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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Hot And Cold, Spring Snow

Andromeda japonica in spring snow.
March 28, 2012
    After a week of record breaking, summer like temperatures, it was a surprise to wake up to snow cover this morning. My first thought was "Flowers! Flowers in snow!" I leaped out of bed and ran out to my gardens, still wearing my bathrobe. Quickly, my feet froze in my open toed, house slippers. My robe trailed in the snow and mud. I hopped around like a cat in water, trying to keep my feet from sinking into the snow as I pranced from one lovely vignette to another. I was enraptured in the glory of those tender blooms in crowns of snow.
      My husband hollered from the safety of a window, "What the hell are you doing out there?" Inarguably, I looked like a lunatic escaped from an asylum. Ignoring him, I kept photographing until the wind whipped up. My robe was blown in the air flinging mud with it and frigid air around my legs. My feet were soaked. I picked a trail of windblown hair from my mouth. When all of the snow blew off the flowers, I called it quits. Then, I heard water running.    
     Having grown up in houses with ancient, unstable plumbing, the sound of running water provokes P.T.S.D. symptoms for me. My first thought is always a strong "Oh No! What's wrong now?" Hurrying toward the sound, I was relieved to see that the source was just my husband, stark naked in his outdoor shower. Yes, we did  have snow; yes, the wind was howling; and yes, I still had the camera in my hands. And I did photograph him in all of  his glory, though his crown was suds, not snow. You may insert the smiley face here, or whatever other image you conjured. But, the details will remain between us. 

Siberian squill with snow on its crown
Pink Andromeda japonica in snow

pulmonaria, or Lung wort bud in snow

A blue variety of pulmonaria in the snow. Pulmonaria is also called Lung wort. In days of yore, it was used medicinally to cure respiratory ailments, like pneumonia. My grandmother would have said of David in his shower, and me in my robe in the out of doors, "You'll catch your death out there!" She need not worry. Once I'm done I'll just brew up some Lung wort tea. 

If you would like to see more images of spring time in Maine, click here.

This post is an Editor's Pick on Open Salon (click here for more on OS) It is the sixteenth of my works to be so chosen. Thank you, OS!

24 comments:

  1. Lovely photos...sure hope your beautiful plants survive the unexpected snow and will continue to adorn your gorgeous gardens. I hope nothing got frostbitten in the shower!
    HG

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  2. Thank you, HG. I will be curious to see how all things garden do this summer and later in the spring with the odd ball weather we've had. And, as far as I know, nothing 'freezer burned' in the shower. I'll tell him you had concerns. :)

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  3. More gorgeous photos! Yay!!! I must get another lens. I love the close up of these!
    I Love Life
    March 28, 2012 04:57 PM

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  4. By the way, what editing software do you use to watermark your photos? I'm still searching for one. Is yours simple to use?

    I Love Life
    March 28, 2012 05:01 PM

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  5. I Love Life, thank you, once again. What a sweet heart you are! I used a 60mm macro lens for these shots, which is part of the reason I got wet and muddy in my bathrobe; I had to be close for the close ups.
    I load my images with Adobe lightroom. I have it set up to with a bunch of watermarks presets. I use different ones for different things. Sometimes I post images to my blog from there and sometimes, I load them from my photography web site. I also have that set up with watermarking, though it is not on the printed images, only the web stuff (theft, don't cha know). I suppose this sounds complicated, but it's not really. You can use free ware, like Picasa (I used to) and just put your watermark in as text. I used to do that, simple enough. Thank you viewing and taking an interest in my work.

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  6. A Simple Shutterbug (OS)March 28, 2012 at 6:26 PM

    Robin, I don't know what I love more, your photos or your adventures while shooting the photos...okay...here's the smiley face :).

    A Simple Shutterbug
    March 28, 2012 06:20 PM

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  7. Enjoy your work both visual and written
    ~R~

    M. C. S.
    March 28, 2012 06:36 PM

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  8. Ccccold all day here and windy time for it to warm up for sure.

