Rainbow on Earth - tulip colors

Who will ever be tired of beautiful colors? Certainly not me. This is one reason that I have been going back to Wooden Shoe tulip farm year after year.  I thought I would be bored with the same flowers and presentations,  but I seemed to always discover something new from where I stand, where the light source lands, different angle of view and my promptu point of view. To me, it is almost like a treasure hunt. 

I usually have something pre-visualized, but as I walk along the path, something else seems so often to pop up that I put behind what I had in mind and pursued my new found. Some concept that I did not care for it previously, it jumped out and caught my eyes this time. 

Tango in Breeze

The small sea of colors is like rainbow on earth. Red has never been my favorite color. However, after I downloaded my pictures this time, I saw Red tones all over my computer screen. What's up with that? Don't ask me. I was tempted by its passion, I guess.

Drunken Rainbow

Either it is crack of the dawn with cozy sunlight combing through, or it is in the middle of the day with bright light, the rainbow is there. The bevy of the colors is in display. Red and Pink are dominating colors, and the multitude of them just take your breath away.

Passion Road

Pink Lady Lane

So many flowers, so many colors. After hours of walking, sitting and focusing, I was longing for fresh air and aiming for something simpler. Weather has been fantastic in the last couple of weeks, the moment just a bit past sunrise, it is bright and light is harsh. I found lots of SINGLE opportunities, but the contrast light has ruined lots of my shots. 

My Hidding Place

Blue sky is the best natural background for the flowers. I must have shot hundreds last year letting blue sky embraced my flowers. I either kneeled down or simply sat on the dirt ground. 

Sky is my Home

I love to texture flower images. At the same time, I think I should let the natural beauty unveiled itself. Just to try one for fun. Texturing is so addicting that you can go on and on and it still leads you to no end. I thought I was drawn to Red color this time, but as you can see, I have eventually found my true self in the textured version.  Art is a form that authors choose to unveil themselves. This is my conclusion.

after

before

A Salute to Spring

Spring is literally here. She brings in sunshine, new life, color, cheer and energy. Blue sky, white cloud, sage mountain, green acres and multitude of colors.  Flowers are the primary source of colors. It is not just the varieties of colors. Multi colors are displayed on one single type of flower, too.

It is now the blooming season. After many months of cold and wet weather, it is so refreshing and energizing to be surrounded by flowers and colors. They are surely the secret potion to rejuvenate our spirit and carry away our winter dismay. 

This is the first day that we are able to dine on our patio with seatings surrounded by trees and greens. 

Sunset light shines on the white cherry tree, it is golden and it is hidden among cherry blossoms. Our red wine is bitter sweet, slightly fruity and aromatic. The cozy, fuzzy warmth just down the throat. A salute to spring! 

Heaven-on-earth is here at Wooden Shoe tulip farm on a breezy and sunny day. I  have been here three times. This is the first time that I actually bring home some pictures. My first visit was two years ago. I then just began to use a DSLR and did not have clue about aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Everyone was shooting, so I did. I brought home about 100 images and downloaded them to my computer. Then I deleted the files from memory card without knowing my download job was not successful. 

Later, I learned that the files can actually be recovered from memory card using some sort of rescue software. I tried, but too late. I did not get anything out of the card. Not a big deal. I did not think they were too exciting any way. I went back the second time last year with friends and children. We got 

there late. It was a sunny Sunday. Double jeopardy. Lots of family fun events, but too much sun and overwhelming crowd. Shooting flowers with a remotely clean background was impossible.

Efforts are required to create good opportunities. Going with the flow does not do the justice.

Was determined to take some pictures this time, I was there before sunrise and before sunset. And yet, many other photographers had been there before me, had their spot claimed and tripod on duty...  I don't have another 20-30 years to play, I better work harder. I have to become an early bird.

Sun came up briefly after I'd waited in morning chill for more than an hour. I was thrilled to be able to have some shots to portrait this beautiful sunny day. It is irresistible to ponder on it. It brings me the light, the heat and the photo opps that I have been longing for.

Wooden Shoe is such a well-cultivated and maintained tulip farm. The blossoms are large and rich in luster. Single color patches create beauty in unity and mixed patches invite excitement in diversity. They are absolutely gorgeous either way. I seriously did not know where to begin at first. Once I got rolling, I had hard to stop.

