‘Jeffrey Pine & Friends’
Heatherwood Late Summer
It was a nice morning to take a little stroll along the the southern part of our garden. The bright new yellow blooms of the solidago (golden rod) complement the fading rudbeckia to provide a nice contrast with the purple Russian sage and green grass and conifers. The Jeffrey pine with its 8-9 inch needles is the star of the show. We still have a lot of bright colors in the garden as the summer approaches its end.
‘Southeast Corner Rest Stop’
Heatherwood Summer
This quiet spot is in the southeast corner of our garden. We planted a set of various conifers and a few deciduous trees to provide a cosy corner to rest and view the lower section of Heatherwood. The corner is highlighted with several uncommon conifers that provide special interest as we sit and enjoy the sights.
In the spring we admire the blossoms from a field of daffodils and trees from our crabapple grove. In the summer we view our multicolored meadow as we gaze up to our house above. In the fall, splotches of yellow, orange, red, and purple of the fall foliage pepper the garden in front of us. During the winter, the green and yellow conifers dominate the view complemented by the red, yellow, and oranges of the red, yellow, and midwinter fire branches of the dogwood shrubs. It is a great place to just sit and enjoy the world around us.
‘Japanese Garden Waterfall in IR’
Heatherwood Summer
I am working hard to learn and experiment what makes an interesting infrared image. I look for contrasts that infrared will highlight. In this image the infrared pulls out the greens and yellows of the trees and shrubs surrounding the dark shade of the pond, rocks, and sky. The reflections from the water makes the stream flowing over the rocks and the ripples on the pond stand out.
“Dog Days of Summer”
Heatherwood Lower Yard
This week has been a scorcher with temperatures rising above 105 degrees! By 10 AM, the temperature reaches above 90 degrees. It is really too hot to do much of anything outside. But, it is a great time to create a few infrared images. I need to do a little IR photography practice as I prepare for a workshop in the Badlands of South Dakota in September.
‘Sea Holly, Rudbeckia, & Russian Sage’
Heatherwood Meadow
Heatherwood is peppered with Purple and Gold. No one would guess that I am a died in wool University of Washington Husky!
This image is all about contrast. It represents contrast in color (yellow & purple), shape (globes, stars, and spikes), as well as texture (smooth, prickly, and soft).
This combination of plants also remind me of their spreading capability. When we planted the meadow three years ago, we had a couple of groupings of individual rudbeckia, sea holly and Russian sage. Today they are spread throughout our lower garden. By the end of the season we will have enough seedlings to share with our neighbors!
‘Lower Yard Looking Northeast’
Heatherwood Summer
My eyes follow the lawn path through the lower garden up to Selah Bluff on the horizon. The infrared perspective puts me into a dream-like state. I wonder what is beyond the bluff. Beyond, the Wenas valley slopes to the Yakima River. Then another set of ridges rise up then down to the Ryegrass plateau. The plateau rolls along then descends down to the Columbia River. Ridges of the Yakima folds rise up from the river and level off into the farmlands of the Columbia Basin. A few small farm towns sprinkle the basin. Two-hundred miles away lies Spokane.
I then think of the sprawling metropolitan area between Olympia and Everett, and am thankful for where I live. I am a country boy at heart.
‘Lower Yard & Meadow’
Heatherwood Midsummer
Early in the morning on a midsummer day it is wonderful to be out in our Heatherwood garden. After a cup of coffee in the morning, we have our breakfast on the upper patio. This is the scene that we are blessed with. We look out over our lower yard and meadow to the our neighbors pastures. In the distance we see the ridges and the gap between Selah and Yakima. We can’t ask for a better way to start a midsummer’s day.
After breakfast we work/play a little in the garden before it gets too hot. By late morning, it is time to come inside to get relief from the hot sun. Temperatures continue to range between the high 80’s and mid 90’s. We are watering almost continuously twenty-fours a day to keep the lawn green and the plants healthy.