Photos by Dick

At the Laurentian Environmental Center north of Virginia, MN.  The full set of pictures is here, but I’ve included my favorites in this post to get started.

Family vacation at Santa Rosa Beach, FL.  Pictures here.

Two things here:  First, a set of pictures taken at the Atlanta Botanical Garden at Gainesville.  Not large, but very nicely done.  Second is three taken on the Rocky Mountain trail off Indian Grave Gap road north of Helen, GA.

The garden was having an exhibit of bronze frog sculptures called “The Ribbit Exhibit.”

Zenny, one of the nineteen sculptures.

The model railroad at the gardens.

Fred and Ethel

And, of course, a few flowers.  “)

My favorite.

And from the trail:

Flame azeleas.

And the rhodedendron  were in bloom.

Pictures from two places:  first, the native plant garden done by the Georgia Master Naturalists, and second, a hike with the Hearthstone Hikers at the Arrowhead Interpretive Wildlife trail.  I got is a bit of a rut doing flower close-ups.

So, some plants native to Georgia, or maybe even specifically north Georgia:

Crimson beebalm, I think.

Spiderwort.  This one I know.

And a hosta from my back yard.

Then from Arrowhead trail:

A bumble bee o n a thistle.

Trumpet Creeper blooms and buds.

And just a nice fungus.

A scouting hike and then the Hearthstone Hikers at the Arrowhead Interpretive Nature Trail near Floyd Springs, GA in early June.   Great weather both days, and a most informative ranger-led hike.

My favorite mushroom.  🙂

A nice wetland pond.

And a couple of the intrepid group.

Views of some of the many ponds.  The place was originally a fish hatchery.

And lastly, some of what was blooming.

A potpourri of pictures taken in the second half of May and June first.  I am trying to use my ultra-wide angle lens more, just because I don’t often use it.

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Sunrise over Lake Lanier.  Best sunrise we’ve had in a while that I could shoot

This and the next are from the Native Plant garden by the GA Master Naturalists.  It is at the Bethelview Road trailhead of the Forsyth County greenway.

Daylilies in my neighbor’s yard.

Magnolia bloom in a neighbor’s yard.

These last are from Gibbs Gardens.  First is a set of Hydrangea blooms.

A little pollinator at work.  I think the flower is an iris.

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A frog, variety tbd.

Waterlily bloom.  Can’t not shoot them.

And a damselfly, I think.