Photography

Colorful Fall Flowers

I filmed this short clip of nature sounds at the Minnesota River Valley National Wildlife Refuge on a nice walk, Oct 16  around 2PM .. enjoying the Minnesota Fall.   This was my first visit to this park.   When you stop thinking, moving, and enhance your awareness to the present moment things start to become more vivid, colors, sounds… this video attempts to share that experience

You can watch this on youtube and as full screen for a clearer view here: http://www.youtube.com/v/gckSurwx4O8

video description from youtube: Ready for a moment of enhanced awareness?  Maybe see some magic?   look around, listen, watch … Nature sounds, crickets, wind, trail, leaves, sun, valley … this video might offer you a mystical minute of enjoying some awareness to the surrounding nature, shot during a walk at the MN River Valley National Wildlife Refuge (in between the noise from airplanes taking off)

Here is another one, this one is more of a  quick 360 view
You can watch this on youtube and as full screen for a clearer view here: http://www.youtube.com/v/L5eFs_aG_uI

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Ready for a moment of enhanced awareness?  Maybe feel some magic?  Hear some sounds? See leaves falling off trees in the wind.. Filmed at the MN river valley not far from the river itself.  Look around, listen, watch … wind, trail, blowing leaves … This video might offer you a mystical minute.

Minnesota River Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Oct 16 2014

You can watch this on youtube and as full screen for a clearer view here:
http://www.youtube.com/v/HzdOmEo0ST0

You can watch this on youtube and as full screen for a clearer view here:
http://www.youtube.com/v/pS2K_OA22VI

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October 10, 2014
Grass with frost at about 7AM, Hopkins MN

October 10, 2014
Grasses and wild plants with frost at about 7AM, Hopkins MN

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The red tree, at about noon time, where I parked and ate lunch in  the red sun light passing through the leaves

Oct 10, 2014, Eden Prairie, MN

this is an Acer x freemanii hybrid of red maple (A. rubrum) and silver maple (A. saccharinum)

Nice fall colors on the side of this hill, in the shade you will see frost on the grass – Oct 10, 2014, Hopkins, MN

In Chanhassen, MN – October 8, 2014

Fall colors, Chanhassen, MN

Oct 9, 2014

above photo is at highway 212

Below, shows early fall colors in the metro

Below is Red Rock lake in Eden Prairie

At a trail at the Theodore Wirth park in Minnesota. Saturday May 10

Looks a lot like Motherwort, but already has the smell of garlic.  Once plant grows it will be easier to tell just by looking at it.  Future posts will show future growth stages of garlic mustard.  Very invasive plant, pull, eat or discard appropriately.

It’s been a cold spring season in MN this year (2014).

At a trail at the Theodore Wirth park in Minnesota. Saturday May 10.

Future photos will show other stages of this plant’s growth / life cycle.

This is early spring, a colder than usual spring season.

I think this is hemerocallis or daylily.

Came across a field of these plants, April 21 2014 .. after a long and colder than usual winter and cold Spring, plants are eager to return back to life, a lot like people.

Nice field with the shade of the sun and green colors looking very nice.

Tubers:

I replanted this plant in the same spot i pulled it out from for the photo.

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I have a few plants trying to identify, here’s the second one

Is it Rumex or sheep sorrel,  a dock or a sorrel?

Photos taken 4/21/2014 (Minnesota)

click each photo to see full (huge) size and zoom in

zoomed on some parts in these photos

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I have a few plants trying to identify, here’s the first

Is it ground ivy (creeping charlie) or motherwort?

Photos taken 4/21/2014 (Minnesota)

video taken 04/19/2014

This one is a video taken 04/21/2014 of the same area after raking, it clearly shows a dried up shoot / stem that is square

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and

Shot on September 2, 2012

At carver reserve in Victoria, MN

A dragon was spotted in MN on September 2, 2012, here’s the proof.

Taken at carver reserve in Victoria, MN.

Do you see it?

