Lotus are in bloom!

Three gorgeous lotus flowers greeted me this morning!  This is over two weeks early compared to other years. The size of the flower is also smaller than other years and is not as tall stem wise. So, what in the environment contributed to this situation?  It is the season to cherish the beautiful blooms that glow in the sunlight, are fantastic with back lighting, and sway gracefully with the large leaves of the lotus plant.  I am hoping the display continues, since I have the Garden Conservancy Open Gardens on July 31st for people to see the lotus.

Artful Cornell

In 2008, I produced a small book through Lulu Press entitled "Artful Cornell".  It contains images of Cornell buildings and sculptures with a variety of overlays and other artful treatments. Attached here is the Cornell Uris Bell Tower with a transparent overlay of a lotus flower.  Please tell me what you think about this approach.

Magical Mist

The early morning mist after the overnight storm was truly magical the other day as it hung over the pond.  Looks very tropical!  The lotus leaves are emerging above the pond much earlier than other years.  Another sign of early growth are the day lilies, which are usually in bloom in July!

Tree Peony Montage

After a lovely ride with retired teacher colleagues up Cayuga Lake for lunch, I was inspired by the beauty of the day to sit down and develop a new montage.  There will be a show during July and August at the Community Arts Partnership (CAP) gallery, with members of the Greater Ithaca Art Trail showing a sample of their work.  This is the montage I designed tonight. Would love any comments.

Cornell Reunion Weekend

The tents were erected around campus for the many returning alumni to Cornell University this past weekend. There were numerous events scheduled for the general attendees and specific events per five year celebrants.  Since I live here, I took part in some events and photographed them to share with the class of 65.  Attached is a mural that was prepared to identify many salient events that took place during our years at Cornell:  protests against the Vietnam War, Kennedy's assassination, sport highlights, and visiting dignitaries.  It is always good to reflect upon the past while pursuing our present lives.

Rainy Weekend

I love photographing flowers with the soft sunlight or the evening backlighting.  A rainy day, however, provides a different opportunity for snapping images.  The water lilies here were caught with the recent rain, as were the lily pads. There is something very clean and refreshing about the images.

Water Lily Montage

This afternoon, the water lilies were looking very lovely in the soft sunlight.  I took several pictures of them with varying exposures and obtained a couple that I like.  With the help of Photoshop, I manipulated the images to produce this montage.  Tell me what you think of it.

"Late Bloomer"

Most Amaryllis bloom earlier in the season, but I am babysitting some that are in luxurious bloom right now.  The bulbs can be held from year to year if treated properly, so that might have had an influence on the late blooms.  The foliage is also very attractive and lasts all summer.  Many of my older plants are in outside containers and bloom when they feel like it.

Giant Magnolia

The Giant Magnolias with flowers larger than a dinner plate are native to the South.  A previous director of the Cornell Plantations started a seed from a tree that was growing in the South at a high elevation.  About 50 years later, it is a huge tree in a micro environment in the gardens, protected by both the stone building next to it and a hill produced from glacial deposits on the other side. The flowers are in bloom right now and are magnificent!  Although the top of the tree was hit by the late frost, the flowers are still blooming.

More Tree Peonies

Friends of mine have some incredible tree peonies that were spectacular this past week.  I could not get enough of their beauty and took many photographs for producing montages.  Attached are some samples.