Photos, videos and docs of Janet Brien, with the keywords: "square"

Pictures for Pam, Day 152: Mule Ears

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 01:51:49 +0000

(+7 insets!)

This morning when I got up I was amazed to find that it wasn’t raining! For the past couple of weeks we’ve had so much rain that the nearby Rogue River has flooded in some places. Thankfully we are on high ground but that gives you an idea of how much water we’ve been getting in this area. We’ll have a respite until this evening and then the faucet will turn on again for another week. I have to say that it’s really nice to have a normal spring. It’s supposed to be like this instead of the years of drought that plagued us.

The poison oak rash that I got from my trek up the hill the other day is finally starting to calm down. However, I was exasperated to discover a patch on one of my knees! Is there no escape from this wretched stuff?! I forgot to bring my knee pads when I went up on the hill and I must have knelt on some poison oak, crushing it enough that the oil soaked through my pants and onto my knee. Ridiculous!

Poison oak is bad but there is something here which is much more dangerous: ticks that carry Lyme disease. In fact, the previous owner was bitten by a tick here and he contracted this awful malady. It's no laughing matter.

That's why, when I got back from my sojourn up the hillside, I entered the kitchen where Steve was starting our lunch and proceeded to fling my clothes everywhere! Once I was in the altogether, I turned slowly so Steve could check for ticks. After all, I knew better than to chance it. I'd been basically rolling around in the bushes, laying on the ground and brushing against all types of vegetation. The odds of having a tick on me were about as 100% as possible. And yep…GIVE THAT GIRL A KEWPIE DOLL. A disgusting, nasty, creepy tick was spotted on my calf and already trying to take hold, the confounded stinker! Steve yanked it off me and washed it down the sink while I ran upstairs to toss all my clothes in the hamper. They would be certainly covered with poison oak oils from the rampant budding growth all over the hillside.

Later that day I went to wash something in the kitchen sink and what did I find waving it's graspy-grippy legs at me with the hopes to continue its attempt to suck my blood? That icky thing had crawled all the way up out of the drain and up the side of the sink as if drowning in scalding water was nothing! Glaring at the nasty creature, I grabbed it and seethed, "Oh, so you want to play the Flat Game then? Ok, let's go!" Squishing it between thumbnail and the counter, the tick was soon two-dimensional and moved no more. "I win." This time when I washed it down the drain it STAYED. Foul creature.

And now, something beautiful! Today I'm featuring the gorgeous Mule Ear flower! This stunning perennial fills large areas of our hillside with thick clumps of 4-7" blossoms which rise out of large, fuzzy green leaves that are reminiscent of its namesake, a mule's ears. I was overjoyed to see that after the wildfire razed our hillside, these flowers have come back more plentiful than ever. They love direct sunlight so without the trees and bushes obscuring the sun, they have really taken off, hooray! I couldn't be happier with Mother Nature's excellent choice in landscaping. :) Along with the main image, I'm sharing three others as insets plus a bunch of archive images from the past. Aren't they just glorious?! I hope you enjoy the show.

My dear Pam, don't these flowers look a lot like your False Sunnies? What better, then, to look for than our favorite happy-go-lucky golden blossom?! I decided on one that is adorned with a Monarch feasting on its nectar! Such a perfect pair. Both so lovely. I envy you so much for getting pictures of these butterflies. I've only seen them laughing at me as they fly around me blowing raspberries before flying away. Rude. Well, some day I hope to add one to my collection of wild-caught butterfly images! (Yes, I do have some really nice pictures of them, but taking pictures of butterflies in a captive exhibit is not the same as being outside and getting a hot shot like you've gotten!) ALL MY BEST!! MANY HUGS!!!

Explored on 4/11/19, highest placement, #1.

Pictures for Pam, Day 87: Tiny Acorn in Moss

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sun, 03 Feb 2019 23:52:29 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+2 insets!)

Do you ever wake up feeling "off"? That's how I felt when I got up this morning. My mood was scattered and out of sorts. Nervous and uneasy. I really can't figure out why I wasn't my usual boisterous and happy self but can tell you one thing: I didn't like it.

So, I decided that my exercise today would be a "walking meditation." I don't practice meditation on a regular basis though I am sure it would be beneficial to me. I just never make time for it--which is probably a good indicator for doing more meditation.

