CS #147 - What's growing out there?

[catalyst]

Friends -

Dave D. has asked me to host this weekend's collective shoot and I'm happy to do so.

In trying to come up with a theme, I discovered that August 1 corresponds to one of the four "cross-quarter" days (also including Groundhog Day or Candlemas, May Day, and All Saint's Day). In Gaelic and Celtic tradition, this weekend coincides with the ancient festival of Lughnasadh (who knew?) during which the first fruits of the harvest were celebrated:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lughnasadh

So . . . show us what's growing in your part of the world! Fruits, berries, flowers, weeds, whatever, are all eligible. Maybe a trip to a farmer's market or a garden is in order. Maybe you'll dazzle us with a photo of a meal you've whipped up. Maybe you'll think to do some still life or macro shots. The main thing is to get out with your camera and have fun!

Post your shots here taken anytime between this morning through Monday at midnight your local time. Multiple posts are encouraged, but please keep to a limit of three images per post with file sizes around 200 kB and no more than 900 px on the long side.

I look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with.

Eric

 

[Bob Coutant]

Doesn't everyone celebrate Lughnasadh [I thought that was what your tee-shirt was all about:biggrin:]

Eric, this is a perfect theme for the season!

 

[Bob Coutant]

Berries

The elderberries are not ready yet, but my wife has been picking blackberries for jam, pie, cobbler, etc.

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http://www.greenapple.com/~rcoutant/temp/DSC_2939sm.jpg
BTW, for Ohioans, and anyone else interested, the Irish Festival is running in Dublin, Ohio this weekend – come join in the celebration of Lughnasadh. [drop by and pick blackberries too]

 

[catalyst]

Doesn't everyone celebrate Lughnasadh [I thought that was what your tee-shirt was all about:biggrin:]

Eric, this is a perfect theme for the season!

Hey Bob -

Well . . .

living in a college town, I now realize that Lughnasadh is the only one of those four that hasn't yet been turned into some sort of "excuse" to go out and "celebrate it" with cheap drinks at the local bars, so maybe we're ahead of the curve - lol!

I think it could benefit from a marketing name change, like Toothfish -> Chliean Sea Bass, or Slimehead -> Orange Roughy - lol.

Eric

 

[catalyst]

The elderberries are not ready yet, but my wife has been picking blackberries for jam, pie, cobbler, etc.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

http://www.greenapple.com/~rcoutant/temp/DSC_2939sm.jpg
BTW, for Ohioans, and anyone else interested, the Irish Festival is running in Dublin, Ohio this weekend – come join in the celebration of Lughnasadh. [drop by and pick blackberries too]

Hey Bob -

Thanks for getting this CS going, with another of your typically well-composed and well-executed shots showing what's growing in Ohio. Those look scrumptious.

Your photo reminds me of a summer, long ago, when I was a camp counselor up in NW Pennsylvania for inner-city kids from Pittsburgh: I took the 15-yr. old group out for an overnight hike, and when we woke up ready to cook breakfast, we found that we'd camped next to bunches of wild berries that we used in that morning's pancakes.

I won't mention that I scorched the bacon badly over that morning's campfire - lol.

Looking forward to more,

Eric

P.S. - If you do happen to venture to Dublin for the Irish festival, please inquire with the "authorities" about the definitive pronunciation of Lughnasadh . . .

 

[JustEd]

From Black Thumb in Sacramento...

It is well known in my neighborhood that I have the dreaded "black thumb" when it comes to growing things. These blossoms are from a trellis separating our carport from the neighbor...

"It's Alive And I Grew It":tongue:

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Surrounding the "Black Hole of Taxes"our State Capitol, are these brave celestial blossoms pointing east towards the heavens. They are plaques with information about the constellations and cosmos, but they do look like flowers growing towards the sun:

View attachment 388569

View attachment 388570

No jokes about us having stars on our mind in Cali, please!:tongue:

 

[catalyst]

Hey Ed -

Thanks for joining in! Your flowers clearly belie your "black thumb" statement - lol. Are those some type of clematis?

And your celestial flowers are superb - good eye on those two. They also remind me of a giant-sized drum kit!

Eric

It is well known in my neighborhood that I have the dreaded "black thumb" when it comes to growing things. These blossoms are from a trellis separating our carport from the neighbor...

"It's Alive And I Grew It":tongue:

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Surrounding the "Black Hole of Taxes"our State Capitol, are these brave celestial blossoms pointing east towards the heavens. They are plaques with information about the constellations and cosmos, but they do look like flowers growing towards the sun:

View attachment 388572

View attachment 388573

No jokes about us having stars on our mind in Cali, please!:tongue:

 

[JustEd]

thanks

and think they are clematis of some type but forgot their exact name. Seriously, nothing wants to grow in our front yard due to the heat, rocks, and direct southern exposure, we have killed many plants trying. The clematis is in the back, away from the sun.

 

[BubbleChamber]

Eric,

Gardening is one of my favorite activities during the weekend after a busy week at work. It doesn't require a lot of energy, it's relaxing and also rewarding. The only problem is it attracts a lot of wildlife. I have a few fruit trees in my yard and I like to plant roses. Not only the roses make the woman happy, it also saves me money around Valentine's day. :tongue:

The plum tree's past it's fruition already, so no picture of it. :frown: The others are ripening and almost ready to be picked... Yum yum...

