REDISCOVERING MYSELF THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Beauty on a Noxious Weed

In rural areas, there are so many noxious weeds that cause farmers grief; in fact, there are county ordinances that order the control of such weeks.    We are surrounded by so much wilderness, and once a weed gets established there, not much can be done about it.   One of the common troublesome weeks is the thistle.  I don't know the name of this variety, but it's not the giant variety we call the "bull thistle." It could be Canada Thistle or Scotch Thistle.   Whatever...it has beautiful flowers.  They vary in color from white to pink to lavender to purple.   When I got up this morning, I realized that I didn't have a photo for Nancy's Your Sunday Best. I took my before-church walk with a point-and-shoot camera and my phone.  As it turned out, the battery was dying on the camera, so I was glad to have my phone.  I did all the editing on my phone with various photo apps. (The flower generally faces upward, but this one was drooping.)

Happy Sunday!   My husband and I are leaving tomorrow on a trip to the marvelous Crater Lake in south-central Oregon. I'm hoping for some amazing photos of the lake in the caldera of an ancient volcano.  http://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm 

23 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

i like thistles for their beauty and for the butterflies and birds they attract. :)

Anonymous said...

I had no idea that thistles were noxious weeds. We have tons growing behind our back fence. Great pic!
Stay inspired!

Pink Tree Studio said...

I wondered what this plant is! There's a lot of it growing around here, too. I've taken pictures of it at my local park.

Have a great trip to Crater Lake! I'm looking forward to seeing your photos!

Anonymous said...

Pretty!

Elizabeth Edwards said...

so pretty. love the color. (:

Nancy said...

They are really a problem on our property -- the Canadian variety especially. They are so very pretty, though. :)

Enjoy your trip. Be safe. xo

Daryl said...

sweet shot .. and have a great time!

Deborah said...

fantastic capture ....
and noxious or not, they are beautiful to look at!

Gail Dixon said...

You did good with your phone! I didn't know thistle was such a problem though.

Hope you enjoy Crater Lake. I talked to my daughter yesterday; she was at a dog park 3 miles from her house (Portland) and saw TWO peregrine falcons! Their screeching caught her attention--and mine. You could really hear them. She raced home to get her camera. Can't wait to see if she got them.

Candy C. said...

I love thistles even though they are a problem plant. I'm sure you know that the thistle is the national flower of Scotland. :)
Have a fun trip!

Justine said...

this is beautiful, I see them as art!

Tricia said...

I don't think I've ever seen a thistle when it's flowering. It sure is pretty. Hope you have a good trip!

Rosie Grey said...

I must admit I love thistles - as I think they are pretty - and I didn't know they were weed. I thought they were, well, wildflowers...

Rosie Grey said...

I must admit I love thistles - as I think they are pretty - and I didn't know they were weed. I thought they were, well, wildflowers...

kimmyschemy said...

very pretty to have caused grief to farmers, :(

a visit from kim!

Lee Ann L. said...

I love thistles. They attract butterflies. and some varieties, hummingbirds. Beautiful picture.

Angie said...

Hmmm... Noxious weeds are pretty.

Did you get the 85mm yet? :) xo

Anonymous said...

Hi Evelyn,

I may have asked you this before, but is Photoshop required to run Topaz Adjust? I remember you using TA from time to time... also, is Photoshop required to run Elements? I'd really love to have Photoshop, but I just can't afford it & I'm looking for a way to use Elements & TA! =)

Anonymous said...

I just found Topaz & a compatibility page on their website & it says I can use it w/ Paint Shop Pro! I had no idea!

I still want Elements & Lightroom, tho

Ms. Becky said...

what a fabulous shot of the humble thistle. once they've gone to seed the finches head out to the fields for fine dining, and I don't have to fill the feeders for weeks. they are considered a noxious weed here too - though I've never seen the thistle police out on patrol. happy week to you Evelyn.

Rosemary Aubut said...

What a lovely shot! Love the processing!

Lisa Gordon said...

I am guessing we have the bull thistle here.
Almost ran into one yesterday that was taller than I am!
I hope you have a wonderful time away, and i;ll see you when you return!
xo.

Unknown said...

Evelyn - just take a look at my blog header to see how much I love thistle :) great shot!