Tuesday, March 20, 2012

apricot tree in bloom

This tree always blooms first and then there is a freeze and there is no fruit to follow.
It is beautiful when it is blooming!  Like the tree is covered in snow.  I like the airy quality of this mandala.  It is taken up at the sky, which was very blue that morning.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Spring has Sprung!

Everything (or so it seems) has bloomed, that's what a week of above normal temperatures does and of course there is to be a freeze tonight.  Some things are hardy enough to be OK others are not.  Above is a branch of my fragrant white forsythia.  I planted it near my front door so I could get a whiff of the fragrance on my way in the door.  The bush itself is nothing special except when it blooms!  I liked the rays of flowers emanating from the center of the mandala.  I just wish you could smell it.  

Saturday, March 17, 2012

azalea

The apricot tree out front has burst into bloon because of the warm weather we have been having. The bad part is that more than likely they will freeze before the mature to friut. The azaleas above were from a greenhouse.  I liked the way the flower fills tile/square shape and yet is still a circle.  

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

and Bears, oh my!

Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh my!  the series is complete with my bear from Keensburg Wildlife Sanctuary.  The bear was pretty far off so did not get any detail shots of his fur.  It was feeding time for the big cats while we were there, found it interesting that they fed them frozen blocks of meat.  So they had to work on the eating project for quite a while.  This bear was stretching on a log.  

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

and Tigers

Lions and tigers . . .  Stripes just vibrate zebra's or tiger's and there is a surprising spot of white on a tiger ear.  This was also at the Keensburg Wildlife Sanctuary, there were countless tigers there, in cages all around a tower like structure.  They also always had a water feature and some of the tigers were just laying in theirs.  The interesting thing about this place is that all the viewing is from a walkway above the animals.  

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Lions,

Lions, and Tigers and Bears, oh my!  Took a trip to the Keensburg Wildlife Sanctuary last year, where they have all those animals.  The last few mandalas have been close ups of the animals coats which make for wonderful patterns, sometimes the whole animal is interesting too.  This big lion was stretching on a post, he was enjoying himself. 

Friday, March 9, 2012

one Zebra

Ahh - the Zebra's Stripes they almost vibrate with movement. 


Thursday, March 8, 2012

Leopard

More from the zoo.  The leopard pattern is just that a wonderful pattern of spots.  

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

giraffe - the long neck

Have always loved the brown patches on a giraffe and those patterns create new patterns when combined in the pie shapes of a kaleidoscope.  the rough upright mane makes up the edges of the star shape in the middle and the V shape on the edge of the mandala.  There was a momma and a baby giraffe in the original picture.

Monday, March 5, 2012

elephant head

From a little animal to a big animal.  You might have to look close it is the head and ear of an elephant.  Sometimes the details make a better mandala then the whole animal for an overall pattern.  This and the next few mandala are from a trip to the zoo.  I have one hint of spring coming up in my yard, my first snowdrop! 

Sunday, March 4, 2012

squirrel

Squirrel Star Mandala was taken of a branch against a building in Williamsburg.  I liked the way the squirrel sat up with the peanut in his mouth.  There are a couple five sided forms inside the branch star  and an upside down star made with the lines on the siding. 

Friday, March 2, 2012

marmots

Marmots like to sit on top of rocks, caught this one sitting in the light - I really liked the lichen patterns on the rock, too, they take up most of the picture.