Monochrome Maniacs

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Today's Flowers - Magnolias

I've always loved magnolia blossoms, especially the white ones like the ones I've posted today. I'm fascinated by these big, beautiful blooms in the trees, some bigger than my face as I walk up to them (if I'm lucky enough to find them low on a tree).



I think they're beautiful even when they've begun to age and they become a brownish color.



If you like flowers, check out the link below for more photos from bloggers participating in Today's Flowers.

Camera Critters - Butterflies

More photos from my last trip to the Butterfly Pavillion at the History Museum in Los Angeles. I'm not even going to pretend to know for sure what these are so please correct me if I'm wrong. You can click on any image for a larger view.

Julia (?) & White Peacock (?)

Julia & ?

Cabbage white:

Buckeye:

Painted Lady?

And this little Buckeye landed on my arm and stayed there while I walked around and took photos. Some of the kids there were jealous. Na Na-na-na Na! LOL!


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Michael Jackson Dies

Image from cnn.com

I'm sure by now everyone has heard of the fact that Michael Jackson died a short while ago of complete cardiac failure. Click Here for a CNN new brief. I'm sitting watching the news that has taken over every channel as they await a press briefing but they are waiting until the entire family arrives.

How sad. How very sad. He was truly an icon in music. There was no one like Michael Jackson. No matter what anyone says, or whether anyone liked him or not, I don't think anyone can deny that Michael Jackson was musical genius.

He had a rare quality that few entertainers had in that he continued to touch each new generation that game into the world. Both children and adults were touched my his music during his entire life.

I grew up listening to this man from the time he was a boy (he's just a year younger than me). I always thought he was genius and with genius sometimes comes the slightly "off" personality. I always pictured him as the man who simply wanted to live the childhood he felt denied of, in many ways a child himself.

Michael Jackson, may you rest in peace. You will be missed.

Watery Wednesday #41

If you haven't checked out Watery Wednesday, what are you waiting for? If you've never been cyber wet, here's your chance! Click here or on the icon at the end of the post to visit my Watery Wednesday meme and see the wonderful variety of watery shots form all over the world.



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My World Tuesday - The Corpse Flower

Thanks to Ebie over at The Main Ingredient I found out at the Huntingon Library Museum & Botanical Gardens had the Corpse Flower and that it was in bloom so I took the day went to see it. You can also see her blog about it if you Click here.


The Amorphorphallus Titanum (Corpse Flower) grows in the Conservatory at the Huntington Library (pictured above). I wasn't surprised by the number of people in attendance and that I had to wait in line.


It was like being in line for a ride at Disneyland as the line twisted and turned to accommodate the number of people and it moved VERY slowly. I was surprised at my patience.


I had to throw in the photo below because as you're standing in line mist is periodically released in the massive greenhouse and thought it's enough to make you worry about your hair-do it's still pretty cool.


And then finally I got to see the Corpse Flower standing there among the other lush greenery. It was probably about 5-1/2 feet tall and... I didn't smell a thing. I've got to say I was a little disappointed. I was all prepared to turn up my nose and just deal with the "aroma".


I think I was let down by it not having an aroma but I think the shots came out great and I left the conservatory and visited the rest of the botanical gardens, some of which I've already posted. My Waddle Waddle Quack Quack post is from the same day's photos.

You can Click Here to read more information about this flower at the Huntington Library's website.



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Mellow Yellow Monday

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Monochrome Maniacs - The Painter

I usually visit Descanso Gardens during the week. I've been able to do that since I haven't been working. But I went on the weekend and discovered that a lot of people go to sit in the Japanese Garden to paint. It made me wish I could paint. This is just one of the people I captured. They capture images with a brush. I capture them with my camera.



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Today's Flowers

These were taken at my last trip to the Huntington Library Museum & Botanical Gardens near Pasadena, California. I went to see the Stinky Plant (not the real name but I'll post it later), and I saw these water lilies in the Chinese Garden.


The shot above is just one view from the Chinese Garden. This one shows where the lily pads were located.


These were so large that if you hold up your palms and hold your hands together the flower would fill your hands.


I don't remember ever seeing one with this center before. Reminds me of a wax candle. Don't you just want to reach out with a match and light it?


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Camera Critters - Collection

I thought I would do a collection of the critters I capture but don't always post because they get pushed aside for something else I want to post. These are some of the little critters I photographed in my outings the past week or two.


Butterflies from the Butterfly Pavillion at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles.


A rabbit at Descanso Gardens in La Canada/Flintridge above. A bird outside the greenhouse at the Huntington Museum, Library & Botanical Gardens.


Birds at Descanso Gardens.


I can't remember where this interesting little lady bug was from.


And my most favorite capture of a critter this week goes to this poor little lost doggy that some poor kid left behind at the Huntington Museum & Botanical Gardens. He was just standing there on the post standing guard in the Japanese Garden.


If you're not tired of my critters you should see the cute little baby ducks in the post below this one. And if you're really not tired of critters,check out more Camera Critters by clicking on the icon below:

Waddle Waddle Quack Quack

Again, I apologize for the number of photos in this post but I'm telling a photo story. When I went to The Huntington Museum & Botanical gardens I finally got to see some baby ducks. I was walking along the path in the Japanese garden in the first photo and there is a stream along the left hand side of the photo.


I was so intent on taking shots of the water when I looked up at the where the water dropped off into a little waterfall there was mama and her babies.


Babies were swimming around having a good time, coming to the edge of the fall where I thought they might fall over with the water but they never did.


Mama was watching me carefully, sizing me up to make sure I wasn't going to harm them or come any closer and then she did something that totally surprised me.

I guess she determined that I was no threat and she began to lead the babies out of the water...


And lead them right in front of me at my feet and down the little path I had just walked up.




They just waddled peacefully down the path. I had such a good time taking shots of them!