Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – The Icing On The Cake

This week, Ann-Christine has chosen Trees as the subject for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge and there is certainly no shortage of those in my photo files, so in order to select a few for this post I decided to look at the images and choose some of those where I thought the trees added the finishing touch, the icing on the cake, so to speak.  These were taken at Cantigny Park, Chicago Botanic Garden and the Morton Arboretum in Illinois and one in Utah.

 

 

 

 

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Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Elemental

This week, Amy has chosen Five Elements as the topic for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge.  There has clearly been too much rainy weather here of late, which is evidenced by the fact that I have had plenty of time to tiddle around on the computer and thus come up with my interpretation of the five elements, metal, wood, water, fire and earth.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Delicate

Pick almost any adjective that you would care to mention and you could probably pair it with ‘nature.’  Nature can be many things; spectacular, colorful, harsh, unforgiving, picturesque and so much more. This week Ann-Christine has chosen Delicate as the subject for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge and that can most definitely be applied to nature.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Harmony

This week, Tina has chosen Harmony as the subject for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge and I can think of few places that better express the feeling of harmony than in a Japanese garden. We are very lucky to have two such beautiful gardens close at hand; at the Chicago Botanic Gardens in Glencoe and the Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford.

 

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – More or Less

Having recently visited the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, it was still very much on my mind when I saw Amy’s choice of subject for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge.  You can never have too much of a good thing but sometimes less is as good, or even better. So here is my take on Less is More.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Creativity at the Arboretum

This week, Ann-Christine has chosen Creativity as the subject for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge. I hope to be making my usual Spring visit to the Morton Arboretum tomorrow to see the daffodils and magnolias in bloom, but one of the many things to love about the Arboretum is that, not only do we get to enjoy the trees, flowers and wildlife there, but also some amazing artwork and splendid displays of creativity.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Delicious!

This week, Patti has chosen Delicious as the subject for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge. One man’s meat is another man’s poison, and the same could probably be said of animals and birds too. Some creatures are quite content to nibble on a blade or two of grass…..

while others might prefer to slurp on the sap from a tree (at least I think that was what this giraffe was enjoying.)

It isn’t only the birds that benefit from the seeds that we put out in the garden. The chipmunks will also help themselves especially if there are peanuts in the mix.

The rabbit’s not proud. He’ll eat anything including the bird’s bread or my carefully tended lilies and other prized plants.

One time, when I looked out of our back door, I was surprised to see two young raccoons sitting on the door step.  I was so excited, I totally lost my head and grabbed the first things that came to hand to entice them to stay long enough for me to take pictures, which included a loaf of bread and an opened tin of peaches. I rushed out of the front door, first picking up the camera, and ran round to the back garden.  They turned up their noses at the bread but evidently thought the peaches were delicious.

The squirrels always enjoy the Halloween leftovers. It’s very entertaining to watch them diving into the pumpkins to retrieve the seeds.

Apart from filling the birdfeeders, I usually grow a few sunflowers and love to watch the goldfinches doing all kinds of contortions to reach the choicest morsels.

And while some birds are tucking into these provisions, others are making a meal out of other birds.  Mmmm! Delicious!  Well, to each his own.