A Walk in the Park

This past weekend Jerry and I were in Springfield Missouri for a National Street Rod Show. While searching online for a motel, I discovered that Springfield has a botanical garden. Since it was just a couple of miles from the hotel we chose, I talked Jerry into dropping me off while he went to get our truck registered for the event. He was reluctant to drop me off at a strange place in a strange town, but I assured him I would be fine. I was more than fine. I had the most wonderful afternoon strolling through the garden which covered over 100 acres with 26 themed areas. I knew my time was limited so I planned my route through the garden with three specific sections I wanted to see . . . the butterfly house, the lake, and the Japanese garden.

I was surprised that I was able to stroll through most of the garden areas. I only missed a couple of small ones on the other side of the lake.

Butterfly House

Drummond Lake

Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden

I blogged about the Japanese Garden over at Focusing On Life this week. I would love for you to hop over there and read about it. There were winding paths, three small lakes, water cascades, a ceremonial teahouse, a moon bridge, and a meditation garden. The 7.5 acre traditional Japanese Garden was my favorite section. 

The rest of the pictures are random shots throughout the garden.

Well, here's my ride, I need to go!

I hope you enjoyed this quick look at Springfield Botanical Gardens!

What Does The Word Mean?

WORDS

We speak them every day. We make a sound or a combination of sounds that communicates a meaning. We write them. We read them. WORDS carry immeasurable significance. The universe was created with WORDS.  "God spoke the world into being by the power of His words."  Hebrews 11:3.

I know how to read words, to write them, to speak them, but photographing the meaning of WORDS is a big challenge. A group organized by one of my favorite photographers and teachers, Kim Manley Ort, is trying to do just that. We're using the book Consolations, The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning Of Everyday Words, by David Whyte for our prompts. Whyte turns our attention to 52 ordinary words "each it's own particular doorway into the underlying currents of human life. Consolations invites readers into a poetic and thoughtful consideration of words whose meanings and interpretation influence the paths we choose and the way we traverse them throughout our lives." (from David Whyte website.)

This has been a very challenging experience for me. I have been known to say that I don't "philosify" about my photos. I take them for pure pleasure, but this gathering has taught me to look at things differently. To take the week's word, mull it over in my mind, decide how I could represent my feelings of the word in a picture, and then actually find and take the picture; as I said very challenging! I'd like to share these words, my thoughts or sometimes just a quote, and my photos with you.

ALONE

where I can hear my thoughts

where my mind can rest

where I can feel delight

"In solitude

the mind gains strength

and learns to lean upon itself."

~ Laurence Sterne

AMBITION

Ambition is the inner force needed to propel me to my goal even though there may be struggles and hardships. I've always been amazed at how a delicate mushroom can push through the hard ground as it seeks the light. Nature is a wonderful teacher.

ANGER

"Anger is like a storm

rising up from the bottom of your consciousness.

When you feel it coming,

turn your focus to your breath."

~Thich Nhat Hanh

BEAUTY

I am a seeker of nature's beauty.

I am in constant awe of God's creation.

"He who seeks beauty will find it."

~ Bill Cunningham

Beginning

"All glory comes from daring to begin."

~ Eugene F. Ware

Do I dare often enough?

"Words mean more than what is set down on paper.

It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning."

~ Maya Angelou

Sunday Sundries - Edition 60 - A Little Sunshine

Beautiful and graceful,

varied and enchanting,

small but approachable,

butterflies

lead you to the sunny side of life.

And everyone deserves a little sunshine.

~Jeffrey Glassberg

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 30

This post wraps up my 30 Days of Gratitude postings. I have been changed this month. I have been more content, peaceful, and joyful as I've contemplated the beauty of nature. As the quote says

"It is not joy that makes us grateful, it's gratitude that makes us joyful."  ~ David Steindle-Rast

I am grateful as I wander this earth for the many beauties I see in nature and I am grateful that when I share them here, you visit. I am grateful for each one of you. Words can never express how you have touched my life in so many ways!  Thank you for sticking with my posting every day this month! Thank you for your comments that always make me smile! Thank you for being in my circle of friends!

"New beauty meets us at every step in all our wanderings."

~ John Muir

Sunday Sundries - Edition 12

 

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,

so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:13

Sunday Sundries ~ Edition 9

 

It's spring fever.

That is what the name of it is.

And when you've got it,

you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want,

but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!

~Mark Twain

 



Summer Finds

Another week of summer has come and gone!  And, another summer scavenger hunt is complete. Great prompts once again and lots of fun finding them! I was looking for...

butterflies,  sunglasses,  flowers,  sprinkler,  ice cream,  watermelon,  and  relaxing.

The first prompt was the hardest...butterfly. I searched high and low for one of these elusive beauties! They seem to be so scarce this year. I finally gave up and posted this image. It seemed a fake butterfly would have to do!

