Green Healing ~ Discovering Macro

 

Whoa!  I discovered macro mode!

BEAUTIFUL SUNFLOWERS!

Ingredients for GREEN HEALING:

A beautiful day. A classic Carolina sky.

A lovely bright Sunflower. A little silver Canon.

My little silver camera surprises me.  I see people walking around with very fine cameras.  They are impressively large and I’m sure those carrying bags include an assortment of lens.  One day I might like to have a bigger and more powerful camera, but that’s a secret.  I don’t want my sweet compact little Canon to hear me say that.

I love the ‘macro’ view of various insects, along with the delicate intricacies of tiny flowers.  Photographing the life around the pond garden is always fun but again, a closer look is better.  ‘Little Frog’ has grown.  He (or she) mostly sits in the sun when I visit. 

The newest garden critter, a baby turtle with a serious face and grand personality, usually found within a few feet of the frog doesn’t seem to like me, or my camera.  I’m not sure which one bothers it more.  The frog had to go clear to the other side of the pond to get away from the determined turtle while I took pictures.  I must admit that although I love taking photos of wildlife, I don’t want to disturb the beloved critters I meet.  I’ve noticed how some don’t like being photographed, particularly lizards and turtles.

Baby Turtle chases Frog

My favorite part of the day was photographing Butterflies in the Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower) garden.  I was in awe!  Truly, I was.  

Painted Lady and Mexican Sunflower

Above, Our beautiful Painted Lady Butterfly sips sweet nectar from Tithonia.  (Below) Swallowtail enjoys the same.  Tithonia are my favorite flowers because of their prolific blooms, hardiness and obvious nectar production.  Of course, the deep (and bright) orange color is pretty cool too.

Below: Our pretty Carolina Sky and a Swallowtail Butterfly

I’m very glad I took the time to play with my camera in the garden.  The images of butterflies are vivid and clear in my mind.  I can close my eyes and see swirling colors and merging outlines of transparent wings.  I’ve had a few dreams of winged colors, which were nice to wake up with in my mind.  I guess you could say I’m having macro ‘Green Healing’ dreams!  Mother Nature is amazing.

In Gratitude to Mother Earth, Father Sky, the Butterflies, and one very special person who decided to plant the Tithonia Garden!

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Butterfly la Blue

A colorful play in blue, with the Red-spotted Purple Butterfly. 

The photo above is of a Red-spotted Purple, but of course, with a little play in the colors.  I got some awesome shots of this beauty that clearly show its true colors and hope to share those soon. 

The butterfly came to visit while I sat inside the little oasis of green that I created on my front porch.  My winged friend liked the dog-bed cover hanging over the side rail.

I’m very tired as I write, but I must admit, I really like the photo that surprised me in blue, so I just had to share 😉

Until I can show you the Red-spotted Purple in all it’s glory, a quick scan of “Related Articles” tells me that I’m certainly not alone in my love for our flighty friends!  So if you’re interested, below are interesting links.  (It was hard to choose between all the links to folks writing about Butterflies).  Enjoy!

Thanks for visiting Dogkisses’s blog.

Note:  I also had another visitor to my ‘Green Healing’ garden the same day the Red-spotted Purple stopped by for the photo shoot.  A brand new, as in new-born, and very, very tiny lizard took its first crawl on a leaf in my favorite container of flowers.  I was truly in awe. 

Pop over to my other blog, Green Healing Notes, for a look.

Peace and Pass it On.

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Green Healing ~ Lotus and Little Frog

“Hey,” one of the Horticulture Therapy Interns whispered to me during a recent group session.  “Did you get a look at that Lily?” 

I looked across the way toward the pond garden.  I couldn’t believe my eyes!  It was floating almost three feet above the water and extraordinarily large. 

“That’s a Lily!” I exclaimed. 

“Uh huh,” she murmured, smiling in a playfully delinquent way. 

She knew I would get excited and I did!  I quickly found myself standing on the side of the garden’s frame taking pictures.  I was in awe.

Beautiful Lotus Lily! 

Lotus Lily

“I finally understand about the Lotus now,” a co-volunteer and friend said as we stood there, altogether captured by the flower.  By that time the intern had joined us. 

We talked about acknowledging the darkness in the waters where the flower comes from.  I’ve noticed the dark waters of the ponds, as well as all the life living in and around them.  There’s the frogs, the various kinds of Lily pads, some with intricate designs and one with a smiley face.  Pretty little red fish swim around and all kinds of moss and plant life grow that I can’t name.  Of course, there is my gorgeous winged friend, whom I met there at Noon one very hot day. 

So, after hanging around the pond for a few weeks, a surge of adrenaline hit me when the large white Lotus flower appeared.  Nature took me again to a place where I feel connected and my senses peak.  This surely qualifies as a Green Healing.

