So here's a close-up view of the Queen Anne's Lace that I shared yesterday. The flower appears to form a bird's nest as it begins to open and mature. I am fascinated by the intricacies of each portion of the blossom. Many parts create the illusion of lace or a white cloud that floats at the top of the stalk. The details are wondrous. I converted the image to black and white to draw attention to the structure of the flower. Even weeds are marvelous!

Better known as Queen Anne's Lace, this wildflower is abundant along roadways.

Also known as wild carrot (hence it's proper name "Daucus Carotus"), it is called "bird's nest" in England and from this photo, one can begin to see the hint of a nest when the plant unfurls each portion of its blossom as the flower in the background shows. While it can be eaten, it bears a resemblance to hemlock which is poisonous. Best to not get the two confused.

Sunset on the Mink River in Door County, Wisconsin...

It was a short journey from the car, through the darkened woods, to the edge of the river. I never tire of sunsets. And often the sky is even more spectacular when the sun has disappeared from the horizon. I was photographing a sunset in Mexico with a friend. The sky was full of wondrous color as the sun dropped out of sight. He was ready to put away his camera and get in the car and return to our lodging. Wait, I said, this sunset has only begun, and it promises to get even better. And so we watched the sky and the clouds and the color until it was nearly dark. We hadn't spoken since I had encouraged him to stay. Finally, he said, "Wow!" I said, "There's always more to see."

I've been missing from the blogosphere for a few days. I was traveling through Illinois and Indiana.

But I'm back home now.

This photo is of a simple lock on two rather large doors. I'm uncertain as to how effective it might be, but I think it may just be to prevent the doors from swinging open; more of a latch rather than a lock.

So many of the plants in our yard have a short bloom time. There are many plants that contribute to a profusion of color. And then there are those like this Morning Glory that has beauty past its prime. Ah, to see beauty in all living things beyond their prime, including we human beings.

Here's one of those photos that I like and cannot describe why.

Other than to say I like the color and the texture and the lighting. Interesting to me how the textures and colors of the cloth and vase complement one another.

Cheekwood: is it a garden or a playground? Yes.

While I'm not the most frequent visitor to Cheekwood, it seems as if every time I go that there is a new construction for children to explore. This tree house appears to call forth the ghost of Buckminster Fuller, father of the geodesic dome. Certainly more attractive than the playland at McDonald's.

I learned to tie my shoes in the first grade. Obviously, my first grade teacher wasn't going to tie my shoes or those of my classmates every day or several times a day. Shoes have had shoelaces for probably about 5500 years, although it is difficult to document as shoes were an expendable item that fell apart with time and use.

I still find it a challenge to keep them tied. I have a pair of hiking boots that I have to double-knot to ensure that the laces stay tied. It makes me feel like a kid. I used to take off my shoes without untying them--still do, once in a while (probably more often than I realize). And then the next time I want to wear them, they have to be untied before I can put them on and tie the shoelaces again. It is a simple procedure, and a simple skill. How many thousand times have I tied my shoes or tied the shoes of my kids or my granddaughter or countless children at church? Some skills just stick with you.