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  9. ASimpleShutterbug, thanks! I passed on the smiley face to my husband, who thanks you, too. :) Even though it's snowing and miserable, it's a pretty good life we have here. And, I don't have to clean the shower stall either.

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  10. Beautiful pictures and a funny tale of how you got them. I hope the flowers survived the snow.

    jlsathre
    March 28, 2012 08:31 PM

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  11. Robin, your pictures are always beautiful, but they would be much less without the stories that go with them. R

    Rodney Roe
    March 28, 2012 09:17 PM

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  12. Beautiful flowers. Ty 4 sharing the with us. R

    Trudge164
    March 28, 2012 09:24 PM

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  13. Wow. . . No take photos or text whole crossing a bridge that's snow white and slick.

    You might wreck.
    `
    Robin Robinson
    hydoplaning on a road
    while photographing birds
    `
    a Robin . . .

    `
    We have a Blue Bell Flower.
    I wonder if it's Lung Wort.
    It makes a tea. Tisane.
    Great! I'll sip teas.`
    I broke down in a P.U. in Pittsville, Maine.
    I got off the CATT jet Ferry in Bar Harbor.
    A CATT Ferry bypasses New Brunswick, CA.
    I'll be passing through Pittsville again.
    The mechanics were likable, but slow.
    It was an clunk. I have a Ford Ranger.
    The "fixed" P.U. broke when Home.
    I have pleasant memories ref: Maine.
    Thanks for the Humming Bird, Robin.

    Art James
    March 28, 2012 10:35 PM

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  14. STATHI STATHI (OS)March 29, 2012 at 9:27 AM

    Excellent work,Robin..You have just filled my day with beauty both writings and images..Believe it or not with your work I learn nature.Best regards.Rated ..

    STATHI STATHI
    March 28, 2012 11:52 PM

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  15. Such beautiful presentations....

    sumjoy
    March 28, 2012 11:57 PM

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  16. l'Heure Bleue (OS)March 29, 2012 at 9:28 AM

    What a treat, I have a habit of scrolling up and down while looking at the photography posts, as if my eyes could taste them. These photos are like cake and the stories are like having ice cream with it. You braved the elements and I got all this pleasure. Thank you!

    l'Heure Bleue
    March 29, 2012 12:34 AM

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  17. What fun finding the snow crowns and a naked husband. Lovely.

    zanelle
    March 29, 2012 01:00 AM

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  18. hyblaean- Julie (OS)March 29, 2012 at 9:30 AM

    so beautiful!

    hyblaean- Julie
    March 29, 2012 01:41 AM

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  19. AtHomePilgrim (OS)March 29, 2012 at 9:31 AM

    Sorry for your toes, but (selfishly)--the pictures!!!! Oh my!!!
    I've never seen japonica that color before. Any other color will now seem insipid to me.

    Wow.

    AtHomePilgrim
    March 29, 2012 06:57 AM

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  20. I'm not sure what happens to us after we die. But, I like to imagine a heaven of some kind. It would a place that everyone goes, not just those deemed worthy by some man made abstraction. When we arrive, we instantly start over. We get all the skills to be the kind of people who are capable and willing to live in harmony with each other and our natural world. There would be flowers and birds. And there would be all of you.
    Thank you all for taking an interest in my work and responding. I'll meet each of you one day in heaven.

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  21. Thnak you, Robin, for answering all my questions! I want to learn as much as I can. Of course I have an interest in your work.....it's fantastic! I also have a website: www.pzkphotography.com
    The photos on my website were taken by my point and shoot Olympus with a 20x zoom. The photos at the accompanying blog were all taken by my new Nikon.

    I Love Life
    March 29, 2012 09:30 AM


    Ma

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  22. Christine Geery (OS)March 30, 2012 at 11:20 AM

    So beautiful as usual./r

    Christine Geery
    March 30, 2012 07:11 AM

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  23. Exquisite.

    SheilaTGTG55

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  24. Algis Kemezys (OS)April 1, 2012 at 12:22 PM

    Oh this is a magical time of year and you can really see that in these images. Cheers and more!

    Algis Kemezys
    April 01, 2012 02:29 AM

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