scratch and sniff frogs and origami seed baskets

Every once in a while, you need to pull the refrigerator away from the corner and clean the floor underneath it. The only remedy for having done so, is going outside with the camera. So this afternoon, we visited the little wetland across the road. The water’s low, and we only spotted one frog, and one tadpole.

This, I believe, is a green frog (Lithobates clamitans), not to be confused with its northern cousin, the mink frog (Lithobates septentrionalis), which you can identify by its scent of rotten onions. It’s the “scratch-and-sniff” frog. See, had I known that ahead of time, think of the fun we would have had!

Sunflowers: good for the soul.

And now for musk mallow.

Sweetpea refers to this as an origami seed basket.

I defy you to come up with a better design.

Indeed, it’s hard to improve on mother nature.

just do it, already.

I had an epiphany today. Those things you love to do, that feed your soul?

You should do them.

It’s not enough to know that you love doing them.

You need to actually do them.

I know, brilliant, right? That’s what you get for having an Ivy League degree. Smarts, folks. Smarts.

I had this epiphany today, when I checked out a community garden a handful of miles from our house. The plan was just, take the recycling in, and pick up something at the coop. A wise angel told me to bring the Nikon w/ macro lens with me. The community garden is across the street from the coop, and I was lured in by the spectacle of sunflowers the size of dinner plates looming over the broccoli and kale. That’s what that phantasmagorical thing in the above two pictures:  sunflower seeds in the act of gestating.

And then all the rest of the ornamental flowers sucker punched me.

The place was swimming with bees. Here’s one in the act of lift-off.

 

Morning glory calling it quits for the day.

 

Who can resist this fire? Not me!

 

Hi. I’m a wedding cake.

 

Focus here!

No, here!

 

Blaaaaaaaahhhh!

Let’s make ALL of the parts a pretty color.

 

Glug glug glug glug *burp*

I’m so pretty you can’t resist me even when I’m overexposed AND out of focus.

 

Truly, this is flower porn. No, really: this flower – all these flowers – have been BRED for the seductiveness of their reproductive bits. Think about that.  The confection above – its rays (petals, you might say, but technically probably rays) haven’t even unfurled and it’s already put on make up and a party dress and started dancing. It’s a kindergartener  competing in a beauty pageant.   

The hallucinogenic glow-sticks of echinacea.

Ahhhhhh….much better. I hope whatever you love to do, you’re out there doing it!