august's end

There's something about the last day of August that makes me feel nostalgic, sure there will be more warm weathered mornings, more sun filled afternoons & more nights with crickets singing - but the end of August, to me, signals a change. Greens will be turning golden soon, so let's enjoy these verdant days while they last!

me & my favorite straw hat
surrounded by summer's greens

still life: the geranium, 1906

Henri Matisse's, "The Geranium" uses brilliant colors and brush strokes and captures the warm weather plant we all know so well. Matisse's oil on canvas painting hangs in the Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago.

aren't the colors stunning?

I happen to adore this painting for its bright and cheery hues and for the floral subject matter. Here is what the Art Institute says about "The Geranium" - "This work is one of a number of early still-life paintings in which Henri Matisse incorporated his own figurative sculptures. The Geranium also demonstrates the artist's interest in merging traditional themes with avant-garde practices..." 

summertime scene

A butterfly resting on a wildflower, set against the afternoon sky...what could be make for a more beautiful summer day?

my lucky stars

2 years ago today my husband and I walked down the aisle. What a joyous occasion - marrying the most wonderful man, being surrounded by family and friends, and celebrating our love. I thank my lucky stars for that day. I will never forget it. 

on our wedding day

the love birds 2 years later

light and reflections

An amazing sight - waterlilies in a pool and clouds reflecting on the water, but doesn't it look like the waterlilies are floating amongst the clouds in the sky?

flowerful Friday

I thought I'd continue the hydrangea theme from last week's "flowerful Friday" post. Here are some gorgeous hydrangea blooms I photographed recently at the University of Wisconsin's Arboretum, located just a mile or so from my house. The Arboretum has an incredibly amount of beauty to offer - regardless of the season it is always stunning.  

pointy hydrangeas
I like how they contrast with the clouds

round and full

both types together
isn't it lovely?

bucolic beauty

The interstate in between Madison (where I live) and Minneapolis (where I spend a lot of time for work) cuts through a long stretch of farm land, and when weather cooperates, it's a lovely drive. I travel this route so often I think I could probably make the drive blindfolded, but on days like the recent ones we've had the bucolic beauty of the landscape is completely peaceful and my eyes were wide open taking in the scenery.

don't worry, I stopped the car to take the photos

it's hard to see - but that is a herd of bison
in the distance

winged beauty

Dragonflies amaze me - look at their thinner than paper wings, their teeny legs, and their long, skinny body. How do they manage to fly to such great heights, navigate from plant to plant, and not be blown around by the wind? They are quite something to behold.

classic color combinations - green and red

I think it goes without saying that green and red get typecast as Christmas colors. But there is so much green and red in nature and the combination can be stunning. Here are a few photos I've shot recently. I think they showcase this beautiful duo.  

And not one bit Christmasy!

a magic mushroom

Wild mushrooms amaze me by popping out seemingly overnight. This cute one grew in our front yard nestled in between lambs' ears. This toadstool looked like it was straight out of a children's book - as if a little gnome or elf could be resting nearby!

they are rather magical aren't they?

here's an image I found on Wikipedia
isn't it adorable?
looks like it might be German

tomatoes - the pick of the crop

There's no doubt that I adore home-grown tomatoes. What could be better? Once they're in the ground, they're so easy to grow and the end results are the most delicious and flavorful (I might also mention they are completely mouth-watering) tomatoes ever. It's hard to even compare home-grown tomatoes to their store bought cousins. We have 10 tomato plants in our garden which means there's plenty to share - 2 people, even 2 tomato-loving people just can't keep up with the bounty that 10 plants produce! Here are some of the plants. I think tomatoes are gorgeous.

an heirloom variety named ponderosa red -
perfect for slicing

these orange cherry tomatos are tart and sweet
at the same time

not quite ripe but beautiful

the 2 in the middle are actually ripe -
this cherry variety doesn't turn red

this is a volunteer plant that I left to grow
to see what we'd end up with
and they are like a cross
between a roma and a slicer!

