Prairie winds torment photographers. Dusk’s side lighting with the sky’s gentle ambient glow soothes the soul. This evening the winds were gusty as a cold front drew near and the sun began its descent. A lens shade and polarizing filter are usual additions to my lens for such settings.

Yellow Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) danced chaotically. Each petal on each bloom seemed to have its own different idea of which way to go. Don’t be fooled by the delicacy of this flower. Nature’s resilience gives strength to prairie blooms so that they can withstand the frequent and ever changing winds. Yellow Coneflower survives urbanization better than most prairie natives.