New Mexico has the VLA near Socorro – a very large array of radio telescopes for viewing the cosmos. We have a VSA in our garden – a very small array of cosmos. Speaking of the cosmos, the low sun shining through the clouds on I-40 was quite a scene.
Bees enjoying a sunflower and the sun.
Vintage cosmos.
The little yellow butterflies, brown eyed Susans and sunflowers are coming out in force. The two tiny butterflies in the last photo lined up for takeoff on a leaf — I told them they weren’t cleared for takeoff until I finished photographing them.
A very red rose in black.
Tuscan Sun and a sun dappled rose in digital noir.
A hummingbird was foraging on one of our butterfly bushes in the late afternoon light.
Seeing color in B&W.
After another “Monday! Monday! Everything breaks on Monday!” Monday, I came home, got out the macro lens, and went out to see what the small world in the garden was up to. The most cooperative critters were Bartle Bee, Evil the Boll Weevil and a tiny, curly cucumber tail.
Apparently someone of the royal family in England had a baby recently who at some point might be in line to be a monarch. I see bits and pieces about this on Internet news, but I don’t pay enough attention to know who is who. I don’t really understand why the American news media finds reporting on the birth of this baby to be a higher priority than reporting on all the real issues we need to address in the US. We fought and won a war of independence against Britain over 200 year ago, so why all the hubbub and distractions over a baby who will never make a difference in our lives?
Now when it comes to a Monarch butterfly (who most people do not give a flying pheromone about) showing up in the early morning hours, teasing me in various areas of the property until it found a delicious echinacea to distract it long enough for me to get some decent photos, is at least blog worthy. Monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles and pollinate plants making them quite useful. But unless you are a weirdo like me, you have probably followed more news on the baby British Monarch, than an orange an black winged Monarch butterfly fluttering around in your yard.
What was interesting about my Monarch photo shoot is that in the photos where I had full, bright, early morning sun, the butterfly glows in the bright light. In the photos were the clouds were blocking the sun, the photos are pastel and have a more painterly look to them.
Off Center & Not Even 