Archives
“Oh, the joy, the joy of Spring, a joy so grand, so absolute, so lavish and engaging, dipping my humble soul in magic, uplifting and exhilarating, instilling beauty and virtue into my days.” ― Amelia Dashwood Here’s another one of my region’s ‘early bloomers’, Hepatica or Sharp Lobed Liver-Leaf. It seems to manage well in the cool spring temperatures because of the long hairs on the stem. As you may be able to see… Read More
“It’s an odd thing, happiness. Some people take happiness from gold. Or black pearls. And some of us, far more fortunate, take their happiness from periwinkles.” – Patricia A. McKillip While hiking into the forest this past weekend, I came across a patch of periwinkle, still green even after the winter snows, though showing some wear. As I looked closer, I noticed a few blossoms had already opened. That’s a bit earlier than… Read More
“Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.” ― Anne Frank A few days a ago I went to a large grove of these early spring bloomers for a few more shots of the unusual tiny purple flowers. This particular grove contains thousands of these plants and the forest floor almost looks burnt with the density of Cohosh growing here, interspersed with freshly emerging trillium and wild leeks…. Read More
“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.” ― Rainer Maria Rilke One of the unique features about the area that I live is that it is surrounded by pockets of what is known as “Carolinian Forest”, that is, many of the plants and animals in the area can usually be found in the warmer climates of Carolina, Virginia, and Ohio. This means that I have access to plants and… Read More
“Treasure the people who are willing and able to help you reach your goals.” ― Jeffrey Fry The title for this image came so easily. As I hiked the forest path, I noticed these small red leaves beginning to unfurl, backlit by the late afternoon sun. As I composed the shot, I could not help but envision them as delicate hands, reaching for something. The wide aperture of my 90 mm macro… Read More
“If you feel lost, disappointed, hesitant, or weak, return to yourself, to who you are, here and now and when you get there, you will discover yourself, like a lotus flower in full bloom, even in a muddy pond, beautiful and strong.” ― Masaru Emoto This week seems to be a day of firsts. Earlier, I posted an image of the first Bloodroot blossom of the year. This image, of a Red Admiral… Read More
“In this delicate and unpredictable life, the future is unwritten. Do not take someone for granted today, for once tomorrow dawns upon the indigo night the only remaining trace will be tracks in the sand…” ― Virginia Alison I really appreciate this wonderful, short-lived spring blossoms. The burst forth quickly in mid-April, bloom brightly for a few days and then are gone, a mere memory of the first warm days of spring…. Read More
“This is a story about the color blue, and like blue, there’s nothing true about it. Blue is beauty, not truth. ‘True blue’ is a ruse, a rhyme; it’s there, then it’s not. Blue is a deeply sneaky color.” ― Christopher Moore This is a plant I’ve been intrigued with for some time. It’s one of the first to emerge from the forest floor in this region and very odd in its colouration. While… Read More
“The art of writing is not as solitary as one might think. When it finally dawns on us one day that our task as writers is to share what we know of the human spirit, we suddenly discover that we were never truly alone.” ― Hal Zina Bennett I’m following up my Monochrome Mondays post with the colour version of the same image. While it looks lovely in mono, I prefer the… Read More
“I saw it written and I saw it say Pink moon is on its way And none of you stand so tall Pink Moon gonna get you all” ― Nick Drake “April Oak and Moon” While not a full Pink Moon (first full moon of April), I just had to stop and make this photo. The old oak, is probably the most photographed tree in the area. Its unique position on a… Read More
“Give a man a fish, and you’ll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he’ll buy a funny hat. Talk to a hungry man about fish, and you’re a consultant.” ― Scott Adams With vegetation emerging and the ground warming, all the elements are aligned for the beginning of the annual Rainbow Trout on Duffins Creek. It has started, ever so slowly, the water a bit murky with spring runoff, but… Read More
“When I see a dancing butterfly, When I see a half blooming flower, Their eager wish to make this world happy, My mind dances with joy, My soul emerges in happiness.” ― Debasish Mridha The temperatures continue to warm, rain falls, off and on, and the cycle continues. New growth seems to accelerate. What was a mere bud a few days ago, now begins to show hints of its future form. This… Read More
“Daffodils are an optimistic flower, and foolproof. You know what Shakespeare said: “Daffodils, That come before the swallow dares, and take The winds of March with beauty.” ― Tasha Tudor The spring flower collection would not be complete without daffodils. Though the ones in my garden are just emerging, there are plenty available in stores, ranging from the now popular minis to the full sized ‘traditional’ variety. This is one of the… Read More
“And suddenly you know: It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.” ― Meister Eckhart The feeling is there, the air warms, and bird song permeates the mornings. Spring is afoot and new growth begins to show signs of the forest stirring from its long slumber. On a walk this past weekend, triggered by nicer weather and seeing the Coltsfoot blooming in roadside ditches, my eye was keen to… Read More
“Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the mind.” ― Luther Burbank A new day, a new flower. As with the pink one I shared yesterday, it fills my home with the sweet fragrance of spring. This blossom was so heavy with tightly packed flowers that it can barely sustain its own weight, and I’m presenting it as such, as it leans toward the light,… Read More
Nikon D800 Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 78 mm 1/400 sec, f/10.0 ISO 200 For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EdLehming or my website (some images available for purchase) http://www.edlehming.com
“Just keep hope within you and your path will be lit.” ― Isabella Poretsis It’s spring in the northern hemisphere and the flowers are blooming, or getting ready to bloom. So, flowers are constantly in my life. I certainly am not going to run out of subjects to photograph. This beautiful pink hyacinth reminds me of its presence through its marvelous aroma. It permeates the air with sweetness so unique to hyacinths…. Read More
“Because you don’t notice the light without a bit of shadow. Everything has both dark and light. You have to play with it till you get it exactly right.” ― Libba Bray A few days ago, I posted an image of grape hyacinth with a white background, something a bit new to me, since I really enjoy the dramatic look of the black background. At the time, I also offered to publish… Read More
“When you know that something’s going to happen, you’ll start trying to see signs of its approach in just about everything. Always try to remember that most of the things that happen in this world aren’t signs. They happen because they happen, and their only real significance lies in normal cause and effect. You’ll drive yourself crazy if you start trying to pry the meaning out of every gust of wind or… Read More
“Spring Thaw on Duffins Creek” – Whitevale “Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it.” ― Margaret Atwood I have a love for water, especially moving water, and there is plenty of… Read More
“There are just two directions in life, the one which is safe but boring, and the other which is delicate but exciting. Now ask yourself, which path will you go?” ― Joe Mari Fadrigalan I’m toying with the white background this week but not sure how much I like it. It’s a bit of a creative risk, as I have been enjoying the black background photographs I’ve been doing so much. I… Read More
She wore her yellow sun-bonnet, She wore her greenest gown; She turned to the south wind And curtsied up and down. She turned to the sunlight And shook her yellow head, And whispered to her neighbor: “Winter is dead.” ― A.A. Milne Early December of 2016 I bid a fond adieu to yellow, the colour yellow. It seemed at that point in time, the colour yellow was completely absent in my natural… Read More
“I need the shade of blue that rips your heart out. You don’t see that type of blue around here.” ― Cath Crowley Bancroft is a rural town in north-central Ontario. Known as the Mineral Capital of Canada, it sits atop the rocky Canadian Shield, some of the oldest rock in the world. Towering above the town is a granite monolith known as the “Eagle’s Nest”. During milder winter days and now… Read More
“Mist to mist, drops to drops. For water thou art, and unto water shalt thou return.” ― Kamand Kojouri While the snow is gone in all but the deepest woodland areas near home, that’s not the case a few hours drive north of here. Yesterday, I drove north to switch out some artwork in a co-op gallery I am associated with in Bancroft, Ontario and had the opportunity to drive around and… Read More
“It is strange how new and unexpected conditions bring out unguessed ability to meet them.” ― Edgar Rice Burroughs Many-coloured Polypore, to be more precise. Finally, after several weeks, waiting for the ice to come off the trails and for some of the muck to dry up, I hit the trails today. My goal was to find some sign of new life. I was let down on that front, much of the forest floor… Read More
“I KNOW A LITTLE PUSSY” I know a little pussy Her coat is silver gray She lives down in the meadow Not very far away. Though she is a pussy She’ll never be a cat. She is a pussy willow. Now what do you think of that” – Author Unknown Finally, a taste of spring, though still store bought, it focuses my attention on something other than snow and ice, which I… Read More
“I love tulips better than any other spring flower; they are the embodiment of alert cheerfulness and tidy grace” ― Elizabeth von Arnim Spring is still playing hide and seek, but the local grocery store has a nice selection of spring blooms, including these lovely pink tulips. At first glance they appear to be such simple things until you get up close and notice all the beautiful structure. I also enjoyed the… Read More
“I can assure you that the life outside the front door is bright and full of life” ― Sunday Adelaja I could not resist publishing this bright little fellow today. It’s dull,cold, and dreary outside and I’m thinking back to last week, when the sun shone through, briefly. WHile on a short stroll to get a breath of fresh air, I came across this Chickadee, also enjoying the bright sunshine from his… Read More
“Winter teetered on the verge of succumbing to the returning sun, but today the breeze still preferred the touch of snowflakes” ― Rue Many miles from the tropical shores of the Sea of Cortez, which I have so fondly remembered of late, lies another shoreline. The shore of Lake Ontario. In stark contrast to the warm sands and tropical breezes of Baja, these shores, transitioning from the icy grip of winter to… Read More
An image from the spring worth revisiting.
Ed Lehming Photography 
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