Sunday, February 21, 2010

The Colour Purple

"I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it."
~ Alice Walker


As a bit of a break from winter images, I've decided to revisit the spectrum and select another colour. This time it's purple. Please remember to click on each of the images to enlarge them.



Grape Hyacinths grow along the fence by the pathway to the park.





A collection of small tea candle holders which sit on a low chest in my living room - some of which are purple.



Tiny, purple summertime flowers which grow in Frank's back yard.





Tiny springtime raccoon kits which grew in my attic the year before last. They were placed in this purple tub upon rescue. This is not to be confused with the little ones who were born under my deck last year. If you've never read the story of my "home invasion" it can be found here.




Lovely thistles look so beautiful in summer.




Clematis during a rain storm.





A partly purple tea cup which sits on my kitchen shelf.




Irises bloom for a few weeks during early summer.




Lilacs have an even shorter stay in May.





And shorter still are the majestic colours of a sunset.

More photos coming up soon.

75 comments:

ohdawno said...

It's so wonderful to see all those beautiful purples - my favorite color. As always your blog is one of my most favorite places to visit! Thank you for sharing.

Tom said...

I've sent Pam the link to this blog post because I think she'll get a kick out of it! Beep's Purple Personal Blog.

Beautiful pictures as always!

Tom

Frank Baron said...

I think I recognize that clematis and pretty sure that sunset is familiar too. Kinda surprised you didn't include a shot of your main floor walls.... ;)

Lovely pieces of purple, dear. I like 'em. :)

Maggie May said...

Lovely colour PURPLE photos. They are all lovely but the ones that caught my eye particularly were first one with chain link fence....... baby racoons in a purple box......teacup and saucer and all the flowers. That just about covers everything because the sunset was great too.

Nuts in May

Indrani said...

Lovely focus of the shots! May be I too will go purple hunting. :)

Kaye Waller said...

Oh, thank you! I needed some color.

LadyFi said...

Such blissfully delightful photos! A real vitamin shot in my cold snowy world!

Anonymous said...

The Alice Walker quote is fab... and I love the colour purple! The sunset is amazing :0)

Zuzana said...

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. I love them all!
The purple colour brings back the memories of my Jackomanii flowers.
However long the winter might be this season, still the best time of the year is about to start. Thank you for a lovely sneak preview of it.
Stunning photographs as always. I am sure you know which one is my favourite.
xoxo
Zuzana

Brian Miller said...

wonderful purples...makes me think spring. purple is Ts favorite color.

Rosaria Williams said...

What magic in those fingers and eyes of yours. Lovely.

Steve Gravano said...

Beautiful photos. I had to reed the home invasion posts. I guess you can look back now and laugh at it. Raccoons can do a lot of damage.

NJ said...

Thanks for the colour. Even though I've really enjoyed this winter's weather...it has been quite brown and lacking in colour.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Love purple!! What a great variety of purples you offer us here - great photos! I especially like the first of the hyacinthe.
Now I have to go back and read the story of your 'home invasion' - better raccoons thans skunks, I guess.

Sueann said...

Ahhh! Such refreshing images! I too love purple and iris's are my favorite flower! All of your photos were/are amazing!!
Hugs
SueAnn

Unknown said...

Thanks for the burst of color, especially since blues and purples are my favorites in flowers. The grape hyacinth photo is stunning with the chainlink behind it!

Pauline said...

sigh - lovely!

Gary's third pottery blog said...

I love purple too, and I think you know the color of my house :)

Thumbelina said...

Beautiful! I love the colours God gives us. The title of this post drew me to it immediately, as I love that book by Alice Walker. So many lessons in there and I agree with her sentiments quoted at the start, although I may not use those exact words... ;0)

Thank you for sharing again. A bit of peace, tranquility and beauty amidst the madness that is the world. :0)

Leah J. Utas said...

Yes, even thistles are beautiful. Brightened my day, thanks.

Country Girl said...

Beautiful to see your purple photos, Hilary. It's a nice change from the wintertime pics, isn't it?
Now I'm wondering which color you'll choose next . . .

Susie said...

