Back to the Bog

Okay, probably not a bog. Rich in grasses – marsh? But trees, too, so – swamp? I like the idea of a fen, but do we have fens in this country? The definitions and descriptions are here (and elsewhere, of course), but it is the reality that is enchanting. Can you hear the bullfrogs? Can you smell the mint? Can you feel the soft morning breeze? As I was busy with my camera, suddenly there came a crashing and splashing, as if an alligator were about to appear, but it was only a frightened deer in hasty, noisy flight, and when the water settled back to a calm surface, everything was as it had been. 

I’m grateful to Dorene for identifying the tufted loosestrife for me, and I am loving another yellow wildflower to fill out the month of June. While coreopsis and St. Johnswort brighten the roadsides, tufted loosestrife rewards the explorer of dark waters, hidden-away wetlands. 

Blue and White in June

Color on an Overcast Day

A Glimpse of Blue

I'd gone down this back road to see if the cranes might be out in the field, but as I was passing a wetland area a glimpse of blue made me stop. It was the wild flags, admidst the greenery of ferns and rushes.

What, though, is this nearby yellow flower? Who can identify it for me? 6/20 update: A Detroit friend identified this for me. It is tufted loosestrife. Good to know! Thanks, Dorene!

The lovely dark, watery place shelters many different plants, from large trees to tiny duckweed. And yes, there were frogs, too. There's nothing like a wild place to renew the soul.

This Is It

As spring moves into and through summer, the parade of blooms is captivating, and I look for ways to capture their beauty and magic that will do more than repeat photographs of previous years. After trying various angles and distances this morning with coreopsis (its flowering tells me that we are fast approaching summer’s longest day), I came upon a partly shady corner with dark trees in the background and a road sign with color dimly echoing that of the flowers. It made me so happy I deleted all the other digital files of this year’s coreopsis. Below is my favorite shot from a year ago. Which do you like better?

Beautiful June Morning