After the rain
Posted: April 27, 2012 Filed under: 365 Yoga Challenge, Earth, Fire, home, nature, Photography, pond, Spirit, Spring, Walking, water, weather | Tags: flowers, nature, Outdoors, Photography, pond, rain, reflections, spring, water, Wind 48 CommentsIt feels like the beginning of March rather than the end of April. The clouds cleared this morning, allowing the sun to make a big appearance, but the wind is gusty and there is a chill in the air. Much more like the end of winter than mid-spring.
A few of you may have seen the above photo already. It appeared at Blipfoto yesterday. I’ve been playing around with blipping, although I don’t think I’ll stick with it. It’s fun, and I think if I’d found that before I started blogging I might have done that instead. However, I’m sort of attached to blogging now, and really can’t afford the time involved in more sharing and social networking.

Dancing naked in the garden 2. (In case you don't recognize it, it's a tulip that lost its petals in the wind and rain. I used different camera settings for each shot.)
I went out for my walk early, but didn’t stay out long the first time around. I didn’t feel up to the wind and the cold. I can’t believe I’m going to say/write this but… I am ready for some warmer weather. Not hot weather, mind you. Just warmer.
I went out again around noon, and although it wasn’t too much warmer, I tolerated the cold and wind a little better. The scent of the air is so fresh and clean. It’s a good day to hang the laundry outside to dry.
By afternoon the dandelion seed heads were looking fluffy again, as if someone had come along to give them a blow dry and style.
I made it back to the woods on my second walk where I encountered some ducks in the creek. I’ve seen them before, but they fly off so quickly that I can’t catch them with the camera. I did manage to capture them today, although the shot isn’t particularly good.
The nice thing about being back in the woods it that the wind is not as bad. The trees are good windbreaks.
The light is so pretty back there, too. Someday, when I have lots of spare time, I’m going to sit back there for a while just to see who comes to visit. There are lots of animal tracks in the mud so I know the creek is a favorite watering spot.
There is not much else new here in the Bogs. We’re waiting for things to warm up enough to start planting our vegetables in the garden. The asparagus continues to grow like crazy, providing us with yummy side dishes with our dinner.
(Derrick over at My Sight Picture flipped a reflection for Which way is up? I thought it was kind of cool, so I gave it a try.)
Thank you for visiting, and have a fantastic weekend! We’re grilling veggie burgers for dinner tonight. As soon as I finish here, I’m going up to the kitchen to make some potato salad. It’ll be too chilly to eat on the deck, but the porch (which is enclosed) will probably be warm enough, especially after the presence of the afternoon sunlight. If the wind dies down, it might be a good evening for a little stroll around the pond. Bring a coat and hat, though. Even without the wind, it’s still a bit brisk.
Very nice Robin, some great images 😉
Thank you, Ron. Good to see you again. Thanks for visiting. 🙂
It’s cold here today, as well. But I didn’t realize you had decided to start blipping. Can’t wait to check it out! Hope you have a wonderful weekend, my friend.
Hugs,
Kathy
Damn that tulip is so incredibly cool!
Hugs,
Kathy
Thank you, Kathy. 🙂
I checked out Blipfoto after you linked to Sara’s photos. It’s a pretty cool format. It’s made me think about shortening my blog posts to one photo and one or two sentences a day.
After the rain…after the rain…there is so much beauty here. Your photos touch the heart of the spirit of after the rain. Thank you, dear Robin.
You’re welcome, Kathy. And thank you, my friend. 🙂
Beautiful walk today, in spite of the chill…
Enjoy your weekend!
Thank you, Marie. You too! 🙂
Ah, yes! The joys of spring weather. We had a storm blow through yesterday and it is forcast for 30 degrees tonight. We plan on frost occasionaly through May. A beautiful walk, and I love that firs tulip. 🙂
Thank you, Ted. 🙂
Same here. Our last frost is usually around May 15th, but it’s been known to show up later.
