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Showing posts with label flowers. Show all posts

Thursday, May 22, 2025

Reviewing Veterans Tribute Park

Last week I visited a park that was new to me. It opened in October 2018. It is located on Kisker Drive in Weldon Springs Missouri. It is an 120 acre park with lots of wonderful features.

Park Features

The park is loaded with features for every age group. They include:

Two Lakes where you can enjoy a nice stroll or go fishing.
A Dog Park
Playground
A Great Trail System for those who like to hike.
Storybook Walk This trail is designed for parents and kids who love to read. Book pages are posted at various stations along the trail, so you can read a book while you take a walk.
Picnic Shelters

In addition, it has two of my favorite features- the Veterans Memorial Plaza and flowers which I will tell you about in more detail in the sections below.

Veterans Memorial Plaza

Veterans Memorial Plaza is a beautiful area that honors Veterans from the St. Charles County area that have given the ultimate sacrifice. It includes a beautiful walk lined with flowers that lead to the Tribute Wall. The tribute wall is a curved stoned wall engraved with names and has waterfalling over the wall. After you see the wall, the walk continues up a slight incline and has stops from each of the conflicts from 1812 to the present day. Each stop features a board that describes the conflict and, on the walk, in front of the board is a star on the sidewalk with the names of those residents of the county that died in that conflict. It is a very moving feature of the park.

Lots of Beautiful Spring Flowers

I visited the park in early May and there were lots of beautiful flowers that lined the walkway to the Veterans Tribute.

Zazzle Products From my Photos

Two-toned Iris Beauties Two-Tone Coffee Mug
by mbgphoto

https://www.zazzle.com/inspirational_greeting_card-256580751976839042

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Reviewing The Joy And Creativity Of Flower Pressing

I have wanted a hobby for some time that I can pursue during the winter and that is creative.

Most of the year I prefer being outdoors and active, gardening, long nature walks, countryside and beach walks. However in the depths of winter and to be honest as I get older i have felt the need for something I can do that is indoors in the depths of a cold, wet winter and that is creative, but that still relates to my love of nature.

I wanted to pursue something useful and make something. I truly admire those who can knit and crochet and make clothes but while I can do basic mending I have never been so successful at those crafts. I like art and drawing but it is not something I am especially good at. I would love to learn pottery but it is not something I can do at home.

So I was watching a gardening programme and there was a lady who was gathering flowers from her garden for flower pressing! Suddenly it hit me, I could do that!

Flower pressing is a lovely, traditional craft that allows us to gather and preserve the beauty of flowers and leaves from Spring to Autumn which can then be made into decorative or artistic pieces at any time, but especially for me in winter.

So the Flower pressing journey for me started this summer.

Selecting Flowers

The first step in flower pressing is selecting the right flowers. I had to do some research on this as I needed to know which flowers were suitable for flower pressing.

We need to look for blooms that are not too succulent. The reason is that they press well when their moisture is taken out quickly.

So I learned that all Roses and daffodils are excellent choices due to their thinner petals. Luckily I have a garden full of roses in summer though I missed the daffodils this time i can pick those in Spring.

Then it was a case of looking for flowers with thinner petals and I found that Aquilegia, Poppies and Forget Me Nots were perfect and with learning and a little trial and error I found a lovely selection from our garden.

I made a decision early on that I would only pick flowers form my garden. We are losing so many wildflowers from the wild so fast that I do not want to contribute to their loss , so I never pick any wildflowers. I only pick the flowers that I grow and I always leave a lot to set seed for next year and for wildlife.

When to Pick Flowers

I read that for the best results it is preferable to pick flowers when it is a dry day after the dew has evaporated from the flowers , so about mid morning. The worst time is after it has been raining when the flowers are wet and should be avoided.

How To Preparing Flowers for Pressing

It is ideal to prepare the flowers by blotting them with tissue paper carefully in order to remove any moisture. Although I have to say that in my excitement to get going I often forgot to do this step and the flowers were just fine, but for best results I would advise it.

The Flower Pressing Process

I remembered as a child I used to press flowers with my Mum. We used to arrange the flowers with paper and place between the covers of a heavy book like a National Geographic hardback copy. However now we can buy specific flower presses and once my husband realised I was interested in this hobby, he thoughtfully bought me a flower press for my Birthday! I was so happy with this beautiful gift!

I simply placed the flowers carefully and not overlapping onto the paper in the Flower press and placed another sheet of the absorbent paper over it and repeated until the whole book was full. Then gentle and carefully tightened the screws

I always used to think you needed a huge weight for the process to work but it turns out you only need a gentle pressure.

