After the rain stopped

It was so nicely wet and drippy that I just couldn't resist. I love this flower with the two-tone petals. Isn't that a cool color combination?

A bedroom window and hosta blooms refracted in the waterdrops...
...some hosta leaves...
...and more leaves, above and below.
I just never get tired of waterdrops!

And then--after I went out and got the mail, I saw this line of prints right in front of our garage, headed toward the front door--and I do mean RIGHT in front of the garage, within 3' or less: (that's the garage in the upper left)

Yes, those are bear prints. We have a black bear (a LIMPING black bear, which means a not-happy bear) in the neighborhood, but he has usually been spotted on the other end, NOT by my house!! Now, some women are afraid of snakes. I am deathly afraid of bears; I read too many issues of "Outdoor Life" growing up with all the stories about bear maulings. So, to know this guy is lurking right outside my front door, probably waiting for me to come out in the early morning so he can mug me...WELL!! I may just spend the rest of my life inside the house! My heart still races just seeing these photos...

And below--that's my little footprint; he had the temerity to almost walk right on top of mine, but it gives you a size reference. However, any size is too big in my book!!! My DH says to relax, that at least it isn't a grizz. Gee, thanks hon!!

Sunflare Drops

A little flare on a water drop. It's been raining, so haven't found any in the sky, but when it clears, I'm going to give sky flares a try.

Street Art

Every July there is a wonderful art fair here, with incredible artists from all across the country. ..painters, potters, photographers, jewelery makers, woodworkers, weavers... This guy is a chalk artist, and each year on the sidewalk in front of the art museum he does a different reproduction of a famous painting. Last year it was Raphael's two cherubs; this year he did Grant Woods' "American Gothic". It is fascinating to watch him work. He draws his outlines, and then referring to a photo, begins to fill it all in, coloring and blending, smudging and feathering.

And on the closed-off street right next to him, young artists try their hand at chalk art. So much fun!!

Ruffled to the nth degree

Saw this new variety of gerbera daisy at the nursery--there were several pots of them, and at $30 a pot (gallon) I think they will sit there for a loooooong time. So, I just took some photos rather than spending my money.

Garden Surprise

Imagine my surprise the other morning when I was working in the garden, and looking up from weeding around some large hosta, finding this little guy sitting quietly on the leaf, trying to blend in. Had to run for my camera, but he considerately stayed put for a bit. I love surprises like this!

Waterlilies

Don't you love the structure and purity of a water lily? This one was tucked away in a small stream at the botanic garden, hiding near some shrubs. The center reminds me of a sea anemone.
And this beauty is at my local nursery. Sure wish it wasn't in the center of the pond...but I do like the reflection. There is just something so serene about a waterlily floating on a mirrored surface.

Design, design

Spotted this bud the other day, and was amazed at the intricacy of the individual petals and how they are spiraled around so tightly.

Also played with this a little and faded it out some so the color wasn't as intense...

Mountain Pond

DS was just home for a couple of day, so one afternoon he and I went up in the mountains about 20 minutes from home and hiked a little bit. There is a wonderful SMALL lake/large pond that used to be a gravel pit 25 years ago. It looks really really blue...
But as you get closer, you can see that the water is very clear, and incredible shades of jade and green and turquoise. Part is from the reflection of the trees, but part is the water color.
Lots of variation in the shadings. It is so clear you can see the fish out there, taunting you because there is no fishing allowed in the lake. Aren't these colors amazing?Other than sizing for the web and a little crop, the color is SOOC.

Green Patterns

I love ferns--and I really like the way these interlace and overlap, creating new sets of patterns and textures.



I don't know what type of fern this is, but I love the shape of it, and the way the new growth fans out at the tip of the frond and has those fringes at the tips. What a cool shape!

Company

This little guys show up every evening in my yard. He politely nibbles the grass, and ignores my flowers. Quite often he will sit there for extended periods of time; I worry about him because of the hawks and eagles in the area. He is a sitting target for them--and for me, through the window. Look at those little ears; this is still a baby.
And this is hawkweed. Growing up in Michigan we always called it Indian Paintbrush, but the proper name is hawkweed. I love the bright orange color and the curls, and the way the petals are squared off and serrated. Isn't the creator an incredible designer? Even the small details are amazing.

Daisy, daisy...

I have these really fun daisies in my garden. They are some variety of Shasta, but I don't know which one. I call them Shreddies, because the petals look as if they have been through a paper shredder. That, and a Bad Hair Day!!!

Watery Webs

I've been eyeing these for a while, but Jess motivated me to do something about them with her MacMon post a while back. I don't know what kind of spiders weave these, but instead of regular webs, they are horizontal, nearly mat-like constructions. When it rains, or the sprinkler waters, or we have a heavy dew, the waterdrops are caught on the top of the matrix. So cool!!
And I just had to post this one--apologies for those who saw it last MacMon. I was really pleased with the "landscape" that I captured in the drops.

Fun in the Sun

I was down at the State Park the other day, and couldn't resist this line-up of kayaks, ready to rent. There was also a pile of paddleboats, but they weren't nearly as photogenic. I took the new blog header photo there, too. Love that beach!
And this guy was having so much fun showing off all his moves, I just couldn't resist.
and yes, he did land upright!

Landscapes:

West Point lighthouse in Discovery Park, Seattle. I love lighthouses--but this is one of the squattiest ones I've ever seen!!
The rivers are starting to get low...
...and even the Falls are thinner. Last time I posted a photo of them, the water was all the way across the level part at the top. Lower rivers mean a smaller Falls. It's still a long way down, though--268', higher than Niagara.

Landscapes: The Mountain

Living in the Seattle area, there is only one Mountain. Seattleites tell what the weather is like by whether or not "The Mountain is out"--or in other words, the clouds have lifted enough that you can see it, floating like a dream. No one ever questions WHICH mountain--everyone knows that The Mountain is Mt. Rainier. It's about an hour and a half from me, but from certain vantage points it looks as if it is only a couple of miles away, which just gives you a clue as to its immensity. An expedition to The Mountain is on my agenda this summer, or for sure in early fall when the leaves have turned, and before the snow starts.
And, when the Mountain isn't out, and we are socked in by clouds, this is the view of Rainier from above the clouds. Taken coming home on a flight...I love shooting out airplane windows! Where else would I get an incredible view like this??

Landscapes: on the coast

Landscapes: Bryce Canyon

I love Bryce Canyon; it is one of my favorite places in Utah. All these photos were taken from the rim; one trip I want to hike down in among all the formations. The tall skinny rock columns are called hoodoos, and look like a giant's version of the drip castles we used to make at the beach. They are hundreds of feet tall. The scale and the color is mind-boggling. Just an incredible, incredible place.