Tag: flowers

Cee’s FOTD Challenge: November 6, 2021

Published on by Russell Smith2 Comments
This path circumnavigates the Navy Stadium here in Annapolis. Taken with my iPhone 11, this photo is completely unedited.
These beauties are the first of what I plan to call, “Side of the Road Flowers.” I found these blossoms on the side of Roscoe Rowe Boulevard.

Flower of the Day

Cee’s FOTD Challenge: November 2, 2021

Published on by Russell Smith4 Comments

Giant Zucchini!

I came across this amazing specimen quite by accident. I used the makeshift parking lot across the street from my druggist. The lot was nearly full and I had no recourse but to leave my car at the edge of this lot. It was when I got out of my car that I noticed this zucchini plant for the first time. On closer inspection, I realized that it was the largest such plant I’d ever seen in my life! I took three photographs of it with my iPhone 11.

This is my first submission to any of Cee’s Challenges in a few weeks. Circumstances at home have been less than ideal. I am sorry to report that my father-in-law Theodore, known affectionately to us as “TR,” passed away on the 9th of October. It has been very sad here.

This is but one example of the enormous zucchinis that this plant produced. There were no small zukes. As a matter of fact, there is a Chinese restaurant across the alley from this plant. I would be shocked if there hadn’t been harvesting zucchinis from this plant. Of course, when zukes get this size, they are completely inedible.

At this point in the season, there were only two blossoms on the plant. This is one of them. If you look at the first photo, you can see them both from a distance.

Flower of the Day

Cee’s FOTD Challenge: September 9, 2021

Published on by Russell Smith3 Comments

I just had to include a cabbage butterfly! I find these butterflies to be among the most difficult to photograph. The never seem to rest, constantly fluttering about, never stopping to eat…or anything else.

Flower of the Day

Cee’s FOTD Challenge: September 25, 2021

Published on by Russell Smith6 Comments

According to legend, Queen Anne was making lace by hand (known as tatting.) She pricked her finger with her needle and single drop of blood fell on her handiwork. That is why there is a red spot in the center of the blossom. There is debate over which Queen Anne was tatting. Some say it was Anne of Denmark (1574-1619) who was the wife of James I of England (also known as James VI of Scotland) who was eight years senior to Anne. The other sovereign in question is Anne (1665-1719) daughter of James II (grandson of James I.)

Queen Anne’s Lace is not native to North America. It was brought over by European settlers (a nice word for invaders, don’t you think?) Its flowers can be used to make a natural yellow dye. Parts of the plant are mentioned by herbalists as a diuretic, an antiseptic, soothing to the digestive system, useful for colic, and as a hallucinogenic! Queen Anne’s Lace was a valuable enough medicinal herb that colonists relied on it. It was also considered a reliable contraceptive. (Don’t try this at home!)

Flower of the Day