hollyhocks

A thing of beauty is a joy forever. ~ John Keats, Endymion: A Poetic Romance

sweet as candy

I overexposed this when I took it at the spur of the moment.  I’d been shooting in pretty heavy shade and then spontaneously caught her investigating the hollyhocks at Singh Farms.  I managed to recover some of the shadows during processing and kind of like the ethereal quality of the finished product.  She’s my heart and soul.  I’m so blessed to be her mom!

fireworks

People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us. ~ Iris Murdoch

gesundheit – palo verde tree in bloom

Yes, of course you’ll find relief from your allergies if you move to Arizona. But then you’ll discover you’re allergic to everything that grows in the desert…nine months a year. It’s allergy season. Pass the tissues!

happy birthday, mom!

Today would have been my mom’s 80th birthday. This is the last birthday picture I took of her with Kat. She was turning 78, and we were celebrating at one of our favorite little pizza joints in Old Town Scottsdale. I miss her so, so, so, so much. No words, really, can even sum it up. Happy birthday, Mom. We love you to the moon and back!!

helianthus (sunflower) seedling

The sunflower is mine, in a way. ~ Vincent van Gogh

yucca blossom

I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in. ~ George Washington Carver

octopus agave

Our octopus agave is blooming…which is good and bad.  It’s good because it’s a pretty spectacular display. The flower stalk could be about 15 feet tall when it reaches it’s peak height, and will be covered in golden yellow flowers.  The bad thing is agave only blooms one time during their lifespan and once the bloom is finished, the plant will die.  We estimate this one to be between 10 to 15 years of age.

desert spring

Can words describe the fragrance of the very breath of spring? ~ Neltje Blanchan

what they see – self portrait

I was in the midst of shooting some food pics for my other blog and I realized, when I looked in the mirror, this is how my family sees me most of the time. As if a camera is permanently affixed to my face!! Thankfully, they’re good sports.