Lotus in the Pond July 15

In a short two weeks, the lotus blossoms have increased from 3 to over 70. What an explosion of beauty and peacefulness!  I never tire of photographing them at all angles, time of day, and light intensity.

This morning, it is cloudy and the opportunity to photography without the harshness of overexposure was a nice opportunity. It is humid out and the thunder is rolling a bit. We desperately need the rain for the pond, gardens, and crops.  There is no significant precipitation in Ithaca predicted, so I water and water the gardens.

These photos are mostly of the lotus, but also day lilies, aromatic lilies, and a cute chipmunk.

Several states of the flower:  bud, early flower in front, later lightening of the flower, and developing pod

Poppies to Pops!

Tonight are the fireworks on Owasco Lake, which are always very colorful and entertaining.  This year, I will try some pictures, using the sports setting on the Canon Rebel.

While en route, I stopped at the Cornell Plantations and took a few shots of the lovely Poppy. Since the flower that was in bloom was not near the path, I had to reach over the wooden fence to capture a few shots.  Perhaps another will be in bloom tomorrow that is closer to the path.

Mr. Toad greeted me as I got out of the car and was very patient for a few shots.

Some sporty folks were riding a jet ski on the lake.  Looked like great fun.

Then there are some Day Lilies in bloom, with heads erect and proud to be celebrating the 4th of July!

Enjoy the pix.

Lilies

Lilies that grow from bulbs are in bloom in Ithaca right now.  The day lilies are also in bloom but are not the same plants.  According to an internet site, Lilies are believed to have been under cultivation longer than any other ornamental flower, having existed in gardens 3,000 years ago. Floral designs, particularly of Lilies, made their appearance and became very popular in the 18th dynasty of Egypt. Many flowers have interesting symbolism and use, which is always fun to study.  This lily was photographed back lit by the afternoon sun.

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!