rhododendron delight

It was a good afternoon to wander in Maudslay State Park, a time to absorb the beauty of the rhododendron scattered across the property.

purple

A bearded iris in deep purple decorates the garden.

by the sea

Yesterday's wanders included a visit to Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, MA. Once home to a granite quarry, there is path around the deep water-filled Babson Farm Quarry and a trail to the very rocky coastline.

It was a good day to absorb the sun and listen to the ocean.

More photos from yesterday's visit can be seen in the gallery Halibut Point :: 2022.

in motion

It's a challenge to try to capture a butterfly in a photo; they seem to be in a state of constant motion.

This tiger swallowtail agreed to pose for a second.

a lady's slipper

Last week as I walked a trail in Harold Parker State Forest I saw two lady's slippers. Today I returned with my camera to find many of these beautiful pink orchids scattered through the woods.

bearded

This afternoon I visited two local gardens searching for bearded iris.

The first garden had many (iris) buds with just a few flowers; the second was beautifully decorated by a sea of bearded iris.

tree peony delight

Yesterday afternoon I walked among the flowers at Long Hill.

During my previous visit 7 days earlier I saw that some of the tree peonies were wearing buds. My timing yesterday was good; they are now in full bloom!

fading

Tulips remaining in the garden are fading.

delicate

Azalea in pale pink create a delicate beauty.

crazy windy

On this windy day I headed to Maudslay State Park to check the flowers. While there were a few azalea in bloom when I visited a week ago, today I found azalea, rhododendron, and dogwood decorating the landscape with bright flowers.

I could feel the wind, I could hear it, and I could see it in the movement of the flowers.

Don't you love the look of white dogwood against a clear blue sky?

first iris

I was delighted to see my first iris of the season this morning.

It was a beautiful bearded iris in deep purple.

heart-shaped

Bleeding hearts decorate the garden.

The shape of the flower matches the name perfectly.

photos! Bedrock Gardens

Tuesday was the first open day of the season at Bedrock Gardens. It was a good day to visit, to wander through the gardens and the sculptures.

I plan to return to visit flowers as they change through the seasons.

You can enjoy more photos in the gallery Bedrock Gardens :: 2022.

ocean afternoon

The northern end of Plum Island was my destination today.

A walk by the ocean satisfied my need for beauty. The sky wore wispy clouds; in the distance I could see fog hovering over the water.

magic light

The light this afternoon was wonderful, a perfect time for a walk in the woods.

These trees live on Field Pond in Harold Parker State Forest.

unexpected

As I wandered through Bedrock Gardens this afternoon I saw two tulips standing in front of a barrier made of unearthed tree roots.

The unexpected location enhances their beauty.

emerging leaves

Leaves are starting to emerge.

They are wearing a spring green color.

early azalea

Pink is the color of today's azalea.

ripples

The wind creates ripples in the sand dunes at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

While the beach is currently closed for the piping plover nesting season it is still possible to look over the sand for a view of the ocean.