A cluster of pickerelweed plants along the edge of a calm pond, violet flower spikes scattered among bright green heart-shaped leaves and tall reeds, with the water reflecting the morning light.

Pickerel-What? Weed by Name, Wonder by Nature.

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Last year, I revisited a friend’s ranch just outside Caldwell, Texas, for a refresher on macro photography of bees and odonates in flight. After an early morning session photographing bees, I found myself gravitating toward other treats on his property. … Read More

Collage of three images of Engelmann's Daisy, including one image showing the flower with its curled petals.

The Sleepy Daisy of the Texas Prairie

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“How wonderful yellow is.It stands for the sun.”Vincent van Gogh A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine texted me about some amazing rain lilies in an open field in Pflugerville, Texas. Pflugerville is the town between Austin and … Read More

A weathered wooden arch marks the trailhead entrance to Twin Springs Preserve, flanked by a stone foundation and framed by the dense canopy of Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei) and mixed Texas Hill Country brush.

Off the Beaten Path: A Quiet Afternoon at Twin Springs Preserve

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I recently completed a two-part training on the Leave No Trace Seven Principles — a meaningful program that encourages us to be more mindful of protecting the places we visit and hike. For those unfamiliar, the seven principles are: Plan … Read More

Close-up of a White Winecup (Callirhoe involucrata var. lineariloba) flower bud tightly wrapped in bright green sepals, with soft pink and white petals just beginning to emerge, photographed at ground level at Berry Springs Park & Preserve, Texas.

A Cup of Morning

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On a recent morning walk through Berry Springs Park & Preserve, I kept stopping in my tracks. Scattered across several open areas of the park, clusters of White Winecup (Callirhoe involucrata var. lineariloba) were putting on a quiet, understated show … Read More

Sunlit woodland trail at Copperfield Nature Trail in Austin Texas framed by large tree trunks in the foreground, winding dirt path and footbridge in the middle ground, and bright open forest clearing in the background.

Foreground to Horizon: Layered Nature Photography

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Lens-Artists Challenge #392: Framing Your Shots: Exploring the Foreground, Middle Ground, and Background When Patti set the theme for this week’s Lens-Artists Challenge, I wanted to capture new photos that put her excellent guidance to the test. She wrote, “This … Read More

Honey bee in flight approaching a Texas Bluebonnet flower, Central Texas wildflower macro photography

Corbiculae and Cobalt

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“The keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.”Henry David Thoreau Spring seems to be in full force in Austin, Texas. Not only are the city and surrounding areas getting covered with wildflowers, but pollinators have also started to … Read More

Juniper Hairstreak butterfly on Redbud tree

Chasing the First Pollinators of Spring in Central Texas

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As winter loosens its grip and the first trees break into bloom, one of nature’s quietest spectacles begins — the return of the pollinators. This featured image was captured at Balcones District Park in Austin, TX, where an Eastern Redbud … Read More

A Queen butterfly perched in profile on a blooming Gregg's Mistflower, displaying its closed wings with vivid orange panels, black veining, and delicate white and blue marginal spots. The background is a soft, blurred expanse of green foliage.

Queens of the Equinox: In the Garden with a Queen

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The spring equinox arrives quietly — not with fanfare, but with wings. On a visit to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, I was surprised that my late arrival would give the gardens almost all to myself, the beautiful blooms, … Read More

Pollinating in the Winter

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Suspended in a split second between flower and flight, a Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) hovers above a rose bed in search of a winter meal. Cold-season pollination is an opportunistic affair — honey bee colonies remain semi-active through winter, and … Read More

A honeybee collecting nectar from the vibrant pink blossoms of an Eastern Redbud tree in a sunlit orchard, symbolizing the harmony between pollinators and plants in spring.

Nature’s Harmony: Bees and Blooms

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 As spring blooms, a Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) is seen busily gathering nectar from the vibrant blossoms of an Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis), creating a beautiful connection between pollinator and plant. In this perfect moment of spring, flora and fauna … Read More

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