Tag: photo

Around Here
bees · beetles · bugs · Eastern Redbud tree · fireflies · Flowers · hibiscus · I love trees · lightning bugs · Nature · Nature photography · Photography · squirrels · Summer · Trees

Around Here

Featured Amy10 Comments

I’ve been taking photographs of flowers and trees and plants and bees…all spring and summer. Ma’am the squirrel makes an appearance in the video below. She’s got babies now and she stops by, but those babies take up a lot of her time. She’s fully healed, so it’s hard for me to tell if it’s her or not her. I ask all the squirrels if they are ma’am. I am pretty sure they think I am the strangest food lady ever.

Some sad news to report on ERJ (my eastern redbud tree, for those who are new here. He and William The First, my Willow Oak, are tied for favorite tree first place): I noticed he wasn’t doing well a couple months ago and had an arborist come look at him. He has borers. The arborist seemed to think ERJ would pull through, but I have serious doubts. I know my tree, and he doesn’t look well. His leaves are yellowing and dropping. He has tons of suckers and tons of seed pods. I feel like this is his last hurrah trying to create new generations. I have applied the insecticide three times now and I don’t think it’s working. You might remember ERJ from previous posts. I will be very sad to lose him, but at the end of this video, you will see I have another redbud in my backyard and its leaves are huge. I love the heart shape of the leaves. It’s truly my favorite type of tree. But don’t tell William.

I hope you enjoy this trip around my flowers, an (unnamed) eastern redbud, a lightning bug, a bumblebee and a squirrel.

Summer, and the livin’s easy
Basil The Pig
animals · Photography · spring · Summer

Basil The Pig

Amy14 Comments

His name isn’t really Basil, but I’ve decided to call him Basil because I am not growing basil this year, and I don’t want to put the stone in front of the lavender plant because that’s not accurate.

This is my mom’s pig. He’s rather old and he’s spent all of his life outside through all of the seasons, so he’s a bit weathered. I’ve recently started bringing him into the shed for the winter, so he doesn’t completely fall apart. (Relatable, am I right?)

Last week during a nice spell of weather, I sat on the front porch step and studied Basil. He almost has a human-like expression, and if a garden ornament has kind eyes, he does.

So what do I do when I see something that interests me? That’s right, I grab my phone and capture a photo or two. If it’s butterflies, maybe ten.

Without further ado, say hello to Basil. He is friendly and a great listener.

Gentle piggy
His smile shows here
Look at the eyes on this pig – so well done!
Chasing Bumblebees
animals · Flowers · I love trees · Nature · Nature photography · Photography · spring

Chasing Bumblebees

Amy13 Comments

Once the cherry blossoms reach peak pollen stage, the humans suffer greatly with allergies, but the bumblebees party hardy. (I saw a few honeybees getting down, as well.)

As is my normal routine this time of year, I chased bumblebees around the tree. I’m sure my neighbors think I’m daft, but I don’t particularly care. I love to be amongst the pink canopy watching the creatures pollinate. Sometimes I even see butterflies, but not so much lately, and that gives me a lump in the pit of my stomach.

Back to the bumblebees. They are docile, and they seem quite clumsy, but they have a mission. That mission does not include me with my phone’s camera all up in their grills trying to achieve the perfect capture. They buzz and tolerate me, but they despise close-ups. Trying to get a close-up of a bumblebee is like trying to catch a toddler who just found out about running: good luck.

These are a few of the photos I captured on my chase.

And for good measure, a “regular” bee.

©️2024, itsamyisaid.com, all rights reserved

Dandelion
Flowers · Nature · Nature photography · Photography · Rafael Nadal · spring

Dandelion

Amy11 Comments
I couldn’t resist this capture today. I often walk around my front yard with my phone camera ready and waiting.

Dandelions feed the first bees and also the bunnies. I know people consider them weeds, but they’re not. They are food for creatures that are hungry after winter. They are bright, joyful indicators of spring, and I’ve heard you can make delicious wine from the flowers. The greens are very healthy to eat, as they cleanse the liver.

When the dandelion petals turn to fuzz and their seeds can be dispersed easily, this is where most people have a problem with them in their yard, but I’ve always liked to make a wish and blow the seeds wherever they may go. I’m hoping one day my wishes come true.

I’m not the only one.

One must always take advantage of dandelion fuzzies, even if you’re doing your job at the time. Wishes must never be wasted.
It’s almost perfectly round. The imperfection on the top left makes it more interesting. There are a lot of wishes waiting to happen.
Letting The Light In
Flowers · Nature · Nature photography · Photography · poetry · spring · Trees

Letting The Light In

Amy29 Comments

My flowers are starting to come alive now that we’ve sprung into Spring. I’ll have a post about my favorite tree – the Eastetn Redbud – coming soon, but until then, please enjoy these photos of what’s happening around here.

The Gerberas have started to thrive again, though I do still have to cover them at night.
The Dianthus is massive. it’s been like this all winter. The blooms on this are really cool. They might happen as early as next month.
This is my mother‘s Weeping Cherry Tree. As you can see, it is very much alive and soon will blossom. I have written two poems involving this tree. I will link them below.

Cherry Blossoms – a poem about my mom and her beloved tree.

Ashes To Dirt – a poem about spreading my mother’s ashes underneath her tree.

©️2024, itsamyisaid.com, all rights reserved