this is a new variety for our garden
it's an heirloom called thessaloniki
and it's a beautiful slicer 

the perfect roma-like tomato, this is
named Juliet - very high yielding plants

perhaps my favorite - the green zebra
perfectly tart and sweet at the same time

light and reflections

The Yahara River in Madison has some beautifully scenic sights, especially when the sun is setting and the light dances across the water. This is a wonderful place to call home!

light and reflections...

flowerful Friday

Hydrangeas are one of the most beautiful flowers I can think of. And their multitude of variety - various shapes, sizes, and colors - add so much visual interest to gardens and bouquets. Here are several that I've photographed around town recently. Aren't they gorgeous? I adore their paper thin petals that when clustered together create a full-bodied floral masterpiece!

elegant white 

a more airy variety - reminds me of butterflies

with a touch of pale blue

chartreuse with cream

white with pink in the background

this pink beauty reminds me of jewelry

the most gorgeous pinky amethyst!

Happy Friday!

monochromatic polychrome #2

Combining photos that are not taken at the same time is something I find quite enjoyable. It is always interesting to group them based on color similarities or contrasts. Here are 5 I took at various times, of various subjects, combined to make a rainbow-like effect.  Hope you enjoy!

a close up of a glass bowl given to me
long ago by German friends

lilacs in the spring - nothing could be prettier!

carnations en masse are surprisingly elegant

the yellow trumpet of a daffodil

green and texturized skin of jackfruits

watermelon - the essence of summer

In the sea of green that is our front yard garden, we are growing watermelon. Stretching for several feet in all directions, these plants are so fun to grow - not to mention to harvest & eat! No fruit, to me, captures the essence of summer so perfectly.

photo credit, my mom

a picture paints a thousand words - #5

There's something about this photo that I find so incredibly calming. Perhaps it's the monochromatic cool bluish-greys that makes my breath slow down a little bit, winding down my entire being. Perhaps it's the photo's ability to take me back, instantly to the place and time I captured this scene. The air was humid yet cool, the sun was setting, I was tired after a very long day, but the peacefulness of the surroundings were comforting. This location was so rural, and I remember thinking to myself, this is how it much have been when my grandfather, traveling from Bangkok, first visited this part of Thailand as a young man.

the Mekong

I took this photo while standing on the Thai side of the Mekong, looking across the wide river to Laos. If you click onto the photo, it will expand the view and if you look really really closely, you'll see two fisherman standing waist high in river. 

garden art

From a kitschy garden gnome to a regal statue, garden art combines two of my favorite things. Here's a photo I took while on a recent visit to Olbrich Botanical Gardens, here in Madison. It's amazing - I've been to Olbrich many times and every time I visit, I see something new. These large curlicue statues are reminiscent of tendrils uncurling and of fiddle-heads. Don't you think they are perfectly set outdoors where they mimic their surroundings?

what a perfect venue

fresh sardines - the perfect catch

At the grocery about a week ago I walked past the seafood section and out of the corner of my eyes I spotted fresh sardines. Both my husband and I were delighted with this find and couldn't wait to grill them up for dinner. Served along side grilled rosemary flatbread and a tomato salad with lots and lots of fresh herbs, it made for a simple and completely delicious dinner. We are both hoping to see more fresh sardines at the market soon. They're so good for you, easy to fix, so tasty, and plentiful on both coasts - making fresh sardines the perfect catch.

grilled with olive and coarse sea salt

a variety of sliced tomatoes
(from the garden, of course!)
with lots of herbs, a pinch of salt,
and a dash of olive oil

and dinner is served!

light and reflections

A canopy of green with sun light peaking down...

flowerful Friday

These are two of the types of zinnias in my garden. Aren't they happy looking flowers? I recently read about zinnias and learned that while they are native to Mexico, they are named after the 18th century German botanist Johann Zinn.

Happy Friday!