Strange

I am always amazed at the beautiful and strange things mother nature produces. I'm not sure what this flower is but I just love it.

Flower people

If it isn't obvious, I love to take pictures of flowers. I've always enjoyed flowers, their color, their smell, how soft or how sharp they could be. Flowers are similar to people in that they come in all shapes and sizes, have different levels of vulnerability, and portrait very different personalities while all still maintaining a unique and subjective beauty. Plus, it helps my self esteem as a photographer because I find it hard to take a bad picture of something already so lovely.

An interesting bloom

Bee

I had to really struggle to get a shot of this little guy. I don't have a macro lens on my camera, so it was particularly hard to get a good focus, plus he was moving pretty quickly. With a bit a cropping, I am really happy with how it turned out.

Propellers

A couple of weekends ago, I visited the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum. While I hate taking pictures of things in museums, I did try this time, just to see if any of them would look interesting. This is the only one that didn't look like some contrived scene behind glass or suspended from the ceiling. I think this is a motor to a propeller. I'm not all that sure.

Hard Times Cafe

Being relatively new to Alexandria, I felt compelled to try to local food. The Hard Times Cafe is located on King Street in the Old Town section of Alexandria. With a variety of home recipe chilies and homemade cornbread, this place screams "Hard Times". Although I didn't try the chili, my husband gives all four flavors in the Sampler two thumbs up. I had a hamburger, and it was cooked exactly like I wanted and served with fresh cut fries. When the weather gets cooler, I will definitely be back to try some of that chili.

Oh Deer

On my visit to Roosevelt Island I also saw this guy hiding in the woods. He must have found something of interest because he didn't care that I was there. Unfortunately he was in the shade making it hard for me to get a decent shot.

Roosevelt Island

This weekend I visited Roosevelt Island for the first time. I saw this lovely bird wading through the water when he decided to take flight. Although this isn't in focus, I still love that I was able to catch a couple shots of him in the air.

Feeling Blue

This tulip gave a nice blue surprise when it bloomed!

A Beautiful Weekend

A beautiful weekend in Alexandria, VA. Lots of boats in the water, and people enjoying the waterfront parks, boardwalk, and restaurants.

Arbor Day

With all the confusion over Earth Day and Arbor Day being in the same week, I'm voting to appreciate our trees every day! Though I will not be planting a tree today, or chaining myself to a tree that is to be cut down, I will take some time and get outside and breath the air they provide and sit under the shade they cast.

A closer look

A closer look at that dandelion from last week. A nice rain, or three, washed this guy away.

Blue Sky

The cherry blossoms are winding down. But the good news is that all the other spring flowers have started to bloom!

The Color of Spring

Spring is full of color! All around the DC area are these lovely tulips!

Cherry Blossoms

And even more cherry blossoms

Dandelion

This dandelion was growing outside my back door also. It was a lucky catch because as soon as I turned to go inside, a gust of wind blew away half its floret.

Snow Day

This is a daffodil that I found growing outside of my back door. It was March, but the day after it bloomed, we had a bad snow. So, I took it upon myself to scrape the snow off of it (and others), cut them and bring them inside so I could enjoy them. The fluorescent lights really bring out the yellow in this flower.

What I'm missing . . .

Today is a rainy and cold day here in the nations capital. This picture is from my November trip to Pensacola, taken on the three mile bridge at 50 mph. I was not driving. When the weather is nice, and I can find some time to myself, I'll check out the sun sets around here and hopefully bring them to you.

Soaking Up Some Sun

I just loved the way the water was reflecting the sunlight up to the trees.

Between my lens and the sun.

Blossom Fever

Can't get enough Cherry Blossoms!

More Cherry Blossoms

I enjoy taking pictures that I know have been taken over and over again by everyone. I'm excited about the fact that I get to be there, at that moment, with something new yet familiar.

Spring in DC

Spring has sprung, and with it came the lovely Cherry Blossoms!  I went to the festival on a Tuesday evening, with a perfect sunset.  The crowd was thin and it was a great night to see these lovely flowers.

DC livin'

When I took this picture in January it was the first time I felt like I really live in DC. I don't live in DC, just outside, but I work there and go there every day. And I'm close enough to be able to afford an apartment and consider myself a local. But this day, I had been in DC for a few weeks, and it was the first time I'd ventured out. Regularly, I get off the subway and just go to work. I don't go outside, or see the outside, but this day was my first snow storm (I'm from Florida), so I was determined to get outside. While freezing, I took as many pictures as my frozen fingers would allow, and this was one. I fell in love with the snow immediately.

Winter White

January snow in Washington, D.C.