There's something about that clematis I really like. You captured all those raindrops perfectly and the poor little bloom was just sitting there "grinning and bearing it" so to speak.

Boozy Tooth said...

Oh Hils... the purple is so royal and magnificent in all its forms. I especially liked the raccoon kits in their little purple bed and the lilacs! I miss lilacs. In NY we had a beautiful big purple lilac bush in our yard and it had the most intoxicating blooms on it. I used to lay beneath it when I was a child and just breath. The blooms would sway in the breeze and the scent would waft through the fresh air and I would feel such happiness just being able to enjoy the perfume of nature. Sadly, we don't have the proper climate in Florida for lilacs. It's still my favorite flower in the whole wide world. You know... they don't do particularly well when picked... they turn brown and fade quickly. Oh to have a lilac bush to lay under. Maybe the world would be more peaceful if we all had lilac bushes...

Boozy Tooth said...

Breathe, I mean. Whoops.

Display Name said...

I love purple skies! The photo of the sunset is wonderful Hilary, the lake looks so serene! Those little critters are adorable all snuggled up together! Thanks for bringing spring to me early! :)

järnebrand said...

I love how you explore the color purple here, and your photos are as lovely as always. It's a treat to get to see the world through you eyes like this. Color hunting is a fun theme... gives me ideas:)
Thank you, Hilary.

L. D. said...

These are all such great photos. I like seeing all the color. Frank's purple flower is called Creeping Bell Flower. I have it and gardeners all around tell it is too evasive. Not in my yard, it stays under control.

photowannabe said...

The pictures make me just give a big sigh. All the shades of purple are breathtaking.
I love your teacup and its simple design. I hope you have had a good weekend Hilary.

Anonymous said...

Hilary,
Brillant photos here capturing the Colour Purple.. one of me fav!
:) The Bach

Anonymous said...

Purple is such a regal color. I love the raccoons...the way the middle one has his arm around the other...precious. The scent os hyacinths and lilacs are among my favorite. They always remind me of spring.

Nicole said...

mmmmmm....i can smell the lilac :) i don't wanna cheat on my friend WINTER ... he is dearly loved ... but i do for sure miss my little flower friends :) thanx for sharing those beautiful pics :)

Grayquill said...

Thistles - brings back many childhood memories. What a beautiful weed when it flowers.
You made a great shot of that one.

Karen said...

Purple is a great color. Rich, bold, and yet soothing. Lov'em!

SandyCarlson said...

Your purples are beautiful. I especially love the iris. I am partial to those guys. The raccoon kits look so sweet and comfortable. You are a good person, Hilary.

Wendy said...

Your purples are beautiful. Nice to see flowers once again.

Oh my gawd - what a saga! The Raccoons! I had not read of your ahem..."adventure". I can just imagine the final costs!! However,I'm glad the racoons are fine and you had help nearby.

blunoz said...

My favorite is that last sunset photo. Wow!

Hilary said...

• Dawno, thank you. It's wonderful to see you visiting. Thank you so much for your kind words. I'm glad I chose purple today. :)

• Tom, thanks very much. I hope she enjoys the post. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Frank, you didn't look closely enough. In the photo with the candle holders, you can see some of my purple walls. Your otherwise keen eye for observation took in the familiar flowers and sunset. I'm glad you liked my purple pieces. Thanks. :)

• Thank you, Maggie. I'm glad you had no trouble deciding which one you liked best. ;)

• Thanks, Indrani. Happy purple pursuing! :)

• Steph, I'm glad I could help. :)

• LadyFi, thank you. I'm glad I could provide you with a pick-me-up. :)

• ED, thanks kindly. I'm happy that you enjoyed the post. :)

• Zuzana, thank you so much, my good friend. I'm pleased that my photos gave you a booster shot of spring-to-come. I know it's been a particularly cold and snowy winter for you in Denmark and I hope that once spring decides to arrive, she'll do so in a splendid hurry. Thanks for your visit. :)

• Thank you, Brian. It's one of my top ten too. ;)

• Thank you so much, Lakeviewer. Such a nice thing to say. You make me smile. :)

