Today's Flowers and Weekend Flowers: Hibiscus Center

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Photohunters: Circles and Model

I went to my photo archives and found shota I thought would work for both themes: Show Some Circles and Model.

I decided to use shots from the Nature Research Center (NRC) in Raleigh, NC. The NRC has many circles as well as models.

The NRC is a relatively new 80,000 square foot wing of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. The goal of the NRC is to  bring research scientists and their work into the public eye, help demystify what can be an intimidating field of study, better prepare science educators and students, and inspire a new generation of young scientists. 

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Nature Notes: Nature Reclaims

The wet summer has yielded a lot of interesting mushrooms.

In the Historic Warehouse District of Durham, NC there are a lot of office buildings which were formed from renovated former warehouses and factories but a few single family houses are scattered here and there.

There are three houses that aren't being used and nature has reclaimed the lots and covered the houses.

If they are left there eventually nature will eat them up with only ruins remaining.

However, my guess is that eventually the lots and houses will be cleared for new offices or maybe a parking lot since parking is at a premium.

I love the purple berries below.

August is ending with more and more signs of fall.

The cardinal below was bathing shortly before a strong shower.

The rain was coming down so hard it looked like a waterfall to me.

The next mushroom looks edible but I wouldn't risk it.

There are still plenty of flowers brightening up the gray days.

I think the next mushrooms are interesting looking.

Some flowers are going to seed.

I like the dappled light shining through the trees.

Everything is so green for late August.

Usually by the end of the summer there are brown burned spots.

I don't know what kind of nest that is in the next shot encased in the web.

I like the way hydrangeas look during all their stages.

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Today's Flowers and Weekend Flowers: Out and About

I thought I'd start with some shots I took of the lotuses in the reflecting pool at the NC Museum of Art's Rodin Sculpture Garden in Raleigh, NC.

There were a mix of colors and blooms.

I like the reflections in the pool.

I'm not sure what the insect in the next shot was.

There were a lot of dragonflies but they moved too fast for me to photograph.

I took the rest of the shots on two different days this week when I had to go to my office in Durham, NC.

The roses were in front of the office building.

The flower pot below is in the parking lot.

During lunch on Friday I walked around downtown Durham.

It's nice to have a break amongst the flowers.

It was almost too hot for a walk.

I walked slowly and took a lot of photo breaks.

I can't complain about the heat because this summer has been much cooler than a normal summer.

I like the diversity of plants I spotted.

I'm not going to try to name the flowers because I don't know all their names.

I like the idea of having seats with plants growing in the back rest.

The downtown Durham farmer's market is only open two days a week.

The NC State farmer's market is in Raleigh, NC not too far from me and is open every day but I don't go there as much as I'd like to. There are several smaller farmer's markets in Raleigh similar to the Durham market and one is only a few miles from my house.

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Photohunters: Humble and Your Morning

I photographed this humble ati (hut) at the NC Biographical Garden in Chapel Hill, NC during a morning walk several years ago. This is a replica of the huts the Occaneechi Indians lived in. You can see the morning light on the hut and I think it's definitely a humble home.

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Nature Notes: Autumn is in the air

Autumn is in the air earlier than usual.

Central NC where I live usually doesn't head into autumn, or fall as I grew up calling it, until much later.

Although it will be a while before most of the leaves change colors there are many early signs of fall.

The first two shots were taken at my house.

Shots 3 through 6 were taken at the NC Art Museum Park.

 The cages with plants in mound in the pond are unusual looking to me. I can't recall seeing plants handled like that in water.

The rest of the shots were taken in my yard.

I haven't seen any dragonflies in my yard this summer until last week.

I was surprised that this one stayed still for me to photograph it from both sides.

Usually they flit around so fast I have trouble photographing them.

One of my dogwood trees is continuing to slowly get its fall colors.

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