Daisy

 I cant be sure of the exact variety but this is a species of daisy. The bright white petals enable pollinators to home in on the flower. The central part of the flower head is a collection of lots of tiny flowers that open in sequence providing a lasting source of pollen and nectar over time.

Museum

 

As promised in my previous post here are some shots of the exterior of the Museum of Liverpool which is situated on Liverpool's waterfront alongside the 3 Graces (Port of Liverpool Building, Cunard Building and Liver Building) near the Pier Head which as well as the terminal for the famous Mersey ferries is also a thriving cruise terminal.

I know that not everyone loves this style of architecture and it certainly is a stark contrast to the classical styles of the old waterfront icons. However it is in my opinion quite a stunning building and from every angle it provides some great views. 

I love the way the old Port of Liverpool Building is reflected in the windows in the first image which also shows some of the other fine modern architecture at Mann Island which houses the offices of RIBA and the Open Eye Gallery. I have cropped the final image to highlight the angles of the buildings to show the way they interact with each other, as you move around the building the angles and your line of sight changes so you are always presented with a dramatic view.

Although the exterior of the building is very angular, on the water side of the museum there is a gentle curve to the exterior wall and this is reflected to some extent on the interior where the central stairway is a beautiful spiral. (I will likely share some images of that in one of my next blogs).

Say What You See

Two more shots today to show off some of the beautiful shapes and patterns created simply by squeezing droplets of milk from a syringe .

You never know what you will get each time, whether it is a flying droplet, a sharp peak or a random ripple.

I chose these images today for the smooth textured shapes. The second shot looks rather like an inverted ceiling rose, I was amazed at the symmetry from something so random.

I love the first image too and apart from a random ripple I wonder what you can see. A bit like when you see shapes in clouds I think that when you look at images like this you can see different things. For example perhaps you can see a spoon, perhaps an eye or maybe a swaddled baby.

Morning Coffee

Despite the sunshine the temperature was below freezing so it seemed like a good idea to pause for a hot drink and a chat with friends. This street vendor was doing a roaring trade outside of Karlskirche in Vienna. 

Pink, White & Blue

Canon 100mm f 1:2.8

ISO 100   f/3,5   1/160 sec

ISO 100  f/3.5   1/100 sec

ISO 100  f/3.5  1/200 sec

So actually it is blue, pink and white but I don't think it matters what order I list them they're all really beautiful, but I think they're in my order of preference. 

I hope you like them too.

I really like this time of year when there is so much new life and vibrant colour in our gardens. It helps put the cold and dreary winter months to the back of my mind and I can look forward to the warmer months which offer more opportunities to get outdoors.

Fade to Green

There is so much about this flower that I love, the soft delicate petals curled around waiting to unfurl and reveal the heart of the flower, the soft white outer edges that gradually fade into green that looks like it has been applied in fine brush strokes, the shape like a candle flame and the way it stands out against the lush background. It is almost perfect but if you look closely at the left hand side you will see half way down a slight crease which shows how fragile this lovely plant is.

A Thousand Flowers...

... well not quite

this is White Yarrow Seed or Achillea millefolium a wildflower which produces these beautiful crisp white clusters of tiny flowers. I haven't posted anything for a few days so thought that this was a good way to mark my return. I like the natural heart shape of the flower head

New Blossom

I don't know what this particular flower is but I don't think my ignorance would be a reason not to share it with you.

From the tight little bud in the first picture emerges these beautiful tender white flowers with gloriously bright centres. Set against their soft green foliage they make a splendid sight.

I love getting in close with my macro lens to pick out the detail in the centre with those fine tendrils designed to lure in the bees and pollinating insects so that we can enjoy more of these wonderful plants.

I am so glad that spring has arrived and we can enjoy warmer days and more colour in the world around us.

A Winter Tradition

Around this time of year it has become something of  tradition to go to Chirk Castle to see the carpet of snowdrops. In the past I have also been to Attingham Park and other gardens but I think the display at Chirk is my favourite.

I have chosen one shot for today but in the coming days I will be posting more pictures of the snowdrops and some of the other winter flowers which are coming into bloom, bringing a little more colour and heralding the spring. I may also post some images of the castle itself later in the week, so please come back each day to see the new pictures.

Indian Pipe

After a couple of days without posting I wasn't sure what to share today until Facebook came to the rescue. Well it was the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park facebook page (Which is definitely worth a look, both the page and the park!) because they posted a photo of an unusual little plant which I recognised as one I had photographed while on a walk along the trail to Middlebrun Bay which is in the park on the shore of Lake Superior. I was unsure what the plant was (although one of my friends had identified it from my description the following day, but I've been asleep since then and had completely forgotten) so I asked the page administrator what it is and was very quickly reminded that it is known as Indian Pipe or Monotropa unifora. It apparently draws its nutrients from the plants around it in order to survive and grow.

It is only a very small plant growing close to the ground and this specimen was growing just off the main trail. I think it is quite eye catching and a lovely little thing and definitely worth sharing. I hope you agree.