Early Morning Gems

taken:
day seventy two
08.31.2011

This is more like it! These are the dew drops I was looking for a few weeks ago that I love. They are like polished glass gems clutching onto the bright orange marigold petals. Early in the morning, before they have a chance the evaporate, these dew drops reflect the sunlight, perfectly round, luminescent and shiny. 

Still Bursting

taken:
day seventy one
08.30.2011

Summer is slowly fading. I wish it could last forever. And ever. And ever. And ever. Summer is the best. Thankfully my zinnias are extending summer in the garden, still bursting in shades of red, orange, white and pink. This vibrant pink zinnia beams with beauty and brightness and life.

Savoring Summer

taken:
day seventy
08.29.2011

About the only color radiating in prairie flowers these days is yellow. Sunny golden yellow. It's the goldenrod's turn to shine. This 'painted lady' butterfly dances from one 'stiff goldenrod' blossom to the next. Savoring the end of summers sweet bounty.

Lazy Sunny Sunday

taken:
day sixty nine
08.28.2011 

Equipped with homemade turkey sandwiches, carrot sticks and kettle chips, my husband, my sons and I made our way to a park for a lazy Sunday family picnic. Our destination, a park where the Rum River and the Mississippi River meet. It's a tranquil park surrounded by river waters and huge {HUGE} oak trees. It was our first time visiting that park, a new adventure.

After we ate our picnic lunch, we took a stroll along the nature path. There were many of these pretty yellow 'cut-leaf coneflowers' growing beside the high river shoreline. The bumble bees were buzzing about too while we enjoyed the view, the flowers, the sun and the lazy Sunday.

Still Be Wonderful

taken:
day sixty eight
08.27.2011

I really can't get enough of our cosmos this year. They are so pretty. So much so that I've decided that next year I'm going to plant tons. Rows and rows of them. Bright, happy, pink, white, orange and yellow rows of them. Enough to cut bouquets to bring in the house and enough to leave in the garden for the bees and butterflies to enjoy. It's going to be wonderful...that is if I can remember this plan. And in the case that I forget, I'll probably end up planting my usual small batch of each variety. But that'll still be wonderful.

Soaked from the sprinkler this cosmo, in my older son's garden, droops with water drops and looks groggy after a long day in the sun. 

Amber Bursts

taken:
day sixty seven
08.26.2011

With the sun setting in the sky and the the 'yellow foxtail' at it's peak you'll find bright glowing sparklers atop long thin stems. At the right time of day and the right type of angle this bunch of beaming foxtail, growing across the street along my road, is dazzling with radiant amber bursts flowing in the gentle evening breeze.

If This Tree Could Talk

taken:
day sixty six
08.25.2011

The end of August means the beginning of the Minnesota State Fair. A beloved event for many Minnesotans. It's something I've looked forward to every year of my life. I love the State Fair. The food, the people watching, the walking, the exhibits, the animals, the shows, the everything.

This was the first day of the State Fair. My mom, my sons and I got there early for our nearly 13 hour day of fun. It was a lovely day. Midday we took a relaxing break at a park and bandshell. As we rested under a tree I actually took a nap. It was heaven. Surrounded by music, people and scents of pronto pups, this was my view, a tall and stately tree. If this tree could talk imagine what it would say about all the people that have strolled under it over the years.

Cheerful Perfection

taken:
day sixty five
08.24.2011

There's something so special about a zinnia with it's seemingly flawless petals. The layers of cushiony, cheerful petals are almost irresistible. This zinnia is like a ruffle of pure pink perfection.

Rising Sunflower

taken:
day sixty four
08.23.2011

With summer a little more than half over {officially} the sunflowers are beginning to beam. It's a sure symbol that autumn is in our future and school is about to start.

It won't be long and this rising sunflower will be blooming in all it's golden glory, with rusty hues of autumn, praising the warm late summer sun.

Bubbly Blurry Dewdrops

taken:
day sixty three
08.22.2011

Just a bit of bubbly blurry dewdrops, bright and early, glistening in the morning sunlight. You can almost hear twinkling as the dreamy world is awoken at daybreak, cleansed with dew and highlighted by the new sun. 

Pretty Pink Accents

taken:
day sixty two
08.21.2011

While at a park with my sons and on the lookout for something pretty I came across these bundles of teeny tiny pink blooms. They are called 'swamp smartweed'. Not a very pretty name. Not a pretty name at all. 

But these pink blooms ARE pretty and they gleamed in the afternoon sunlight, accenting the edge of a marshy stretch on the outskirts of the park.

Weeds and Wishes

taken:
day sixty one
08.20.2011

Sometimes we see weeds, sometimes we see wishes.

Have you ever gently plucked one of these fluffy seed heads from the ground and helped reseed it by blowing it's feathery seeds into the air and making a wish?


These are called 'yellow goat's beard' wild flowers. They first emerge with a soft yellow dandeline-type flower on a tall stem. After the flower fades a seed head like this is left behind.


Sometimes they show in places we don't want weeds, like our yards, gardens and landscaping. In which we usually pick them and discard them before the seeds have a chance to fly away. Sometimes we'll come across them along the road or on a nature walk and it's hard to resist the chance to help reseed them and make a wish. Isn't it?

One Must Have Sunshine

taken:
day sixty
08.19.2011

"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, 

"one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."  

~Hans Christian Anderson

This lucky swallowtail butterfly has all three, the hot summer sunshine, the freedom to flutter and these enticing little butterfly weed flowers.

All on it's Own

taken:
day fifty nine
08.18.2011

I love green. All shades. It's my favorite color. It's so alive and fresh and rejuvenating.

These are the brilliant green leaves of a sumac tree that started growing in my garden this spring all on it's own. It's growing tall and fast, at about 4 feet high already. I love sumac for it's tropical and exotic appearance. I'm happy this one decided to make my garden it's home and excited to see how tall it will grow by summers end.