Final Impressions

Here are a few final impressions that I took away with me from the Orchid Show at the Chicago Botanic Garden this year. I made a total of three visits there, and each time saw something different that caught my eye as I wandered through the greenhouses.

These images will hopefully carry me through the final days of winter until we finally welcome spring flowers and warmer temperatures. I can’t wait for the new growing season to start, both at the Chicago Botanic Garden and in my own garden.

The show is on through March 26th so there is still time to see all these beautiful blooms if you happen to be in the area. Even if you’re not, it’s well worth the trip.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Natural Light

This week, Amy has suggested that we look at things in a Natural Light for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge. Many years ago, when I first started out with my Minolta film camera, I used very high speed film for most low light situations, which probably accounts for the grainy texture of many of my earlier pictures. This one was taken just after sunset at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Since then, I’ve tried to capture different kinds of natural light with the Canon Rebel including sunset over Lake Michigan from Mackinaw City and at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

And the softer light of sunrise, over Lake Huron from Mackinaw City and in Nebraska.

Late afternoon in Arches National Park in Utah and early morning in Custer State Park, South Dakota.

It seemed like the light changed every minute while we were on Antelope Island in Utah. There had been intermittent thunderstorms all day and another one rolled in just as we were leaving, but in between, the sun came out and lit up the landscape.

Sometimes I only have to step outside the front door to see a natural light show.

The Last Of The Snow

We have just about seen the last of the snow, although there was still some lingering in patches at Spring Valley Nature Center when I made my first visit there this year, earlier this week.

The usual access to the nature center was closed as they are making some alterations and improvements to the Visitors Center area so I had to take an alternate route and with many of the paths that were in the shade still covered in ice, my walking was somewhat limited. Still, it was so nice to get out in the fresh air and see something other than our own garden. I was glad that I decided to wear my wellies, however.

There were a few people about but for the most part it was very quiet, which is why I probably came upon these two deer.

I almost didn’t need to use the zoom lens, they were so close and they didn’t seem at all bothered about my being there. They eventually ambled across the path and disappeared into the undergrowth. I stayed for a while, hoping that they’d come out again but no such luck, so I continued on my way.

I can’t wait to see see what the improvements look like at the Visitors Center. It’s supposed to be finished by late Spring which means I will probably have to use this alternate route for a couple more months at least.

Hello Kitty!!

This is the first time in over 40 years that I’ve managed to get a half-way decent picture of the leopards at Brookfield Zoo. Just in the right place at the right time the other day.

I’m pretty sure, if you zoom in on the next picture, you can see a reflection of me, leaning against the fence, in his eyes. Possibly sizing me up as the next meal.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Negative Space

This week, Amy has chosen Negative Space as the topic for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge. At first I thought this might be a bit tricky. As some of you have already pointed out, when we take pictures, we are usually focusing on the subject rather than the surrounding space, but the more I looked at it, the more I realized that many of the images in the photo files might fit the bill and in the end I had to stop myself from adding to the list.

 

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Cropping The Shot

This week, Patti suggests that we try Cropping the Shot for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge.  One of the most useful tools in the image-processing arsenal is the cropping tool.  I can’t tell you how many shots I rescued from the trash with a little judicial cropping.

I can even ‘zoom in’ by the simple expedient of the cropping tool, giving me a closer look at something way off in the distance, as I did with this shot taken at Arches National Park in Utah.

And if I’m really lucky I can get four shots for the price of one with the aid of the cropping tool, as I did with this image that was captured along Lake Shore Drive in downtown Chicago, each picture focusing on a different aspect of the overall scene; the more leisurely pace of the bike path, the hustle and bustle of the traffic on the Drive and the work going on aloft.

 

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – All Wet

When Tina suggested All Wet as the topic for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, I didn’t have to go any further than the sea lions at Brookfield Zoo in my photo files.  As a non-swimmer I’ve always admired their graceful movements in the water and even on-shore their ungainly bodies seem to have a certain elegance of posture as they bend and curve to catch the sun’s rays.

 

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Morning

This week, Ann-Christine has chosen Morning as the subject for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge.  Things have settled down into a fairly dull routine here which is why I’m looking forward to being able to get out and about again. The Chicago Botanic Garden is probably the first place I’ll visit once the lockdown is eventually lifted and it’s reasonably safe to venture out, preferably first thing in the morning before the crowds get there. I have a feeling there will be quite a few of us with the same idea. Have a good morning and stay safe, everyone.

 

 

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Going Back

This week, John, who is our guest host for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, has asked us to Go Back and take a second look at places we have visited in the past. My reason for wanting to go back and visit the first three places is that I was using a film camera at the time and was extremely limited as far as the number of pictures I could take. So, Niagara Falls (from the Canadian side,) Cypress Gardens in Florida and Virginia Beach are definitely on the list.

The same could be said of the Badlands in South Dakota, although we did go back eventually, one of the first places we visited after I acquired my original digital camera, but I couldn’t get out of the habit of being sparing with my shots and always regretted not taking more while I had the chance.

These days there’s no holding me back and I take literally hundreds of pictures when we’re on our travels, but time was against us on Antelope Island in Utah. We had already visited the Natural History Museum in Salt Lake City in the morning and by the time we got to the island a big storm was brewing so we had a quick look around and headed back to base. We had planned on going back to Utah the following year to visit our daughter but instead, she moved on to Texas. As it turned out, much of the island’s vegetation was destroyed by wildfires that year so it probably wouldn’t have been a good idea anyway but, if I had the opportunity, I’d love to go back to Antelope Island.

To be honest, I’m not sure who took these pictures but it was with my husband’s film camera nearly fifty years ago, so it could have been either one of us. These images represent my final memories of home in England. We’ve never been back, for various reasons, and will almost certainly never have the chance now. If I could magically transport myself back there, I would do it in a heartbeat.

Thanks to John for giving us the opportunity to Go Back and revisit some of our favorite places.

 

 

 

Square Tops Photo Challenge – The Rock At The Top

This is my third entry for Becky’s Square Tops Photo Challenge. From the natural wonders of our State and National Parks to the man-made cairns on Cana Island in Wisconsin, it’s always good to be top of the heap.