Once again it’s Friday and time for a flower photo. I took this photo in California where I was excited to be able to take some shots that included drops. Today in our part of Arizona it’s been threatening to rain and we’ve had a few measly attempts but nothing that adds up to much. However, the skies are still dark so we still have hope. Welcome to Friday and don’t forget to check your spam folder. I’ve had at somewhere between 75 and 100 today in total so far, none of them legitimate
As we near two years of living in Arizona, the challenge of sharing photos of water is somewhat amusing a/o daunting. Our city averages 9 inches of rain per year and if we have enough that we can’t count the raindrops, we think it’s a pretty good rain. Okay, that’s a little exaggerated, but not much. The most common water I see is in the canal where I walk and although not especially picturesque, canals are the lifeblood of the area.
Water serves a number of functions other than simply hydrating us and everything on earth. Here are a few I’ve found and enjoyed:
Water as power…
Water as nature’s jewelry…
Water as mirror…
Water as home…
Water as food source…
Water as art (a sort of pointillism perhaps)…
Water as beauty…
When there’s smoke blurring/covering the distant views, look down! The close views were still beautiful as these bejeweled flowers perfectly demonstrate. After almost a year and a half in Arizona, I appreciate water drops on flowers (or anything) even more, although while we were gone, Arizona got quite a lot of rain. We did get some rain in the first week at the cabin. It’s quite lovely to sit on the deck/porch while it rains, reading, relaxing, and sipping tea or a beer.
“Rainy days should be spent at home with a cup of tea and a good book.”
― Bill Watterson, The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book
Despite the smoke dulling things a bit and the fact that it was August, the flowers were still prolifically colorful.
“I will be the gladdest thing under the sun! I will touch a hundred flowers and not pick one.”
― Edna St. Vincent Millay
Always a beautiful view from the opposite end of the lake looking back at one of the cabins (not ours.)
“A little tranquil lake is more significant to my life than any big city in the world”
― Munia Khan
Yeah, this is what I do…or what I really like to do. Get up close and personal. See small things that others might miss. Look more and more closely. So you can imagine that choosing photos for this wasn’t at all easy although it was fun. After I hit five, I stopped. But I hope you enjoy the five I chose and thanks to Anne for hostessing this week.
For the next several weeks I’ll be out of town, first meeting realtors and getting general information for our upcoming move, then visiting our daughter and son-in-law in southern California. I won’t be able to visit and comment as often as usual, but I’ll do my best. What I’ll be doing here is featuring a photo each day from McDowell Forest Preserve in Naperville, Illinois, “my” park. Please feel free to comment (I’ll certainly respond) and enjoy the beauty of this special place.
for One Word Sunday
Yesterday we woke to the promised winter storm: about 6″ of snow on the ground and still coming down thickly. It snowed well into the late afternoon, a gloriously beautiful day! By the time it stopped, it was probably close to 10″, making a walk to the nearby grocery store for buy-one-get-one pizza for National Pizza Day quite a bit of exercise. More snow’s in the forecast for tomorrow and Sunday. I may have to head over to the park in the morning!
Choosing the six-word title for today’s post was almost as difficult as choosing how to edit this shot. Hopefully you’ll enjoy both and hopefully also have a wonder-filled weekend. I know I will.
Drops on ornamental kale
I admit to a fondness for shots of water drops. Since today is the “Macro” theme, I thought I’d play with this drop a little bit. It’s always good to begin the week with some fun. I hope your week’s off to a good start and that it’s warmer than it is in the Chicago metropolitan area!
This, that and the other thing 