wearing lavender

Globe thistle wears a lovely shade of lavender as it evolves from spikey points to thin flowering petals. These flowers are a favorite of bees and other pollinators.

wet

Even though the weather forecast called for a 50% chance of rain I headed to the coast. It rained as I drove and it rained as I walked. A wind-driven light rain stayed with me the entire time.

It was good; I needed a walk by the ocean.

roses & dahlias

Yesterday afternoon I headed to the New Hampshire coast to visit Fuller Gardens.

It is primarily a rose garden, with dahlias living in a display garden next to the greenhouse. It was the dahlias that drew most of my attention.

More photos of the wonderful flowers can be seen in the gallery Fuller Gardens :: 2024.

photos! Three Sisters Sanctuary

Yesterday I headed west for a bit to visit Three Sisters Sanctuary in Goshen, MA. It was delightful to wander through the gardens, to visit sculptures, flowers, and a bit of road art.

Click here to jump to the gallery Three Sisters Sanctuary :: 2024 to see the photos that jumped into my camera as I wandered.

contemplation

A sculpture sits in the garden at Three Sisters Sanctuary, enjoying the beauty of her surroundings.

dancing

Early in the morning a black-eyed susan dances in the wind.

coneflower season

As summer bathes us in warmth, gardens beckon.

Coneflowers decorate the gardens of Prescott Park (in Portsmouth, NH) with bright splashes of color.

sunflower smiles

A sunflower stands tall, highlighted by mid-afternoon sunshine.

a dahlia in pink

Dahlias are starting to emerge in the gardens of Maudslay State Park.

This beauty opened with a splash of pink.

summer on the coast

I woke up yesterday and checked the state of the roads for holiday traffic heading to the coast. Luckily the early morning traffic was light; it looked like clear sailing!

My destination was Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, NH. I arrived early enough that it felt like I almost had the place to myself. My walk along the rocky coastline was awesome, a good way to spend a cloudy (then clearing) sky morning.

a strawflower

What a special flower!

While strawflowers look like they have been dried, this is their natural form. The flower emerges wearing stiff and papery petals.

butterfly in motion

Sometimes butterflies light on a flower, staying still, posing.

Sometimes butterflies are in a state of constant motion.