Meequite Car Show - 2021

 

Festival of the Americas - Kayenta, Utah

 

Bridal Veil Falls in Springtime

 

 Datura Stramonium

A story and a word of caution for those of you new to the St. George, Utah area, (or are visiting). This plant is called Datura stramonium, (Jimson Weed). It is common, 'showy', invasive and pops up in many places this time of year. It has large white flowers that are attractive, have a pleasant fragrance, (so I'm told), and capture the attention of nature lovers, flower photographers....and small children. We had one pop up in our back yard and hadn't bothered to remove it. Last week some of our young grandchildren were visiting. My granddaughter began picking tiny yellow flowers from another bush to make a bouquet for her mother, without asking permission. I noticed her doing so but did not care as the bush was loaded with these unremarkable flowers. A while later she came and asked me if she could pick one of the big pretty white flowers in the back of the yard. This time I was thankful that she asked first. I recall knowing they were poisonous, (but didn't know how poisonous), so of course I told her "no". Depending on which source you read, these plants are extremely poisonous under certain conditions and when ingested, have been used as a hallucinogen and known to cause intense visions, delirium, hypothermia, tachycardia, bizarre behavior. The effects on both mind and body are subjectively perceived as highly unpleasant, causing a state of profound and long-lasting disorientation with a potentially fatal outcome. Yikes! We now have one less plant in our backyard!

Poppies in Alpine, Utah

 

                                                                           Missing Spring in northern Utah!

Kayenta Sunset

 

Kayenta, Utah Sunset

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                   The actual sunset wasn't nearly as dramatic as the view in the opposite direction!

Soft and Sweet, and Pretty in Pastel

 

Long Beach California Temple

 

Long Beach, California Temple

 

Still going through photos I took several years ago. This was taken on a beautiful, peaceful evening as we strolled through the gardens surrounding the Long Beach California Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Inside temples like this, members take time away from the cares of the world to enter peaceful and beautiful surroundings where they can meditate, worship and renew their commitments to be followers of Jesus Christ.

Cactus Bloom

 

Early Morning In My Desert Garden

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.)