Later in the week I traveled to my daughter's home to spend a few days. Needing a break from the car ride, I bought a sandwich and stopped at a little city park for lunch. A park which just happened to have a small flower garden that was attracting...butterflies! I rushed back to the car, grabbed my camera, and took shots of butterflies until I was just too hot to take any more!

Sunglasses, those are something I use regularly. Once I got started, my sunglasses were suddenly everywhere!

Of course, you can't have a summer scavenger hunt without some pretty flowers.

To keep the lawns and flowers pretty we need to drag out the sprinklers several times a week. This little squirrel braved the sprinkler to get some of the sunflower seeds I put out for the birds.

Summertime just wouldn't be complete without some homemade Milky Way Ice Cream.

As I mentioned before, I went to my daughter's this week. I knew we were going to spend one day on the lake, so I took along a watermelon for us to eat and to use for this last prompt. I was going to make watermelon balls and place them in a bowl for the shot. When my grandson, Josh, started helping me, I knew this shot was so much better than just a bowl of watermelon!

 Our last prompt was relaxing. Photography is more relaxing to me than anything else.

These summer scavenger hunts are not always easy, but they have been fun. They have also gotten me outside on these hot summer days.

I certainly hope you're finding ways to enjoy your summer!

Just A Little Bit Closer!

I'm starting to like my tripod!  It think I need to give it a name since lately it's been going everywhere with me!  It's pretty amazing even if it can be a pain!!

 

In the macro class with Suttercal we had a lesson on focus. He gave us tips to help us get sharper images and to get more of the object in focus by using different camera settings.

 

It was suggested that we try to photograph something relatively flat to work on sharpness. By adjusting the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO you can get more in focus. All of these were taken with manual focus and are straight out of the camera, no cropping.

 

I started out with a postage stamp. Wouldn't you love to go back to the days of  three cent stamps!!  I took this picture inside near a bright window.

2.8/100mm macro lens, tripod, shutter speed 1/125, aperture f/8, ISO 1600

 

 

This Vinca is fairly flat with gently curves.  I used a mist bottle to add the drops of water, just cause I like drops!! It was taken in morning light on my porch.

2.8/100mm macro lens, tripod, shutter speed 1/80, aperture f/7.1, ISO 100

I have learned since I took this photo that the shutter speed should have been at least over 100 since I was using my 100mm lens.  Another rule to rattle around in my brain!

Have to start with a disclaimer on this one! I would love to photograph a flitting butterfly up this close, but that's not going to happen!!  I'm sorry to say this lovely butterfly met it's demise in the car grill!  It was a very windy this day, so I brought the wing inside and placed it near a bright window.

2.8/100mm macro lens, tripod, shutter speed 1/125, aperture 4.5, ISO 1600

 

 

 

Another not so active insect!  This guy had been stung by a wasp. My grandson and I saw the wasp. It was carrying the caterpillar and dropped him on the porch near us. Of course, what do all little boys want to do? Touch it!  Aaron had just rolled him over to see his feet, when I grabbed the camera and took a few shots. This is a good example of how narrow field of focus can be in macro photography. You can see the blur in front of and behind the caterpillar.

2.8/50mm lens, propped camera, shutter speed 1/125; aperture f/9, ISO 1600

This shot of a  quilting pin in a strawberry pin cushion was taken near a bright window.

2.8/100mm macro lens, tripod, shutter speed 1/100, aperture f/4, ISO 800

I saved my favorite for last!  I love this shot of a tiny acorn!  There's so much detail and texture. It also makes me think of the cooler days of fall!

2.8/50mm macro lens, propped camera, morning light, shutter speed 1/125, aperture f/9, ISO 1600

 

I hope this hasn't bored you since it's filled with photography jargon!  You can always skip that part and just enjoy looking at a few beauties of nature!!

 

Those

who dwell among the beauties

and mysteries of the earth

are never alone or weary of life.

                      ~Rachel Carson

Scavenger Hunt Sunday ~ July 28

I waited till the last of the week to go looking for images for Scavenger Hunt Sunday!  Do I dare say it again???  It's just been too hot!  It was 100 degrees by 11:00 a.m. Saturday morning and it will be in the triple digits all this week!  Add to that tons of humidty...nuff said!!!  Thankfully, we had a little cool spell on Friday that enticed  me outside with my camera.

Our prompts were:

• paint
• green
• eyelashes
• shapes
• clouds

Paint

The paint is peeling on this tool box and the rust has begun!

Green

Green muscadine berries that will never ripen because the birds eat them!

Eyelashes

Sweet eyelashes that belong to my grandson, Josh. This photo is from last week. My husband and I neither one wanted a picture of our eyelashes!!

Shapes

I'm stretching this a little!!  Unusual shapes...curved butterfly's tongue, circle eye, and curls on the flowers.

Clouds

We've had a not summer, but the skies have been gorgeous; filled with clouds almost every day that make for some beautiful sunsets but bring no rain!

Have a fun week!!!

Stay cool!!!