if you’re going to do it, do it with flair!

I love the exuberance of this spent tulip. If your time is up, and you gotta go, go out in style! Why the hell not?

spent tulip flower

happy accidents

I was sent a bouquet of roses on my Pub Day by my podcast publicist Michelle Glogovac. I hired Michelle to set up a virtual Book Tour for me. She hit the ball out of the park (17 podcast interviews and counting!). She is clearly gifted at what she does. On top of that, Michelle is an extraordinary human. When I was in San Fransisco last month, I had dinner with her. So now I get to call her a friend as well. In all my busy-ness this past week, the vase of flowers didn’t get quite the attention they needed. So, half of them have dried. But I’m not sad about it at all…look at this beauty? I now I get to keep it around even longer. Happy accidents are my jam.

dried pink rose

mutual affection

Our apple trees blossomed about a week ago. The busiest week I have had in the past twenty years. I thought I might miss my chance to photograph them this year. And if we had had any rain or wind I would have. But, alas, they waited for me, the darlings. By tomorrow or the next day these blossoms will be a beautiful carpet of pink covering almost every sidewalk in Minneapolis. I’m glad you waited for me apple blossoms! I do love you so.

crabapple blossoms in May

scratch and sniff

After its typical arrival in fits and starts, spring here in the North is finally filling my senses in all the familiar ways. Crabapple blossoms are lighting the trees on fire, I just caught my first cloud of lilac scent on my walk today, and red winged blackbirds, mallards, geese, and yellowthroats are calling from the cattails. Next up: Sorrel omelet for dinner! It’s May in Minnesota.

lilac flowers (Syringa)

on looking past peak expression

When I give photo workshops, I have a section in my lecture that encourages participants to look past the peak expression of a subject. These tulips are a perfect example. I think these tulips are ever bit as interesting and beautiful, maybe even more so, than they were in peak bloom. Often the moments just before, or just after peak expression grab our curiosity more. They make us hesitate. The mind fills in the missing moment of perfection, it extrapolates the bursting bud or the decaying bloom.  I personally find these wabi-sabi images so much more engaging. A fresh alternative to the clichéd image you have seen a million times.

spent tulips