8.13.2011

my summer photo-walk in the nature preserve


remember a couple posts back...
how i mentioned that i had not yet gone outside this summer
to snatch up some images of flora like i usually do?
well, after mr. b. got home from work one night last week,
he "let" me leave le bebe with him
so that i could go check some "to-do's" off my list.


one of the places i needed to go
was somewhere that would change the oil in my car.
but in my search for such a place,
i could see that rush-hour traffic was everywhere.
so i turned around and headed back toward home.
on my way, i realized how close i was to one of my favorite places...
an almost magical nature preserve
that makes one feel as though they are far from any city or town.


so i passed the street i would have turned on to go home
and kept right on venturing...


here.
i parked up here at the top of this hill,
where a beautiful view awaited and greeted me.


after taking in the larger scheme,
i walked down the hill to be where the flowers are.


and now i've taken those flower pictures i wanted...
cone flowers
{that seemed to do a dance with tall and slender blades of grass},

queen ann's lace...

complete with tiny passengers enjoying a wind-blown ride on their delicate surfaces,


some lovely yellow gems of which i know not the name
{perhaps "black-eyed susans before they got in a fight"?},


and these purple lovelies of which i also do not know the name.
{some blossomed open, some still waiting.}

as abundant as the flowers were,
so were the mosquitos... and then some.


so i moved on...
around the lake, over to the bridge
that hovers over a blanket of the greenest algae.
and above it hovers the strongest tree.
{i must ask... how could something this strong weep?}
it seemed to possess a quiet strength... almost protective.
i like to meet humans beings who have that kind of quiet strength.


its flowing leaves adorned the path
like a thick mane.
from the bridge's vantage point,
i could see what seemed like an endless display of lily pads
{a view framed by the swaying willow branches}.

floating on water that sparkled like diamonds.



it felt like monet must have been here
with his brushes and easel and paints
at some point.


on the other side of the bridge...
even more lily pads!
these, though, were set against far-away views that beckoned me to keep exploring.


but for lack of time,
i stayed right there to focus up-close and personal.

though i would like to have stood there all day
to enjoy the sights and sounds,
i went back, hugging the lake via the same path i took to get there,
and climbed back up that hill toward my car to return home.


but before i left,
one
more
photo
of the many-armed tree that stood right in front of my car as if to guard it...
arms that seemed to stretch out and say,
"please come again. it was lovely to have you here today."
so i uttered back,
"it was lovely to be here."


i hope you enjoyed it as much as i did.

10 comments:

Hi Kooky said...

just beautiful. what a wonderful excursion - thanks for sharing the beauty!

S. Etole said...

What a lovely walk ... the photos are terrific!

Jenny said...

Beautiful photos, Georgia. I think that was good for your soul, and mine. Did you use a micro or macro lens th get the good closeups? xo Jenny

nacherluver said...

Wow! Beautiful. Thanks for sharing your walk with us. Weeping willows are my favorite tree.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I did enjoy this walk. We took a very similar walk last week-end around a pond, but I couldn't get up close and personal with the lily pads unfortunately. Your photos came out lovely with the way the light danced across them. Very nice!

Jessie said...

I am glad that you took some time for yourself to do what you love. I enjoy these photos very much and sharing the walk with you. You have such a great style of taking pictures. I read each of your posts on my reader and smile at how big your little guy is getting and seeing how much you are enjoying being a mama. xxoo

georgia b. said...

thanks, guys!

jenny... actually, i used the macro setting on my camera... not a macro lens. i wish i had a macro lens! some day...

mrs mediocrity said...

i did enjoy that very much, what a lovely place, filled with so much quiet beauty.

Natalie said...

These are beautiful pictures... I felt like I was there. Visiting from SS today

Joy said...

Beautiful photos. I love Queen Anne's Lace. There used to be a field of it next to my house when I was a kid. Loved picking a bouquet.