Category Archives: Garden

Nectar Ecstasy!

29 Thursday Oct 2020

Posted by in Anna's Hummingbird, Back Yard Garden, Backyard Garden, Cuphea Vermillionaire, Garden, Home Garden, Hummingbird

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I feel very blessed to spend time bird watching these hummingbirds in the comfort of my backyard.

My love for hummingbirds goes back 20 to 30 years ago. 20 to 30 years ago, I set up hummingbird feeders, since they worked logistically in my home. I did not shoot photographs since the feeders were by our windows. So there was a reflection from the window as well as its location which prevented me from photographing the hummingbirds who came to enjoy the sugar water.

I enjoyed watching the hummingbirds visit our feeders, but did not pursue ideas how to photograph the birds in action. Since I was working as a photographer for an electronic retail corporation, I did not seriously consider expanding my photography skills to shoot nature.

As my professional career evolved with this retail corporation closing, my professional photography job ended. I obtain other employment which ended after a number of years due to budget issues.

So when one door closes, we learn to welcome new opportunities to learn and roll with life changes.

Currently, I enjoy sitting in my backyard and waiting patiently for my new hummingbirds friends to come for their meals from my flowers. I get energized during my time watching and shooting the creatures who visit my garden. I can identify this bird’s ecstasy.

Creating my own environment to shoot pictures is a work in progress. I am so excited to watch the changing environment with the different birds, bees and butterflies.

What is your passion that makes you excited or experience ecstasy?

I learned don’t give up on past loves or interests. But consider how to build ideas and projects based on your passions. Maybe you have more time during your pandemic life. If this is true, do you have time to go back to old passions and consider how you can convert these loves into goals or projects?

Pandemic life is difficult. But can we grow pursuing our passions to experience ecstasy and excitement with achievements of new goals?

Photos inspire excitement and ecstasy!

Perfect Pose

27 Tuesday Oct 2020

Posted by in Anna's Hummingbird, Back Yard Garden, Backyard Garden, Cuphea Vermillionaire, Garden, Home Garden, Hummingbird

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This hummingbird was shot recently, as I was waiting patiently for his visit. He was circling around my backyard trying to decide which flower to drink from. I love hanging out in my backyard to see which of my new friends will show up. If I am still, he may come up close to take a quick look at me. He doesn’t like my big zoom lens. But I hope he is getting accustomed to seeing it.

This hummingbird posed perfectly for my photograph. I am learning how to shoot quickly to catch the bird as it is seeking nectar. I love the pointed triangular wings and the green back side and tail. The green perfectly matches the leaves on these plants.

What is the perfect pose? A perfect pose is a natural position of the subject. The perfect pose also tells us something about the subject. This hummingbird’s perfect pose shows us how he is looking at the flowers for his nectar snack.

I am envious of this hummingbird’s perfect pose. He looks so straight and perfect. He does not look like he will encounter any backaches or neck pain. I realize my natural pose is not ergonomically correct. I tend to slouch, and my neck is not as erect as it should be. Thus I have experienced neck and back aches occasionally.

Humans have to work on our natural pose for photographs by standing erect and to correct our stance to look good. If we are moving or doing an activity, then our pose will be more natural. Having good posture will save us from pain agony, as we grow older.

Seeing this hummingbird’s perfect pose is a good reminder to me how I need to practice a perfect pose to correct and prevent future pain. Also a perfect pose might give me an extra inch of height if I will stand up straight.

Photos give good reminders!

Bumble Bee Zeroing In on Lavender Flower

23 Friday Oct 2020

Posted by in Backyard Garden, Bumble Bee, Bumblebee, Garden, Home Garden, Lavender

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We do not usually consider bees as fuzzy creatures. Most of us think about the stinger on a bee and wanting to get away from this flying insect.

This photograph shows us the softer side of the bee with it fuzzy exterior. It reminds of a cuddly stuffed animal since this bee is round in shape. The photo also shows the bee’s wings in action and the long pair of antennae on top of the bee’s head.

This bee has a nice orange chunk of pollen collected in its pollen baskets on the hind legs. Bees are goal oriented to take care of the needs of their hive. I do not know where their hive is, but the bees are pretty regular to return to sip from my flowers.

It is important for us to also show our “fuzzy” side to other people. Do we show compassion? Do we seek to help people with their needs if it is within our capabilities or if we have the resources? Or are we too focused on our own world to be sensitive to the needs of our family, friends or other people we are in contact with.

Let’s hope the people in our lives see our fuzzy nature and not our “stinger”.

Photos Teach!

 

Honey Bee Seeking Sweet Lavender

18 Sunday Oct 2020

Posted by in Backyard Garden, Bee, Garden, Home Garden, Honey Bee, Lavender

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Our neighborhood Honey Bee was busy getting nectar for her hive and pollinating our Lavender Plant. It is pretty fascinating examining the flight of the honey bee. The eyes of the bee are pretty big. It’s wings seem so thin yet are powerful for the fast flights.