That first tulip shot took my breath away, Robin! I’m glad you decided to post it here and not just on Blipfoto. (I’ve never heard of Blip before and don’t want to get involved in yet *another* time sucker!) 😉
BTW, I went by the home I was telling you about that has hundreds of tulips planted every year. They went with a different colour theme this year (oranges and yellows instead of the regular maroon and pale pink, which is kind of a shame), but I managed to snap a few pics anyway and will hopefully put them on my blog soon(ish). (I had to be fake stealth about it, because the owners of the home were right in the front window and looking at me wearily. I didn’t manage to get any macros but hopefully caught some landscape pics from the safety of the public sidewalk.) 🙂
Thank you, Dana. 🙂
I don’t blame you. Blogging is enough of a time sucker. That’s one of the reasons I mentioned that if I’d found Blipfoto first, I’d be blipping instead of blogging. Blipping is less time consuming (although I guess it could be just as time consuming if one were to follow a lot of people so…. never mind).
Can’t wait to see your tulip photos! I was chuckling at your “fake stealth.” I do that too. I just don’t have the nerve to blatantly take photos when people are watching. That said, if I had hundreds of tulips planted in my yard, I’d expect people to want to take photos of them.
I think the owners get hundreds of photographers by every week, but that still didn’t make me comfortable stepping onto their property to capture the perfect macro shot! 🙂
That dandelion shot is for keeps. What a great work.
Thank you, Terry. 🙂
Hey thanks for the plug! Your reflection looks very impressionistic and very cool. Nice!
You’re welcome, Derrick. And thank you. I think your flip of the reflection is much cooler. 🙂
nah… I like the softness of your image – but I’m a sucker for good impressionist stuff any day. 😉
Nice post and beautiful photos.
Thank you, Earl. 🙂
Lovely pictures. I’m sure warm weather is on the way and soon you’ll be complaining that it’s too hot. What is blipping?
Thank you, Susan. 🙂
You’re right. I will be complaining once it gets hot. I really should stop complaining about the weather. Everything else as well. It doesn’t do a bit of good. Blipping is what you do at Blipfoto.com. Basically, you set up a journal and post one photo a day.
I’ll have to go take a look at Blipfoto, Robin
lovely photos
Thank you, Chloe. 🙂
Lovely as always Robin. 🙂
And yes, the ducks do look like wood ducks. According to my Audubon Guide, the one on the right looks like an adult male. The other looks like it could be either a juvenile (if it has a beige/brownish head) or a female (if the head is more grey). It says they summer in your area and I didn’t see any other ducks with that white streak from the head down toward the back.
Thank you, DragonFae. I appreciate the confirm. I was pretty sure they are wood ducks, but the photo is so unclear it’s hard to be sure. It’s the first time I’ve seen a wood duck around here. 🙂
I never noticed tulips when they’ve lost their petals–cool photos! Loved this walk and especially like the closing paragraph :).
Thank you, Teresita. I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Gorgeous shots like always … I have been wishing for warmer temperatures (and no more snow), but when I look back over the past two weeks … that very unSpringlike weather has brought much natural beauty to my world and it is fun to take pictures of.
Love your photo title … Dancing Naked in the Garden. I am currently sitting here trying to think up clever names for my entries in the local art show contest and drawing a blank … I should be asking you! 😉
Never heard of Blipfoto … I will check it out.
Thanks, Bearyweather. 🙂
I am usually horrible at naming things (hence the use of first initials for my family members where other people come up with clever one or two word titles for their friends and family). That’s why I don’t always title my photos. Once in a great while, though, inspiration strikes.
I love the second from last the best!
Thank you, Sherry. 🙂
I love the soft look of your photos today. The rain sure does “green” everything up. I’d like it to be a little warmer too! We were spoiled with the crazy warmth in March, and now it seems late for it not to be warmer outside (well, I suppose I could be just a little spoiled by last week… 😉 )
Thank you, Karma. 🙂
Yes, the cruise could be coloring your views, but what a way to be spoiled! You’re right about the crazy temps in March, too. I think that’s why I’m having trouble readjusting to the cold.
Love the flipped reflection. 🙂 I’m longing for spring to return here again too.
Thank you, Sallyann. 🙂
What gorgeous photos… each one. I just love the ‘dancing naked’ and the flower image right after.
Thank you, Anna. 🙂
I think we are in a reverse calendar this season 🙂
You could be right, Lynn. 🙂
fantastic macros!
Thank you, Christine. 🙂
Beautiful colours and textures.
Thank you, David. 🙂
Hi Robin. I love the photo and words about the dandelion getting the blow-dry! jane
Thank you, Jane. 🙂