• Steve, yes. It's a laughable situation now. And knowing that my insurance covered almost everything was a relief too. Most important, the wee critters were safe and reunited with their mom. I'd like to believe that they lived happily ever after. :)

• NJ, you're so right about this winter in our area. It's been rather drab compared to just about everywhere else. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thank you, Bonnie. I'm glad I chose a colour that you love. You're so right. What a disaster it would have been if they were skunks! Though I bet the babies would be awfully cute. ;) Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thanks very much, SueAnn. Purple seems to be a favourite for many. I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Jane, thanks so much for the kind words. I'm pleased that I found some of your favourites. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thank you, Pauline. :)

• Gary, yes. Your house and my (interior) walls. :)

Hilary said...

• Thank you, Thumbelina. I'm glad you found some peace in my photos. And I'll bet that given the right/wrong circumstances you'd be using those exact words. ;) Thanks for stopping by, my friend. :)

• Glad to know it, Leah. Thank you. :)

• Kate, your wintertime pics are quite different from mine this year. You have snow and we don't. I'm not complaining, mind you. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Ha, Susan. I like the way you described the Clemaits' endurance. It really was a harsh downpour. Thanks so much for stopping by. :)

• Alix, I love your lilac memories. They're one of my favourite flowers too. I can't get enough of their scent either when they're in bloom. When we bought our house many years ago, it was in March. We took possession in late May, and I was thrilled to find out that we had a profusion of lilacs in our back yard. I felt like I really had a home, now. And I can predict that they'll be at the height of their blooms on May 21st each year. My late mother-in-law told me that she had lilacs on her table for her wedding many decades earlier. The above date was their anniversary so I've noted from then on that they are in perfect bloom at that exact time each year. They do turn quickly though, once picked, like you said but I still enjoy a small indoor branch of them each year. And my neighbour reaches over the fence to help herself too. Thanks so much for stopping by. :)

• Rain, that lake is one of the most serene spots on the planet.. off season. ;) Thanks for the kind words, my friend. :)

• Thank you, Joanna. I'm so pleased that you're enjoying my photos. And I'm glad that my post inspires ideas. Thanks so much for stopping by to say so. :)

• Larry, thank you for letting me know the name of that flower. They are rather profuse and some even grow in cracks, so I can see that it is indeed invasive, yet beautiful. Thanks so much for the visit and kind words. :)

• Sue, thank you kindly. It means so much to me that you think so.. you with your wonderful eye. Thanks so much for that. :)

• Thank you, Bach. I'm glad I touched on a favourite. :)

• Lady Cat, those raccoons were so incredible to observe. It wasn't for long, mind you but they were just so tiny, tender and touching. Thanks so much for stopping by. :)

• Nikina, I would never ask you to cheat on your pal winter. In fact, you're quite welcome to it. ;) Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoying a brief preview of spring. :)

• Thank you, Grayquill. I love how they look too.. and how they attract Monarch butterflies. Thanks for the kind words. :)

• Karen, it truly is. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Sandy, thank you so kindly. The kits were comfy and blissfully oblivious to the drama. Thanks for your always-warm comments. :)

• Wendy, thanks so much. It sure was an ordeal at the time. The insurance company was pretty good about everything. And I wasn't short anything more than the deductible. Thanks so much for the visit. :)

• Thanks, Kevin. :)

Unknown said...

This was just what I needed to see after returning from sledding with the boys today. Delightful! You had raccoon kits! Oh my! Kaishon would have DIED of happiness! I must show him that post tomorrow!

Nancy said...

I swear I could smell those lilacs! I used to have my whole back fence in lilacs. I am very partial to the color purple and right now sitting in new snow it was a feast for the eyes!

Joanna Jenkins said...

Okay, this is perfection! It suddenly doesn't feel so cold and rainy outside after see them.

Thanks for the reminder that it will eventually warm up and deliver gorgeous flower as a reward for winter.

I'm on vacation next week but I'll catch up with you again as soon as I can. Have a great week.

jj

Anonymous said...

Your chosen quote at the beginning made me laugh out loud!
Thank you for the strong shot of vibrant color on a gray day.

Nessa said...

I love the tea cups. The raccoons are so cute and the flowers make me crave Spring.
Mad Hatter

Anonymous said...

