Stephanie, Hannah, Stephen, and Lyla
Congratulations to four gratuates: Stephanie, Hannah, Stephen, and Lyla. God bless you as you head off to college in the fall.
Jack and Some Friends
Jack and Some Friends
I know Jack was featured here only 12 days ago but he’s so darn cute and now he’s out and about a bit more. Here he is with his mom and seven adoring fans.
Greg and Anna
Greg and Anna
So if it was hard yesterday to pick a single picture from 465, how much harder today. But since the main event was the wedding, here is the happy couple, officially husband and wife.
Although I’m posting this on Tuesday, don’t worry, I have pictures taken Sunday and Monday to share, as soon as I can get to them. It won’t be long.
Greg and Anna Joy
Greg and Anna Joy
I know I’m running behind. I’ve been so busy taking pictures that I haven’t had enough time to go through them. Also, picking one picture out of 465 is never easy.
We were privileged to spend the evening with Greg and Anna Joy’s families as they prepared to join in marriage tomorrow. The highlight, I think, was the time of story-telling in the barn. In this picture, Clay is telling a bit about how he and Greg met and became such good friends.
Any guesses what tomorrow’s picture will be of?
Cleome hassleriana
Cleome hassleriana
Commonly known as spider flower, Cleome hassleriana is a really nice plant. It’s probably just as well that it’s an annual or it might get out of hand. This is its first bloom of the summer in our yard and it should continue until early fall.
Categories: Flowers and Plants
Tags: Annual, Annuals, Cleome, Cleome hassleriana, Pink, Purple
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Nigella Seed Capsule
Nigella Seed Capsule
Back on May 24 (day 144) I had a picture of a Love-In-a-Mist (Nigella damascena) flower. This is the seed capsule, which is also pretty cool. I didn’t take this until after dark so it’s taken with a reflected flash.
Categories: Flowers and Plants
Tags: Annual, Annuals, Love-In-A-Mist, Nigella, Nigella damascena, Seed Pod
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Carousel Rogues
Carousel Rogues
I enjoyed hearing our friends, Caitlin and Zach along with the rest of Carousel Rogues play this evening up in Frederick. They leave tomorrow on their first mini-tour. Have a great time, guys, we love you!
Eastern Amberwing
Eastern Amberwing
Albert corrected me as to the identification. I had labeled it as Perithemis domitia, the slough amberwing. He correctly identified it as Perithemis tenera, the eastern amberwing. That makes more sense, base on where I took the picture and the range of the two species. Also, the differences in markings, although not glaring, are certainly enough to be definitive. Thanks, Albert.
Categories: Creatures
Tags: Anisoptera, Dragonfly, Eastern Amberwing, Insect, Insects, Perithemis, Perithemis tenera
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Lopidea
Lopidea
I’m not sure which one but I’m fairly certain that this is one of the 50+ Lopidea species, possibly L. media. It’s posing for me on an unopened stock flower. No more than 3/8 inch long (not counting the antennae).
Variegated Lady Beetle
Variegated Lady Beetle
This is a Variegated Lady Beetle (Hippodamia variegata), a non-native species that has only relatively recently (since the 1980s) been found on this side of the Atlantic. Like all the lady beetles, they are predaceous on other insect pests and are welcome in the garden or (as here) the farm.
Categories: Creatures
Tags: Beetle, Coleoptera, Hippodamia, Hippodamia variegata, Insect, Insects, Lady Beetle, Variegated Lady Beetle
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Sempervivum
Sempervivum
I’ve always liked hens-and-checks (Sempervivum) and this pot of it is doing particularly well. I like both the swirling patterns of the leaves and the wide variety of colors.
Categories: Flowers and Plants
Tags: Hens and Chicks, Sempervivum, Succulent
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Strawberries and Cream
Strawberries and Cream
One of life’s little pleasures.
Categories: Food/Drink
Tags: Cream, Dessert, Fruit, Strawberries, Strawberries and Cream
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Watching a Movie
Watching a Movie
Dorothy and Simone watched a movie on the computer this evening.
Jack
Jack
Our friends Lauren and Tommy let us come visit them and see their beautiful three-week-old son, Jack. He had a rough first week but seems to be doing wonderfully now. He slept most of the time we were there but it was great to hold him and get caught up with Lauren and Tommy. What a sweet baby and what great parents.
Butterfly Weed
Butterfly Weed
We have this orange Asclepias tuberosa as well as a pure-yellow-flowered variety.