Of course you're supposed to be sitting still and relaxed to meditate, but many of the practices should be doable while in motion if you're focused on it. So as I walked up and down our driveway I repeated to myself different phrases like "Peace and serenity..." while thinking about my complete breath cycle. Or, "Breath in positive energy from the trees and plants around you...and breath out the negative energy..." I spent time thinking about how my body felt as I walked along, the way my breath felt, my heart beat, and the contraction of my muscles while I moved.

I made a point to think about nothing but my walking meditation. As I began my walk, a very light rain was falling and I didn't bring my umbrella. I imagined the rain taking away the feelings that had made me feel so off when I woke up today.

To keep myself focused to only what I was doing and to immerse myself in the moment and where I was, I asked myself, "List the things you can hear which make you happy and peaceful..." I listened intently while I moved along. "Twittering junkos are there in that tree...a single frog is croaking in the pond...an acorn woodpecker is calling another one... and I can hear some Canada Geese in the distance..." And "The sound my feet make crunching on the gravel...the squelching sound when I walk in the muddy clay...the sound of a pebble skittering along when it's kicked...the rain dripping from the trees...the sound of my breath as I walk...and the cry of a hawk flying over the trees..."

I repeated this for the things that I saw which made me feel happy and at peace.

As the light rain slowly increased to a proper downfall, I got my umbrella and listened to the rhythmic sound of the droplets pattering over my head. I felt like I was in a bubble of safety here.

I spent the rest of my hour and 15 minutes by concentrating on feeling relaxed and happy, feeling grateful to those in my life who have played a part in getting me where I stand today. Picturing wonderful memories, people I loved and those who have passed on but thinking only of the happy memories from them.

I finished my "Walking Meditation" feeling completely returned to my normal self. What a nice way to reset myself!

Since it's been raining all day, I thought I'd share a few rainy day pictures I took the other day. The main picture is an adorable, tiny acorn that I found nestled in some moss. I was surprised at its nearly black color and how it glistened so beautifully with its slick, wet coat. It measured about half an inch in size and was so cute that I couldn't resist a picture!

I'm also sharing a picture of a large rose hip from our rose bush in the front yard that's covered with droplets. I had a lot of fun playing with textures to dress up the plain background. The other inset is some water-soaked wild grass, its head totally engulfed in water!

Pam, I did a search for "acorn" and found this very pretty natural collage, entitled, "Heartsease & Acorns, tiny Blueits & Wood Sorrel leaves." I love that you enjoy learning about the things in your pictures. It's so fascinating and fun to know all about the gifts we find as we look around our property. Hope you are faring well today, it's starting to get cold over here…supposed to snow tomorrow but I won't believe it until I see it! *HUGGGGGGS*!!!

Explored on 2/4/19, highest placement, #2.

366/366: Pink Petals with a Crystal Tear

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sun, 01 Jan 2017 03:58:49 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

My last picture of the year, the tear represents all that we have lost this year and for the unfortunated things that have come to pass. I am saddened by all of the deaths of so many people--whether famous, humanitarily important, or those who were loved or those who were forgotten--and yet, for the number of people who have died, many good things have happened in 2016.

This list goes to 100...it's very encouraging to see so many positive things that happened in 2012!

1. British Columbia protected 85% of one of the world’s largest temperate rainforests, home to the wonderfully named ‘Spirit Bear.’ Reuters
2. In February, Peru and Bolivia signed a $500 million deal to preserve Lake Titicaca. HNGN
3. In March, the US government abandoned its plan for oil and gas drilling in Atlantic waters, reversing its decision from a year ago. Guardian
4. After nearly 13 years of difficult negotiations, Malaysia established a 1 million hectare marine park that pioneers a mixed-use approach to marine conservation. Guardian
5. In 2016, more than 20 countries pledged more than $5.3 billion for ocean conservation and created 40 new marine sanctuaries covering an area of 3.4 million square km. Reuters
6. That included a new record holder for the world’s biggest marine reserve, off the coast of Antarctica. National Geographic
7. New research showed that acid pollution in the atmosphere is now almost back to the level that it was before it started with industrialisation in the 1930s. Science Bulletin
8. In 2012, the US and Mexico embarked on an unprecedented binational project to revive the Colorado River. By 2016, the results had astonished everyone. Audubon
9. In November, the Obama administration followed up its March announcements by banning offshore exploration and drilling for oil and gas in the Arctic until 2022. Politico
Huge strides forward for global health