I was planning on doing a post with summer flowers just to cheer everyone up in this grey wet cold world we are enduring, but I cannot compete with this joyous selection which has certainly done the trick for me...ah Lilac, so beautiful. My bushes have buds on, and I do hope the frost has gone so that they survive. Thank you.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Hilary: What a wonderful look at the beautiful colors in your world. The last sunset was outstanding.

Unspoken said...

I like it, but I do love purple :).

Suldog said...

is sometimes a troublesome color (or 'colour', if you prefer) for me. I have some color-blindness in the blue-purple range. Not a lot, but some. I sometimes have to be told if something is purple or blue.

Now obviously, since you told me everything here is purple, I know that's a fact. You're a nice person and wouldn't lie to a poor color-blind guy. But, had I not know, the first flowers, for example, I might have said were a dark blue.

It is my only failing as a human being, Hilary.

Mental P Mama said...

One of my favorites...and the book, too!

Daryl said...

Purple has always been a favorite color of mine .. these are all super examples of a royal/regal color ...

Cricket said...

Ahhh, purple is one of my favorite colors. I especially like the candles and the teacup: once again, examples of framing, I think. You have made the otherwise mundane into art by the force of will. For some reason, I find the curving shadow on the teacup compelling. Good catch.

Purple always reminds me of jazz, perhaps because it's related to the blues? I might have suggested as musical accompaniment some Duke Ellington: perhaps The Little Purple Flower, or,Purple Gazelle. These seem too busy for your selections, though.

No, I think I hear something more like Sonny Rollins' We Kiss In A Shadow. I love the use of space in that one. Lots of air, and just a hint of blue.

Lorna said...

Oh my, these photos made my heart smile today. What a lift! And reminded me why I love purple so much. Thank you!

Louise said...

Your first picture reminded that I dreamed of grape hyacinths last night.That's a bit bizarre.

Love it all, but the rain on the clematis... WOW! Also the shadow on the teacup. And oh, for a sniff of those lilacs!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos of one of my favorite colors!

Cloudia said...

Glorious!!!!


This is the best post of the week!


Aloha, Hillary


Comfort Spiral

solarity said...

Grey is one of my favorite colors, but I've been seeing SO much of it lately, whole skies full, that my heart perked up at the first hyacinth. [head/desk: I Must Think Depth of Field more when I shoot.]

Mary Anne in Kentucky

Cloudia said...

MUST apologize to you for not adding you to my blog roll sooner! But you are there now. Your blog is a must-read.

Tammie Lee said...

Oh my gosh, so much beauty in the color of purple, my eyes are delighted!

SandyCarlson said...

I love every one of those flowers.

Unknown said...

I've been away, and to come home to this , the purple,
fabulous!

oh I can't wait for spring.... we just got a major snowfall here, yikes.

Dave said...

Wonderfulictures Hilary. Thanks for showing them. Loved the racoon kits too. - Dave

Shammickite said...

I'm looking forward to seeing some of those purple photographic subjects in person soon... well, maybe not the baby raccoons in the purple tub (although they are very cute), but definitely the flowers. But no purple evident this morning, just lots of white!
You have main floor purple walls? COOL!

Clowncar said...

I have slight color blindness, and can't tell blue from purple. So either I've never seen blue before or i've never seen purple. I've always wondered what it would be like to see a color I've never seen....

Regardless, wonderful images.

Hilary said...

• LWK, thanks. By now you have the email with the link to a few posts that I'm certain Kaishon will love. I don't think you were following my blog last spring and you would have missed the story of the orphaned kits. Raccoons seem to just fall into my life. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thanks, Nancy. I'm glad that I touched on a colour and flower that you enjoy. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Joanna, thank you so much. I hope you have a wonderful and safe vacation. Enjoy! :)

• KC, I'm pleased that you got a good laugh in. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Nessa, thank you. I'm craving spring too. :)

• Moannie, thank you so kindly. I'm pleased that you enjoyed the photos and thrilled about their mention in your post about adorable Milou. Thanks very much for your always-kind comments. :)

• Fishing Guy, thank you. Very much appreciated. :)

