The Heat of Summer

______It's neat how when you visit the same place during different seasons, you're able to sniff out new things.  In autumn, there are warmer colors to the trees, a crisp scent in the air, and little to no flora; in the heat of the summer, trees are bearded with moss and crusted with lichen in subdued shades of mint and cream, and the flowers that have survived have brittle linings on their petals.  There's something lovely about a bright rose that's wilting slightly from the heat opposed to one completely in tact.

______I know that macro nature pictures can be so horribly cliché, but it's no wonder--nature is so pretty up close, especially when the same species of flower has variations in gradients and petal shapes, or when lichen can clutch its frail little hands around a tree in patterns more diverse than sandwich combinations.  Even when it's dying, decaying, or otherwise wasting away, it still seems so alive.



______I took these awhile ago when I was on little journey to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. I went there last summer, too, and did my best to find some new things to snap.  It was the middle of the day and I perspired more than an old man in a sauna full of attractive young ladies, but I think it resulted in a few decent photos, some bright with life and others a bit more solemn!



______Do you guys have any places you like to frequently visit, whether it be for picture-taking, day-dreaming about Fabio and his swooshy golden locks, or hiding away from the world for a moment's respite?

An Early Adventure in December

______Last Saturday, my dearest parents and I visited a local bakery cafe for a lovely outdoor lunch since the first day in December decided to provide us with extraordinarily gorgeous weather--the temperature was a perfect 70 degrees, the sun was shining, the birdies were singing, and all was peaceful in the land of Alabama.  We had been to this bakery cafe once before, but this time I remembered to bring my camera.

______Everything at Chez Lulu is made on the spot with fresh, local ingredients--something my family really loves in places we eat at!  The bread and food is made fresh daily, and the cheese, vegetables, and ingredients come from local sources.  We started out with a basket of wheat-berry bread and an olive oil plate, and then my dad and I opted for some deliciously tomato-y minestrone soup (this was also when I learned that I was pronouncing minestrone wrong; it's not "mine-strown," it's "min-uh-stroh-knee").  For my main course, I chose a most scrumptious cheese platter, complete with bleu cheese, locally made goat cheese, and a stinky cheese of some sort... and all were so very delicious in their own special way, and served with a variety of sweet fruits and a tiny bowl of crumbled walnuts.  It was fun experimenting how the varying tastes of cheeses worked together with the fruits and bread and such!  Cheese is quite the magnificent thing--it can be creamy and sweet, or tart and crumbly...

______Ah, but how I ramble!  I do apologize for getting carried away with cheese descriptions.  Cheese is just great.  Cheese for president.  Cheese 2016.

______Moving on.  After leisurely having lunch outside, we strolled a door over to the Continental Bakery which is also owned by those who run Chez Lulu.  We bought a loaf or two of bread and some scrumptious pastries (I had a ever so dense and sweet brownie, but savored it before I was able to snap a picture--you can understand, right, citizens?).  The bakery was furnished so nicely--I just loved how the bread was displayed on wooden shelves and how the decor was so rustic and friendly.  It was like being a kid in a candy shop all over again, but classier, and with baked goods.





______All in all, it was a lovely little trip to make, especially with such decent weather.  

______Do you guys have any local eateries that you enjoy?

Creature Feature

______Who would have guessed that there's not just one, but two botanical gardens that aren't too treacherously far away from me?  I couldn't just go to one and neglect the other, of course, and so another gardens trip was in order.  Though this garden was supposed to be more of a hydrangea garden, it is not hydrangea season, and thus not many hydrangeas were found to be in the most photographic of conditions--yup, hydrangeas are currently hibernating.  That's what plants do when they're not blooming, right?  They hibernate?  It only makes sense.

______Though the hydrangeas were busy being in deep sleeps (I will return for them one day!), I did find some interesting little creatures to take pictures of, like turtles, insects, and ducks! And just finding those made the trip well worth it.

An Afternoon at the Gardens

______My mom and I visited the Birmingham Botanical Gardens yesterday for some picture-taking and exploration.  I hadn't been to the gardens for a few years (or with my DSLR before!) so it was definitely something I was glad to be able to cross off my to-do list before my ghastly and inevitable return to college.  Even though it was so humid we felt like we were swimming through someone's armpit, it was still a super fun trip.  I had lots of fun seeing things through the new perspective of a macro lens, too!