10. The World Health Organisation released a report showing that, since the year 2000, global malaria deaths have declined by 60%. WHO
11. In 2016, some of the world’s biggest diseases, like colon cancer, dementia, and heart disease, started declining in wealthy countries. New York Times
12. A new study from the world’s leading health journal reported that the number of women dying from pregnancy and childbirth has almost halved since 1990. Guardian
13. Fresh evidence showed that public smoking bans have improved health in 21 nations. Wiley Blackwell
14. Uruguay won a major case against Philip Morris in a World Bank ruling, setting a precedent for other small countries that want to deter tobacco use. CS Monitor
15. Malawi achieved a 67% reduction in the number of children acquiring HIV, the biggest success story across all sub-Saharan nations. Since 2006, they’ve saved 260,000 lives. Al Jazeera
16. Child mortality rates came down by 12% in Russia. Article
17. Life expectancy in Africa has increased by 9.4 years since 2000, thanks to improvements in child survival, progress in malaria control, and expanded access to ARVs. Quartz
18. Mobile phones made significant inroads in the fight against rabies, a disease that kills more people annually than all terrorists combined. Ars Technica
19. Thailand became the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. World Health Organisation
20. Harvard scientists created a new platform for antibiotic discovery that may help solve the crisis of antibiotic resistance. GEN
21. Liberia was officially cleared of Ebola, meaning there are now no known cases of the deadly tropical virus left in West Africa. Vanguard
22. The WHO announced that measles have been eradicated in all of the Americas, from Canada to Chile. It’s the first time the disease has been eliminated from an entire world region. NBC
23. The proportion of older US adults with dementia, including Alzheimer’s, declined from 11.6% in 2000 to 8.8% in 2012, a decrease of about a million people. Scientific American
24. The number of cigarette smokers in the US has dropped by 8.6 million since 2005. That fall will be accelerated by a tobacco tax just passed in California. NPR
Political and economic progress in many parts of the world

25. In 2016, for the first time ever, the amount of money it would take to end poverty dropped below the amount of money spent on foreign aid. Vox
26. World hunger reached its lowest point in 25 years. New York Times
27. In February, Ontario announced a $100 million initiative to curb violence against indigenous women. The Star
28. Myanmar swore in its first elected civilian leader in more than 50 years. BBC
29. Black incarceration rates fell in the United States. Not fast enough, but certainly something worth celebrating. Washington Post
30. In 1990, more than 60% of people in East Asia lived in extreme poverty. As of 2016, that proportion has dropped to 3.5%. Vox
31. Homelessness in the United States declined by 35% since 2007, and Los Angeles committed to $1.2 billion to help get more people off the street. CS Monitor
32. Taiwan is on the verge of becoming the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage. New York Times
33. The Gambia and Tanzania banned child marriage, following sustained lobbying by civil society groups. Independent
34. In June, after years of wrangling, the drive to end female genital mutilation in Africa made a major breakthrough, when the Pan African Parliament endorsed a continent-wide ban. The Wire
35. Germany took on rape culture, introducing a law to broaden the definition of sex crimes by zoning in on the issue of consent. Catalogue
36. Two weeks before Brexit, the African Union announced a new single African passport that permits holders to enter any of the 54 AU member states without a visa. Washington Post
37. The United States now feeds healthy lunches to more than 30 million children, is about to ban trans fats, and has enacted one of the biggest overhauls of nutrition labels in decades. Vox
38. Italy became the last large Western country to recognise same-sex unions in 2016, following a long-running battle by campaigners. Independent
39. Denmark became the first country to no longer define being transgender as a mental illness, and Canada announced a ban on transgender discrimination. Telegraph.
40. 2016 marked the 24th year in a row that teenage pregnancy rates declined in the United Kingdom and the United States.
41. In December, the Gambia became the latest African country to show that voting does count, and dictators do fall. Daily Maverick
We finally started responding seriously to the climate change emergency