This Happinit Flower Press is really lovely with great reviews and can dry smal petals quite quickly

Happinit Large Flower Press Kit, 6 Layers 11" x7" Even Pressure Flower Pressed DIY Arts, Flower Pressing KitCheck Price

The Waiting Game, Drying and Storing Flowers

We need to have some patience as the drying process takes time, up to 3 or 4 weeks ideally though you can get away with 2 weeks, or with some flower presses and small petals you can manage a few days.

The flower press needs to be placed in a warm dry place indoors. It is advised to check on the flowers every day or every few days, however due to family bereavement I did not check for several weeks and they were just fine.

I think ideally I need at least two flower presses so that I can have some drying and some to work with. I like this Aboofx Extra Large Flower Press

Aboofx Extra Large Flower Press Kit, 11" x 11" 10 Layers Wooden Flower Pressing Kit with Storage BagCheck Price

So I have now reached the stage where I have all my beautiful pressed flowers! In the coming year I will have the whole season of flowers so even more to work with. I am very much still learning what work and what doesn't but I am finding it a very satisfying hobby. The next step is finding out what I can create with the pressed flowers.

Creating With Pressed Flowers

I am thinking of using the pressed flowers in several different ways. First to make a piece of art that I can hang on the wall or if good enough give as a gift.

I could make cards from some of the flowers. I could explore how to add flowers to plain glass vases, though I am not sure how I could then wash them.

Perhaps some of the more crafty people reading this could give me some more ideas.

If you are or you know someone who loves flowers, nature and gardening a gift of a flower press would be a beautiful present. A Flower Press can be an excellent gift for an adult or a child.

I have found flower pressing to be a lovely way to still feel connected with nature even in winter.

I love the process of collecting them and pressing them and now I can see them all again and work creatively with them which is a beautiful hobby that brings me joy.

More Reviews By Raintree Annie

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Photographing Wildflowers in Missouri

Purple Coneflower

I love wildflowers and, in the spring and summer, they are abundant in Missouri. It makes photographing them so very easy, I can find them in parks, along the sides of roads, on my neighborhood walks and even in my own yard. When I am planning to go out specifically to take photographs, I usually bring my Sony mirrorless camera along with a 55-200 zoom lens. It makes it easy to take pictures at a distance and also to zoom in for closer shots. When I am taking my dog for walks in the neighborhood, I always have my iPhone handy, and I find that it takes great shots of the wildflowers I find in the neighborhood and at our park.

The photo at the beginning of this article was taken at O'Day Park in O'Fallon, Missouri. It is a purple coneflower, that is very popular in my area in the summer months. It is one of my favorite wildflowers. I took my granddaughters to the park and brought along my Sony to capture the wildflowers that were in abundance.

O'Day Park Wildflowers

O'Day Park is a 57-acre park in O'Fallon that features a lodge, playground, camping and miles of paths and trails throughout the park. Near the playground area, I discovered a paved trail that had lots of beautiful wildflowers along the sides. They were in full bloom during our visit, and I was able to capture several different types of Missouri wildflowers. Here are some of my favorite shots.

Plains Coreopsis

Rough Blazing Star

Queen Anne's Lace

Purple Coneflower with Bee

Around the Neighborhood

The photos in this section were all taken on my walks in my neighborhood. They were all taken with my iPhone.

Trumpet Vine

Purple Coneflower and Golden Alexander

Lance Leaf Coreopsis

In My Yard

As I was looking at lists of Missouri wildflowers online, I noticed that many of the flowers in my flower beds are considered wildflowers. I know that all of them were started with a single clump given to me by and friend and all have spread like crazy. They make a colorful bordered on the side of my house.

Primrose

Wild Geranium

Bottle Brush Blazing

Black-eyed Susan

Learn More about Wildflowers

There are many books to give you tips on photographing wildflowers. Here is one I found on Amazon.

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Review of Spring Flowers 2023

I love photography and, in the springtime, flowers make particularly great subjects. Each year I have been trying to post some of my favorite flowers from that year. In this post I will highlight some of my favorites from 2023. The photo above is of some daffodils in one of our city parks. It was taken in early March when they were just starting to bloom and since it was a rather cloudy morning the blossoms were "bowing down" waiting to be warmed by the sun.

A Few Tips for Photographing Spring Flowers

Cloudy days are great for showing off the colors in the flowers.

