Hodge Podge

It has been two years now since I left my professional life behind me. Still, though, echoes of those glorious days teaching college freshmen how to write academic essays reverberate through my mind. Take tonight for example. I downloaded my photos from two cameras, did some editing, created the collage for Lavender Cottage's Monday Mosaic,  selected a few photos, uploaded them to Blogger then wrote on my New Post screen: "Dpn't now wh]t to rite." So here I sit wondering what the main idea should be for tomorrow's post. I always taught the freshmen writers that their papers must have a main idea that would be stated in a thesis sentence.

Scratch that. Hodge Podge tonight.

Lily turned 3 Thursday. Monday's mosaic has to be all about Lily and her friend Minnie Mouse. I had bought Lily the cutest little Minnie Mouse play costume dress all pink and polka dotty to wear for the party. She had it on for about 10 minutes then ran off only to reappear in the hand-me-down swim suit and no coaxing would convince her to change. By child number 3, moms have learned to choose their battles.




Sweet cupcakes with Oreo cookies new thin mints for mouse ears. I challenged my son-in-law to take his cupcake to work with for lunch, all pink and cute. I picked a sweet little bouquet of flowers for the birthday girl, but I think she liked the balloons better.

Now for the garden.

The automatic sprinkler for the perennial and succulent garden comes on at 6 AM, so early in the morning I decided to take some photographs of the still wet flowers.

We all like to take macro photos, so I am curious to ask what sort of lens do you use for you macros? Maybe I should be asking what sort of camera do you use?

I use my Canon EOS Rebel XS, now several years old. It is a 12 pixel, DSL with the standard 18-55 mm lens. Were I a professional photographer just starting out, I probably would have followed the advice I found on several photography web sites recommending to switch out the factory lens with a better quality lens. I didn't. I am not a professional.

Instead, I purchased a Canon 75-300 mm telephoto lens that I use often for the macro shots. Listen, I am old and I don't bend very well in certain positions, so I use the telephoto with, I think, most of the time good result. (I wish I could tell you the name of this bloom, but I can't remember it. It is in yucca family--I think).

Here is another example of an effective telephoto macro. You can even see the tiny spider webbing the agapanthus. 

The day lily looks fresh and I especially like the darkened background.

The Garden Spot is a bird sanctuary with lots of robins. I especially like this photo because of the depth of field with the robin in full focus while its surroundings are out of focus.

Taken early in the morning, I like the early morning sunlight on the pasture. I also like the bird house framed with both aspen and pine bows with a bit of day lily at the bottom.

Milk Weed makes for a pretty photo, slightly under exposed but only because I noticed that the lens was dusty. I could write an entire post on Mild Weed: wonderful childhood memories catching monarch caterpillars off of them to raise in giant glass jar to watch them go through their metamorphosis  or what a disgusting, annoying, invasive weed that they are now or how school children across the country are planting them to provide a more abundant food supply and habitat for the disappearing monarchs. But you already know that. 

Maybe I could write about photographic perspective or depth of field. Take these next four photos, for example.

Single shots of individual blooms make our gardens look WOW, for when I photograph individual blooms I am editing out the weeds that lurk below.

The blanket flower and the daisy are similar but different. 

Sharing a garden space, they are nice companions. Playing with focus on the camera, and you can change the point of view of the entire discussion.

It is nice to step back to shoot the full view of the garden bed give a better idea of what the garden actually looks like, weeds and all. 

Test Question: Can you identify this flower? Coral Bell? Correct. You do know your plants. 

Sometimes lighting plays tricks on especially the less than professional photographer. This is the same Cosmos. Any guesses as to its true color? Pink of course. One photo taken in morning shade; the other taken back lit with the morning sun.

Scabiosa or pin cushion. I love the the delicate center in this flower. Again, another macro with the telephoto lens.

Even the buds on the echinacea make pretty photos.

The columbine are ending their run. Only a few straggling blooms left. I'll be sad to see them go.

And what would a Hodge Podge post be without a rose? I'll end tonight's garden tour with a little no name rose that is original to the property, living the front courtyard. She blooms her little heart out every year all summer long giving these delicate gorgeous little roses that change from a very soft apricot color turning a fluorescent orange as she begins to fade. Love her. 

The little girls will be here tomorrow to ride Pop. I had to plans to take the little SUV to town for hopefully one new tire, but I may have to buy all 4. 

I spent a wonderful day in Denver Saturday with Heather. She was invited to speak at a lady's luncheon on trees. One of her clients asked her to speak at a fund raising luncheon for the American Association of University Women (AAUW), a organization that supports girls and young women by providing scholarships and she invited me along. We had a great day. After we took her mother in law back home, we went to Norm's Dollhouse, a dollhouse store on the far side of Denver. Way far away. A special treat for me.

Once on my way home at the end of the day and after I had navigated through the worst traffic challenges of the drive, I was headed for open high way and less traffic and I was feeling pretty good about my ability to navigate through the horrible Denver traffic. Then I heard something. I didn't like the odd sound. Good thing the SUV can warm me of impending dangers, like the sign that comes on "Low Tire Pressure." Low?" How low? I continued to drive until I was able to turn off and park--in a cemetery, no less. I called the Head Gardener who was over an hour away. Then I called my daughter. Bless her and her husband for they came and rescued me. James changed the tire for me and sent me on my way. I drove 56 miles an hour on I-25 for 70 miles on the donut spare. Ugh. I made it home safely, but now I need at least one new tire.

Enough Hodge Podge for tonight. Thanks for hanging in there with me. Love your comments. I read every one and hopefully I respond to you all. Happy Gardening this week. We will be weeding and getting the garden in shape so that we can take some time off for a week while we get out of town. Have a fabulous week.