Garden Talk

This beautiful Iris (Top) was blooming in my garden on June 1st. It was an overcast day, and I've always heard that flowers are best captured on "film" when it's not overly sunny out as the pollen on them creates a dulling effect with the colors of the flower. So I switched my camera to macro function, got in close and captured this image. I didn't even notice the water droplet caught in the anthers (I think that's what they're called) until afterwards, when I put it on the computer screen.


I also used the macro function to capture the last of my lilacs in bloom. They're a very pale lilac color, and when I put them up onscreen, a lot of the color didn't show up at all, so I opened the best photo up in Photoshop, added some sharpening, color tweaking and cropped the picture to get at the part I liked best.

I also tried to get a good shot of the last of my columbine in bloom. (Below) This is shot from above it because I think it has such an unusual, interesting shape as a flower. The colors are really intense, too. (But it's not a wonderful picture or anything. . .)
I've been working hard at weeding my garden this year, and have the best intentions to keep it up because it's looking so great, but most years, I do well until it gets really hot, and then the weeds start crowding in!
I have this grand plan to get up as early as I normally do during the school year three times a week this summer and weed, but check back in July and see if I've done it! To be continued. . .