Seems Like Every year is like the Year of the Dog(wood) to Me

Last year I renamed the Chinese year and for me 2017 was the Year of the Crow. This year I'm being a bit more traditional and going with the Year of the Dog(wood). ☺

Most years I think the Dogwoods are pretty fantastic so I guess every year is like the year of the dogwood to me.

Cornflower Blue and At The heart of a Red Poppy

Someone planted a sweet flower garden in between the sidewalk and curb around the corner. I stopped there once or twice. Or maybe it was three times already?

Fennel at the Fortune Teller Window

I joined Instagram recently and sometimes it can be overwhelming seeing so many stunning landscape pictures in rural and lovely locations around the world. Overwhelming like making me want to travel or even jealous in a way. But then I remember that just passing by some fennel, growing wild on a suburban street makes me kind of happy.

The plants and beauty are here where we live too.

Sweetpea flowers again as spring gives way to summer

Its not a bad send-off for spring,catching some sweetpea flowers in the last light of the season. I recommend it actually.

Photography and Editing Lesson from My Niece

I learned some things from my nieces and nephews. They tell me the kids will never join Facebook and also I got a lesson on photographing and then editing pictures of flowers! I said it before but I can repeat myself. These kids rock.

Grass Flowers: Karl Foerster Feather Reed mid-June

Well, I dig this grass, but didn't (and still don't) know much about the plantsman it is named after. A quick search tells me he was an east German man who loved plants and photography. And now, of course, I want to know some more.

Driveway Tomato Flower

Not too many people plant vegetables in the front yard or along the driveway, but some do.

Free Lunch! Mulberries and Juneberries For Those in the Know

Yes Virginia there really is free lunch. Or at least free snacks. However if I tell you where I found these mulberries and Juneberries, well then I would have to kill you. Those are the foraging rules I think and I don't make the rules, I just follow them!

Spring's Grace Followed Winter's Grace

You will find grace in the garden.  And likely, I'd wager, even in the smallest patches (or pots) of Earth someone decides to dedicate some time to tending.

 (These are some pictures of a yard Madonna with plants I have passed in two seasons so far this year. )

Cactus Buds in the Bright Sun

I don't think it's ideal to take pictures in the bright afternoon sun like this, but I couldn't resist giving it a whirl these sweet fat buds about to bust open.

Fallen Flowers: Catalpa

In the gutter this morning, some fallen flowers from the Northern Catalpa.

Juneberry

I'd tell you where I spied these nearly ripe Juneberries, but then I might have to kill you. 😜

A What's Blooming Now Bouquet of Roadside Weeds

I still think about bouquets and pay attention to what's blooming in the moment, even if it's only the roadside weeds.

Under A Chocolate Mimosa Tree

The view from under a chocolate mimosa tree makes me think of a vintage fern-patterned wallpaper or maybe some lawn furniture. Then again maybe I'm thinking of something with a Pacific Island motif?

Grandpa's Winning Combo

The aristocrat (Japanese maple), hostas and a 🐇 bunny are grandpa's winning combo. (Not my grandfather though. The sign under the other Japanese maple with the hostas and two more bunnies in the front yard said "grandpa's garden") What can I say? I like to see other people's gardens.

Kousa (Kaleidoscope) Dogwood

Not sure if it was the light or the sunglasses, but when I passed this Kousa Dogwood tree, it looked to me like the petals, that aren't really petals but bracts, were white paper cut-outs arranged on the tree like flowers. When I got close though, like in the picture above, sure enough they were flowers.

🌹 🌹 🌹 Roses and Rain 🌹 🌹 🌹

It's not always so rainy in the time of roses (and irises), but this year it has been. I keep bumping into roses while out walking in the rain.

Chasing Amsonia

I spent a little time chasing some of the last light of the day, Amsonia and what I assume was a happy pollinator. And this is what I have to show for it. 

Do I think the pictures do justice to the lovely things, moments and light I was trying to capture? Not really.  But that only makes the chase all the more thrilling.