42. The Paris Agreement became the fastest (and largest) United Nations treaty to go from agreement to international law in modern history. CBS
43. Global carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels did not grow at all in 2016. It’s the third year in a row emissions have flatlined. Scientific American
44. Thanks to rapid technological innovation and political support from around the world, renewables now account for more installed capacity than any other form of electricity in the world, including coal. Gizmodo
45. The Chinese government placed a ban on new coal mines, created new rules for grid access, and doubled its renewables targets for 2020. WRI
46. India announced it won’t need any new coal plants for the next three years because it’s flush with generation capacity. Times of India
47. In April, the UK’s Chatham House released a report saying “Big Oil is screwed.” Chatham House
48. In the same month, 25% of European countries announced that they had quit coal. EcoWatch
49. The BRICS New Development Bank approved $1 billion in renewables investments in China, Brazil, South Africa, and India. RT
50. In 2016 Costa Rica ran solely on renewable energy for over 100 days. Now it’s aiming for an entire year with no fossil fuels. The Independent
51. In July, the US, Mexico, and Canada committed to getting 50% of their electricity from renewables by 2025. Their leaders also nailed the awkward handshake thing. Time
52. A new report showed that China reached peak coal in 2014, a landmark moment in the fight against climate change that was reported by every media outlet on the planet. Right? Guardian
53. China installed 20GW of solar in the first half of 2016, three times as much as during the same period a year ago. Reuters
54. In October, the International Energy Agency reported that half a million solar panels were installed each day around the world in 2015. It also drastically increased its five year growth forecast for renewables. IEA
55. In the same month, 197 countries agreed to drastically reduce their use of HFCs, and the International Civil Aviation Organisation agreed to measures to combat the impact of flying on greenhouse gas emissions. Scientific American
56. The world’s biggest offshore wind farm received the go ahead for its second phase. Guardian
57. Mexico announced $6 billion in renewables investments, Argentina $2.7 billion, Scotland connected underwater turbines to its grid for the first time, and solar energy generated more power than coal in the United Kingdom. Independent UK
58. In November, India unveiled the world’s largest solar-xpower plant, and revealed that it is now on track to be the world’s third biggest solar market in 2017. Al Jazeera
59. And in the same month, the United Kingdom agreed to phase out coal by 2025, France said it would get there by 2023, and Germany promised to reduce emissions by 95% by 2050. Guardian
The world got less violent

60. Following the end of conflict in Colombia in 2016, all of the war in the world is now limited to an arc that contains less than a sixth of the world’s population. Associated Press
61. ISIS quietly started preparing its followers for the eventual collapse of the caliphate it proclaimed with great fanfare two years ago. New Yorker
62. In April, a new report revealed that for the first time ever, the death penalty has become illegal in more than half of the world’s countries. Article
63. Juarez, in Mexico, used to be the world’s most dangerous city. In 2016, crime came down and residents started losing their fear. National Geographic
64. Crime rates in Holland plummeted, with total recorded crime shrinking by 25% in the last eight years. One third of the country’s prison cells are now empty. Dutch News
65. Three years ago Honduras was the most dangerous place on earth. Since then community crime programs have achieved a remarkable reduction in violence. New York Times
66. Hellholes? Not according to US mayors, who in 2016 celebrated years of positive gains in US cities. Politico
Signs of hope for a life-sustaining economy

67. Good science and simple economics have started a reversal in overfishing in the United States. New York Times
68. Norway became the first country in the world to commit to zero deforestation. The Independent
69. In June, a new survey showed that the ozone hole has shrunk by more than 3.9 million square kilometres since 2006. Scientists now think it will now be fully healed by 2050. Sydney Morning Herald
70. In July, more than 800,000 volunteers in India planted 50 million trees in one day. The country is planning on reforesting 12% of its land. National Geographic
71. Later that month, Israel revealed that it now makes 55% of its freshwater. That means that one of the driest countries on Earth now has more water than it needs. Ensia
72. McDonalds announced it would be removing corn syrup from its hamburger buns and removed antibiotics from its chicken months ahead of schedule. CNBC
73. By August, every major grocery and fast-food chain in the US had pledged to use only cage-free eggs by 2025. Washington Post
74. The average number of large oil spills around the world has been drastically reduced, from an average of 24.5 per year in the 1970s to just 1.8 a year in 2015. ITOPF
75. The citizens of Mumbai conducted the largest beach clean-up in human history, removing more than 4,000 tonnes of rubbish. Washington Post
76. Plastic bag use plummeted in England thanks to the introduction of a 5p charge in 2015. BBC
77. The Italian government overwhelmingly backed a new set of laws aimed at cutting down the vast amounts of food wasted in the country each year. Independent
78. In December, four of the world’s biggest cities, Paris, Madrid, Athens, and Mexico City, agreed to ban diesel cars from their centers. Guardian
Endangered animals got a some well-deserved breaks

