Blossoms of Light

When I saw how the pie-pieces of the image fit together in this image from the Blossoms of Light display at DBG - it looked like there were candles on the ends of the star that formed in the middle. The curve beyond the center is the edge of Denver Botanic Gardens conservatory building barely lit up. It is always a magical time to wander through the lit up trees at the Gardens. Happy New Year Everyone! Thanks for coming to look at my mandala.

Frosted trees

Frosted trees on Rabbit Ears Pass after a big snow.

then on into December

With a BANG we are in the heat of the holiday season. . .then 2019 will be over. it is the relentless march of time that causes me to pause this morning. Think my shopping is mostly done. it's just the cleaning and putting up of Christmas that has blocked my progress. In the end time marches on whether we want it to or not, so might as well go with the flow. A Merry Christmas Mandala - Christmas Cactus and all.

Happy Thanksgiving

Some Thanksgivings people are out playing golf over the Thanksgiving Holiday in Denver. Not this year, we have lots of snow still on the ground, an overcast sky and the threat of more snow tomorrow. Brrr Cold! Have a Good Day where ever you are!

a cookie mandala

A bit of early holiday baking turned into a circle! The tree makes an excellent "pie" piece for the kaleidoscope effect.

caldron light

Caldron light from our Harry Potter Halloween Party, it's tissue paper!

snow piles on the branches

We got 12 inches of snow at the end of October. It piled up on everything, to include the branches outside my window. When I took the picture there was no blue sky. Then I remembered my neighbor's blue truck was parked beyond the branches, thus the blue color in the mandala!

before the snow

Before the snow yesterday, actually had a fall crocus blooming. However, we got 12 inches of snow and it's bitter cold - so no more flowers! Now the long wait for spring, except for indoor flowers and decorations - there is always something to take a picture of.

Gloriosa Lily

Got a tuber for this plant in the spring - it grew lots and lots of vine and one flower. Only need one to take a picture and this in the mandala that resulted. Am overwintering the tuber and hope it will produce more flowers next year! This mandala is in a square-ish format that I liked (squares formed inside the circle). Enjoy!

blown away

blown away

Blown away with the wind - the milkweed seeds; actually had a monarch stop by my small growth of milkweed when they were blooming, it was beautiful! We had a huge cold front blow in last night. It finally started snowing this morning; the cold is supposed to remain around for 3 days. No more summer! Did get all the houseplants safely stored inside out of harm's way.

old mandala

Was going thru a box of old pictures and thought I could post an old mandala that I really liked. Original picture was of shadows on a short stairway taken one time when we were down in Sedona, AZ. Making it into a kaleidoscope was just the ticket to make this image pop. Someone at an auction bought the original last year, so the pattern must have appealed to at least one other person. Hard to believe it is already October.

original green plant

Not Grass but "grass like" I liked the patterns the plant base created in the center of the earlier mandala.

patterns in green

‘Patterns of Grass’ Another mandala inspired by a plant (not grass) in Rob Proctor’s garden-from the tour on August 25th.

Flower Fireworks

I love flowers, their color, their various shapes. This one reminded me of fireworks. We made it to September with some heat, fortunately, it's cooling off this week in Colorado.

stripped cana with pink

Strips get me every time and the touch of an out of focus pink flower just added to the mandala. From a fun garden tour fund raiser. Enjoy!

Clouds over the pass

Clouds billowing over Loveland Pass. I just love clouds!

Nicotiana

The Nicotiana flower is from the tobacco plant. I bought this one when I was taking a class on fragrant plants this spring. This big plant smells wonderful - the sent has been bred out of the smaller versions! The long tubular flowers made interesting patterns.

train

Not a flower, but long line of train cars on side of the road. Liked the pattern that formed. Was on my way to Palmer Lake for art show when I saw this, train cars, ground, sky and a telephone pole!

columbine

It's a little hard to 'read' as a columbine. The shape reminds me of a fancy butterfly, I just need to draw in some antenna and eyes.

clouds

Here's hoping for clouds this afternoon to cool off a very warm day! Love clouds and taking pictures of them - there are never 2 alike.

trails of light

Trails of light made by the fireworks create some interesting images and patterns. I liked the faint red white and blue color.

4th of July

Needed some Red White and Blue, the giant flag at 6th Ave and I-25 provided the color. Hope everyone had a good 4th.

Art Show at Tri-Lakes

Art Show at Tri-Lakes c

The show at the Tri-Lakes Art Center will be up for viewing July 2 until August 23, 2019. The Center is located at 305 Hwy 105 in the town of Palmer Lake, CO. A reception will be held Friday July 12 from 6 pm until 8 pm. There is a section "For the Love of Andi" honoring my friend Andi Sahlen's photography. She was my photo buddy. We went to the Denver Botanic Gardens many times to take pictures of the flowers. She will be missed.

