Tuesday, June 3, 2008

How to keep oneself occupied in the rain

It poured rain last weekend, but that didn't stop me from running around outside with my trusty Nikon. In fact, I took so many shots, I went through two batteries and got soaked to the bone. But there's always something interesting to shoot around the lake and I never let a bit of rain get in the way of fun. Very few flowers are out yet. The cottage garden is always weeks behind the city stuff. But everything is that beautiful, intense spring green that seems to glow from within.

The hostas are poking out through the leaves from last fall. I enjoy them while I can, because the deer treat my garden like an all-you-can-eat salad bar.

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And a columbine bud followed by a full flower. I could not for the life of me get that drop of water in focus. I tried different speeds, apertures, auto, positioning of my body....At one point I was hunkered down in the mud, crunched against the wall, balancing my camera (because I forgot my tripod) in a hellish yoga pose one might label "Soaked Sneakers Spider In Hair Muddy Plumber's Crack" (that is, until my muscles seized up in protest and I got the shakes, which didn't help with the capture of the darn water drop.) Actually, forget everything I just said. I meant to do that. It's called Artistic License.

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Then I noticed my rhubarb has already gone to seed, but I love the colours. They look like tight little fists.

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Here is this tree with long strings of bell-like flowers. Anyone know what kind this is?

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And lastly, one of my favourite flowers of spring.

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16 comments:

Anonymous said...

The sepia photo is stunning. The Lily of the Valley reminds me of my mother-in-law's garden in Toronto.

A Novel Woman said...

Hi Mom, I mean, "anonymous".

I always think of Nana's garden when I see Lily-of-the-Valley too.

Merrymags said...

Pamela:

You're a writer, correct? Then your artistic and creative talents know no bounds.... I love coming here just to see your pics.

Okay, Tom said the white flower in the previous post is probably in the spiraea family and the tree with the little flower attachment might be from the liriodendron family. That, at least, will give you a place to begin your Google searches.

Midge

Unknown said...

Your efforts and yoga poses are much appreciated :-)

Anonymous said...

gosh, these are really great shots!

Arlene,
Gig Harbor flowers

Anonymous said...

I was going to comment that Lily of the Valley always reminds me of Nana's garden - then "Anonymous" beat me to it. It also reminds me of my Liddle Kiddle toy (anyone remember those?) when I was 10 years old that smelled like fake Lily of the Valley when you opened the plastic case which would then remind me of Nana's garden. I'll stop now....

laughingwolf said...

keep your roses, i'm a lily guy, esp lily-of-the-valley... always loved em for their subtle scent, beauty and 'shyness'

great pics and story, pam

sorry, can't help on the tree id

Lottery Girl said...

Love these photos!

YUTHA:
OMGosh! I had the SAME DOLL!!! And I adored her! And I STILL HAVE HER at my parent's house. Next time I go there, I'll have to see if she is still fragrant.

You know Carbtree and Evelyn has Lily of the Valley products that are divine.

A Novel Woman said...

Yutha, and Lottery Girl, what is this doll you speak of? Liddle Kiddle? I must have had one, since dolls usually came in sets of three in our house, right Yutha? The only one I remember is Chatty Cathy. I had a blonde one and Brenda had a brunette. We all had matching outfits. I cried like a baby when the string broke rendering Chatty Cathy into Mute Cathy.

If I'd kept her, she'd be worth over a $1,000 according to eBay. Now that's enough to make me cry all over again.

Merrymags said...

Yutha:

I remember Liddle Kiddles, at least the ones that were miniature, bendable dolls with miniature shoes (perfect for choking on or inhaling), brush-able hair, little cars, everything in miniature. I think they were made by Mattel. Are we speaking of the same thing?

Midge

Anonymous said...

LOTTERY GIRL: I bet those dolls are worth a fortune now on e-bay. Thanks for the tip on Crabtree & Evelyn - as soon as I smell Lily of the Valley I'm 10 years old again.

NOVEL WOMAN: You probably didn't have a Liddle Kiddle. I was around 10 years old which meant you were MUCH OLDER (okay 14). You were smoking and dating and doing God knows what by then. I was still very innocent...still am....

MERRYMAGS: Yep, same thing. I remember opening up a plastic case with the doll inside and accessories - they had lots of different scents. I did a google search and they actually have a Liddle Kiddles Club!

A Novel Woman said...

Yutha, I think you must be confusing me with our OTHER sister. At fourteen, I was singing in the church choir and painting homes for the elderly each summer.

I didn't start smoking until I was FIFTEEN when I came back from a month long, solo Euro trip.

Then I stopped when I saw it didn't make me look nearly as cool as I thought it would.

Lily-of-the-valley makes me feel like a kid too. Also apple blossoms. Remember the apple trees at our house on Baldwin Road?

Anonymous said...

Sorry Pam - you forgot to mention the quilting bees and square dances too. Although, compared to that OTHER sister of ours we WERE pretty tame (sorry Brink).

Yes, I do remember those apple trees. I have a small crabapple tree on the front lawn that blossoms every year which reminds me of that house on Baldwin.

Anonymous said...

Can you remember Dad throwing our cat (her name escapes me) up into the crabapple tree? She would cling like velcro, then climb down and let him do it again.

BB said...

Adore. These. Photos.
Jealous. Of. Lens.
*Gazes at lily photo*
Hugs.
BB.
P.S. Intrigued. By. Family. Comments.

A Novel Woman said...

Bush Babe,

Always. Crack. Me. Up.

Love. Your. Blog.

Lens. Awesome.

Sorry.