Celebrating the ordinary
White ash trees (Fraxinus americana) are now at peak color in Lexington. They are easy to spot with their striking and subtle shades of greens, golds, purples, and reds. I’m enjoying them all immensely. However, my favorite one is in our front yard. The best view is from the upstairs computer room, and sights like this have been a great way to start the day.
I was recently asked to bring a bouquet to our 37th annual neighborhood picnic. I enjoyed exploring the backyard and collecting several different grasses, flowers, and berries. On a whim, I decided to use my Canon G12 point-and-shoot camera to photograph them on a black velvet background.
Goodness, it’s hot and dry. It is a challenging time for plants, wildlife, and gardeners. I previously blogged about why purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) are one of my favorite perennials. They’re now proving to be one of my most drought-resistant plants and attracting the most visitors, including this orange sulphur butterfly (Colias eurytheme).
The migratory birds in the backyard have been a special treat lately. The first to arrive were the rose-breasted grosbeaks (Pheucticus ludovicianus). The name is obvious when you see the strikingly-marked male, while the female reminds me of a large sparrow. We often see these birds for a few days each spring and fall as they migrate through.
We also saw black-and-white (Mniotilta varia), yellow-rumped (Setophaga coronata), and Nashville warblers (Oreothlypis ruficapilla) and a Baltimore oriole (Icterus galbula). We were especially surprised to see an indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea) and a scarlet tanager (Piranga olivacea) – the first time we’ve seen either one in our backyard.
Click any photo for a larger image.
This post is in response to recent questions about my photography equipment. Technology is not my strong suit, so I tend to keep my equipment simple. My primary camera is a Canon Rebel XSi. It’s lightweight, just over a pound, which was a big reason for my choice.
