The Importance of Bees

 

"If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man." This quote, or some variation of it, is attributed to Albert Einstein. True or not, it is interesting to think about.

Dwarf Bear Poppy

 

Dwarf Bear Poppy

                                                                                                                 Beautiful, Resilient, Adaptable, Survivor

 

Nature can teach us so much about life! On this day I learned that one can find beauty almost anywhere if one looks hard enough, long enough or close enough. I also learned that being tenacious in adapting to one's surroundings and circumstances is a key to survival and growth. This charming plant, the Dwarf Bear Poppy, is only found in the barren deserts of Washington County, Utah, and can't even be grown in labs or protected gardens. In contrast to this harsh environment where it lives and survives, the plant and blooms look fragile and delicate as their petals flutter gracefully in the breeze.  Can you spot a couple of these plants from the long distance view below?

                                                

Small, Colorful, and Interesting

Often, when I take time to observe and focus my attention on seemingly small and overlooked things, I find they are actually colorful, interesting and have purpose as they go about their day's activities. Kinda like people. This was taken at a small pond near home.

 

Thanksgiving Point 2021

 

TULIP FESTIVAL 2021

Great Room Transformation!

 

 AFTER

We have done a total remodel of the house we purchased two years ago, including tearing down walls.  We are almost done....FINALLY!   I needed a change from the formal, traditional decorating that I've always had, so my goal here was casual, light, cheery with pops of color. 

(And since I've never liked looking at a big screen TV in the living room when it's not in use, it is hidden behind my photo above the fireplace!)

                                                                                                                                                        BEFORE                                                                                     

Flower Fantasy

Instead of standing at a distance to view the garden, I sit on a bench to greet the flowers at eye level. This changes everything! Immediately my senses are magically transported to a whimsical, dreamy place. Looking through my lens I see a lively blend of shapes and colors waltzing with the breeze, and I notice the delicate details of each bloom. I hear a busy, buzzing bee and can smell the sweetness of the flower nectar he is seeking. I notice a sun ray pin pointing the delicate transparency of his wings.......or maybe it was a fairy's wings I saw. I'm not sure. My mind settles and I am still. I stop thinking about taking photos and begin to marvel at the miracle of God's creations. Multitudes of growing things, each variety uniquely different and beautiful, yet those in this garden, all living and dancing together in perfect harmony. For me it is therapy for the heart and soul!

Flower Portrait

 

"Earth Laughs In Flowers" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Siler Pincushion Cactus

Siler Pincushion Cactus
 

For those of you not familiar with desert landscapes, the Siler Pincushion Cactus is a federally listed endangered plant and only grows in a small region on the Utah, Arizona border. The blossoms are small, about an inch, or around the size of a quarter.

Early Spring Cactus Blooms

 

Looking Closer!

 Our photo club had a meetup in downtown St. George.  Because the sights are common for everyone to see who visits the area, my goal was to find compositions that were creative, artistic and interesting.  Here are a few of my efforts:

 Spring in the desert is beautiful! 

 I love seeing views like this every day! (For those interested, when shooting a landscape scene where I want the flowers in the foreground to be the main subject, I often choose to have the background in a softer focus so as not to compete with the flowers. I most often do this when the background is bright and/or has many small details. I guess this goes against striving to have all parts of a landscape image be tack sharp from foreground to background as many landscape photographers strive to do.)

Time for Daffys!

 

                    A few cheerful daffodils to celebrate the beginning of Spring in Southern Utah.

Forsythia Means Spring is Around the Corner!

 

                                                                              I love forsythia! 

It is one of the first plants to bud out in the spring and is a welcome relief from gray skies and gray landscapes. I would often see these bright yellow shrubs mixed with spring snow showers and be reminded that winter is almost over for another year. But both snow and forsythia are not as common here in St. George as they are in northern Utah, so when I saw this on my travels a couple days ago I had to stop and take a photo......or maybe it was 10-20!

Spring is Not Here Quite Yet!

 

Mother Nature reminding us that winter is not quite over in the St. George area. It snowed yesterday and today, but this afternoon the heavy cloud cover lifted so I headed to Kayenta to see if the elusive, seasonal waterfalls were falling as they often do after a heavy rain or snow storm.

Spring in Snow Canyon

 

                                                                                           Spring has come to Snow Canyon! 

This was taken this morning about 5 minutes away from home, and I was standing right by the road. (I used to calI the photos I take nearby, (that everyone in the area would have access to without hiking or traveling), 'Drive By Shootings'. I thought I was clever until someone contacted me and said not to do that because she didn't read the rest of the caption and really thought someone had been shot in the neighborhood. So much for being clever!! (I literally was standing by the side of the road and had to crop out the roofs of houses that were visible in the bottom of the frame.)

Anticipation

 

Anticipation!! This is a backyard garden memory from a few years ago. I always look forward to Spring but I think this year comes the added anticipation and hope that soon we will be able to live a more normal lifestyle. And this Spring I think the flowers will seem more beautiful, more colorful, and bring me extra joy!

Spring is Coming

 

How often do we take the time to find and enjoy the beauty that we see all around us? This work of art is a common Zinnia in the process of blooming. One of my favorite photographers, Karen Hutton, said, "I maintain that there is always EXTRA ordinary to be found in the ordinary. Sometimes it just takes the eyes to see it." I agree!!

Pine Valley Mountain, Utah

 

Pine Valley Mountain at sunset. For those of you not familiar with the St. George area, this mountain range is not naturally orange like the cliffs in my last post. If anyone wonders why landscape photographers (and other landscape artists), always talk about the importance of the quality of light, the time of day and the weather conditions necessary to make a good photo/image, look at the difference in the 2nd photo taken near the same location as the first one, but at midday in the bright sun.

Snow in Snow Canyon, Utah

 

                      

          

Snow in Snow Canyon

Not a usual winter occurrence, but every once in a while, and uncommon enough to entice me out of my warm bed this morning! Pre-sunrise light is cool and pink.

Just after sunrise the lighting on these cliffs was warm and vibrant. Both equally beautiful to me.

Fire Lake - Ivins, Utah

 

                                                                        Fire Lake at Sunset

I think photos like this show how Fire Lake got it's name! It's about five minutes away from home, and I often go here to walk on the path around sunset. More often than not, the red cliffs reflected in the lake put on a beautiful show. Yesterday was no exception. It was a lovely, warm day here in the St. George area. After my walk, I set up my camera and tripod, and I was the only one there to enjoy the view.