It is 65 degrees at the moment and soft gentle rain has been falling steadily all night. Perfect rain because it’s not hard enough to make the washes flow but just the right kind to give the ground a good soaking.
As I was enjoying the rain and thinking about posting a photo, I saw the reflection of the Ocotillo in the slate tiles and then the little ripples and the splashes. Here’s what I saw:
One of the very first things I learned as a photographer but something I don’t always do, is to spend LOTS of time with a subject that interests you. Try to shoot it from every possible angle, with every focal length (wide to macro) because as you’re doing that, you are bound to be inspired to see all the possibilities! A friend of mine, Carol Leigh, teaches an online photo class called Parts is Parts, in which she asks you to choose one subject and then shoot 10 photos of it. The assignment is that they must all be different. What a great way to practice “seeing”! I highly recommend any of Carol’s classes. They are 6 weeks long, inexpensive and you can participate no matter where you are. All you need is a camera and access to a computer.
All posts by Marianne Skov Jensen
gabions (sort of)
We have a huge wash running through this property so the first thing I did was fill it full of river rock. It helped a little but during each monsoon downpour, the water washes a few more rocks and a little more land away.
My ultimate goal is to have beautiful boulders lining the wash and then shrubs and plants spilling over. I’m a long way from that but I’ll get there, one rock at a time! In the meantime, I’m putting my new skills as a desert landscaper to work. I made some gabions (sort of) to flank either side of the pipe that goes under the driveway. The metal fence posts you see have been driven down into the bank with my trusty pink fence post driver. My gabions won’t win any awards for design but I bet they’ll work!
rainbows
Besides staying familiar with my cameras, shooting a photo (almost daily) helps me learn “stuff”. Because I like to include some little tidbit with a photo, I will google the subject which usually leads to lots of reading. Most of us kind of understand what causes rainbows but did you know about their religious and mythological history? A search in Wikipedia revealed tons of information including the scientific history which was very interesting but reading that section made my head hurt 🙂
golden barrel
The blooms of the Golden Barrel (Echinocactus grusonii) cactus are very small and because of their color, most people probably never notice them. I make it a habit, though, to look for new growth and blooms every morning before I start working in my yard. (yes…it’s hot right now!)
These blooms are on one of the 3 Golden Barrels I bought not long after moving to Arizona. Since then, I’ve added more in various sizes. I just read that they don’t bloom until they are about 20 years old so we have a little time to go on the newer ones. The best part about Goldens is no maintenance is needed. They are practically indestructible! In the link above, I read that it also has the nickname “mother in law’s cushion”. Ouch 🙂
javelina visit
What has your attention, Cloe?
When her eyes are this big, it can only mean one thing….Javelina!
damsels and dragons
After years of seeing beautiful bird photos taken by friends at the the Gilbert Riparian Preserve and saying to myself “I must go one of these days!”, it took curiosity about Dragonflies to finally get me there. I was very surprised at how beautiful the Preserve was and now I’m eager to go back despite the long drive. This particular trip was prompted by a walk advertised by the Maricopa Audubon Society featuring an introduction to Dragonflies. Thanks to leader Bob Witzeman, I now know the difference between a Damselfly and a Dragonfly 🙂
saguaro dreams
It’s a great year for Saguaro blooms. Here’s an infrared shot taken on Dynamite Rd between Pima and Scottsdale.
velcro in nature
Ratany was the first plant I learned about when I moved to Arizona. My first discovery was the heavenly scent! They’re still blooming many places so if you don’t know about this trait, stop and see for yourself. You don’t even have to be very close to get a whiff. The flowers are very orchid-like and then come the little velcro fruits, as I call them. Each has one hook but then check out the teeny, tiny, grapple hook ends on these guys. They don’t hurt, though! Not even when they’re dry.
All in all, White Ratany is one of my favorite photo ops.
instant art
OK…not exactly instant but with just a few clicks of the mouse I have something I really like and I think I will hang. I visualize a large canvas. Before I wast the ink and canvas, though, here’s what I do to find out if I really like it. I print it on plain paper and then put it in a place I’ll pass several times a day. After a week or more of staring at it, I’ll know whether I want to print. Below is a before and after.
cool cat
Cloe absolutely loves the KittyWalk enclosure. She knows how to enjoy a hammock better than anyone I know 🙂