Categories: Flowers and Plants
Tags: Asclepias, Asclepias tuberosa, Bloom, Blooms, Butterfly Weed, Flower, Flowers, Hardy Perennial, Native Plants, Perennial
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Iris
Iris
But this is not your run of the mill Iris. Among other things, she’s one year through med school.
Free Range Hens
Free Range Hens
Do you know where your food comes from? This is where we’re getting our produce and our eggs. http://www.rocklandsfarmmd.com/. Thanks, Shawn and Greg.
Categories: Creatures
Tags: Chickens, Eggs, Free Range, Free Range Hens, Poultry, Rocklands, Rocklands Farm
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Asiatic Lily
Asiatic Lily
This is the first of our few (but beautiful) Asiatic lilies to bloom. We really should have more of these.
Categories: Flowers and Plants
Tags: Asiatic Lily, Bloom, Bulbs, Flower, Flowers, Lily, Orange
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Evening Storm
Evening Storm
It was hot again today, 102° F at Reagan National Airport, and I really didn’t feel like going out. When I got home I took three dozen pictures in the yard. Nothing exciting, though. More flowers, blah, blah, blah.
Then, about 7:45 a storm came through and I took this picture just as it started to rain.
Variable Dancer
Variable Dancer
These little damselflies don’t stay put for very long and they don’t like you to get too close. Also, it was on the warm side today, especially in the sun, which made it harder. I did manage to get two shots of this one. Argia fumipennis violacea
Categories: Creatures
Tags: Argia, Argia fumipennis, Damselfly, Insect, Insects, Odonata, Variable Dancer
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Bergamot
Bergamot
You have to admit, Monarda didyma (bergamot or scarlet beebalm) has one of the coolest flower structures around.
Categories: Flowers and Plants
Tags: Bergamot, Monarda, Monarda didyma, Scarlet Beebalm
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Ailanthus Leaf
Ailanthus Leaf
This tree has already put on four feet of growth this year. Is it any wonder they are so successful in the environment? It has pretty leaves, though.
Categories: Flowers and Plants
Tags: Ailanthus, Ailanthus Leaf, Leaves, Tree, Trees
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Editing Exercise
Editing Exercise
I was dropping Dorothy and Chris off for band practice and Chris suggested this tree as a photo subject. Unfortunately, there was a basketball hoop in front of it. So, the exercise was to remove the basketball hoop (and a bench, as well) and make it look natural. Did I succeed?
Levi
Levi
We had a wonderful time with our good friends Erin and David this evening and were especially happy to meet their one year old son, Levi. What a charmer.
Waxing Moon
Waxing Moon
A tiny sliver of a moon was setting shortly after dusk this evening. I had to move around so I could get it without power lines or street lights and I think this turned out pretty well.
Categories: Sunrise/Sunset/Sky
Tags: Crescent, Moon, Night, Sky, Waxing Moon
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Garden Spider
Garden Spider
The wind was whipping this little fellow around and I could only get at him from behind, so this isn’t as good as I’d like but still, it’s reasonably sharp and kind of cool. If you like that sort of thing — I understand not everyone is crazy about spiders.
Dorothy and Friends
Dorothy and Friends
Ellen, Sarah, Jenny, Anna, and Dorothy.
Allium caeruleum
Allium caeruleum
This is a sweet little blue allium. I think I’ll get a few more of these this fall.
Categories: Flowers and Plants
Tags: Allium, Allium caeruleum, Bloom, Blooms, Blue, Bulbs, Flower, Flowers, Onion
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‘New Dawn’
‘New Dawn’
On August 31, 1931, the U. S. Patent Office granted plant patent number 1 to Henry Bosenberg for the rose ‘New Dawn’. There’s a lot to like about this rose but not least is that it so reliably reblooms and it has such beautiful, shiny green foliage that doesn’t have problems with black spot, even here in Maryland. I got my plant from my coworker, Kamala and it’s growing up and over the back fence. This brings “rose week” to a close as this is the last of the nine roses in our garden.
Categories: Flowers and Plants
Tags: New Dawn, Peach, Pink, Rose, Rose New Dawn
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‘Perle d’Or’
‘Perle d’Or’
Next to our front door is this sweet little China rose, ‘Perle d’Or’ (Joseph Rambaux/Rambaud, France, 1884). It’s just about through with it’s first main flush but it will have at least a few flowers on it from now until the first frost. A wonderful scent, as well.
Categories: Flowers and Plants
Tags: Apricot, Perle d’Or, Pink, Rose, Rose ‘Perle d’Or’
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