Click photo for larger size

Let the sun shine

through

for the green buds

to

grow

Click image to enlarge
March 24, 2012
At Lebanon Hills Regional Park, Eagan, MN Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

green moss and leaves turning (red) in background

Click image to enlarge
Oct 24, 2010
Taken at Big Willow Park, Minnetonka, MN Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

Minnehaha creek in Minnetonka, MN

Click photo to enlarge
Taken October 24, 2010 with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

Taken at Big Willow Park, Minnetonka, MN

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The “Forbidden” Red Fruit

(click photo to enlarge)

A “Taxus media”, A.K.A “Hicksii Yew” plant and fruit. All parts of this plant are poisonous.
.

Great for a desktop background image

Shot Aug 28, 2010 ::  Next to the Hennepin Public Library, Minnetonka, MN

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

More info:

Taxus media (Hicksii Yew)

This yew can reach 20 feet high in 20 years and while it is narrow when young, it grows wider with age. Both male and female columnar clones produce deep dark green needles on top and pale green underneath. In general, form is broadly pyramidal with a central leader. Similar to Taxus cuspidata, the Anglojap Yew has olive green branchlets which do not turn brown the second year. Bud scales are blunt and leaves are two-ranked. Thrives in sandier soil that is acid to neutral and well-drained. Does well in either sun or shade.
Important Info : All plant parts are poisonous if ingested

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(click photo to enlarge)

Some wild plant, thorns and soft cotton

Great for a desktop background image

Shot Aug 28, 2010 ::  Next to the Hennepin Public Library, Minnetonka, MN

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

Lake landscapes at Lebanon Hills Regional Park

(click a photo to enlarge)

An evening at Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan, MN

Shot Sept 11, 2010 ::  Lebanon Hills Regional Parl, Eagan, MN

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(click a photo to enlarge)

Living nature at Lebanon Hills Regional Park

Shot Sept 11, 2010 ::  Lebanon Hills Regional Parl, Eagan, MN

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Digitally editing this photo to increase contrast resulted in this stunning almost 3-D photo

enjoy,

(click each photo to enlarge)

A Weeping Willow Tree in the spring

On Starring Lake, Eden Prairie MN :: April 12, 2010

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

(click each photo to enlarge)

A Weeping Willow Tree in the spring

On Starring Lake, Eden Prairie MN :: April 12, 2010

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

We put a fence,

and life goes on,

“adaptation and growth”

and life goes on,

“death”

(this tree is decomposing into BLOCKS !)

.

Here’s a scenic part of the trail

(click photo to enlarge)

Trees of the trail

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(click photo to enlarge)

Common Milkweed, has white liquid in it’s leaves and flowers. Purported to have been used by Native Americans as gum.
Monarch butterflies also lay their eggs on milkweed, but since there was only a small patch, no Monarch eggs or larvae were found.

Shot June 27, 2010 ::  On the Winchell Trail @ Mississippi Gorge Regional park (from 36th to 44th Streets), Minneapolis, MN

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

About the trail:

More info on the National Park we will be walking through: http://www.nps.gov/mi…

More info on the restoration work that’s been done in this area: http://www.nps.gov/mi…

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Enjoy,

Wild flower, I thought this was a Daisy with fine white petals with a hint of pink and a vivid yellow center, but a friend pointed out this was an Aster flower.

(click photo to enlarge)

Shot June 01, 2010 ::  Lone Lake Park, Minnetonka, MN

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Everywhere I look, I see beauty,

Wild flower, Aster flower, white petals with a hint of pink and a vivid yellow center

(click photo to enlarge)

Shot June 01, 2010 ::  Lone Lake Park, Minnetonka, MN

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

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A sure sign of spring!

Shot in a residential neighborhood alley in the city of Hopkins, MN

Shot April 2, 2010

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera from about 2ft away

Eat Healthy, Eat Beautifully

Pepper, Fig, Carrot, Cucumber

March 24, 2010

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

(click to enlarge)

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(Click to enlarge)

Mankato’s twin towers (MSU dorms)

June 2003

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