Summer Bouquet!

Today's post

consists of showing you some more of my summer blooms.

I took a lot of shots of my garden but never got to post them all....

so before we jump into full blown autumn here in the gorgeous U.P.

and I bombard you with those shots,

I figured I'd better finish off the

summer shots first.

A lucky shot of a bee approaching this lovely lupine:

I have these flowers in my garden, but can't remember what they are. I think they are some kind of primrose?:

Lupine galore!:

Hosta leaves....which deer came and ate since then!

Grrrrrrr!.....

A mix of lemon lilies and Iris and Bachelor Buttons!:

Lemon Lily!:

I also don't know the name of this garden flower? Help?:

These are a small bush and I also don't know the name of them.

(I got them from a relative and planted them. She told me once, but I can't remember the flower's name). I know some smart Blogger out there will tell me!?:

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Besides summer getting over (FAST!!! Can you believe this coming weekend is LABOR DAY WEEKEND??? YIKES!!), and the beginning of autumn to celebrate....

you have one more thing to do:

ENTER your photo for the FREE PHOTO CONTEST!!!

You only have one more day people!!!

This month's theme is:

LAKES, PONDS, RIVERS or CREEKS

So,

enter your photo my midnight August 31st, 2011

following

THESE RULES.

You don't have to be a Blogger to enter!!!

Baby Robins with Mom....

I saw the funniest interaction

with a Mama Robin and her baby

a few weeks ago.

First of all.....

is there anything MORE adorable 

than a baby robin, with its feathers all messy??? 

So, here is how it went down!:

Here is Junior on the left and Mama on the right:

Junior was checking out the whole idea of the idea of flight.  (Or was it FRIGHT?):

"It looks pretty FAR down there.....I am not so sure about this flight thing...":

"And it looks even FURTHER down from THIS side!!":

"YIKES!!!!":

"I am NOT doing it...and you can't make me!":

"Ummmm....Mama??? Where are you Mama? How am I going to get DOWN from here??":

"Waaaaaaa!  I want my MOMMY!!!!":

Junior: "I am SO ashamed!!":

Mama to Daddy (on top branch):  "WHAT am I going to DO with him?  I tell ya'...he definitely takes after YOUR side of the family!!!"

(Junior DID eventually fly down from the branch....

a little crooked and unsure, but he DID fly)....

and I tried not to giggle TOO much...................

Summer Iris!

In the last post, I showed you my garden Columbines....

Today, I am going to show you

some Iris that I had this June

in my garden.

They are also some of my favorite summer flowers.

I think it is because they look exotic, or tropical to me:

And being from bulbs, they are so totally easy to plant and grow:

Those beards!

They look like grape koolaide tongues!:

I want to be like my blogger friend BETSY, and get a bunch more colors....

but for now the yellow and orange and purple ones are wonderful!:

Love those fuzzy tongues!!!:

I really miss them when they get done blooming...

and 

look forward to them in my garden every year.

Hope you enjoyed sharing them with me today!

Columbines!!!

In the summer, certain flowers really stand out 

as true favorites of mine.

Columbines rate way high on this list.

So today I am sharing some photos

of them with you.

I love the different colors of Columbines...and that they can face UP or face down:

And especially their "tendrils"....like these that are BEHIND its face:

Facing the sun:

Just a hint of lavendar on this one:

Even their centers are wonderful:

Some have double the petals!:

They grow so easily from seeds, so if you haven't tried them in your garden,

plant some next spring...(you can throw the seeds in your garden now and they will come up in the spring and keep seeding themselves year after year).

Plant your own joy for next year!  :0}

Some Summer Color and Not......

As always, I am running behind in "current" photos to

post for you.

Today I still have some early summer photos

to share...(even though it is now early autumn!)

Some are of some colorful captures

and

some  are of some black and white ones.

I find that many times if you check your photos also in

black and white,

they can take on even more drama and loveliness

than in color.

See what you think on the ones inside this post....

Just a little moth I saw on an unknown white wildflower in the woods:

A turtle in the middle of a woods road.

(For the Love of God, please tell me I am not the ONLY person that makes her hubby

STOP the truck to take pictures of a turtle in the middle of the road?!):

Now...

for some black and white shots!:

A dandelion puff:

It was stuck in some leaves in my garden and the sun was hitting it just right...

I could NOT

not take this shot...right??:

Roots in the woods...

I loved how the black and white really shows off the wood's texture:

Would somebody PLEASE connect me with a support group

that helps my dandelion puff addiction???

"Hi. My name is Joan and I'm addicted to Dandelion puff photography."

"Welcome Joan".....

I just want to take my picnic basket and climb into that little tree cavern

and perhaps meet up with Alice in Wonderland or something....

O.K.

Okay...

back to summer color:

A little brook in the woods:

While walking through the woods on a path, I spied these shadows of the ferns

and just knew I had to take a shot:

For my grand finale today,

My "most colorful" shot:

Not only do I adore poppies,

but I fell in love with their tissue petals

and their black "granola" centers:

Don't forget that the August 2011's

FREE PHOTO CONTEST

deadline is near!!

Submit your

LAKE, POND, RIVER OR CREEK

photo

to me

no later than midnight, AUGUST 30th

following

THESE RULES.

You don't have to be a blogger to enter!