Right after a rainstorm you can get some great photos including raindrops on the flowers.
Be sure to get some closeups and some wider shots of a grouping of flowers.

Look for unusual angles.
Set your aperture to blur out the backgrounds.
Don't forget to photograph the beautiful blossoms in trees as you see in the photo above and the one below.

I like taking photos of the buds of a flower and then of the fully opened bloom.

Flowers around my Neighborhood

The great part about spring flowers for me is that I don't even have to travel far. I can find lots of spring blooms in my own yard or on my neighborhood walks.

Enjoy the Beauty of Springtime!!

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Sunday, June 12, 2022

A Tree Stump Vase - Great for Outdoor Decor

Unfortunately, we recently had to have our gorgeous English Oak tree cut down. We've had the tree since 1994, so needless to say, it was a difficult decision.

After an Arborist confirmed it was dead, we had to call a Tree Service company to safely perform the sad removal.

We were given a choice to have the tree stump ground down or left standing.

We decided to keep the tree stump and decorate it with flowers.

Why Did We Choose A Tree Stump Vase?

We wanted to feature flowers on top, and since we weren't digging a cavern directly in the stump, we needed to safely secure a weather-resistant outdoor vase to the top.

We talked about a metal vase and a plain plastic vase; however, neither seemed safely practical.

The tree stump is located between two driveways; thus, we needed something lightweight yet durable should it ever break loose after we secured it to the stump and gawd-forbid damage our cars!

Here's a peek at the tree stump vase secured to the stump:

This tree stump vase is painted with weather-resistant UV paint to prevent fading and weathering. It's also designed to insulate plants from extreme heat or cold.

The one we purchased measures 10.5 inches in diameter and 9 inches high. They do come in other sizes. We verified the diameter of the tree stump beforehand. Also, we didn't want anything that stood too tall.

Here's another look at the tree stump with the flowers lifted.

We choose a tree stump vase primarily because it's lightweight, blends with the existing stump, and looks good without flowers.

In the fall, we'll change the flowers, and come winter, we'll come up with something creative to fill the tree stump vase.

The finished look with the Tree Stump Vase filled with flowers

We selected flowers that trail over the stump. They still need to do some growing.

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Nature Photography Day

June 15th is Nature Photography Day. This holiday was first started in 2006 in North America but has since spread to people throughout the world. It is a day to study, reflect, enjoy and photograph nature.

While reading about Nature Photography Day online, I discovered numerous suggestions on how to celebrate the day. Here are a few that sounded interesting.

Grab your camera and go for a walk in your neighborhood. Experience all the beauty in nature that you can observe every day.
Share your photos with families and friends and spread the word that it is Nature Photography Day.
Enjoy a local park or a nearby creek or river. Photograph the beauty of nature.
Participate in efforts to preserve nature.
Start a photo competition of nature photograph.
While you are doing any of the above take the time to breath in all the peace and serenity that nature provides.

Favorite Flowers from my Nature Photography Files

I love to photograph roses. There is something quite striking about a single rose bud. In the photo above I tried to isolate the rose bud by using a 6.3 aperture and focusing on the rose bud so that the background becomes a bit blurry. It is important to keep the background simple so that the focus is on the flower. The photo was taken in the early evening when the light was soft. Early morning or evening are great times to take floral photos. Cloudy days also enhance the colors in the flowers, so they are a good time to photograph.

Here is another photo taken in the early evening and with an aperture that gives the blurry background that enhances the flowers.

Another good technique for photographing flowers is to find an interesting background to set off the blossom. In this photo I found some purple irises in front of a brick wall. I kept my aperture so that the background would be a bit blurry, and I zoomed in on the flower. I love the effect of the bright purple against the brick.

Another time I love to photograph flowers is right after it rains. It seems to really bring out the colors and the raindrops look refreshing. The above photo is of a fuscia plant hanging on our deck.

Combining Birds and Plants in Photos

male red cardinal by lilac bush photo by mbgphoto

I particularly enjoy capturing flowers and a bird in the same photograph. In this photo I saw a Cardinal sitting on our fence and the lilacs were just starting to bud out in the foreground. I focused on the Cardinal, so you will note that the lilacs are slightly out of focus.

Photographing Backyard Birds

One of my favorite pastimes is photographing the birds in our backyard. Here is a Hawk that was sitting high up in the tree at the edge of our property. He sat still for a long time, and I was able to capture several shots. I zoomed in for the long shot and was quite pleased with the result. I was able to get him framed in the surrounding branches.