Mosaic Cardinal?

This lovely plant stick was on my mom's deck and well, I just couldn't resist the beautiful mosaic colors of his breast. Could you imagine if this was a real bird? Wouldn't you just stop and stare? I know I would. I would probably have my mouth hanging open too, just because of the wonderful color palette. I don't know how she does it but my mom always has so many reflective things in her garden oasis that I can be kept busy photographing for hours. Thanks mom for the endless inspiration!

Morning Light

I woke up early this morning, and if you know me, you would realize this is a rare thing. Oh, I love the moonlight and usually the only time I see early morning is if I hadn't went to bed the night before. So yeah, this is very strange for me. I could not believe the beautiful glow of the morning sun coming up over the horizon all fresh and bright, I mean really bright. It was making the nature around our yard wake up in an intense luminous light that my artistic side just could not pass up. So I grabbed the puppies and the camera and went for a walk in the wet, dewy grass. The shadows and extreme brightness of these green oak leaves just couldn't get overlooked. Everywhere I went in the yard the chartreuse green was awakening my color senses thrilling them beyond belief. Who knew nature was just as mesmerizing in the wee hours of the days? What a great way to start the day!

Illuminate

The afternoon sunlight was flooding this pink iris with such illumination I just had to share it with you. Can you see all the delicate ruffles at the top? I can get lost tracing them back and forth wanting to take a ride on their curly edges and see where they lead. The top of the flower is so captivating for my artistic eye that I barely glance at the lovely flowing lower petals. It must be the radiance of the sunlight casting all those lovely shades of fuchsia, orange, pink and vermilion - oh yes, it is surely a color palette feast for the eyes.

Capture the moments, just one a day and see how your world opens up. Sparkle, illuminate and create magic in your every day - you deserve it!

The Center

Some Thesaurus words for "delicate" - aerial, breakable, choice, delectable, delightful, elegant, ethereal, faint, filmy, finespun, fragile, frail, graceful, mild, pale, pastel, rare, slight, soft, subdued, subtle, superior, tender.

I love so many of these words, every one of them just sends my artistic side into a dream like state thinking of an image for each delicate standby. I picked this clematis center so you could really look at its graceful center full of elegance and tender stamen. It's almost like it is protecting a secret held deep inside its magical center just waiting to be discovered. Would you have taken the time to look? Would it have made you stop to take a photo? I sure hope so. It's wonderous every day things like this that just make me take notice and want to explore them a bit further. I hope you stop and study the next flower you see, who knows what hidden discoveries you might uncover.

Word - Delicate

The word for this week is delicate.

Its adjective meaning - pleasing to the senses of taste or smell; marked by daintiness or charm; exquisite; fastidious, scrupulous; easily damaged, fragile.

I couldn't think of anything more delicate than the iris' thin almost translucent petals. The sunlight shows them off so beautifully here making them glow in its brilliance. Soft and subtle in coloring, this has to be one of my favorites in the yard. Old fashioned, exquisite and a wonderful sight for an artist looking for a creative inspiration today. I wonder what the muse will have up her sleeves tomorrow, I know it will be just as glorious, how can it not be? A garden of treasures await my senses everyday. I only need to grab my camera and take a walk, I'm sure to be enchanted by its beauty!

Intriguing Palette

We have several Japanese maples on the property and I just love them. Not only is the color a fantastic shade of alizarin crimson but in the spring the small tree almost glows with delicious beauty. I decided to check on it after the light rain of the day and saw these tiny, brilliant drops of wonder just hanging on the deep burgundy branch between the leaves. Add the aqua coloration of the sky in the background and I just knew the photo would be something spectacular. Although I cropped it tightly to focus on the water droplets, you can see the amazing color palette nature has offered up. What could you do with those magnificent colors? Hummm, I will have to think on that one.

Listen Carefully

Some Thesaurus words for "water" - aqua, drink, rain, rainwater, saliva, tears.

I love everything about these leaves. The pointed shape, the inner light colored arrows and the fact that they are sprinkle with water drops. The rain is needed around here in the Midwest and I am glad to see it finally get here after a very hot and strange spring. I imagine the plants all drinking it in with great gulps not sure when the next watering will happen. Can you hear them? Made you smile, didn't I :)