Thursday, August 2, 2012

Delicate Touch


A day after the blogger chaos, it's for reasons like this post today that make everything all worth it.  You don't know what you have until it's all gone.  Each of us lives in our different areas and shares a piece of our world.  And I have learned about birds, butterflies, critters, plants, and garden styles that I normally would not have known about if it were not for blogging.  It's better than any magazine or TV program out there.  I show these pics to family or friends and they say, "Pretty." But when I show them to you all, there is an understanding of what goes into a shot like this because most likely, you've taken one similiar. 
I began this blog alone looking for other Tucson gardeners for help.  We were all over the place but not connected.  It took becoming a docent at the Tucson Botanical Gardens and this blog to link me up with everyone here.  Then came you. And it is such an enriching experience.  To be able to look at my own birds, plants or butterflies and appreciate not only my environment but also the surrounding areas is something quite special.  When I speak to people in the butterfly garden or in the cacti patch, I can share with them my knowledge.  But even better?  It's knowing where they come from and listening to their stories as they compare and connect their experiences to our desert environment here.   And THAT is quite rewarding.  So while I've been studying birds......I've also had a nice education on insects and wildflowers this past month.  Today I present the yellow Columbine of Mt. Lemmon.
Thank you for all your time and effort. More tomorrow...

31 comments:

  1. One of my favorite yellow flowers. Yes blogging is so rewarding in many ways as long as we can go back in time to remember the description or the name of something... because there is so much I would like to remember and can't... :-)

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    1. I hear that:) I sometimes forget the id of a butterfly and have to refer back to my journals:)

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  2. Love the shots. I got one kind of like this once in Rexburg, Idaho when I was aimed at some kind of flower (can't remember) and just as I was ready to click, a bee came and landed right in the shot. Very accidental but turned out so neat. Yup - I hear what you're saying.

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  3. Lovely shots of the Columbine flowers. The yellow is bright and cheery. Bird, butterflies and flowers they all make me happy. Have a great day.

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  4. Hi Chris,
    I beautiful picture, and the first yellow columbine I have seen! It is indeed fascinating to share and read experiences with others.

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  5. Glad to see your blog is safe and sound, and back to normal. I had exactly the same problem a few months back, and I went into serious blogger's withdrawal!

    Spectacular shots of a beautiful bloom and visitor!

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  6. Nice photographed.....lovely color.

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  7. These shots are...well....yummy and delightful!

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  8. Those are all very true, dear Kreesh, thanks for speaking my mind. To be honest with you, the first few times I've been seeing your site, i just look at the photos because i don't like very long narratives, and yours most especially are very long paragraphs with compound-complex sentences. Besides, i don't like the plants in your header as they are plants here too, but they don't appeal to us. It really is true, don't judge a book by its cover! So through time, when i get to know more about you and what you are doing officially and personally, i am now reading all your words, including prepositions, articles and semi-colon. And now i am already envious of your travels, experiences, and your knowledge in taking photos, plus your varied lenses! hahaha. Glad to meet you Kreesh!

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    1. I remember those days....but I think it has to do with us getting to know each other more:) You have a fun sense of humour. When I visit, our mission is to search out huge gigantic crocodiles...nothing related to plants:) Oh yes....and waterfalls and taste those strange beverages we spoke about:)

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  9. I love columbines. This is the first yellow one that I have ever seen. You captured it perfectly!!

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  10. Beautiful photos Chris and yes, you are quite right...we blogging friends really do know how much effort goes into each photo.

    Your problem with blogger was horribly scary!!! I'm so glad you are still with us :-) I think maybe I should start backing up my blog. It would be horrendous to lose it. Blogging has become so important to us all!

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    1. Absolutely. A few posts. No big deal. But the time and effort it takes to find each other is LONG! And then the blog attaches to your personality like a child to a parent....and well...it's something special. A chronicle of our lives. Needless to say, I backed up this blog yesterday:)

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  11. you have expressed blogging so well...and yes,it is so rewarding and exciting to share with others of like mind....
    Docent? wow....lucky visitors

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    1. It's so much fun! And the people ask really great questions...it's much better in the fall and winter when the temps are perfect. I'll have my coffee and my name badge and think....it doesn't get much better than this:) Right now, I lock myself up in my dark dark house with a/c. Curtains shut. No life. I call random wildlife people to see if they've spotted one bird or another and "think" about traveling to the location....only to make an exucuse like..."It's too hot." which is really valid:)

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  12. Very lovely Chris, and beautifully stated.

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  13. and it's because of blogging that i recognize columbine blooms now. and a few others, as well.

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  14. Beautiful Columbines, and great macros. Thanks for sharing,

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  15. These are so delicate. I have a blown glass one that I'll try and photograph to show you. You've inspired me to want to visit Mt. Lemmon. If you were gone, I would be sad.

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    1. I'd be sad as well. But everything is okay. So here's the deal. When you have some time, call your brother and come and visit. I'd wait until October when fall begins up on Mt. Lemmon:) And then we could go to the gardens, the Desert Museum, any of the canyons like Sabino, Redington Pass, Saguaro National Park, Sweetwater, Agua Caliente Park....well I could go on and on:) This is a great place when it's not hot:)

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  16. Thanks for amazing sunny mood!
    What a joyful yellow!
    xoxo, Juliana
    [pjhappies.blogspot.com]

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  17. Beautiful flower Chris and great photos. Lovely post too - I've learned so much from other people's blogs and its wonderful too to read of places all over the world and see gardens and wildlife elsewhere and to make blogger friends :)

    I still can't believe what happened to your blog the other day. I'll have to find a way to back mine up.

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    1. There's an exporting option Robin which I used to save to my desktop. It's somewhere under the settings. But I exported the blog data just in case:)

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  18. #2 is my fav. Bug Wings...YES!

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  19. Such a pretty colour! I have pink. blue, white, red...bit NO yellow columbines in my gardens!

    I agree it's fun to share photos with people who understand how to make good photos...not just pretty ones. :))

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  20. Oh I love columbines - cant grow them here - so thanks for sharing your lovely photos.

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  21. Hi Chris, It's ALL about finding people with 'like' interests and passions... That's what blogging is all about. When I find someone who enjoys what I do and say---then that makes it all worthwhile.

    AND---besides having people enjoy what we enjoy--we also learn from others... How special is that!!!!

    Thanks, Chris... You are such an inspiration.
    Betsy

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  22. I love columbine! There's something about gardening that just makes you want to share it with others. Being able to blog about it instead of just torturing my family makes it a much richer experience. :o)

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  23. Marvelous macros Chris. It must be very rewarding being a docent at the botanical gardens, such a great way to increase your knowledge of your environment. I've often thought about becoming a docent at our Zoo, but never seem to find the time to actually do it. One day!!

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  24. Pretty! haha...I love blogging because I get to "meet" people like you.

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