After the party

Today was mostly taken up with my Mom’s 90th birthday, but Eva and I fit in a walk before the party and we came across this abnormal double cattail standing tall and proud along the shores of Lake Vadnais in St. Paul. I am a bit mesmerized by this guy. In my world, it’s a keeper. I will hold onto this specimen until all the seed fluff has exploded and escaped into my house. At which point I will release him/it back into the wild with his brothers. Don’t you wonder what my house looks like?

abnormal over-wintered cattail seed-head in March

Happy Birthday Gammy!

Today is my mom’s 90th birthday. So my daughter Eva (27) is in town for Gammy’s birthday party. Eva is a Creative Director/Designer by day, and talented indie film director by night. I asked her to make me a composition of dried bits I had lying about. She knocked this off in a couple of minutes. And I was enchanted. (That use of color, by the way, is all Eva.) A STILL bouquet for Gammy on her 90th birthday–Happy Birthday Gammy!

Afterthought (back)

This hydrangea stem came into the house with the hydrangea florets I posted yesterday. As I was cleaning up, the delicious texture of the dried leaves wouldn’t let my attention go. I had to take it’s portrait, so I could get on with me day.

Hydrangea stem with leaves in winter (hortensia)

Afterthought (front)

This hydrangea stem came into the house with the hydrangea florets I posted yesterday. As I was cleaning up, the delicious texture of the dried leaves wouldn’t let my attention go. I had to take it’s portrait, so I could get on with me day.

Hydrangea stem with leaves in winter (hortensia)

I love a good gradient

Gradients are one of my go-to compositional techniques. I love ’em. All these hydrangea florets were from the same bush, in front of my neighborhood Thai place where I had stopped to pick up spring rolls for lunch. Twenty minutes of snipping and sorting – et voilà – a gradient to be proud of.

gradient of dried hydrangea florets