79. At this year’s CITES conference, 183 countries agreed to the strongest protections ever for endangered animals, with big wins for parrots, rhinos, porpoises, rays, and elephants. Washington Post
80. In February, the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the global manatee population is no longer endangered. Scientific American
81. Wild wolves started coming back to Europe, and for the first time since the American Revolution, wild salmon began spawning in the Connecticut River. Al Jazeera
82. In March, Yellowstone’s grizzly bears passed a major milestone, completing one of the greatest wildlife comeback stories in history. National Geographic
83. Fifty years ago, the Columbian white-tailed deer population was 450 animals. This year, the US Fish and Wildlife Service took it off the endangered list. CS Monitor
84. Green sea turtles in Florida and Mexico were taken off the endangered list. Huffington Post
85. Sea World agreed to stop breeding captive killer whales. NPR
86. Humpback whales were removed from the endangered species list, having fully recovered in the last 46 years. Science Mag
87. The US finalized new regulations to shut down commercial elephant ivory trade within its borders and stop wildlife crime overseas. WWF
88. Mongolia created one of the world’s largest protected areas for snow leopards. Snow Leopard Trust
89. In September, giant pandas became the latest species to be taken off the endangered list. Guardian
90. And in 2016, for the first time, we heard that the number of tigers in the wild rose for the first time in 100 years. National Geographic
The world got more generous

91. At the beginning of the year, we heard that global spending on aid and development increased by 7%, and spending on refugees has doubled. OECD
92. In April, Pony Ma Huateng, the chief executive of the Chinese internet giant Tencent, donated $2 billion to charity. South China Morning Post
93. 2015 was America’s most generous year ever, with charitable donations from individuals, estates, foundations, and corporations reaching record highs. 2016 is on track to be even bigger. Associated Press
94. In 2016, charitable giving in China rose to $15 billion, a 10 fold increase from just a decade ago Bloomberg
95. Online crowdfunding raised almost $1 million for the kids of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile to go to college.
96. Warren Buffett gave $2.9 billion to charity, again. And his son, a farmer and environmentalist, quietly continued to spend his billion dollar inheritance on sustainable agriculture and hunger eradication. The Atlantic
97. The Gates Foundation announced another $5 billion in charity for Africa. They also tweeted this video about progress on malaria.
98. Germany took in an additional 300,000 refugees in 2016, despite growing concerns about integration and a backlash from populists. Guardian
99. In Canada, hockey moms, poker buddies, and neighbors took in Syrian refugees, one family at a time.

361/366: Juicy Rose

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 03:38:47 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

The center of this lovely red rose is still drizzled with the last night's rain drops and made for a very juicy image!

337/366: Juicy Pink Rose

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 03:22:06 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

The lovely blossoms were neverending at the Harry & David public garden. Here is a Wood Rose varient and had a lovely fragrance.

335/366: Foxglove Blossom [+1 in a note]

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 03 Dec 2016 04:11:40 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

[+1 in a note above]

Foxgloves are pretty outrageous, aren't they? There is so much to look at...they are very tall, and the stalk they grow on is covered with individual blossoms. The blossoms themselves are absolutely stunning and truly deserve a spotlight to be appreciated alone. Just look at this masterpiece of nature! AMAZING! With lovely shades of pink and magenta with beautiful maroon spots circled by white. Hairs can be seen everywhere, and there are interesting details inside as well. What a sight. :)

(you can see the whole flower in a note above)

325/366: Orange Sherbet Budding Rose

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 03:19:16 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

A lovely sherbet-colored rose from the Harry & David garden. You can see why I couldn't stop taking pictures of these! Totally stunning!

Exlpored on November 26, 2016. Highest placement unknown.

328/366: Black-Spotted Rose Leaves

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 26 Nov 2016 03:18:47 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

These rose leaves are showing the signs of a highly-contagious disease called Black Spot. This fungus causes leave to yellow and fall off the bush and weakens it. Although it's a horrible thing to find on rose leaves, it makes for beautiful images with the variegated colors and spotting. It was unfortunate to see that Black Spot was running rampant throughout the Harry & David garden and the probably reason many bushes had been removed over the past year.

