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Leave a comment Posted on Garden, Lincoln Park, Photography, Prairie Gallery

Among the prairie grasses…

The tall, green stars of the prairies (not to be confused with Blazing Star found on the prairie), the vast expanses of grasses, are reaching their beautiful, golden stage while still upright blowing in the breeze. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

Obediant Plant continues to bring color to the ever fading hues on the prairie landscape. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

Peeking out through the grasses is a small clump of Japanese Anemone. Not a native species, but a welcome addition in this urban patch of prairie. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg.

Leave a comment Posted on Design and Patterns, Garden, Photography Gallery

Floral crowns…

Often the irregular, abnormal, development is the most remarkable. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

As if this little flower isn’t pretty enough, it grows it’s own crown. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

Leave a comment Posted on Chicago, Design and Patterns, Garden, Photography Gallery

July snowballs…

Those that have read my blog for a while know that Snowball flowers are one of my favorite since childhood. In my garden I had a Snowball Shrub (Viburnum plicatum). The Snowballs I observe in abundance now are Snowball Hydrangea (Handrangea arborescens), a shrub with a lower profile and native to the United States of unlike the Viburnum species. Thier intricate, delicate, complicated design is truly the work of higher being.

The delicate color changes with subtle lighting changes. Flowers are a greenish white in the sunlight and a golden off-white in the shade. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

Simple design of each flower plus dozens, perhaps hundereds or blooms per cluster equal an established miracle. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

Leave a comment Posted on Butterflies, Chicago, Garden, Photography Gallery

Ordinary beauty…

There are many varieties of Allium so I don’t dare guess at the specific Allium shown here. Alliums include onion, garlic and leek varieties; this one was decorative in purpose. The Cabbage Butterfly (Pieris rapae) rests momentarily. It is probably the most readily visible butterfly in the Midwest, so it’s beauty is too often overlooked. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg.

Leave a comment Posted on Butterflies, Chicago, Garden Gallery

A moment of calm…

Hiding amongst the Coneflowers (Echinacea) is the wondrous Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly. Here one rests on the Conflower, but it’s preferred food is grasses while it lays eggs on the Milkweed plant. Monarchs in Chicago (and other northern places) and then travel over 3000 miles to Mexico for the winter. It will be a new generation that travels North next summer. CLICK the image above to track migration via “Journey North”. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

Years of butterfly observation have taught me that Monarchs toward the end of their life fly slower and slower making them easy to catch by hand and hold for a short time before setting them free. They are fascinating to observe close up. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

Leave a comment Posted on Chicago, Garden, Midwest U.S including Chicago, Photography Gallery

Pretty Petunia…

This is a common plant for window boxes and planters at outdoor dining venues in Chicago. Always beloved Petunia; sometimes over-planted but always selected to brighten the scene.

Planted here, contrasting with red Begonias this Petunia’s trumpet shape is captivates many an insect. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

The more traditional view of Petunias show their colors that seem to radiate from their inner core.. A common, traditional favorite. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

Leave a comment Posted on Chicago, Garden Gallery

24 hour beauty…

Equisite Day Lily (Hermocallis) in bloom outside a Chicago condominium. What stopped me in my walk was the proliferation of blooms. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

Daylilies come in numerous colors and shades. Years ago I added some prized Daylilies to my garden only to have them devoured by local Deer. They like their taste better than their beauty. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

Brilliant in colors and size. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

Nature’s bouquet of abundance. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

1 Comment Posted on Garden, Midwest U.S including Chicago Gallery

A weed for my sister…

This is for you, Bee! I know how you (DON’T) love Violets. You know I don’t consider them weeds. We agree to disagree!

Macro image of the hardy Violet. I love them because as a child they were the only flowers in our yard my mother let us freely pick. Most consider it a weed. After all a weed is anything that is growing that one does not want in their garden. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

Leave a comment Posted on Birds, Chicago, Forest-Woodlands, Lincoln Park, Photography Gallery

Just ducky…

Out of the water for a bit, this male Mallard tries to hide among the Dandelions. These images were all taken one morning at Lincoln Park’s North Pond. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

Grooming is ever a process when out of the water. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg.

Male Wood Duck sunning on a warm spring day. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg

Mallard Duck family enjoying an outing in Lincoln’s Park, North Pond, Chicago. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg