Shiny Luminescent

taken:
day eleven
06.30.12

Along the shore of Lake Mille Lacs I spotted this vivid blue creature floating through the air. I watched as it flitted around then took a brief break as it landed on this stem. I believe it's a Bluet Damselfly. What I love about it, aside from it's pretty blue body, is it's shiny luminescent eyes. So cool! 

Evening Waves

taken:
day ten
06.29.12

Flowing waves on Lake Mille Lacs. It's easy to become captivated and calmed 

by these waves as they reflect the glowing evening sun.

Let It Be

taken:
day nine
06.28.12

I'm not sure if I was being lazy or kindhearted when I decided to let this wild daisy grow in my flower garden. Probably a little bit of both. While some would call this a weed, I believe this pretty invader is really called an Annual Fleabane. It's lanky and tall, about 4' and is adorned with many happy white flowers. It's cheerful and bright, so for now, I'll let it be.

Rustic Beauty

taken:
day eight
06.27.12

This crisp wild grass caught my eye on a walk through the area of my yard I call my prairie. At first glance this area is not very impressive. To the person who likes a polished perfect yard look, it may even be an eyesore. But I love it! I always manage to find at least one natural treasure while strolling through. I enjoy having a small place to explore native plants in my own sweet time. It's a tiny little piece of the countryside nestled in the middle of the suburbs and if looking close enough it's easy to be struck by it's rustic beauty.

Simple

taken:
day seven
06.26.12

Just a simple vine with some simple droplets. 

Tiny Artichoke?

taken:
day six
06.25.12

On this day the hosta blossoms were still tightly closed. 

To me this hosta bud resembled a tiny artichoke, tinted with shiny purple tips. 

But soon it'll become a delicate bell shaped bloom with lavender petals swaying in the breeze on it's sturdy stem.

A Bit of Paradise

taken:
day five
06.24.12

Change can really happen in just a couple of days. 

After a long weekend away I came home to many flowers blooming for the first time. 

One of them, my little Meyer Lemon Tree. 

The flowers, compact and cute, their aroma, abundant and I N C R E D I B L E. 

Boasting a fragrance that's totally intoxicating, scented like a tropical paradise! 

So wildly sweet, fruity and flowery. 

Deep breathes are a must around these fragrant filled little blooms.

Velvet Sky

taken:
day four
06.23.12

It could go without saying that sunsets are amazing and most photos never do them justice. This photo of the sun setting over Lake Mille Lacs is straight out of the camera {SOOC}. No enhancing of color what-so-ever. The view was just that stunning! A water tower and fishing boats in the distance joined me in witnessing the velvety vivid color dance on the gentle waves. A pure vision.

Lounging

taken:
day three
06.22.12

This was the first day on a nice long weekend getaway to Lake Mille Lacs with my family. It was a beautiful day! We spent the entire day on the beach. My boys love playing in the water and skipping rocks. I love relaxing in a lounge chair and walking the shoreline searching for pretty and interesting things. I spotted this little bee lounging on this sumac blossom. It was there for a long time. Possibly enjoying the serenity of the lake as much as we were.

What Will Become

taken:
day two
06.21.12

Right now this early Echinacea's tiny petals are just beginning. They're pale green and reaching for the sky. Soon they'll evolve into pinkish petals that will become somewhat shy and droop to the ground. The center will become domed, spiky and rusty orange, and will be a tasty favorite to butterflies and bees.

A Rainy Start

taken:
day one
06.20.2012

Well here we go again, summer is in full swing and I've decided it's time for another summer photo project. I couldn't resist. Last years 94 Days of Summer project was so fulfilling. I stepped out of my comfort zone, started a blog and set a goal. It was a glorious feeling! Exactly why I couldn't resist a repeat this year.

The first day of summer had a rainy and cloudy start. In fact some areas in MN have had devastating flooding. It's so sad to watch the news and see the destruction that the large amounts of rain have caused. My heart goes out to all those affected by the floods.

The sun only made a minimum appearance on this first day of summer. I wanted to capture brightness in spite of the clouds. I finally found it, who needs the sun when you have glowing honeysuckle blossoms. Nothing screams summer louder than shades of vibrant coral. This volume of color is what summer is all about.

Welcome summer, I'm so happy you're officially here!

Week 20: Mothers

{ Project 52 Week 20: Mothers }

I made cupcakes for Mother's Day. 

My husband brought a batch out to his mom and I brought a batch out to my mom. 

They were inspired by recipes and a decorating tutorial that I found on Pinterest. 

Unbelievable Chocolate Cake, The Best Frosting Ever and Rose Swirl Tutorial. 

They were yummy and fun to make!

{ Linking up with Kent Weakley for Project 52 }

Week 19: Still Life

{ Project 52 Week 19: Still Life } 

Setting up this still life shot was fun. I picked up this neat little vintage-looking oil can recently at a second hand store. I'm almost certain it's just a replica and not the real thing but I still find it incredibly charming. I thought I'd contrast the rustic-ness of the oil can with the danty-ness of some Lily of the Valley, which are in full bloom now. Unfortunately these tiny soft blooms last only a short time and are so hidden in my garden it's sometimes easy to miss them. I have to make a conscious effort to go out and search for them every spring. It would be a shame to miss these sweet scented blooms!

Week 18: Fiesta or Siesta

Last Friday my youngest son and I went to my parents house to help my mom with some garden work. While we were there my son found 2 caterpillars. One long and creamy yellow, one short and grayish. My mom put them in a small jar for him and we brought them home. The next morning I brought out a large canister glass jar and in the rain we went outside to fill it with sand from our sandbox and various leaves and branches from around the yard. It turned out to be a fancy looking habitat for 2 caterpillars!

Finally came the exciting moment, to introduce the caterpillars to their new home. 

When my son opened the little jar and pulled out the leaves we discovered that the small grayish caterpillar had morphed into a shiny brown-reddish cocoon overnight. The shiny new cocoon twitched and wiggled when we moved it. It was a bit creepy! The yellow caterpillar didn't appear well and healthy. The sluggish little guy seemed to be fading away.

{ Project 52 Week 18 Fiesta or Siesta }

We placed the caterpillars in the jar side by side and kept peeking in on them all day. The yellow one never moved again. My son thought it must be "napping" because "maybe he didn't feel good". By the next day it was clear that the yellow caterpillar was taking an eternal siesta. Too bad. Maybe we didn't move it to it's bigger home soon enough and it got cramped in that small jar? Or maybe we didn't have the right kind of leaves in there for him to munch on? And the other guy, in the cocoon, well, hopefully his siesta is only temporary. I'm not sure what it'll turn into if it pops out of it's cocoon, a butterfly, a moth or something else? But we're keeping an eye on it and excited to see what happens. We're also keeping an eye out for more caterpillars to add to this fancy new caterpillar home.