329/366: Single Tear

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sun, 27 Nov 2016 03:18:37 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

Wandering around the Harry & David public garden, I had the opportunity to look for the little things that caught my eye. It had rained the night before and added twinkling droplets to everything which added to the beauty. I noticed this blade of grass complete with a single droplet of water poised to roll off to the ground below and it reminds me of a single tear.

324/366: Foxglove Scene [+1 in a note]

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 05:40:28 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

[+1 one in a note above]

There were a feast of flowers to appreciate at the Harry & David public garden. There were many gorgeous Foxgloves in bloom and it was fun working on this picture to make the flower pop out of the rather busy background.

Explored on November 25, 2015. Highest placement unknown.

323/366: Sherbert Rose

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 04:26:04 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

The variety of colors that roses come in totally surprised me with I visited the Harry & David public garden here in Medford. They plant many kinds of flowers but the largest number are roses. Steve and I met with our friend Andy and his daughter one day and we spent a couple of hours enjoying the show through the lenses of our cameras. This lovely rose caught my eye with its pink petals which blended to yellow, accented by crystal droplets. So pretty!

322/366: Deadnettle Blossom

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sun, 20 Nov 2016 04:08:18 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

There are so many wildflowers out there that don't look like anything special until you get a close look. This is a blossom from a deadnettle flower. Such a pretty thing when you can see what it really looks like!

307/366: Bi-Colored Flaxflower

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 05 Nov 2016 04:27:17 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

This exquisite little flower measures about 1/3" in diameter, and is a perfect example of why I love macro photography. Unless I told you the size of this flower, you might have thought it was much larger. The joy of being able to share the details of something so small is hard to put into words, but anyone who's into macro photography will know what I mean! Isn't this tiny flower just beautiful?! :)

286/366: Peering Through an Orange Bead (+2 in notes)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 03:28:07 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(Two more images above in notes)
At the end of 2014 I did a 10-week photography project based on the color wheel. It was a perfect opportunity to appreciate the many bags of mixed beads I got from my husband's work, Fire Mountain Gems & Beads. I ended up processing some extra images, and this is one is a "keyhole" experiment, where I took a picture through the hole in an orange bead! :)

283/366: Lovely Little Buttercup

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 03:02:47 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

This bright and happy little flower can be found all over our property from the start of spring until about mid-April. I took this picture back in 2012!

276/366: Adorable Baby Crab Spider

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 03:55:22 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

Once I got over my fear of spiders, I began to appreciate them and even to think they are adorable and totally cute. Finding this itty bitty baby crab spider trying to be invisible on a stem of dried grass brought out a chorus of coos from me. I was especially happy because the sun was at just the right angle to make its translucent body glow. Finally, I added a texture to the background to give it a bit more interest.

271/366: Beauty in Blue--Love in a Mist

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Fri, 30 Sep 2016 05:14:36 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

Have you ever had the chance to see this flower up close before? These unusual blossoms are surrounded by feathery, finely divided leaves which is where they get their name. I think they are so alien-like and interesting, and when I was successful at growing them from seeds, I was totally delighted!

212/366: Sunny with Black Wasp

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 03:41:03 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

I was tickled to find False Sunflowers growing in one of the gardens that Steve and I visited during the garden tour a few years ago in Ashland. These flowers are so bright and cheery, and this one also happened to have a very cool wasp crawling around on it!

265/366: Alien Monster...no...It's a Daisy Bud!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 24 Sep 2016 02:26:24 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

I love the abstractness of a bud that's just beginning to open. It's hard to recognize what it is at first. They look to me like a hungry monster with a mouth full of teeth! Another thing that surprised me was how cool opening buds look as a close-up. I never realized how interesting the details would be! This is another flower from my friend's garden that I captured a few years ago.

256/366: Crocus Stamens

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Thu, 15 Sep 2016 03:29:13 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

Every February we have a group of cream-colored crocuses that pop up to ring in a new spring. I adore these stunning little blossoms, and they have been featured in more than a dozen of my shared pictures over the years. This is my best close-up of the stamens, aren't they cool?! I think they look like coral. :) (If you would like to see more pictures of these crocuses, click on the link on the note above.)