on the cusp

a week of sunshine and 80 degree temps was all that was needed to trigger an explosion of blooming plants. what is the seasonal event that says “summer is here” for you?  meteorological summer begins june 1. astronomical summer begins on the solstice, june 21. my local naturalist guru i rely on heavily (larry weber) says that spring ends and summer begins, for him, when the open field flowers start to outnumber the woodland wildflowers. by that definition, i would say we are right on the cusp of summer here in minnesota.

columbine (Aquilegia)

square it up

inspired by artist avery gregory, i checked my first instinct to make a circle or an organic wandering line, and am trying rectilinear instead. i don’t know what it is, but sharp corners don’t feel STILL-like to me. i can’t explain it. they are too…too…too something. too intense? too unnatural? too self-conscious?  what do you think? does this photo feel STILL-like? or like it is trying a little too hard to be STILL-like?

striped beach rocks from the mediterranean 

may bells

the loud chorus of lilacs has begun to fade, replaced by lily of the valley’s shy chiming.

lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)

transitioning to summer

it feels like spring just arrived, and already we are in full transition to summer. you know how it is when one person in a house is really busy, and then the whole household feels busy, even when the others aren’t? that’s how i feel about this spring: it was so condensed, and so explosive, that even though i am personally having a fairly relaxed few weeks, i feel somewhat breathless nevertheless. i just want to throw my hands up in the air and shout “why are we all in such a hurry? can’t we all calm down a bit and relax?” then i remind myself…nature makes no mistakes.

bearded iris buds (Iris germanica)

quick, what flower it this?

i have photographed viburnum many times. but always in winter. it is one one of the few plants that offers me translucent red berries all winter long. i love how the snow piles up on top of the berry drupes, looking very much like a beanie hat. we call viburnum highbush cranberry, even thought it is not a true cranberry at all. it is native however.  i pass this particular viburnum at least once a week. so, i was a bit stunned today when i saw these flowers. if i did not know that his particular bush was indeed viburnum, i would have assumed those flowers were hydrangea flowers. i love that i can still be stopped in my tracks with wonder, after all these years of doing STILL.

ameican highbush cranberry (either Viburnum opulus var. americanum or Viburnum trilobum)