Walk Thwarted

I was out on a walk today, thinking I’d manage to avoid the rain for a time. I didn’t even get one mile out when I felt it begin. The camera went back into my Lowepro pack and the rain cover came out. I’m so glad to have this Flipside pack. They no longer sell the one I used today, but they still have a Flipside series and I own the largest of that as well as my older ones. They are all great and I highly recommend them.

Right before the rain I did manage to get just a few shots made.

First Shot: Pink Camellia with Raindrops, 3.16.18First_Shot-_Pink_Camellia_with_Raindrops,_3.16.18.jpg

 

 

First Shot

The weather here is about perfect for nice walks: it’s warm enough that I don’t need a jacket, and overcast enough that I don’t need my big sunhat. I start out just a wee bit chilled, but a mile in I’m perfectly comfortable. Today the wind even cooperated and I could shoot flowers fairly easily. I didn’t do a lot — I’ve gotten pickier and pickier about whether it’s worth it to stop for a flower since I have been at this for so long — but it’s definitely camellia time!

This shot was a bit of an accidental one: I was still deciding how to center the flower when my finger unintentionally pushed the button. I’ll have to decide if I want this one or the next for my “final” image, but this is a first shot and there can only be one first shot!

First Shot: Pale Pink Camellia, 1.15.18First_Shot-_Pale_PInk_Camellia,_1.15.18.jpg

First Shot

The past few weeks have allowed for very few good walks. Between work, the smoky days, and other interfering things (some very good things, mind you!) I have been quite negligent. So today I was determined to get my miles in. I didn’t manage a six mile walk, I’m sorry to say: partway through the walk the smoke began to flow in again and I knew I’d be better off at home.

This image, though, was my first shot of the few I managed. It sort of reminds me of fire … rather (sadly) appropriate, I guess.

First Shot: Leucadendron, 10.17.17First_Shot-_Leucadendron,_10.17.17.jpg

First Shot

(And NOT a shot I’ll use, but I have to share this with my story!)

I went out today for my first walk with the new camera. I was determined to go two miles before I used it, but then I spotted these blue things and, having shot them a short time ago with no success, I had to stop.
 
The last time I sent a few photos off to a friend asking her if she knew what they were. From my photos she couldn’t identify it, so I thought this time I’d run it through the Garden Answers app. Now please understand that app is sometimes problematic: it is trusting that people who identify plants are correct, and I’ve found a number of errors. But it’s a great place to start.
 
This time it came up with the correct answer. (I always verify by searching other images and reading about the plant.) I was pretty darn happy with that.
 
As I finished up, the homeowner came out and said, “The flowers?” I said yes, that they were really great. He asked if I knew the name.
 
“I do now: I just searched on it!”
 
“Blew my mind!”
 
“Why?” (Thinking maybe he’d seen that the plant is used for “its purported psychotropic and nootropic properties” (thanks Wikipedia).
 
“No. That’s the NAME!”
 
TOO funny! I explained that I was going to give him the Latin name (which is Evolvulus alsinoides). He suggested I stick to what I now realize is “BLUE my mind”. 🙂
 
Sometimes my walks are quite fun!
 
First Shot: Evolvulus alsinoides, 7.25.17First_Shot-_Evolvulus_alsinoides,_7.25.17.jpg