There's Something About Flowers...

Flowers have a delightful way of cheering up even the most melancholy of souls, for their perkiness and unique personality just have a certain way of making their admirer smile.  People purchase flowers for occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, dinner parties, those, "I saw them and thought of you" instances, when someone feels the need to make up for something bad, weddings, funerals, even Macy's in Union Square transforms themselves into a jungle of blooms.  Their purpose on these occasions is to brighten, beautify, add bursts of color in every corner possible.  Flowers are so coveted because the vast variety of them makes it impossible to not be quite pleased with one, or a bunch, smiling right back up at you.  It really is undoubtedly remarkable how nature's way of cultivating soil and keeping the bees busy making honey can also bring so much simple joy to a person.  

As a super fan of these friendly buds, I do make it a point to keep fresh cut flowers in my apartment to keep the space bright and add a dose of nature to my backyard-less 6th floor studio.  Currently, I have ranunculus flowers on my book shelf and in my bathroom.  They were nodding at me at Trader Joe's, saying, "Buy Me!" in the most sing song way possible.  Now that I have them in my Strauss Milk glass bottles, they are spreading their petals most delicately and were definitely worth the $3.99/bunch.  

  Image courtesy of me.

Aside from the flowers in my apartment, I recently took a much needed therapy trip to the Botanical Gardens in Golden Gate Park.  These gardens are not only huge and still expanding, they are also free which is amazing seeing how SF's latest trend is to suck as much money out of you in any way possible.  Nonetheless, on a gorgeous Spring day, flouncing around in a skirt, tank top and digital point and shoot (Konica Minolta, Dimage G600, yes I'm working on saving to purchase a digital SLR), I wandered about the gardens capturing as many photos of flowers, leaves, greenery, whatever I could find that had a unique balance of color and shadows to further expand my growing collection of botanical photography.  

To walk about the gardens, through the grass, dirt paths, in-between trees, brush, flower beds, ponds, swamps, all sorts of elements you would find in tucked away corners of the earth are what make the Botanical Gardens so much to enjoy.  Some may ask, "Why do you just want to go look at plants all day?" Why not?  Nature is something so precious to this earth that we have to cherish and respect the organic beauty it has.  In everyday life we see processed beauty -- from industrial architecture, to beautiful clothes and shoes, to pretty pieces we find in shops -- but natural beauty, that which can only be provided by the sun, terrain and rain, is how we as people are able to process and create beauty.  

Have a little look-see at the photos from my recent trip here, 

SF Botanical Gardens

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If you haven't yet been to the gardens, or have, but haven't been back in a while, I encourage you to take advantage of a gorgeous Spring day, and enjoy getting lost in the stunning world of plants, trees, flowers and everything in-between.