Flower from Botanic Gardens

Looks just like the bird's topknot!

Zoo Bird

In memory of my friend Andi who was my photo buddy, we went to the zoo once and the Denver Botanic Gardens many times for flower pictures! This bird's top knot reminds me of a flower at the gardens I have taken pictures of - many times! Remembering!

different kind of circle

Just for fun, I was playing around with "tiny planet" distortions - they also make a circle! On the way home from the mountains, I as passenger, take photos. There is one place on 6th Ave just before you turn into I-25 where there is a good view of the Denver skyline. The result is the mail box building and others made circular!

Bug Wing

Always liked the patterns on a bugs wing-thus todays selection. Up in the mountains there weren't many bugs yet, but still lots of snow high up.

Grape Hyacinth

Grape Hyacinth Mandala- now that we have had one of the coolest Springs and snow last week, maybe we can get on with summer. It is after Memorial Day now, pools have opened, I just expect it to warm up (I Hope). Grape Hyacinths are one of my harbingers of Spring often being buried in the snow themselves. No more snow PLEASE!

Amaryllis

I have one amaryllis bulb that blooms once a year. It outdid itself this year sending up 2 bloom stalks. This image had fine detail of the green elements beside the broad strokes of the red and white that make up most of the flower. As a side note the official snow total for Aurora's last storm was 4 inches - my measurement came from stepping into the backyard with a ruler.

May Snow

After Mother's Day it's supposed to be OK to put tender plants out with the expectation that it will no longer freeze. It was 32 last night with SNOW. Forgot to take down the umbrellas so one is broken, another bent under 8 inches of wet heavy snow. Oh well, this to shall pass.

Pussy Willow

Pussy willows are a fun plant in the spring, with their soft fuzzy catkins. My grandson discovered them on a trip to the zoo, so I ordered a pair one for him and one for me!. The bare root plants came yesterday, so they are heeled in in pots for the moment. the pussy willow and tulip in the mandala were at the Denver Botanic Gardens in an arrangement at the front door the beginning of May.

May the 4th be with you

We had beautiful weather over the weekend. Some of the crystal blue ski seen in this mandala and sat out in the sunshine this morning. Will have to content myself with the memory of sunshine for the next couple of days as the clouds have moved in.

look twice

This is sort of my April Fools joke at the end of the month. If you look quickly it looks like a full faced person with triangular glasses. but in reality it is a mirror image of a laughing frog. Just for fun!

Rat Tail Cactus

The patterns made by the rat tail cactus strands is interesting. Always inspired by the way natural patterns come together.

the cloud flourish

Like someone took their paint brush in an upward stroke.

cloud flower

On the way to see a friend there was a neat cloud in the sky. This mandala reminds me of a columbine with it's 5 parts and long spurs. A strange image on the 20 anniversary of the school shooting. So sad.

clouds

Looking up at the clouds lately!

white forsythia

The opening of my white forsythia was delayed by the latest snow. They will open next week with the warming temperatures.

crocus

Spring has sprung!

Crocus are up! 3 cheers! The red-winged black birds are singing up a storm. I'm sure there is still a snowstorm or two out there but things are starting to grow!

Late Christmas Cactus

Kept looking for flower blubs to pop up outside, but it's been too cold. But my Christmas Cactus decided it had one more bloom in it! Spring is officially here on the calendar - so I expect something to come up outside now! it is supposed to be in the 50's all next week.

Exploring the Light

Exploring the Light Opening Cocktail Reception Saturday, March 23, 1pm - 3pm Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons Street Music, light appetizers and a cash bar Viewing hours: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, Monday - Friday and two hours before productions at The Lone Tree Arts Center.

This mandala was juried in to the Exploring the Light 2019 show Exploring the Light will run from March 13 - May 12, 2019 at the Lone Tree Arts Center and is presented by the Lone Tree Arts Commission and the Lone Tree Photo Club, with support from the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD).

Blue Sky

Colorado is lucky to have blue skies after a storm. We have some today after being bitter cold with snow over the weekend. It's not supposed to get warmer until the end of the week! I labeled this mandala "Snowflake Cloud", appropriate for this March storm that came in like a lion and dropped about 5 inches of snow.

Juniper

My shrubs were all covered in snow this morning 8.5 inches! Sun is out so it is melting and the wind is blowing it out of the trees. A bit of a surprise but the moisture is welcome. The evergreen twig presented interesting patterns in this star shaped mandala.

dried leaf

Liked the texture of this dried leaf and the star that formed in the middle. No red for Valentines Day, but celebrate anyway!

picture of snow and dried plants

High contrast between plant and snow with shadows, too. Original photo of previous mandala.

dead plants in the snow

Sometimes the simplest things make an interesting picture. The color of the dried vegetation popped against the white snow and the shadows gave more interest to this mandala.