I get energized sitting in my backyard to find good shots of the 3 B’s — Bees, Butterflies and Birds (basically hummingbirds). I am learning patience as I sit in my chair looking out for these buddies who are also getting to know me. They are trying to figure out if they can trust me. Unfortunately, my big lens is intimidating to the hummingbirds. I notice the hummingbirds come more frequently if I do not have the big camera lens around my neck.

I am trying to learn how to gain the trust of the hummingbirds. I try to be still when they fly close to me. I am trying to wear colors which will not be offensive to them. I watch my actions so not to scare them away.

This is also a lesson in life. Do our actions allow for people to trust us? I am trying to attract these critters to my garden and me, so I can shoot photos. Can we seek to show our integrity and genuine concern to others, so they will feel comfortable to seek help and advice for us? Some may think it is better to not be involved in other people’s lives. People are too much work. It is easier to just have a small pod of people. Yes we can only see a small pod of people of the pandemic. In reality our sphere should not just be limited to our pandemic pod.  But our sphere can expand if we are interested in helping people.

Just as I do not want to scare off the bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, I also do not want to scare off people in my life. Just as the bee is attracted to the lavender for sweetness, can we show “sweetness” to people during these pandemic times?

Photos teach us about sweetness!

Friendly Hummingbird Frequently Visiting Our Garden

12 Monday Oct 2020

Posted by in Anna's Hummingbird, Backyard Garden, Garden, Home Garden, Hummingbird

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I really enjoy watching and photographing Hummingbirds flying into our garden to take a sip from our flowers. The top photograph shows the Hummingbird’s wings in a cool formation that looks like the Cherubim’s Wing on top of the Ark of the Covenant.

The second photo of the hummingbird sipping the sweet nectar from the red flower is a good side view. The wings look perfectly pointed out to stay in position in front of the flower.

The hummingbird seems to enjoy visiting me in the backyard. I will be tending to the plants and flowers when I hear the bird approaching. It will get close to me and almost touch. He seems to be checking me out. I am careful not to move abruptly and to allow the bird to approach. I am slowly learning how to allow this bird to interact with me.

It is exhilarating to have my hummingbird encounters. I wonder how Adam interacted when he first saw the newly created animals and birds in the Garden of Eden. How did he decided on what to call the many creatures. I wish I could have watched the expression on his face as he encountered and name each creature.

It is amazing when the birds come close to watch me and see if it is safe to approach.

It reminds me how we need to be approachable to people. There are people which offend us with their words and actions. But how do people see me? Am I approachable? Do I cause other people to feel uncomfortable by my persona? Or do people feel relaxed around me?

Hopefully, since the hummingbirds are coming to me, people find me non-threatening and will also feel at ease with me.

Making people feel comfortable is important especially due to our pandemic era. We have enough stress in our world and thus should not be a source of stress to others.

Enjoy photos to relax!

The Elusive Red Admiral

09 Friday Oct 2020

Posted by in Back Yard Garden, Backyard Garden, Butterfly, Garden, Red Admiral

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The Red Admiral butterfly is one of my favorite butterflies. Since I was a child, I have loved butterflies. I love the interesting patterns in their wings. The wings’ unique patterns fascinate me.

During this pandemic year, I am having a good time trying to create a garden to attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. Working in my garden relaxes me and allows me to escape from the worries of the world. I can focus on the beauty of nature and watch my flowers grow.

I love the experience of watching out to see what creatures will find their way to my garden. This butterfly posed perfectly for me.

We could learn a lesson from the butterflies. They each look unique in the colors and the patterns in their wings. Do they exhibit preferences for each other depending on the pattern of their wings? Obviously not! Their goals are to exist by taking care of their essential needs to live.

Can man learn from the butterflies that color does not matter? It does not matter the color or the “pattern” of our skin.

Our goals should be to learn to take care of our essential needs to live and care for one another.

Butterfly Photos Teach Us About Life!

Bumble Bee Collecting

26 Saturday Sep 2020

Posted by in Bumble Bee, Bumblebee, Dwarf Sungold Sunflower, Garden, Home Garden, Sungold flower

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This Bumble Bee had plenty of pollen on his head, legs, and body. He really enjoyed getting into this flower and collecting all the pollen.

If you have an imagination, the bee looks like he landed on a strange planet with green fuzzy protective extremities. The planet has yellow and brown creatures which the bee hover over.

Imagination is important to develop for creativity. We need to imagine scenarios to develop solutions to the problems in our world.

I believe answers exists for impossible situations. We just need to imagine to see the possible solutions. If one possibility fails, this is perfectly ok.

