Thursday, June 21, 2012

A-flutter with Poppies

Your ghost will walk, you lover of trees,
(If our love remain)
In an English lane,
By a cornfield-side a-flutter with poppies
~Robert Browning


unpopped poppy2
I find poppy buds to be almost as beautiful as the blossom. Maybe more so.






unpopped poppy
Here's an up close and personal look at one.






blooming poppy
This one is just about to pop.






poppy newly bloomed
They bloom so quickly that I can't say I've seen them in this stage of emergence - with the splitting bud still visible.






poppy season
It isn't long before they're all a-flutter just like the post title and quote suggest.






poppy
Beautiful flowers, these poppies are. (Yoda, I am talking like)






poppies
Any way you look at them.






wet poppy
Petals glisten after a summer shower.






poppy head and friend
And on the underside of a bud, a tiny creature navigates the hairs.

Thanks for walking amid the poppies with me. All were growing in Frank's back yard.

62 comments:

Kerri Farley said...

Fantastic! Sometimes close-ups can make things look so "other worldly" - Stunning captures!!

Birdie said...

I have never taken the time to look closely at a poppy. I will the next time I see one. Beautiful post it is. (Said in my Yoda voice.)

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous gorgeous and wow wow wow!

June said...

Voluptuous fluttery things, poppies.
And rampant, once they take hold.
These photos are O'Keeffe-ish!

Brian Miller said...

very cool progression...i like the one that is just about to pop...

messymimi said...

You capture the intricacies of small things in a way that makes them delightful.

Gary's third pottery blog said...

so beautifully pictured!

Liz Mays said...

How absolutely gorgeous! I just love all the fuzzies. :)

DJan said...

Your macro shots are simply amazing. I know I've said it before, I can't help myself, Hilary. Fabulous shots that take my breath away. Love them all! ;-)

Lisa Gordon said...

These are gorgeous, Hilary!
I was out photographing poppies last night.
They are such wonderful subjects.

Wishing you a great day ahead!

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Oh these photographs show off all the best things about a poppy. Love the grouping where the transparency of the petals shines. Always a treat to visit here Hilary!

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

It's almost like watching a time-lapse video. My favorites are the "just about to pop" and the "any way you look at them" photos. I would have asked if you had seen the spider before you snapped the picture, but you surely did because he's so sharply in focus. Have I mentioned that I don't like spiders? Still...a beautiful photo.

Out on the prairie said...

A very nice series, I enjoy the poppies always

Betty Manousos said...

what a beauty!! heaven on earth!
your photography is like visual poetry, hilary!

big hugs!

p.s. thank you kindly for your always wonderful comments. they mean the absolute world! xo

Betty Manousos said...

i love the quote, too:)

Denise at Autumn Sky said...

I love this series of photos. Anytime there are raindrops on flowers or leaves, it is a photo op. Poppies are so simple and beautiful.

Rita said...

Breathtaking photos! I love when you take the macro pictures so we can see what we'd normally miss walking by. The buds are quite intricate, but the flowers! What looks better with the sun shining through the petals?

Love the Yoda voice. ;)

Lynne with an e said...

Ah, bless their furry little hearts. I am well and truly smitten with poppies, though we don't have any in our garden (and by "our" I mean Pierre's). You've found some magnificent specimens here, but aren't they all? Gorgeous pix.

Frank Baron said...

Good stuff. The last shot is a real winner. :)

abb said...

Such beautiful photographs of one of my very favorite flowers.

stephen Hayes said...

Lovely. You've managed to capture something few people see because these flowers, as you say, bloom so quickly and are gone too soon. But I prefer Turkish poppies which not only look good but make you feel good too. Ha!

Suldog said...

I don't believe I've ever seen a poppy in person. I wonder why not? Anyway, swell shots, and much appreciated.

Pauline said...

It's 96 degrees here and this post was like taking a walk someplace cool. Thanks!

Murr Brewster said...

No flower more reliably makes me happy than a poppy, in every stage (scrotum to squashed-up-purse-Kleenex). Gosh, you're a wonderful photographer!

Maggie May said...

I love poppies and these are such good photos. You can almost count the hairs on the stems.
All mine have dropped & succumbed to the wind & rain.
Maggie X

Nuts in May

TexWisGirl said...

gorgeousness!!!

