strange obsession

One aspect of the guestudio that I fretted over for a long time was the flooring. I knew I wanted a hardwood floor, and that I wanted it to be light in color, and it had to be rustic-looking. After much searching and consideration, I finally decided on some lovely handscraped flooring from Lumber Liquidators. It is birch ("Matterhorn Birch" by Virginia Millworks, to be exact), and it is exactly what I was looking for. I'm a bit obsessed with it, actually. I love it. The natural variation, the character, the charm - I find it... inspiring.



If you would like to see a timeline-style view of the guestudio construction, head on over to my Flicker page here. We're getting there!

Awesome Osteopernums

In mid-spring I purchased various colors of Osteopernum. I've had varying success with them as potted annuals over the years. This was not a successful year for them, unfortunately, but they are just beautiful flowers, and I got a few shots of them before they withered away...

left-right: 1.) Original photo (untouched); 2.) same photo with monchrome tint; 3.) same photo again with monochrome tint but w/color preservation turned all the way up, and "glow" effect added.

Which do you like best, and why? (click any photo to enlarge)

Tulip time

Unfortunately my tulips have finished blooming for the year, but I still have photos to keep them in my memory. Time for another collage...

Enjoy!

Collage for the weekend

Okay, so I'm not quite done with the collage thing. I call this "Industrial."

What's in bloom

The ground is coming alive in many parts of the country, and our little plot of woods is no exception. Here's some of what's blooming around here right now.

Cut-leaved Toothwort

unknown yellow flower?!?! Anyone out there know what this is?

Couldn't resist another Daffodil shot!

Autumn Olive (left), Bluets (right)

Ground Ivy

Buckeye tree

Finally, my last collage (at least for now!) This shows Mayapples in various stages of... unfurlment. Our backyard, such as it is, is a veritable forest of Mayapples each spring.

Reminders...

The next installment in my collage series is an ode to last summer's blossoms. Even amidst the promise of new life blooming all around, these remnants of last year's flowers continue to catch my eye. They lend a certain architectural air to the field which they encircle.


Featured in this collage: Teasel, Queen Anne's Lace, and possibly Goldenrod(?)

Spring in "blue"m

I'm on a bit of a collage-making kick right now. I'll be sharing several with you over the next few days. First, my ode to all things blue this spring...




Featured in this collage: Eastern Bluebird, Bluets (wildflower) and Lithodora "Grace Ward" (perennial for the flower garden)