• Thanks, Amy. It's one of my favourites. :)

• Suldog, I believe you when you say that's your only failing as a human being and of course I wouldn't lie to you. ;) You're not alone with that particular colour blindness. My two ex's were both that kind of colour blind. Don sees purple as blue mostly. But in truth, that first flower is definitely on the bluer side of purple, and the candle holders more toward the red side of purple. The rest were pretty much in between. So you weren't wrong, and so you're perfect after all. :)

• MPM, glad to know that. :)

• Daryl, mine too. Thanks kindly. :)

• Cricket, thank you very much for such kind and encouraging words. I'm really pleased that you enjoy my photos. Purple does remind me of jazz too but for me, it's because it's one of the prominent colours of Mardis Gras. A great soundtrack choice. Thanks for sending it to me. And thanks always for stopping by. :)

• Lorna, I'm so glad to hear that. Thanks for letting me know. :)

• Louise, that's curious. It's not a flower that readily comes to my mind. To find one here after dreaming about it would have me thinking. Thanks so much for visiting and for such kind words. :)

• Thank, Sandra. :)

• Thank you, Cloudia. You're too kind and thanks for including me on your blog roll. :)

• Mary Anne, I'm glad these photos gave you something of a pick-me-up. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Tammie Lee, I'm glad you're enjoying them. Thanks for dropping in. :)

• Sandy, thank you. I'm glad to know it. :)

• Deb, yesterday we got hit with the first one since December. But I'm looking forward to spring too. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Dave, thanks very kindly. I'm glad you enjoyed them. :)

• Shammie, I'm hoping for some springlike weather too. We got hit by that same weather you did. And yes, purple(ish) walls. You can see them in the background of the candle holder photo. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Clowncar, you're not alone. See Suldog's comment upstream. I bet that if you looked at blue, or what you're told is purple through red glass or film, you'd have a better idea. Maybe. Thanks for the kind words. :)

Laura said...

thank you for this breath of spring and summer. it is snowing again here today, quite gray.

Redbush said...

I just love visiting your blog! You're so inspiring, and the photos are always so refreshing, and gorgeous! Purple just happens to be a favourite colour of mine! The neighbours have been having problems with the moose eating their clematis and fruit trees down to nothing. Very spectacular photos once again!

Cedar said...

Purple is my favorite color...I especially enjoyed this one.

♥ Braja said...

Beautiful....nice to meet you via purple...I think I found you thru Amy, She Writes Here Now...

Maria said...

I loved your purple theme. The last picture was my favorite although I loved the flower pictures too.

Thanks for sharing those beautiful images.

Hilary said...

• Laura, thanks for stopping by. I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)

• Redbush, thanks very much for such kind and encouraging words. Purple seems to be the favourite colour of a lot of people. Who knew? That's a shame about the moose eating such delights. I'd be tempted to feed them something they might like better but that would probably cause all sorts of issues. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Thanks, Cedar. I'm glad you did. :)

• Welcome, Braja and thanks for the kind comment. I hope you'll be back again soon. :)

• Thank you, Gaelikaa. I'm pleased that you enjoyed the photos. Thanks for stopping by. :)

Tabor said...

I love them all, but my favorite has to be the clematis in a rainstorm.

Suzanne said...

Stunning! I love Purple. There just isn't anyway I can see anything that's purple and not smile. I found myself grinning like an idiot at your post today ;-) Thank goodness no one walked by my office.
Thank you for the lift!

Hilary said...

• Thanks, Tabor. I'm glad to see you back. :)

• Thanks very kindly, Suzanne. It seems that purple is a favourite of quite a few folks. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. :)

Land of shimp said...

I must figure out how to get into my computer screen!!!!

Purple, purple, purple. Among my favorite things in the world, purple ranks rather high.

What a wonderful, cheering, colorful collection of photographs. I'm heady with the aubergine, I tell you!

lime said...

just beautiful. i think the iris is my favorite. such a tight shot. just lovely.

Hilary said...

• Ha, Shimp. It seems you're not alone in the "purple is my favourite colour" camp. Thank so much for the kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. :)

• Thanks kindly, Lime. Very much appreciated. :)