Reena said...

I also love the poppies! You photos are so beautiful and love that one just before it opens!

Bob Bushell said...

Wowee zowee, that is brilliant macro at work Hilary.

Rosaria Williams said...

Oh, what miracles they are!

Jinksy said...

The third one down is enough to make anybody drool...♥

Leah J. Utas said...

Such an intimate visit. Thank you.

Gail Dixon said...

Gosh, these are outstanding, Hilary! I didn't know that poppies had those fuzzy buds. The second photo is a show-stopper!

Red said...

And your walk was not only pleasant but taught us a few things about poppies.

Rob-bear said...

The pictures remind me of the yard we had at one of our places years ago. Lots and lots of poppers!

Thanks, Hillary.

Unknown said...

I love them too, they're gorgeous.
These pictures are amazing.
If you reply back, I'll tell you what they really remind me of ;-)

Nadezda said...

Hi, they are a very graceful!

Zuzana said...

Oh Hilary, this was a great set of photographs! Absolutely stunning captures - love the rain drops and the little spider.
Every day on my drive to work, I have two wishes - that I would have the time and the opportunity to stop and take pictures. But have none, it is quiet impossible and dangerous to stop on a busy highway. But I pass meadows of multicolored lupines in bloom and fields of poppies - the later are like a sea of red, it takes my breath away...
Have a nice weekend,
xoxo

Laura~Pretty Pix said...

Simply beautiful
and a joy to see!

Dave said...

Nice progressive poppie shots Hilary. I think poppies are amazing flowers. Each flower only opens for a day, but the next day the plant has a brand new flower. Amazing - Dave

NitWit1 said...

I am in love with Macros and wish I had more time to explore. Love this series. I have not seen any poppies growing in my areas.

Great shots.

Friko said...

I've never seen poppies photographed as successfully as these.

Gillian Olson said...

These are just spectacular pictures, you have used the light beautifuly. I agree with the above comment that these are probably the best series of poppies that I have ever seen.

Scott Law said...

I'm with you on the poppies. You got some wonderful shots here.

Anonymous said...

Marvelous shot!

Anonymous said...

Just gorgeous in both stages! We don't have any growing close to me. I wish we did!

yaya said...

Oh my..there's so much living that goes on right under our noses..beautiful pics of a the life of a poppy! I even enjoyed the little bug...and the hairs on the pod reminds me of something..hmmm..oh yeah, the hairs I've sometimes encountered on my chin. Hopefully no bugs live there! Have a great weekend!

ellen abbott said...

beautiful pics. I love poppies and mine were spectacular this year. I also like the seed pods, like little salt shakers.

sage said...

beautiful! you didn't seen any razor slices in the stalks did you? ;)

SandyCarlson said...

What a stunning sequence!

Elizabeth Grimes said...

Gosh, what a beautiful transformation! Thanks for capturing and displaying so nicely. I really enjoyed these. :)

Laura said...

marvelous poppy photos...I think it is time to post mine too!

Unspoken said...

Ex.quis.it! Oh my gosh. Such beauty.

Hilary said...

Thanks kindly, everyone. Your warm comments mean so much to me. :)

Anvilcloud said...

Your macro vision is exquisite.

Barb said...

You make me appreciate Poppies in a whole new way!

Jo said...

Beautiful! And weird! The world is so curious through your lens, Hilary. What is it about poppies--they look so papery & delicate, but just blaze color.

photowannabe said...

Stunning Hilary!!!

Daryl said...

i do believe you've mastered that macro!

lime said...

you have truly captured every stage of a poppy's beauty. they are my calypso's favorite flower. :)

Anita said...

My 12 year old daughter and I have enjoyed these pictures; however, she says the picture of the flower about to pop kinda grosses her out. lol She says it reminds her of a fuzzy tarantula.

Nice work. :)

snowwhite said...

In May I took photos of poppies' buds and thought how beautiful and how delicate they were!!
Curving stalks are incredibly graceful. Baby poppies look like sleeping and growing. I especially love the fifth one. The photo shows very essence of the beauty of the buds. 
I looked at other photos of yours. You always captured the best moment. Gorgeous photos!! Beyond words!
keiko

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

I've never seen this much beauty in a poppy bud... until now. Thank you, Hilary!