something blue

Finally got back to the garden after a few 
weeks—I've missed it!  My fave
flower this visit was this pretty and
delicate little thing—which I 
believe is a columbine. [No, it's borage.]

[Linking back to Macro Monday and
Blue Monday at Magical Mystery Teacher.]

blue flower

This was taken with my new (okay, used)
macro lens.  Nice glass—and I'm
looking forward to the shots I can take when
I actually learn how to use it!

[Linking back to Blue Monday at
Magical Mystery Teacher
and to Macro Monday.]

ABC Wednesday—Y is for "yellow rose"

"It was June and the world smelled
of roses.  The sunshine was like powdered
gold over the grassy hillside."

—Maud Hart Lovelace, Betsy-Tacy and Tib

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

pink lilies

"The rose does best as a rose.
Lilies make the best lilies. And look!
You—the best you around!"
—Rumi

[Linking back to Pink Saturday at
How Sweet the Sound.]

Weekend Reflections

It's the graceful resident heron at the
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, coming
in for a landing in the
Japanese Hill and Pond Garden.
(There are also ducks, turtles, carp and
goldfish, and at least one bunny.)

[To see more weekend reflections,
visit James's meme.] 

hangin' in

When most of the tulips in the garden
were fading fast, some cultivars
were still going strong—including these
ruffly red and cream beauties.

[Linking back to Ruby Tuesday
and Our World Tuesday.]

bluebells

Last weekend in the garden, the bluebell wood
was in bloom—and also wisteria,
azaleas, and tree peonies.  I hardly knew where 
to look (and point my camera) first.

[Linking back to Blue Monday at
Magical Mystery Teacher.]

Thursday Challenge—"close" (#2)

Up close and personal with the tree
peonies in bloom now at the botanic garden.
They blow me away every year!

[To see more of the Thursday Photo
Challenge, visit Dale's meme.]

The Weekend in Black and White

Is it just me, or does anyone else see
the face of Chewbacca in this tree?

[To see more b/w images,
visit Dragonstar's meme.]

nesting

Doesn't this robin have a well-decorated
home?  She'd probably like it if all
the people who've come to the garden to
admire her pretty tree would just go
home and leave her to sit on her nest in peace.

[Linking back to Ruby Tuesday
and Our World Tuesday.]

Monday Mellow Yellows

This past weekend was the Sakura Matsuri
cherry-blossom festival at the local
botanic garden.  Every year they put out
these Smiley Face chairs for
kids, and adults usually appropriate them.
(They either bought new chairs this
year or painted shades on all the old ones.)

[To see more Mellow Yellows, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—P is for "people"

and also for "pink."  All these folks were at the
botanic garden this past weekend —and
this was shortly before closing time.  One of my
kids remarked that Brooklyn is getting
to be a bit too popular.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

'Burning Heart'

That's the well-chosen name of this two-tone
Darwin hybrid tulip—just one of
dozens of tulips in bloom right now at
the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (aka my 'backyard'.)

[Linking back to Ruby Tuesday
and Our World Tuesday.]

ABC Wednesday—N is for "narcissus"

The show is just beginning.
In the next month or so, there will
be lots and lots of these, plus tulips, lilacs, 
hyacinths . . . and the flowering
trees have already begun to burst into bloom.
Don't you love spring?

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

Weekend Reflections

This jewel-toned drake has been living
in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
for a few years now.  He's a regular
(just like me).

[To see more Weekend Reflections,
visit James's meme.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

Fan palms at the Brooklyn Botanic: What 
a treat to walk 5 to 10 minutes from
my house and enjoy the tropics in the
dead of winter.  Lucky me.

[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

Surinam powder puff

That's the name of this little flower that measures
 an inch or two in diameter.  This one blooms 
in temp-regulated greenhouse comfort
every winter at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

[Linking back to Macro Monday.]

The Weekend in Black and White

One more from the Brooklyn Botanic:
this Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) from
their large bonsai collection.

[To see more b/w images, visit Dragonstar's meme.
Also linking back to Shadow Shot Sunday.]

Weekend Reflections

Last Sunday at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden:
reflected trees and a bright red fish.

[To see more Weekend Reflections,
visit James's meme.  Also linking back
to Orange You Glad It's Friday?]

teeny tiny

Can't tell you what kind of flower this is—
aside from saying it's very small.
I took this shot with a macro
lens on my phone.

[Linking back to Macro Monday
and Blue Monday Two (thanks,
Magical Mystical Teacher!)]