Just a few weeks ago these milkweed plants at Riverfront Park in Billings, Montana were inundated by the Yellowstone River.
Today the milkweed flowers are opening and I’m hoping some monarch butterflies will soon come through. Did you know milkweed leaves are the sole source of food for monarch butterfly larvae?
In the meantime, I’m enjoying the shapes and textures of the flowers.
Posted in response to Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge July Close-up or Macro.
With the first Wednesday of February comes Cee’s Midweek Madness monthly challenge of Close Up or Macro. I took these photos along the Merkle Trail in Usery Mountain Regional Park, Mesa, Arizona, at the end of December 2021. It had just rained and I could not resist trying to capture drops of water digitally (I was going to say “on film” but I haven’t used film in years).
The only photo editing software I have what came with the laptop so it’s nothing fancy. I almost always crop a picture and will occasionally fiddle with the exposure. That’s what you see in these first pictures.
I do play with the ‘filter’ option just to see what happens, rarely keeping the result. But the color that popped in this last picture was so unexpected, I decided to share.
With the first hard freeze of the season earlier this week, we have definitely said good-bye to summer here in central Iowa. The forecast calls for a few more warmish days but the nip in the air says it is definitely autumn.
The pictures are posted in response to Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge – November Close Up or Macro. The first photo in each row was taken in late September. The others were all taken in toward the end of October.
I think you should be able to click on one photo to see the full image and then scroll through all of them.
ADDED: So interesting that the images are square when post is read through the WordPress Reader. When read on the Another LQQK page, the photos are cropped round and can be pulled up one by one in their original rectangular shape. – Teressa
Another week for an eclectic mix of pictures in response to Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge! The October letter of the week is a “Q” or an “U” somewhere in the word. I considered sharing only photos that could be loosely connected to an aquatic theme. But couldn’t resist a few letter “U” pics that are definitely not aquatic.
The first three pictures – aquatic, blue heron watching Canada Geese, and gulls – as well as the last picture – sunset – were are all taken at Big Creek State Park in the last month.
The bed tuft picture was taken at the Brooklyn Bedding mattress factory in Mesa, Arizona in May.
I found the bathtub in a sunflower field at Center Grove Orchard in September.
The sunflower bud was shot in July in the sunflower fields near Badger Creek State Park, Iowa.
The white buffalo was part of the “OrigamiintheGarden2” exhibit at Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.
A little bit of autumn (2011 and 2021), some Halloween (2015), flowers from three seasons (2016, 2021, 2011), a monarch butterfly (2021) and a view of my cul-de-sac (2021). All for Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge – October Color Oranges and/or Light Green.
Posted in response to Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge – October Close Up or Macro. I put all the photos in one ‘gallery’ so you should be able to enlarge any one of them then scroll through the rest. While you’re at it, you might notice the shapes, the textures, the shadows or the light, and the colors.
Posted in response to Becky’s July TreeSquare Challenge.
Posted in response to Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge – May Color Purple.
As I looked at photos I took at Reiman Gardens last Saturday (April 3, 2021), I found three of the same tree that I think work for the April’s Close-Up or Macro Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge.
The shapes and patterns of both the flower buds and the unopened leaves are interesting.
But it was probably the color of the leaves that first caught my eye.
Because I knew I’d never remember it is a Wayfaring Tree Viburnum, I snapped a picture of the identification tag!
It was a cold and foggy morning in central Iowa. Since Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge today is Macro or Close-up, I put on my winter boots, warmest coat, hat and gloves before heading outside with the camera to attempt to digitally capture the frost.
These are my three favorite pictures of the morning (2/3/2021). And I didn’t even have to leave the yard!
Hope the temperature is just right wherever you are! (Indoors, with a quilt and a hot chai latte.)
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2/3/2021: Just learned that the white stuff on the trees this morning was not frost. It was rime ice. There’s a difference that has to do with how it formed. Since it formed from freezing fog (think water droplets), it’s rime ice.
Another LQQK 