Dallas Arboretum – Of Bears and Boating

365 Photos: Day 20

“…sweet spring is your
time is my time is our
time for springtime is lovetime
and viva sweet love.” – E. E. Cummings

365 Photos: Day 19

“One lives in the hope of becoming a memory.” ― Antonio Porchia

365 Photos: Day 10

“The earth laughs in flowers.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more.” ― George Gordon Byron

365 Photos: Day 8

“He viewed us, as we passed him by,
With calm and yet with questioning eye,
But moveless still, as though the stone
Were portion of his being’s own.” ― Edward Robeson Taylor

365 Photos: Day 6

“We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since days of long ago.” ― Robert Burns

Autumn in the garden

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.” – John Muir

Summer at the Arboretum

A rare thing happened here in my corner of Texas. We were gifted with a mild July. Usually by this point in summer, the dreaded dome of high pressure has firmly planted itself over the region, deftly deflecting any wayward “cold fronts” and pushing the mercury over the century mark. But this year, we have had unseasonably cool temperatures – afternoon highs in the high eighties and low nineties with morning lows in –*gasp*– the sixties.

It was almost like autumn.

So, what do you do when you are treated to fabulous weather in the middle of the summer? Go to the Arboretum and take pictures of bugs, of course.

Duh.

Enjoy.

On a sad note: It seems August will not be unseasonably cool. Today’s high: 103.

Flower power Friday

All of my spare writing minutes have been devoted to my Camp NaNo project, so the blog has suffered. However, I thought I would share this delicate beauty from my last trip to the Dallas Arboretum.

I think it’s an apt way to begin the weekend.

Happy Friday.

Enjoy.

Last one standing

I needed a little alone time today, so I loaded up my camera gear, grabbed a notebook and schlepped into the city. My destination? The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, of course. I spent this beautiful spring Sunday meandering through my favorite parts of the garden, dodging screaming toddlers and teenage girls in candy colored quinceanara dresses, jotting down an idea here – a splash of dialogue there, and taking way too many pictures – again.

Sadly, the tulips that were so breathtaking just two weeks ago have passed their prime. Here is one of the last of the season.

Fabulous Friday

After a hair-raising week capped off by an unwelcome visit from old man winter, I think a little color is in order.

Enjoy.

Almost Friday

Another gorgeous weekend is so close I can almost reach out and touch it.

Feeling buggy

Flowers aren’t the only thing flourishing in the warm spring air. So are the creepy crawlies. Here are a few I came across this weekend.

Tempting Tulips

One of my favorite annual events at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is Dallas Blooms. For one month each spring, the gardens are transformed into a variable sea of color. Tulips and daffodils, narcissus and cherry blossoms burst forth in all their painted glory and put on a breathtaking show.

I love all the flowers, but this year the tulips stole the show.

Enjoy.

Oh, and Happy Easter.

Water lilies

I went to the Dallas Arboretum this weekend to see the Chihuly exhibit. Beyond the customary landscaping pansies and evergreens, I didn’t expect to see much in the way of colorful blooms. It is, after all, December. Not much grows this time of year – even in Texas. And, by and large, most of the interesting flowers and trees at the Arboretum have gone dormant for the winter. There were, however, a few exceptions: an azalea bush here and there; a hardy daisy or two; and these:

Simply beautiful.

Chihuly…one last time

On December 31, 2012, the Chihuly exhibit at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden will close. Last Sunday, I took advantage of an unusually warm day, and schlepped into the city to take in the magic one last time.

I’ve seen the exhibit several times since its opening in May, and I keep coming back one particular piece – Float Boat. I simply love it. Each time I go, I try to capture the glory of it in a different way. I am always amazed by the boldness of the colors and the way they dance across the water. I could spend hours sitting and staring at this work and never see everything there is to be seen.

Of course, my second favorite piece is the water lilies. I love they way the white glass contrasts with its surroundings.

I’m sad to see Chihuly go. It will be missed.

Chihuly and the dragonfly

A love affair?

A true appreciation for art?

Either way, who can blame him?

Flower Power

Just a few shots of a pink daisy I thought was rather pretty. Enjoy.

Chihuly and more

It was a hot and steamy weekend…

…okay. Just kidding.

I schlepped down into the city for the second weekend in a row. If you read last Sunday’s entry, you know that this is a rarity for me. I blame my friend, Bill. He went to the Dallas Arboretum a few days ago and posted some great pictures to his blog. I love the arboretum, and I am fascinated by the Chihuly exhibit that is currently on display though out the gardens. So, I decided to braved the 100+ degree temperatures on Saturday. I spent about three hours baking in the sun and taking lots of pictures. Here are a few of my favorites:

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a red dragonfly before.

I don’t know the species, but this guy was very vocal and not at all happy to have me wondering around beneath his tree.

Chihuly. I love this exhibit and this piece, in particular. I’ve tried three times to photograph it. Unsuccessfully. This time was different. I experimented a lot more with my manual settings. I think it also helped that it was a virtual ghost town and I was able to take my time.