Hurricanes and earthquakes on the east coast. Wildfires and droughts in Texas. Ongoing political debates and stalemates in Washington. Worries about the economy and concerns about future direction of the country.
I don’t know about you – but I feel pretty overwhelmed every time I turn on the news or read the paper. Everywhere I turn there seems to be more bad news and something else to stress about.
So often – I’m ready to say ENOUGH!!!!! What I’d really like instead of the chaos and stress would be a sense of calm and peace in my life. Some of the best ways I’ve found to reconnect with the serenity I love to experience are to head out and photograph or to meditate. I’ll often meditate to a soundtrack of a running creek in the woods with birds in the trees or to the music of my favorite Celtic Harpist Pamela Bruner
I would love to help bring a few minutes of calm and peace to your day if your days are as stressful as mine can be. I’ve created a series of videos featuring my photographs and Pamela Bruner’s incredible harp music. I released my newest video – Lotuses and Water Lilies – earlier this month.
I would love to hear what you think of my videos – and especially if they do help bring a few minutes of calm into your day
I love photographing water lilies!!!! Several of the local botanical gardens have displays of water lilies during the summer months. The ones at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania are always spectacular. This year I finally managed to visit when a few of the Victoria Water lilies were in bloom.
Here are some of the varieties I photographed at Longwood this year.
Longwood Hybrid Water Platter – a Victoria Water Lily. The Victoria Water Lilies are known for their large green leaves that float at the surface of the water.
I’m hoping to visit Kenilworth Gardens in DC in the next few weeks – their water lilies should be blooming. And from what I’ve heard they have a very impressive display of Victoria Water Lilies! I’ll let you know what I find!
Bill and I headed into Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens yesterday morning. I’d heard that the lotuses (Nelumbo nucifera) were blooming early this year – and I needed to test out one of my cameras that had been out for repairs. The gardens are located in Washington, DC and are part of the National Capital Parks – East, a collection of parks, parkways and sites in DC and Maryland.
The lotuses were absolutely spectacular this year. Here are some of my favorite photos from yesterday’s visit to the Aquatic Gardens.
As usual, there were plenty of bees at the gardens – I was really pleased to capture this pair in my photo. They had been flying in and out of the blossom for a few minutes when I took the photo.
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
Looking down into the center of newly opened lotus blossom. I love the color and texture of the seed head.
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
And finally a lotus that had just begun to open up it’s petals
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
Along the edge of one of the ponds, I found a member of the mallow family. I love the bright bold colors of the flower. I haven’t been able to identify what variety of mallow or hibiscus this is. Does anyone recognize it?
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
And finally a pink water lily
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
I try to visit Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens at least once a summer. The flowers are always wonderful and every time I visit, I find something wonderful to photograph. I’m hoping to visit the gardens at least once more this summer.
Chances are – these are my last few water lily photos for 2009. I’ve had a wonderful time photographing them at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA this summer.
Director George T. Moore Water Lily – a purple day flowering water lily
(c) 2009 Patty Hankins
St. Louis – a stunning white day flowering water lily
(c) 2009 Patty Hankins
Blue Cloud – the wonderful nymphaea gigantean purple water lily
(c) 2009 Patty Hankins
And finally a pair of Hardy Atropurpurea water lilies.
(c) 2009 Patty Hankins
I’m already looking forward to seeing what wonderful water lilies I discover next year at Longwood Gardens.
Earlier this summer, I posted several sets of water lily photos ( on June 22, June 27, July 1 and July 8) – photographed at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA. I had a chance to photograph a few more wonderful water lilies on my recent trip to Longwood. Here are a few of my newest water lily photos.
Queen of Siam – a bright pink day flowering water lily
(c) 2009 Patty Hankins
Albert Greenberg – a paler pink day flowering water lily
(c) 2009 Patty Hankins
Peach Blow – a pale purple and white day flowering water lily
(c) 2009 Patty Hankins
And a trio of Rose de Noche Water Lilies – a bright pink night flowering variety
(c) 2009 Patty Hankins
I’ve still got a few more water lily photos that I”ll post later in the week.
(c) 2009 Patty Hankins
(c) 2009 Patty Hankins
(c) 2009 Patty Hankins
(c) 2009 Patty Hankins
(c) 2009 Patty Hankins
(c) 2009 Patty Hankins