more interesting like this. What can you do with perfection, anyway?

Mostly I just like the shadow over there :D

Here's the nature's first gold - they're the bush that I was talking about before. I had the hardest time trying to focus a photo (the autofocus kept whirring as it focussed on one branch, then another, then back to this one, then back to another...) At this stage they are just like flowers.

They're not even flowers. They just look so happy! (I pointed the camera in the direction of the sun.)

I don't know what these flowers are called either, but they're just the slightest tinge blue and kind of lovely. Not individually breathtaking, just pretty.

Diva tulips.
I think I need to change my lj style. (After four years!) It's just not as wide as the dw one, and it's a pain with photographs; if you visit my journal you'll probably have to scroll; I don't think that the space is even 800px wide.
no subject
Date: Apr. 20th, 2013 09:38 am (UTC)The little blue flowers are Scilla, and I know them as Angel Eyes, and there is a single variety that is just aaah so pretty.
The blue ones... erm. MAYbe related to the wind anenome? New one on me, and if you DO find the name, PLEASE tell us. It's gorgeous. (Not the crocii... know them, that luminous blue yummy)
The green pointy leaves are Lily of the Valley - Muguet. A very special flower here in France symbolic for the May lst Workers Day... everyone sports Muguet du Bois. Had MASSES in The Old Garden.. now I shall go and pick some when I go check on the place.
What super flowers, and pics. I wish I could figure my camera out enough to take ones like that!
no subject
Date: Apr. 20th, 2013 07:26 pm (UTC)I love crocus. There was a lot of purple and violet flowers around, and they were just ahhh, everything that flowers ought to be.
I think the green plants are actually the first leaves of tulips--none of the actual flowers have come up, these are just the first pokings out. And the daffodils have already bloomed (holy cow they're fast) but once they are out I will take a picture--I pass by them all the time, since I live right nearby.
I didn't know about the muget! Oh, well, I think I've seen some flowers that look similar to lily of the valley (I'm an awful botanist, can't tell anything apart) but they were all very limp and battered by the rain :(
Aww, I wish I could show you; it's really not too hard once you get it (and aren't afraid of looking silly trying to get pictures.) Man, why is this world so big?
no subject
Date: Apr. 21st, 2013 08:26 am (UTC)LOVELY pics of Lily of the Valley. They look just green leaves, not quite so bluey and thick looking as a tulip leaf, but the pointy effect is similar. But the Muguet have a thinner leaf and then BOOOM when you think there's no flowers there. UP pops a thin stem and then these glorious little sturdy flowers...only the one stem at a time, and you must NOT pull, must clip or cut or pick OFF... cos if you pull you pull out next years blossom root.
Our National Flower here almost.... must check it out.. might well be. We have scarlet poppies and also the Blue cornflower... and the white marguerite.. (Nantional colours!! blue white and red!)
The photographing I shall work out... it's just that I had a big canon slr with all the gadgets (not that I used them much). but when I went to Oz I took the camera and made such good photos the boat Photographer said he'd supply me with film as long as he could use my pics!!!! teeeheee. super fun that was. and buying the extras too.. from Panama and Kingston and Tahiti and Papeete NZ etc. all duty free of course!!! I loved my camera. Oh well, another hockable item when I was broke.
Enjoy the flahs!!!!
no subject
Date: Apr. 21st, 2013 07:00 pm (UTC)Ah ha! The colour coordination makes sense.
That's practically the same camera I have--only it's a digital SLR (but it's the same reflex camera) and I even have a Canon :D Oh wow, I'd love to go take photos there, you've been so many different places!