When was the last time you hugged a tree? Have you ever hugged a tree? Or maybe you’ve just stood by one and soaked up their energy. I love trees, their energy and graceful branches. This wee…| Slow Shutter Speed
From 15 years ago today comes an ant on an opening rain lily (Zephyranthes sp.). Below, from August 26th of this year, the flower-treader was a crab spider. § We’re traveling, so you’ll understand if I’m slow to reply to your comments. © 2025 Steven Schwartzman| Portraits of Wildflowers
From September 18th at Tejas Park in Williamson County come these opposite looks at a greenbrier vine (Smilax bona-nox) that a spider had bewebbed. Notice how the spider had also folded over the lowest leaf to make a little retreat. I don’t recall what was in the background of the second picture that showed […]| Portraits of Wildflowers
On September 20th we visited a park in southwest Austin that was new to us, Convict Hill Quarry Neighborhood Park. In fact the park is relatively new to Austin, having been cleaned up and fashioned from an old quarry in 2007. One thing I photographed there is a wildflower, cut-leaf gilia (Giliastrum incisum), that […]| Portraits of Wildflowers
As you saw last week, on September 18th close to the North Fork of the San Gabriel River east of Tejas Park in Williamson County I found a bunch of Proboscidea louisianica flowering. One flower had fallen from its plant and gotten snagged on a dewberry cane (Rubus trivialis). Below is the underside of a […]| Portraits of Wildflowers
Heading south on US 183 through Leander on September 18th, we couldn’t help noticing a bright cluster of flowering gayfeather spikes (Liatris punctata var. mucronata) by the side of the road as we drove past. It took a couple of miles to reach the next overpass, cross to the other side of the highway, […]| Portraits of Wildflowers
On September 12th in Bull Creek District Park I noticed a leaf-footed bug (Leptoglossus sp.) on a buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis). Six days later in a dry portion of the bed of the San Gabriel River’s North Fork near Tejas Park in Williamson County I trailed a hoppity amphibian that was no longer than, and […]| Portraits of Wildflowers
© 2025 Steven Schwartzman| Portraits of Wildflowers
On September 18th close to the North Fork of the San Gabriel River east of Tejas Park in Williamson County I found a bunch of Proboscidea louisianica flowering. Wikipedia reports many common names for the species: devil’s claw, unicorn-plant, ram’s horn, aphid trap, goat’s head, elephant tusks, and martinoe (or martina). It had been […]| Portraits of Wildflowers
Here are views from the side and from above of Liatris bridgesii in Bastrop State Park on September 13th. Botanists formerly classified this as Liatris elegans var. bridgesii. The bridges to elegance still stand. § § § § § “Living in the Gray Zone of Political Violence,” by Douglas Murray […]| Portraits of Wildflowers
Here’s a closer look at the showy palafoxia (Palafoxia hookeriana)we found in abundance at Bastrop State Park on September 13th. This species is conspicuously and contact…| Portraits of Wildflowers
Explore the bittersweet longing for love, travel, and summer in this heartfelt article inspired by Egidio's Lens-Artists Challenge.| P.A. Moed
Needlegrass rush ~ Juncus roemerianus Sedges, cattails, and reeds abound at the Brazoria Wildlife Refuge, as do rushes: thick stands of slender green that line the freshwater ponds. In one of those ponds, a collection of rushes well away from the shoreline provides shelter for a multitude of birds, including Common Moorhens, Purple Gallinules, and … Continue reading The Rush Walker| Lagniappe
Common sunflowers still decorating the roadsides The equinox may be a single point in time, but the seasons it divides are less easily defined. Caught between summer’s heat and autumn’s inevitable decline, September in Texas mixes blooms, buds, and seeds: determined, perhaps, to confound human expectations about what her offerings should be. While common sunflowers … Continue reading September’s Sweet Confusion| Lagniappe
Berlandier’s yellow flax definitely isn’t blue with purple accents! From time to time, websites and apps utilizing AI provide as much amusement as edification. While preparing this post, details in two sources which acknowledged their use of AI caught my attention. One noted that “Berlandier’s yellow flax is a perennial herb known for its slender … Continue reading Two Flaxen Flowers| Lagniappe
I’ve taken hundreds of pictures of rain lilies (Zephyranthes sp.) over the years. Some are what youmight call conventional views, which isn’t a bad thing. I’ve also at time…| Portraits of Wildflowers
Hey, everyone. Gobblers by Masticadores has published another of my nature photography images titled “Craggy Rocks & Twin Lakes.” Sincere thanks to editor Manuela Timofte for her kindness in sharing this image with her readers. You can view the image and its accompanying commentary here: Also, don’t forget to follow and subscribe to Gobblers by Masticadores, where you’ll … Continue reading “Craggy Rocks & Twin Lakes” published at Gobblers by Masticadores| Silent Pariah
Are you a budding photographer looking for a challenge? Try bird photography—it’s part technique, part timing, and a whole lot of patience.| Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin
“I’d like to dream my troubles all away, on a bed of California stars.” ~ Woody Guthrie| Jane's Lens
Join me on a journey to discover peaceful moments in unexpected places, inspired by this week's Lens-Artists challenge. Reflect and share!| P.A. Moed
