before the storm

Wild thunderstorms passed through here this afternoon. Before the storms the sky was painted with wonderful clouds.

As I drove by the Parker River in Newbury I stopped to capture some clouds.

last iris

After (my favorite) bearded iris disappear for the season, Japanese iris start to bloom. The predominantly purple flower draws my eyes and the intricacy of the petals makes me smile.

spiky

Echinops ritro, also known as globe thistle, are starting to emerge. They are currently wearing green although if you look closely at the spikes you can see a bit of purple starting to show.

summer flower, opening

A walk in the garden this evening allowed me to enjoy summer flowers that are starting to open. This Calendula provided a splash of bright color.

sharing space

It was a cool this morning with a threat of rain, a good time for a walk in the woods. As I walked a loop at Maudslay State Park I shared the trail with birds and chipmunks.

It appears that my footsteps were quiet; at one point I looked up to see a deer feeding just a bit off the trail. I stood still and watched. The deer watched me too. Eventually I walked away while the deer stayed in place.

fleeting

Friday I headed to Hampton Beach to watch some talented artists create sculptures in sand. Today I returned to see the finished sculptures. I continue to be amazed by the level of detail that can be exposed using only sand and water.

I was delighted to find that my favorite sculpture finished the competition in first place.

Breaking Out, by Melineige Beauregard

I think it's interesting to see a tiny sculpture copying "the thinker" sitting in front of a large sculpted face. What do you think?

Outside In, by Abe Waterman

If you'd like to see more photos of both the in progress and the completed sculptures click to enter the gallery emergence :: Hampton Beach 2019.

wild roses

Wild roses decorate the outside of the greenhouse at the Stevens-Coolidge Place. I love the pop of bright pink.

sculpting

Yesterday I took advantage of a break in the rain to visit the sand sculptures in progress at Hampton Beach. I try to visit twice, once when the sculptors are midway through their creations and are actively working on the sculptures, and a second time after the work is complete.

I'm fascinated by the level of detail that is possible using sand as the sculpting medium. The sculptures are created using only sand and water.

The sculpting takes place this year on June 20, 21, & 22. I plan to return tomorrow to see the finished sculptures.

Breaking Out, by Melineige Beauregard


Outside In, by Abe Waterman

Information on the event can be viewed on the Sand Sculpture Event page of the Hampton Beach web site. If you're planning a visit, note that the sculptures will remain on the beach until June 27, 2019.

on the beach

When I arrived at Hampton Beach this afternoon I found what appeared to be a painting, patterns of clouds above a calm ocean.

open

This peony's petals are fully open, allowing the stamen to reach to the sun.

blue false indigo

I found a favorite flower in the garden today, baptisia australis (also known as blue false indigo).

breadseed poppy

These beautiful flowers are planted in the vegetable garden at Chanticleer. I was delighted to see a sign identifying them as breadseed poppies; it's always nice to have a name to associate with a flower.

The definition in Wikipedia indicates that the breadseed poppy, Papaver somniferum, is an annual herb. I always thought of poppies as flowers!

vibrant

Iris dress the garden wearing a vibrant purple color.

floral sunshine

A blackeyed susan standing against a fence creates a pop of color.

watching

This sculpture of an owl is watching everyone who passes his perch.

spotted on Upper Gulph Rd., Wayne, PA

a poppy

As I walked through Chanticleer this morning I was delighted to find poppies in bloom. While it's often a challenge to capture these delicate flowers without movement this one was happy to pose for me.

anemone

As I walked at Jenkins Arboretum this afternoon I spotted some anemone in pink, small and intricate.

two colors

Bearded iris comes in amazing colors. This flower wears two colors.

pop!

Purple flowers sit in a planter on top of a wall. I love the pop of bright color sandwiched between green.

peonies in pink

Several varieties of peonies have popped open this week. A sea of bright pink decorates the garden.

splash of orange

Flame azalea is in bloom at Maudslay State Park. I love the splash of orange in a sea of green leaves.

a bearded iris

It's interesting; iris have been in full bloom in many gardens in the neighborhoods that I regularly walk through but the iris in the gardens at the Stevens-Coolidge Place have just started to pop open. I love the intricacy of these flowers.

solo

A single peony stands tall, decorating the garden.

in the woods

It was a good morning for a walk at Harold Parker State Forest. There were birds perched in the trees, singing to me as I walked down the trail.

purple

A bearded iris in deep purple danced in the wind. I waited for a pause in the wind to capture a picture.

clearing

I moved off of the coast and into Portsmouth on my wander in New Hampshire yesterday. The fog stayed behind, leaving a bit of blue sky and reflections.

foggy

The sky was wearing a combination of clouds and blue this morning as I headed to the New Hampshire coast. As I got closer, I could see what appeared to be low clouds hanging just above the sea. Perhaps it was sea fog; it stayed with me until I got to Portsmouth.

While I could see boats in Rye Harbor, only a small swatch of ocean showed before it was obscured by fog.