My companions and I were standing on the garden’s frame when the Horticulture Therapist walked over to ask that we re-join the group.  I suspected by the look in her eyes that she would rather not see any of us up there again.  She’s a terrific therapist and I respect her a great deal.  I also trust her.  I won’t be standing on the sides of our pond gardens anymore, besides, that’s for “Little Frog!” 

Possible Prince Charming?

“Little Frog” definitely has potential!

Back at the gardens this afternoon, I checked the pond where the Lily was showing off for us.  The plant looked very different after four days!  In fact, I think I’ll end with one more photo of what it looks like today.

The Lotus Lily Flower, Closed Petals

There were also new Lilies coming up.  Some stay on the water when they bloom and the others grow on top of a long stem, straight up toward the sky, like this beauty did. 

Thanks for visiting DogKisses! 

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Green Healing ~ The Sunflowers

Visit my photo/journal blog to see the lovely Sunflowers! 

 

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Well, I’m back sooner than expected to share more Sunflower photos.  I really can’t help myself.  If I wasn’t tired, which I am, I’d give fun names to the ones I saw today!  I guess some folks might think if you’ve seen one Sunflower, then you’ve seen them all, but today only strengthened my personal observation that each one is unique.

Note:  Click on images to see the original size.

My friend and I had gone to the gardens to have lunch under the naturally vine-crafted Gazebo by the herb garden.  I thought it would be cool spot to sit, but I used all except one napkin for wiping the out-pour of sweat on my body, and I had on a summer dress! 

I may be a mountain woman in my heart, but I’m not sure.  We lived in the mountains when I was a toddler, but soon moved to…

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Garden Friends with Wings

Garden Friends with Wings!, a photo by Rosa Blue on Flickr.

A short visit to the water gardens was a nice break on a hot day. I ran into our new friend and co-volunteer, which was fun.  My son was a trooper to endure the heat, while I was captured by yet another garden friend!

We had a few much-needed Green Healing moments.

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Pretty Sunflower! (Reblogged from my Green Healing Notes photo/journal)

From the Sunflower Garden

“The Sunflow’r, thinking ’twas for him foul shame
To nap by daylight, strove t’ excuse the blame;
It was not sleep that made him nod, he said,
But too great weight and largeness of his head.”
~ Abraham Cowley

Thanks for visiting Green Healing Notes!

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Green Healing ~ An affair with Nature

My favorite flower of the day. 

Believe me, it was hard to choose only one photo to share with you from my visit to the gardens today!  I wish I had time to share more of my journey lately, but extra time is sparse.  

Today I watered the plants, which is part of my volunteer position at the Botanical Gardens.  Normally my son helps me water, but he’s visiting his Grandmother for a few days.

There is so much to see when I go that I get carried away.  I start taking photos and find myself still there several hours later. 

People browse around and I hear oohs and ahs over a plant they’ve never seen or one they particularly love.  I enjoy the people and sometimes they ask me questions.  I like it when I’m able to give an answer.

The colors and garden creatures capture my attention in a way nothing else is able to these days.  Life isn’t easy as I write.  I may be avoiding some of it by spending hours taking photos of flowers or simply admiring the amazing size of the Cosmos and Sunflowers.

I wonder if I’m having a love affair with Nature. 

Back to the flower.

Normally, Cosmos would attract butterflies, but I only saw one today.  It was passionately fluttering about as if it couldn’t decide where to stop.  I think the place is heaven for them. 

I did see many bees.  While watering the Thyme and Sage hundreds surrounded me.  I stayed calm and rather enjoyed them.  I’m sure they were asking me why I was bothering them on a hot afternoon when they were busy –as bees 🙂

Thank you for visiting Dogkisses’s Blog!

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Hope Grows in the Garden

Horticultural healing

Green Healing Days

I hope the little Squash grows well.  I believe it will.  With that said, I must tell you that I am so tired, I can’t write much of a post, but I simply had to share something about yet another, Green Healing Day!  I’m actually quite amazed at the opportunity I have in my volunteer work.  I had no idea that my time in the gardens, and with the people I’ve met, would offer me so many blessings, but it most certainly has! 

When I have more energy, I’ll tell you more about what makes this Squash special to me.  Perhaps by the time I can write another post, the Squash will have grown a lot more. 

Today, while I was taking a photo of it, the petals on the flower were a little wilted from just having been watered.  Just before I snapped this photo, the wind blew gently and the petal opened for me.  It was like that flower posed just for my camera.  I’m quite sure I’ve turned into one of those people who talk to plants. 

That’s all for today.  Thanks for visiting Dogkisses’s blog.  I hope that you too have some ‘Green Healing’ days!