Weekly Image of Life: Discovery~Dahlias

“I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.”  ~Claude Monet

I have to wonder if Claude Monet had observed Dahlias when he made that remark!  Dahlias are my new discovery!   I’d always known they existed, but it was just recently that I became obsessive about them!

A blogger friend, Cee, has been a big influence for me in my “Dahlia Discovery”!  Cee loves Dahlias and takes gorgeous photos of these lovely flowers.  Here’s a link to a post on her blog with amazingly beautiful dahlia photography. Click here to see it.  Cee knows the names of the flowers and has been a dahlia fan for a long time.  Check out her blog!  Thanks, Cee!

Dahlias range from 2″ in diameter to over 10″ in diameter!

Beautiful multiple-petaled flowers smile in the sunshine.

Did you know that Dahlias were introduced in Europe at the end of the 18th century?

A bright and cheery yellow dahlia.

The dahlia is the Official Flower of Mexico, Seattle and San Francisco.

There are two pink dahlias in this photo. One is hiding behind the dahlia in the foreground.

Dahlias are in the same family as Chrysanthemums, and often are hard to tell apart.

Dahlia or Chrysanthemum? 😉

There are approximately 50,000 named varieties of Dahlias.

Without the use of my tripod or macro lens, besides taking photos in the middle of the day….I knew I was in for some iffy shots! But I was tickled Pink with this one. 😉

 “The Queen” ~in the middle of a garden, being “guarded” by other flowers!  I could not get close enough to take a clear photo.  However, I thought this dahlia was a stunning example of the species.

“The Queen”~so named by me~ 😉

“Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.”  ~Luther Burbank

The Weekly Image of Life post: Discovery, is brought to you by Island Traveler’s blog: “This Man’s Journey”.  Check out his post on Discovery, here, and join the rest of us…by telling us what you’ve discovered in your life.  Each Wednesday, Island Traveler will post a new challenge.  Come join the fun!

Thanks for visiting!

Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain

Advertisement

Weekly Image of Life: Summertime Blast~ Zion National Park

We had a Rockin’ good summertime blast at Zion National Park!  

And you know why!   There were lots of gorgeous rocks to gaze at, hike upon, and take photos of.

Here are some more of those larger than life creations of nature~

This was taken at the start of our  Emerald Pools Hike….
It was a great hike to take, alongside the river,  on a warm day’s BLAST of heat in Zion canyon.

The Virgin River at the start of the Emerald Pools Hike.

 

This was taken on the Riverside Walk Trail.  I wanted to have a comparison between the rock and people, to show how large the rock is.

 I waited until the couple got to the large slab of rock, and then I snapped the shutter.

A massive slab of rock that fell a long time ago, rests against the mountain.

The last photo shows the LAST BLAST of SUMMER……a colorful summer sunset.

The last sunset we saw on our trip.

Where did you enjoy a summertime blast this year?

Thanks for visiting!
Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

Weekly Image of Life: Adventure

“We should come home from adventures, and perils, and discoveries every day with new experience and character.”
~Henry David Thoreau

Life’s adventures are what keeps our heart pumping with excitement.  Adventure encourages our zest for new sights, and keeps our quest to seek the unknown sharp in our minds.

On an adventure:  Hiking the trail past beautiful St. Mary’s Lake in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA.

Some of the mountains surrounding St. Mary’s Lake are: Reynolds Mountain, Mt. Jackson, Gunsight Mountain and Mt. Logan.

Saint Mary Lake, Glacier N.P.

Adventures don’t have to take you far from home.  They should expand and enlighten your mind and give you an experience you’ll remember.  You can find adventures in your own town!  Go have an adventure!   (grocery shopping doesn’t count!)

If you would like to do the Weekly Image of Life, go to Island Traveler’s blog and join up! click here!

 Thanks for joining me today!

Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

Weekly Image Of Life: Of Dreams And Freedom

“It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you.”  ~sometimes attributed to M. Grundler

 We are very blessed to have many freedoms and rights in our country.   We can dream about the future; we can find peace and happiness in our work,  play and with our family.   But not all countries are as fortunate.   And even in our own country, every single person does not share the same rights as the next person, still to this day.  It’s hard to believe, but it’s true.   It takes the shine and glory out of the word Freedom, when you have friends who are not treated with the same respect as they deserve.   

“Human rights is the soul of our foreign policy, because human rights is the very soul of our sense of nationhood.” ~Jimmy Carter 

Everyone….no matter what country in the world they live in……should have the same rights and freedoms as all.   Every person in the world should be able to dream about the future,  feel peace, not fear.  Never fear nor hatred.

“So what we’re talking about here is human rights. The right to live like a human. The right to live, period. And what we’re facing in Africa is an unprecedented threat to human dignity and equality.”
~Bono

 Any person, no matter what gender, race or creed should be able to read what they want, go where they want, eat where they desire, have the respect they deserve, live without fear of harm, worship where they choose, enjoy the freedom of speech,  have plenty of food and clean water, be able to get an education, and many more.  No person should be treated as less than another.  That’s what human rights means.  We are all human and we deserve the same treatment.

William Faulkner has been a favorite author of mine since I was a teenager.

“We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.”  ~William Faulkner

If we all had the same freedoms, rights, privileges, respect, we could:

Orville & Wilbur Wright, Kitty Hawk, Maryland

~try something new, like the Wright Brothers.  They flew an airplane!

Study of Edgar Kaufmann, Jr. at Fallingwater. Edgar Kaufmann, Jr. is the owner’s son, who studied architecture for a short while under Frank Lloyd Wright.

~have the freedom to read the books you desire, and  also to be able to write books.

Chicago fountain…..

~to be able to travel anywhere, with no hassle, and see other parts of the world.

We need to work hard to make sure that every person in the world has the same rights, freedoms, and respect.  That way,  every person will be able to dream about a future of equality, peace and happiness.

Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

Weekly Image of Life: Breathtaking

 Standing on the south rim of the Grand Canyon was breathtaking.

The sharp drop from where I was standing to the bottom of the canyon seemed like miles.  The jagged faces of the colorful rocks were beautiful, like spires in a cathedral.  In fact, I felt as if I was in a very spiritual place.  

It was winter, and there weren’t many tourists.

It was quiet and peaceful.  At times, all I could hear were our own voices.

The sheer beauty of the vast, deep canyon took my breath away.

The south rim of the Grand Canyon.

What took your breath away?

Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

Weekly Image of Life: Fun Under the Sun

“Fun is good.” ~Dr. Seuss

On a sunny day at Empire Beach in northern Michigan,  my husband got a dose of fun when a parasailer glided smoothly over the beach and landed at his feet!  They said: “Hello!” to each other and laughed, then began a conversation about parasailing.   You never know when fun will come face to face with you, so be prepared to laugh at any minute!  Fun IS good.  Dr. Seuss was right!

Parasailer on Empire Beach.

Have fun and laugh every day!

Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

Weekly Image of Life: Happiness

Hello dear blogger friends~

My friend, Island Traveler, from the blog This Man’s Journey has started a new photo/writing challenge for Wednesdays.  It’s called Weekly Image of Life.   This week’s challenge is Happiness.  If you’d like to join, go to his site ..click on his blog name.  You are not required to do the challenge every week, but go to his blog to read the exciting details he has planned.

“A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery while on a detour.”  ~Author Unknown

Happiness is sitting on a bench, pondering life together.

One joy scatters a hundred griefs.  ~Chinese Proverb

May you find happiness wherever it blooms today and forever.  Sometimes we look all around for happiness, but instead, it may come as a surprise.  A smile from a stranger, a note or email from someone we haven’t heard from in a long time, a flower blooming by itself in the center of the garden, or the car ahead of us paying our toll.   Happiness can come in many forms.  And when we Give Happiness to others, we also receive the gift back to us. ~

Have a Blessed day full of happiness~

Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.