The most fruitful, Lemon.

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Apple tree.

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Pear.

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[BubbleChamber]

Some of the roses...

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[JustEd]

Superb

Superb pics, Bob and Kiley :smile:

 

[Bob Coutant]

Nice assortment, Kiley. After excessive production last year, many of our fruit trees seem to be "resting" -- all except for the pears. Can't grow lemons here, but I would if I could:biggrin:

 

[catalyst]

Hey Kiley -

Thanks for contributing again with such mouth-watering images!

That old adage about "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade" was intended as a sort of encouragement and coping mechanism in the face of unexpected disappointments, I think, and doesn't apply here - lol! I'd be very happy to be able to head out into my yard with the expectation of making fresh lemonade.

When I was a kid, my parents had a pear tree - sort of reddish fruit, Anjou, maybe? - but are yours Bartletts?

Eric

Eric,

Gardening is one of my favorite activities during the weekend after a busy week at work. It doesn't require a lot of energy, it's relaxing and also rewarding. The only problem is it attracts a lot of wildlife. I have a few fruit trees in my yard and I like to plant roses. Not only the roses make the woman happy, it also saves me money around Valentine's day. :tongue:

The plum tree's past it's fruition already, so no picture of it. :frown: The others are ripening and almost ready to be picked... Yum yum...

The most fruitful, Lemon.

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Apple tree.

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Pear.

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[catalyst]

Kiley -

Aaahh, roses! So beautiful to photograph, as you've done here . . .

But, speaking personally - one of the banes of my backyard - lol!

I keep finding their spindly vines and sharp thorns re-emerging near our barbecue grill, near the kids' old swing set, close to a flower bed, near our AC unit, etc., and wherever I did my best to eradicate those #!*$% things fifteen years ago, when we moved in to our little house here! :wink: The previous owner of our place must have been a fanatic!:tongue:

I realize that might not be a popular expression or belief: I enjoy seeing them and photographing them, but just not in our yard - lol.

Well done - both growing them and capturing them.

Eric

Some of the roses...

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[menbrial]

Wild flowers are growing up there at 9600 feet high

this morning near washington gulch Crested Butte Co

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[BubbleChamber]

Superb pics, Bob and Kiley :smile:

Nice assortment, Kiley. After excessive production last year, many of our fruit trees seem to be "resting" -- all except for the pears. Can't grow lemons here, but I would if I could:biggrin:

Bob and Ed, thanks for the compliments.

Bob, just wondering why you couldn't grow lemons? Is it because of weather?

Hey Kiley -

Thanks for contributing again with such mouth-watering images!

That old adage about "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade" was intended as a sort of encouragement and coping mechanism in the face of unexpected disappointments, I think, and doesn't apply here - lol! I'd be very happy to be able to head out into my yard with the expectation of making fresh lemonade.

When I was a kid, my parents had a pear tree - sort of reddish fruit, Anjou, maybe? - but are yours Bartletts?

Eric

Thanks Eric. Yeah, I believe they are Barletts but not 100% sure. I will have to go back to Home Depot to check. :tongue:

Kiley -

Aaahh, roses! So beautiful to photograph, as you've done here . . .

But, speaking personally - one of the banes of my backyard - lol!

I keep finding their spindly vines and sharp thorns re-emerging near our barbecue grill, near the kids' old swing set, close to a flower bed, near our AC unit, etc., and wherever I did my best to eradicate those #!*$% things fifteen years ago, when we moved in to our little house here! :wink: The previous owner of our place must have been a fanatic!:tongue:

I realize that might not be a popular expression or belief: I enjoy seeing them and photographing them, but just not in our yard - lol.

Well done - both growing them and capturing them.

Eric

Eric, I agree, working with roses could be quite painful sometimes. That's why I always wear full armour before approaching the bushes; pair of jeans, jacket and leather garden gloves.

Does this bring back some memory? :biggrin:

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[catalyst]

Hey Jean-Luc -

I was hoping that you would join in this weekend - thanks!

So, tell us - isn't this just a "little bit" higher in altitude than those awesome views out of your back window? lol.

Did you accomplish this fine shot through PPing, or was this an expert application of selective flash, or maybe a little bit of both?

Eric

Wild flowers are growing up there at 9600 feet high

this morning near washington gulch Crested Butte Co

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[catalyst]

Kiley -

Well, honestly . . .

That shot doesn't quite do it for me; only because I can't detect any traces of my blood on those thorns - lol!

Eric

Eric, I agree, working with roses could be quite painful sometimes. That's why I always wear full armour before approaching the bushes; pair of jeans, jacket and leather garden gloves.

Does this bring back some memory? :biggrin:

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[cathead77]

Shot these during a reenactment of a local history event yesterday.

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[Bob Coutant]

Shot these during a reenactment of a local history event yesterday.

Alan, that must be "West Virginia Creeper":biggrin:
The rose of sharon is my favorite flower to photograph -- and the hummingbirds like them too:smile: