Wednesday, January 13, 2010

summer whites



It's been a while since I joined in on the weekly thematic photography escapades.  I was intrigued by the theme that Carmi chose......... White.  Of course, my initial thought was to post a few winter wonderland shots.  I have several of them.  This is after all, the Great White North.  When I went in search of something unique from my photofiles from last winter when we had major dumps of the white stuff (we actually havent had much snow this year ..... yet), every single shot just made me feel cold.  When I stumbled upon a bouquet of white blooms, I decided I would feature them.  Summer whites are so aromatically alluring aren't they?



 Above, are double white lilacs from a hedge that was once a part of a Victorian garden.  The branches are old and gnarly, but every June, it blossoms with the effervescence of youth.  And the aroma?  It lingers in the summer breezes which float up the hill, wrap their elegant essence around my backyard, and slip in through the open windows.
Every year, I take my clippers and snip a few lovelies for my home......... and every time I walk by the bouquet, I stop, lean down and put my face right in the middle of the petals......and take it all in!  Of all the perfume aromas in the world, lilac is one of my all time favourites. 





We had a wet late spring and summer.  It wasn't the best year for blooms, especially the tulips.  They all seemed stunted and unable to show off as beautifully as they normally do.  These past prime blooms had barely survived a day long downpour when I found them aching in their beauty in a rock garden at O'Dell Park in Fredericton. They seemed more delicate than tulips normally do.  Even though they were on the downside of their elegance, their white petals seemed innocent to me, like a young ballerina learning how to pirouette.



Wild roses grow.........um............wildly in this neck of the woods.  Like the old fashioned double white lilac bushes, these bushes have a long hearty history.  No doubt this particular hedge, which runs more than 50 feet long, and a density of 6 feet, has never been sprayed or cultivated.  It grows as it should, thriving in the elements.  Not far from the Nova Scotia shoreline, it is protected by the old summer house own by a friend of the family, but still it must take a beating during the harsh winter months.  
The white and pink roses cover the hill to the side of the house, and the perimeter of the backyard.  They smell DIVINE!   I love to visit this glorious hedge when we visit Spencer's Island, Nova Scotia in the summer to inhale the sight and aroma of them.  Their brilliant randomness always takes my breath away. 



Shasta..... Daisy.  I have them growing in my own garden every year.  These flirty perrenials arrive mid July right smack dab in the middle of a multitude of other colourful blooms and stretch up until they are about 4 feet high.  For some reason, my personality relates to the Shasta Daisy.  It's not sophisticated, and not too showy.  But, it makes its presence known. I think that's me too.

Carmi?  Thank you for the chance to revisit.  I havent looked at these photos in a while and on a night when the cold winter air seems to have found its way through the cracks in the foundation of my home chilling my feet.......when the lingering snow sits just outside the door, a breath of aromatic summer beauty is just what the doctor ordered.

For more white photos, check out Written Inc by clicking on this link.......

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous whites, Dana!!!

Oh, I am SO ready for Spring.

awareness said...

Thanks Jen. It was a nice photo trip seeking them out. It has made me want to go in search of a big huge bouquet of Tulips. I can't even contemplate spring yet here. Its only January. If I start doing that, I'm doomed! We've got a long way to go. Besides, I'm looking forward to my winter writing muse to kick in. She hasn't found me yet. February is always my best writing month. Oh, and Olympics are right around the corner. I can't wait for them.

carmilevy said...

I'm glad you shied away from the snow. As I look at my own archives and ponder what white-themed photos I'll be sharing over the course of the week, I find myself shunting the snowy ones off to the side.

It's not that I don't like them. Au contraire...snow is such a difficult medium to shoot well that when I succeed, it jazzes me. But it would almost be too easy given the winter we've all been having. I'll save 'em for another time when they won't be met with a sigh.

These pictures hit me like a bolt of lightning. When I first started to get serious about photography, flowers were a convenient target of opportunity. They sat in one place and didn't complain while I fiddled with controls I barely understood. Over the years, I've drifted into and out of florals, and this remarkable series reminds me that perhaps it's time to drift back in.

Marja said...

Beautiful You're as good a photographer as a writer
Have a nice weekend

kenju said...

I am not usually fond of white flowers, but lilacs are an exception.I love their aroma!

dennisthemennis.co.uk said...

Lovely Whites!

Here is Mine

awareness said...

Carmi...thank you for your comments. They always give me a boost to get out there and keep clicking away. If it wasnt for the theme this week, I don't think I would've taken a good look at these photos again.
I still love taking flower shots. I find they are always different...the lighting and the shape of the blooms are all unique.
As for wintry snow shots, I'm in complete agreement. I do have a few pics from last winter that I really really like...the shadows and drifts made for interesting compositions. Right now, my camera is with Max in Costa Rica, so I havent taken any "fresh" shots at all. Will rectify that when he gets home.

Marja...thank you. I think I'm ready for a better camera and a couple of lessons using software on the computer. I find photography so therapeutic.

Judy...I'm not either. They often remind me of funerals. I prefer brilliant colours. I would never go out of my way to build a bouquet of whites. But, when I looked at these shots, I saw life. :)

Dennis...thank you. I'll check yours out too.

Peg Cherre said...

Although I'm far from tired of the snow, I LOVE the white lilacs. And in my area, at least, they're whiteness is very fleeting - they often start turning brown before a single bunch is fully opened. Nice shot!

Glennis said...

Ah, the lilacs are just wonderful!! I have some white flower photos, too, but this one is exquisite. I wish I could smell them.

Anonymous said...

I've got to ask...You wouldn't be takling about Peg's "RoseBank Cottage" would you?

Nanc

awareness said...

Peg, I think because the weather here last summer stayed cool and wet longer, the lilacs thrived! They last a very long time.
Like you, I'm not really tired of the snow either and welcome a good gale of a storm soon! Snow days are happy days around here.

g....I'm relying on my olfactory memories to conjure up that aroma. Plus, I just bought this little homemade candle in a tin that exudes the scent of lilac. I have it by my bed.

Nancy!!!! Why yes it is!!!!! I love your Momma's hedge... and miss Spencer's Island SO much at this time of year. :) The other hill I love to gaze at is the one between Martha's house and Lori's "guest home" on N Hill. ;) Hope you and Peg are well. Miss you both....but we'll see you on the beach in a few months eh?? Beach supper anyone??

awareness said...

Hey Nancy....I love Mim's old rose hedge too and her lilacs that bloom so beautifully on the old property. sigh, sigh.....

Savannah said...

I love what you wrote about tulips as they are my favourite flower of all. Sadly our climate is not conducive to growing them though they do have some tulips farms in certain parts of our country.

Lovely photos D.

awareness said...

Gypsy...tulips thrive here and linger a long time especially when spring remains cool-ish. Our nation's capital, Ottawa has an annual Tulip festival. The whole city comes alive in a sea of them in all colours. This came about after World War II... a gift from the Dutch royalty to thank the Canadian govt. for protecting their children and for being a part of liberating Holland.
I have planted hundreds of bulbs over the years in my garden. However, they are tasty things for the sneaky little squirrels who feast on them every autumn! So, I've lost most of them. I'll have to plant some more next fall again.

awareness said...

oh, and one more little tulip tidbit. I was married in the middle of winter.....December. Not really tulip season. However, my Mom was able to secure them for my wedding bouquet. I carried a large bunch of cream coloured tulips down the aisle. They were gorgeous!