Macro…

Spring-like weather, new macro lens for my iPhone, little buds on the plants=getting to know you…finding there is not very much depth of field to the lens, but, Mac, I like your images anyway…we will chalk up the blur to art, evocative, expressive…even Monet got blurry in his old age…some samples…
This Gordon Gooseberry (Ribes menziesii var.hystrix) I have shared before, but I love, love this tiny flower with its perky petals that sweep up. I had trouble with depth of field on this one and finally decided to try to get the tip in focus.

Sweet little Osoberry (Oemlaria cerasiformis ‘North Coast’)

Pink Flowering Current (Ribes sanguineum v. glutinosum ‘Tranquilon Ridge)

As close as I had to get to these flowers I am not sure I will be taking any shots of bees…ladybugs maybe…
The best picture turned out to be of the flattest flower, of course…
Seaside Daisy (Erigeron glaucus)

I have an orchid inside that I practiced on. Odontocidium, Tiger Crow, Golden Girl)

The state of the silk tassel…

I mentioned a few weeks ago that our silk tassel bush that in years past had no blooms, and then last year had one, was going to do some amazing things this year. It did, it really did…
Coast Silk-tassel (Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’)

More signs of life in the garden…
Gordon Goosberry (Ribes menziesii var. hystrix) the flower is about 1/2″ long and it has a lot of thorns…

And the California Pipevine (Aristolochia californica) has started 1/2″ flowers…

It is great to see these signs of life and then I got slap-happy with my macro lens and my Chalk Dudleya (Dudleya pulverulenta)which also has small blooms poking out…

To all my friends…

Happy Valentine’s Day!

The walk…

For the last two months our household has gotten the habit of walking each morning at 6:30…in training, as it were, for more travel. It is lovely in the quiet neighborhood, pitch black when we leave the house, while it stays so dark we can hear the hoot of a Great Horned Owl and as it starts to lighten, the crows start their jabber and even lighter brings small birds scratching in the bushes.

It Was Early
It was early,
which has always been my hour
to begin looking
at the world

and of course,
even in the darkness,
to begin
listening into it,

especially
under the pines
where the owl lives
and sometimes calls out

as I walk by,
as he did
on this morning.
So many gifts!
Mary Oliver

I made this collage with my iPhone to express my motivation for all these walks…

Nature art…

iPhone+garden+lazy morning=impression