Through our failures, we eliminate possibilities to move on to another idea.

This bee is collecting the pollen to feed his hive group. He is seeking to help his family association.

Collecting ideas and sharing thoughts is important to develop solutions.

Let’s collect and share to develop answers for the problems we face.

Photos Teach!

Flight of the Bumble Bee

24 Thursday Sep 2020

Posted by in Backyard Garden, Bumble Bee, Bumblebee, Garden, Home Garden

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I have seen Bumble Bees fly but did not know they look like a flying round teddy bears until I photographed them in mid-air. They look really cool being so round and having their short legs showing on the bottom. This Bumble Bee was flying toward my Lavender plant.

Notice the dark fragile wings of this bee. They look so thin. Yet these wings enable the bee to fly long distances and quickly. A bee can fly fast or hover over flowers to retrieve the nectar.

The bee’s fuzzy yellow top and bottom makes it stand out. We all need brightness in our lives. The black body has a little bit of a sheen in its appearance.

What can we learn from the flight of the Bumble Bee? 

The weak looking wings of the Bumble Bee are actually quite powerful to enable the bee to travel great distances.

The Bumble Bee is very small in size, but it can bring bad pain to anyone of us with it’s stinger.

It is possible for the weak things to shame the strong.

So do not underestimate individuals who seem weak?

Do not allow our pride to ignore those who appear weak. The “weak” will teach us the meaning of strength.

Find strength in our weaknesses!

Photos Teach!

How to get a Hummingbird to pose?

15 Saturday Aug 2020

Posted by in Anna's Hummingbird, Back Yard Garden, Backyard Garden, Cuphea Vermillionaire, Garden, Home Garden, Hummingbird

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We’ve been sheltering in place since mid March. We only go out to buy food. So what do we do for fun?

I have been learning about what grows in the foggy part of San Francisco. I tried to choose plants that did not need a lot of sun. I wanted flowers to attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Lately, when I can find a slot of time, I sit in the garden with my big zoom lens waiting for the creatures to visit the flowers in my garden.

As i have been tending the garden, I noticed a particular hummingbird coming around me. The bird seems to be checking me out. Perhaps it is trying to see who I am and if I am friendly. It seems the same bird visits the yard.

When I go out with my camera gear, I try to be quiet and still to not scare away the creatures. I’ve sat for a few hours to observe the bees, butterflies and hummingbirds as they come and go.

Currently, the Bay Area is getting a heat wave. I went to the yard hoping to take advantage of the better lighting. Our typical summer in San Francisco is a lot of grey skies and fog. Not the best lighting to capture good pictures.

So I was waiting and hoping to see my flying friends. Unfortunately, the weather was even too hot for them to exert much energy to visit my flowers.

This hummingbird came by about 2 weeks ago.

His pointed wings are just perfectly spread out as he drinks the flower nectar. I can identify with his joy in drinking the sweet nectar. He is perfectly posing for this photograph.

So how did I manage to get the hummingbird to pose?

I am hoping this bird is feeling comfortable and safe with me. He’s visiting and watching me. He sees me just hanging out quietly in the yard. He can sense I like him.

The secret to get the hummingbird or any subject to pose is to make him feel secure and comfortable. Spending time together seems to make the bird accustomed to seeing me in the yard.

Hummingbirds will pose when they like you!

Good photos come from happy hummingbirds!

 

Bumble Bee tip toeing on Lavender

06 Thursday Aug 2020

Posted by in Backyard Garden, Bumble Bee, Bumblebee, Garden, Home Garden, Lavender

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Since we are still sheltering in place, I spend lots more time in our garden. I position myself in our yard waiting and watching the bees, hummingbirds or butterflies enjoy the flowers. I take my big Canon camera and lens to see what interesting sights I can shoot.

I photographed this Bumble Bee in our backyard garden landing on our Lavender plant. I love the flurry of its wings in action. It’s amazing how fast the wings can go to keep the bee up in the air. It is also interesting to examine the long thin legs of the bee approaching the lavender flower to collect the pollen and nectar.

This pandemic has allowed me to spend time to tend to my garden. Before the pandemic, I did start planning out what to grow in the garden to attract birds, butterflies and bees. But the pandemic provided me a reason to go to the garden since I am not venturing out of the house except for groceries.

Even though the pandemic is a terrible occurrence in the world, it is teaching us valuable lessons.

The pandemic is teaching me about solitude in fellowship with nature. It is showing me how bees can dance on lavender and other flowers. I am learning patience as I wait and watch to capture images of the natural occurrence in nature.

Lastly, blessings are possible in all circumstances of life even in a pandemic. It is a blessing to the beauty of a bee encroaching on the pretty petals of lavender.

Photography teaches me to be patient.