solo

I'm fascinated by dahlias and the many different forms that they take. This one is known as a Single Dahlia.

For a list of dahlia types, go to www.gardenia.net/plant-variety/dahlia-types.

green

A frog sits on a lily pad in the Wiggle Waggle at Bedrock Gardens.

I'm so happy he agreed to pose for me!

photos! Bedrock Gardens

Bedrock Gardens is a special place, a place I hadn't visited in too long.
That changed for me on Friday.

From the Bedrock Gardens web site:

Bedrock Gardens is an emerging public garden that integrates unusual botanical specimens and unique sculpture into an inspiring landscape journey. This 37-acre site is transitioning from a historic farm and private garden to a public oasis of art, horticulture and inspiration. Bedrock Gardens is a journey, based on the principle that a garden needs to provide places to go, places to pause and reset, and interesting things to see along the way.

It's in transition from private property to a public garden. It is open from Tuesday through Friday plus two weekends a month, a big change from the previous one weekend a month during the warmer months of the year. More open times and the fact that the garden just opened for the year meant I was able to wander the property without the company of many people.

I enjoyed my wander, soaking in the beauty of the gardens and sculpture.

To see more photos, click to the gallery Bedrock Gardens :: 2020.

watching

As I walked down a trail at Bedrock Gardens this afternoon I met a dog, watching.

Isn't he a wonderful sculpture?

a Crane Beach walk

Bright sunshine, blue sky, ocean water... It's always a good day for a walk on the beach.

bright

Wild roses paint the garden in bright pink.

starflowers

Tiny starflowers create a splash of subtle color in the garden.

resting

As I walked along River Road in Topsfield, I passed a field full of sheep, resting.

to Portsmouth

After what seems like forever staying close to home I decided to venture to a neighboring state yesterday. I headed to Portsmouth, NH for a walk by the Piscataqua River and a visit to the gardens of Prescott Park.

I'm still fascinated by the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge spanning the Piscataqua River between New Hampshire & Maine.

My ultimate goal was to visit the flowers in Prescott Park.

a flower switch

Yesterday's late day garden visit showed that while the bearded iris season is ending, the Japanese iris season is just beginning.

along the coast

The coastal section of Halibut Point State Park is a mix of rocks and green.

The actual coast is made up of chunks of tilted rocks while the path just inland of the water switches between a very narrow slot in the undergrowth and smooth granite.

to Halibut Point

While most state parks in Massachusetts remained open during the coronavirus stay-at-home, the parking lots of some coastal parks were closed. That allowed local residents to visit but essentially closed the parks to those of us who weren't in walking distance of the park. One of the parks that I was unable to visit was Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, MA. That changed recently when the parking lot was reopened.

I headed to Rockport early in the morning yesterday. I didn't want to drive that distance only to find the parking lot was full. There were a few other people there when I arrived at 8:30 AM but there were plenty of open spots in the lot.

It was a lovely day to circle the quarry and to walk on the slanted rocks along the coast. I could hear the sound of the ocean as soon as I started down the path into the park, about a third of a mile from the water.

For more photos of my wander in the park, click to the gallery Halibut Point :: 2020.

afternoon light

A friend and I both needed a sanity walk late this afternoon so we headed to Topsfield to walk a loop starting at a church on River Road. I'm so glad we discovered this walk last month; it's one that will be wonderful to return to during different seasons.

While we stood on a bridge over the Ipswich River the light changed, highlighting these trees and their reflections.

a different angle

The petals of a bearded iris highlight both shape and color when viewed from above.

purple

The deep purple color of this bearded iris caught my eye.

rabbit, rabbit

As I walked in the garden late yesterday I shared the space with many rabbits. This one was sitting in one of the cold frames. He looked at me as I knelt close to the ground to look at him.

magic light

Entry to Crane Beach in Ipswich is currently by reservation only. Luckily a friend has a beach membership as well as a reservation; I joined her for a beach walk late yesterday afternoon.

The light was simply amazing.

The line near the horizon as shown in this photo is somewhat deceptive. It is the point at which the smooth inland waters meet moving ocean water. My eyes could easily recognize it as land instead of water.

Note that I chose to walk without my camera yesterday, focusing more on the beach and the ocean than on photography. This photo was captured with my phone.

peony in pink

A peony opens, creating a splash of pink.

look up

Some murals are easy to frame with my camera, some are harder.

This one lives high on a building, making a case for looking up as I walked. Capturing it required framing and reframing in order to avoid power lines crossing in front of the mural.

Katherine, by Paola Delfin

a flower identified

Yesterday I saw flowers on a tree that I didn't recognize. I was lucky; a stranger who was in the same space shared the name with me.

These beautiful pink flowers live on a Kelsey Locust tree.

iris season

As I walk by gardens I am noticing more iris in bloom.

on the walls in Salem

My walking these days has been primarily in neighborhoods near home, quiet areas in towns close to home, and state parks that have remained open during the stay-at-home advisory. I've been itching to get to some of my favorite photo locations but until recently I stayed away. With the state moving into the first phase of reopening I gave in to my desire to visit the murals of the Punto Urban Art Museum in Salem, MA.

Sunday morning was a good time to visit. There were others out walking. Almost everyone was wearing a mask and remaining apart.

Many of the murals are large and on the walls of buildings that are very close together. You can see the murals as you stand in an alley but it's very difficult to capture some of them with a camera - even with a wide angle lens. Smaller murals sit in the squares of a wall surrounding a power station. The smaller murals are replaced every year while the larger murals on the sides of buildings are more permanent.

Untitled, by Scott Debus

If you'd like to virtually wander through the murals, click to the gallery murals in Salem :: 2020.