...a blog, a website, a wildflower, an author, a travel writer. FOLLOW ME!
First, the blog. My dear, dear friend, Art Berggreen's blog, "Art's Work"
is just a tease for the beautiful photographic work that channels through his brain and his eye to the camera and the "page." Trust me -- I've been the fortunate beneficiary of some private showings, and I can only hope Art will share them with you too as his blog continues to blossom. Art recently graduated from a high-end, but vanilla, digital to a very high end DSLR camera . His blog photos are taken with the new camera; he claims he's still "practicing." You decide.
It was Art who helped me understand the workings of digital cameras, who helped set up my new one, who helped me transition and recover from my film-to-digital neuroses, and has since patiently answered plenty of some pretty stooopid questions.
Another neat thing about Art? He and his lovely wife Barbara know where the wildflowers are! And birds. Checking out his blog will put smiles on your face. Go there!
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I have literally dozens of wildflower books, guides and plant lists for regions all across the country. They add a LOT of weight to my motorhome, but having them at my fingertips is an imperative. Hunting down, identifying and photographing wildflowers is my avocation. It just took one gentle, inspiring nudge from my mother-in-law, Merle Dunham, forty years ago, and I was hooked. I love finding an "UNK" (unknown) flower so I can traipse through pictorial tomes until the elusive plant is pinned down, identified and given a proper name.
Here is this Spring season's former UNK, "Indian Warrior," found in the Sierra foothills in mid-March.
Indian Warrior, no longer an "UNK," is a member of the Snapdragon family. Interestingly, its petals somewhat resemble the Bee Balm plant, a member of the Mint family. (Below, photographed in the Great Smoky Mtns NP last Summer)
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The other day I received an email from a man I've never met, Mark Dixon, who admired my blog, noted that I "like wildflowers" then directed me to his and his wife, Darice's website:
Dear gentle readers, if you are at all interested in close up, in-your-face macro photographs of and information about wildflowers, pollinating bugs, lichen or fungi, the Dixons' website is THE place to start for inspiration and information. I just spent most of a rainy afternoon cruising through the Dixons' web pages and links. Navigating through it is straightforward and simple; it's logically organized; it contains fantastic close up photographs; it abounds with informative little tidbits and details and, most important, is a worthwhile addition to your reference tools. Go there!
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Another nature photographer, fellow Lazy Daze RV traveler, Martha Marks, is not only a professional photographer of bugs, beasts and birds who sells prints of her art, she has recently published her first novel. This is an extraordinary woman, a remarkable photographer, a dedicated activist, and now a published mystery writer whose book, "Rubies of the Viper," is receiving great reviews on Amazon. If you are a birder, Martha's website is a bookmark-must for admiring and identifying our flying friends. Admire her photographs, read about her activism, read about her book (or buy the book!), visit her gift shop. You will be glad you "met" this woman. Go there!
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Heidi Young, one of the notorious Baja Babes, is a talented full time Lazy Daze RVer, who works while she explores the country. I've traveled and partied with Heidi here and there over the years and believe her enlightening chronicles deserve an audience.
Heidi's recent, most compatible-to-her-skills-and-aspirations endeavor is writing travel articles for an on-line magazine, "Ft. Myers Examiner." She gets paid by the "hit" and so since I'm selfishly hoping she'll still be around for many more raucous road trips with me, I'm hoping lots of you will hit on Heidi. OH! WAIT! I meant, hit on her articles!! Click on this URL to get to her page, then click on "subscribe," insert your eddress, and you'll be notified when her articles are ready for viewing. There are no fees or costs to subscribe. Go there!
Heidi's blog entries usually include comments or critiques, depending on his mood, by Rylie, her entertaining but impudent, furry traveling companion!
