From Nightjar,
These photos were taken in the last day of winter, just before the equinox. I brought these little red tulips from my grandma’s garden after she died and I planted them in a pot to be sure I wouldn’t lose them. It turned out to be a great idea and by moving it around I was able to capture them in different light conditions.
©Nightjar, all rights reserved
©Nightjar, all rights reserved
©Nightjar, all rights reserved
©Nightjar, all rights reserved
Avalus has found another lovely patch of tiny white flowers and today there’s a colourful guest.
Some more tiny flowers, this time with a purple friend.
©Avalus, all rights reserved
©Avalus, all rights reserved
It’s that wonderful time of year when flowers start bursting out everywhere. Even in the sidewalks. Just ask Avalus.
Some tiny flowers, which are growing in the space between the plates of the walkway in front of my department. I wonder what insect visits them? The flowers are about 4 mm across. I got funny looks (again) by people passing by, while I was half prone on the walkway to get the pictures. Well, their loss for not noticing these tiny treasures.
©Avalus, all rights reserved
©Avalus, all rights reserved
Hens and Chicks ©voyager, all rights reserved
I found my first growing thing of spring today. It’s a brave little hens and chicks lured out of its nest by the bright spring sun. Too bad for the little hen, though, that it’s still bloody cold. The high today was +5º, but there’s a bitter north wind blowing making it feel more like minus 5 instead. It’s supposed to get up to +11º by the end of the week, but then dip back down to zero again for a few more days. Sigh. Is it just me, or is spring taking a bit too long to get here this year?
Nightjar has sent us something special to start the week; busy little pollinators and beautiful March Light.
Spring has definitely arrived here! My opinion is that March Light is best seen when reflecting off the wings of all the busy pollinators, and that is exactly what I tried to capture this month. The weather and the insects cooperated with me. Shiny wings everywhere!
©Nightjar, all rights reserved
Our woods are a nature and water reserve which means that there is no commercial use of the wood. Trees that have fallen or are at risk of killing people are just cleared off the paths and left to rot, which means that you get to see decay in a way you really get to see in our tidy, tended to world.
It’s also wonderful for loot for crafting…
©Giliell, all rights reserved
©Giliell, all rights reserved
©Giliell, all rights reserved
I love you, too
They also offer space for animals, like those ants. I discovered them when I wanted to place my resin stuff on the top to take pics. I decided against it.
©Giliell, all rights reserved
©Giliell, all rights reserved
©Giliell, all rights reserved
Amongst all the rock and all the river, I found some rather delightful and charming botanical residents – it is the first day of March, so Spring is still making its slow entrance, but the first small spots of colour are appearing. If anyone would like to ID any of these plants, I’d be most grateful, because I seem to be short on time.
©rq, all rights reserved.
©rq, all rights reserved.
©rq, all rights reserved.
©rq, all rights reserved.
©rq, all rights reserved.
©rq, all rights reserved.
©rq, all rights reserved.
Today’s song doesn’t have much to do about plants but focuses on the wandering aspect of enjoying strange places, new countries, and magnificent natural locations.
Last week the weather was all sunshine and wonder. Today it’s rain and storm, many carnival parades have been cancelled already. So let’s go back to flowers and sunshine.
© Giliell, all rights reserved
It’s time to join Ice Swimmer on his walk around Harakka.
Emerging from the Wetland ©Ice Swimmer, all rights reserved
The bird watching shelter we visited earlier is on the right. Sunday was definitely brighter than Saturday. Across the water are the island Särkkä and Suomenlinna Sea Fortress.
We’re back on Harakka with Ice Swimmer, but we’re not on the top of the island as predicted in the previous post, Chapter 13 – Interlude III, Mystery Path. That chapter was mistakenly published out of order by this administrator. We’ll get to the top of the island on March 4/19 in Chapter 16 – Top and Around. My apologies to Ice Swimmer.
Wetland ©Ice Swimmer, all rights reserved
There is a valley near the southeastern shore. In the valley, there are wetlands.
It’s the last day of February and it’s been a long, dreary month for me. Nightjar has light, though. Beautiful light, and she’s sharing it with all of us.
This year the shortest month went by rather quickly for me. Between work, gardening and lack of inspiration there weren’t many photo opportunities. Luckily, this time of the year it is not necessary to leave my own garden to find something interesting and this was a very sunny February. At the end of the month I finally felt inspired to make an interpretation of February Light, playing with low angles and shooting flowers against sunlight while not caring about blowing out the sky.
©Nightjar, all rights reserved
Our Amorphophallus decided to blossom this year. A beautiful flower, the blossom itself is about 40 cm tall and it is difficult to get it into a picture.
And it had to be confined to a closed room, because it stinks of rotting flesh.
Yay.
©Charly, all rights reserved, click for full size.
If the early bird catches the worm what does the early bee get? Her picture taken, of course. This delightful early sign of spring comes to us from Avalus.
Walking home last Saturday I found the first bee of the year! She allowed for one photo and then took off. I hope for a good year for her hive!
First bee of 2019 ©Avalus, all rights reserved