The Pink Cattleheart is a large, black butterfly with striking red, pink and white markings.
Wilting Camelia, I
Cluster of Roses
This group of roses was one of those small scenes I just couldn’t resist photographing. Â The composition probably breaks all the rules but I like it just the way it is. Â To me the three roses in the background on the left seem balanced by the larger, fully blooming rose in the foreground and the opening bud in the upper right.
The dark green leaves of the rose bush are riddled with insect damage. Â Some photographers might be temped to “repair” them during processing but I like the imperfection of the scene. Â It reminds me that, upon close inspection, even the beautiful things in life are not perfect.
Rose Buds
Flamingo 1
Bumble Bee on Redbud
Over the weekend I sat on my roof to get a better view of the bumble bees pollenating our redbud tree.  These trees never cease to amaze me.  They are in full bloom in Richmond and quite beautiful right now.  The bees will be all over them for the next few weeks.  Some of the birds will even eat the flowers.  Then, late in the summer they will start to produce seed pods and become nature’s perfect bird feeder. Of course the trees benefit immensely from feeding the birds.  We have one full sized tree in our yard and we must get a hundred saplings sprout up every year.