A stationary Swift Crab Spider Meadow pinks like those shown in my previous post are far more than pretty collections of petals. For crab spiders like the one shown above (Mecaphesa celer), flowers…| Lagniappe
We drove a couple of miles east from home this morning to Schroeter Neighborhood Park to go walking. Although Austin got a bit over half an inch of rain toward the end of last week, I wasn&#…| Portraits of Wildflowers
Hey, friends. Another of my nature photography images titled “Rocky Mountain Columbine Cluster” is now live at Gobblers by Masticadores. Big thanks to editor Manuela Timofte for sharing this image of my all-time favorite wild flower species (it’s also Colorado’s state flower). Much appreciated, Manuela. You can view the image and its accompanying commentary here: Also, don’t forget … Continue reading “Rocky Mountain Columbine Cluster” published at Gobblers by Masticadores| Silent Pariah
Meadow pink with its coiled style Sabatia campestris, a pretty pink wildflower native to many local areas, commonly is known as meadow pink; its specific epithet is derived from the Latin word mean…| Lagniappe
American white waterlily ~ Nymphaea odorata As August heat rises, a variety of white flowers provides a cooling counterpoint to the season’s discomfort. At Lake Hyatt in east Texas, white wat…| Lagniappe
I’m always on the lookout for combinations of native plants. Tens of thousands of possibilities exist for two species of native plants to grow in proximity, so there’s no danger …| Portraits of Wildflowers
Yesterday you saw seed heads of Clematis texensis. However, by far the most common of the three Clematis species in central Texas is Clematis drummondii. When July and August roll around, it’…| Portraits of Wildflowers
This was a good year for bluebells (Eustoma sp.), as a whopping eight posts in July confirmed. At this late date it occurred to me to show two last photographs that differ from the nineteen i…| Portraits of Wildflowers
I never thought about birds and how much time I’d spend watching them once I retired. In fact, bird watching as a hobby seemed silly back when I was in my 20s and 30s. In my book, it fell in …| Working on Exploring
On July 26th, six days after taking a lot of close abstract jimsonweed pictures, in a different neighbor’s front yard and with a telephoto rather than a macro lens I made this dual portrait …| Portraits of Wildflowers
A neighbor’s front yard on July 20th yielded these close abstractions of jimsonweed flowers (Datura sp.).The first one coincidentally fits the “pinwheel” theme of a recent …| Portraits of Wildflowers
Hooker’s eryngo ~ Eryngium hookeri Despite belonging to the same genus as the rattlesnake master shown in my previous post, the appearance of Hooker’s eryngo differs somewhat. Its flowe…| Lagniappe
Rattlesnake master buds developing on the Nash prairie Bearing an especially evocative name, rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) commonly grows on the tallgrass prairie, although it can be fo…| Lagniappe
Purple leatherflower ~ Clematis pitcheri A delightful aspect of Brazos Bend State Park is the variety of environments it contains. Lakes, prairie, woods, swampy areas, and even the Brazos River its…| Lagniappe
A pair of bald eagles was perched in clear view of the road as I drove to work in southern Monterey County, California this week. I parked and grabbed my Canon PowerShot and waited for the moon to align between the trees, using the car as a blind. After about 20 minutes the moon was […]| Cindy McIntyre's Blog
Spring comes early in Paso Robles, California. Sometimes summer comes early, too. This year, at least, summer had the decency to wait until the Summer Solstice. Summer means 90-plus temps during the day (the coast just over the “mountains” is generally 20-30 degrees cooler). We will get streaks of 100-plus days in July or August, […]| Cindy McIntyre's Blog
“This grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never all dried at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal sunset, eternal dawn and gloaming, on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls.” — John Muir Images from […]| Cindy McIntyre's Blog
Point Bouchon is owned by PG&E and visitors are allowed to hike there during certain times of the day. You must sign in and out. If you were allowed to hike far enough, you’d encounter the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant. There are signs all over the nearby area warning that sirens may indicate an emergency. […]| Cindy McIntyre's Blog
I’ve not been very good at keeping up my blog lately. So much to do, so little time. So I’m just going to post a gallery of photos from the beginning of this year in an attempt to catch up. These are birds from Atascadero Lake, California. Photos and text copyrighted by Cindy McIntyreFeel free to reblog […]| Cindy McIntyre's Blog
Island Fox I had two critters in mind when I visited Santa Cruz Island in the Channel Islands National Park in early March, 2021. The Island Fox was one. Santa Cruz Island Scrub Jay on manzanita Th…| Cindy McIntyre's Blog
In the depths of winter, I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer. Albert Camus So many challenges in life test our resilience. That’s true for all of us. For Anne’s thoug…| P.A. Moed
Leanne Cole, our guest-host for this week’s photo challenge, invites us to feature Tourist Attractions. She isn’t asking for the standard postcard view however. “What the normal t…| Lindy Low LeCoq
The best nature photographers of 2023 - winners announced - as part of the Click and Company "Best Photographers" series.| Click Magazine