Deep colors are looking splendid and magnificent while pastel ones looking delicate and elegant. So many flowers can be used for subjects in different degree, and so easily to look beautiful. If I have used 'beautiful' too many times here, my other option will  be 'speechless'.

Bright yellow and orange have never been my favorite colors. But while the orange is a papaya orange and it is brushed into the yellow. They are so seamlessly engaged. Awesome.

The contrast blend of white, yellow and screaming red is outstanding. I am surprised that my humble camera has actually captured the exact red color, the romantic and poetic red. The red that makes you scream and want to embrace. And, of course, my favorite purple or you like to call it violet which has its regal gesture and outlook.

I grow up in a small island where there is one single mountain range. Plenty of giant and ancient trees, but the varieties of flowers are very limited. Green is the dark and hazy green. Flower colors are sporadic and scare. In a dense community, people can only hope for some colors from flower pots. However, air quality is questionable and flowers are not thriving in pots.   It is surely the big quality improvement of my life to live in a spacious and natural environment with abundant fresh air and colors.

Spring is the time for animal world to expect their new babies. I have heard birdie's sound around and seen the flapping wings. The little ones know how to attract mommy's attention to get fed. They are afraid to get caught because they cannot fly too fast and too far, and yet they are drawing attention with their juvenile behavior. It is fun to watch.

There was a college Crew race at Daxer Lake last weekend in a misty day. I knew it would not be a good photo opportunity, but I went for it out of curiosity and for the fun. Walking by the lake, I heard this high pitched Kill-Deer sound which led me to the bird, a mother bird with three freshly laid eggs.

Their calling sound is how they get their name as Killdeer.  Killdeer usually hang out close to the water

on the ground.  On a regular day, this place is calm and isolated, killdeer can have their home party here without any threat.  But it was the racing day with large crowd and that sent the alarm to the mother.

She sent out her emergency alarm repeatedly, but no second bird came around. I guess her man was out watching the race and drinking beer. She was all alone trying to protect her unborn babies.

I wanted to come closer to take pictures and she watched me like a hawk. I was under her intense scrutiny as I came around to find a good angle to shoot. Deeply feel her fear and anxiety, I stayed away from her.  Mother's love prevails and danger recedes by itself. Lovely scene in lovely spring.

Mad about Tulips

 

It is the time of the year for us to enjoy tulips. Tulips have so many varieties and stunning colors. It is hard to ignore their existence. They usually bloom around late March-April here in Northwest depending on the weather. Wooden Shoe tulip farm (Woodburn, Oregon) has their annual tulip festival from March 29 to May 5 this year.  If you like tulips, this is one place that you don’t want to miss.

I was there last year for hours and brought home hundreds of pictures.  I thought I have downloaded them but I did not. Not until I had deleted all the files, I did not realize that my downloading was not successful.  I want to go back.

 

Two years ago, when we came down from our trip to Whistler, Canada, we stopped by La Connor, Washington. Boy, there are acres and acres of tulip farms.  They have their Skagit Valley tulip festival every year. La Connor is the center of the event and a beautiful place to stay overnight and take time to cruise the field and appreciate the beauty of tulips. When visiting a vast tulip area like this, walking along the field takes time. I also did not want to stay in one place for my photography. We drove a little and selected a few spots to stop.  Most of the fields here plant one type of tulips and the entire field is one single color.  It is nice to take shots of the field, not ideal for close-up shots if you are looking for varieties. Aside from photography,  you can simply stroll along the field and immersed with the colors.

La Connor tulips

Wooden Shoe is one farm and they plant varieties of flowers in the field. You can walk by one section and see all the colors you could have dream of.  Marco shots opportunity are everywhere. There are also family fun events, such as wooden shoe ride, pony ride, and many mobile amusement park items.  You can spend a full day there and not getting bored.

Wooden Shoe tulip farm

We have a tulip magnolia tree in our front yard.  It is now the blooming season and the striking large pink blossoms caught lots of attention.  It is probably the most eye catching tree in our street. Traditional magnolia has large white blossoms and this tulip magnolia has pink flowers that shaped like tulips.  I took its pictures every year and this year I decided to cut a few for the vase and observed them closer.   When they are up in the tree, they don’t open completely before they dropped on the ground.  

But I have watched them open gradually and completely in the vase before the pedals dropped.  The pedals are large and fragrant. It is white inside and gradient pink outside. I am in awe appreciating God’s creations.

Tulip Magnolia