Weekly Prompts Wednesday Challenge – Gardens

thanks to Sue W and GC for hosting Weekly Prompts https://weeklyprompts.com/2023/04/12/weekly-prompts-wednesday-challenge-gardens-2/

Where do I start with the prompt ‘garden’? It seems that at least 50% of my posts are around flowers. I’ve decided to go back and find some of the more interesting gardens that I’ve visited over the years.

The Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, ON

3-A1561-BA-22-C9-4-B9-D-981-E-DB59-AFB767-FB
982-B76-FF-76-F3-4765-B79-E-3-E90-A10-E35-EA
004-FD6-B4-B61-D-400-C-A2-A1-831516-FA77-BF

Queen Mary’s Rose Garden in London, England

1-B807-F57-766-D-4-CE8-857-B-67-BEA385-E3-FC

19-FF5-FA2-F86-A-4625-A5-FC-7-A34-AD539-FC8

Sunflowers in Tiny County, ON

FFA3-EC71-2-DF9-4-A31-8-A4-E-9-A126-A194-FEA

Gardens at the Chateau Royale in Amboise, France

58-A2745-C-BB8-E-45-C8-A201-A722-E9-EF57-BE
371723-F8-BC59-4-B48-B725-C9-CC9-CB53-B38
DDFDCF82-A756-4529-AEB7-CA38-BAD98-F07

Curve Garden in London, England

CA65-C185-2713-48-A1-BC7-C-40893-D33-EE12
B5-EFF705-2-D75-49-C5-8017-7-ECF10524-F8-D

Phoenix Gardens in London, England

EECD0-EB2-AEBB-40-F8-B0-B2-8-F4716582-BE2

Centennial Park Conservatory

4-C5598-AF-768-E-4-F2-C-B6-D7-80-C8-BC400-D07

A Quick Stroll After the Rain

….walking through the neighbourhood streets

It didn’t look like I was going to get a walk in today but the rain was short lived. When the showers subsided I decided to take a quick stroll along some of the streets in my neighbourhood. The gardens are really starting to come together and the colours are wonderful. I’ve noticed that there is a campaign against hate and some lawns have signs denouncing hate and a number of windows have neon hearts prominently displayed where passersby can see them.

BB516338-FEE7-49-CF-8-BD6-5753-FC73-C538
18-A09410-749-A-4-C89-9-BBF-EC227-B5-B26-C6
310-F31-DB-E346-4468-B776-1-E5486662-D5-B
9608-EF8-F-FEB6-4-EB7-BCA3-D2527-B6-AAEB8
0435-FC2-D-4-C5-F-49-D9-A688-5-C1-B4-F217-DB4
D03-F2877-E14-D-4-CE1-BC6-B-573-EF20-BC012
96-CD08-C5-2461-41-C5-BF65-2-E9-F58-F6-D14-B-1-201-a
BFEC4481-7182-46-E2-B9-FF-1-EDC35-F883-C7
213837-BC-8-FF9-4-C45-9685-F65955-E893-F7
FD38-BBD0-9-C8-F-47-EC-8-F45-9-BA4-B620-BBE6-1-201-a
F1045-CE6-0-D65-4643-9-ADA-B522915-F2-B05
E6-B06910-7-E0-B-4-BCF-9248-12-CA20419899

Lens Artist Challenge – Bokeh

…..thanks to Lens Artist Challenge for the Bokeh challenge https://photographias.wordpress.com/2022/04/09/lens-artists-challenge-bokeh/

Bokeh means blurring and a photo with the main subject in focus and the background blurred is an example of Bokeh.

Today I practised this technique at the gardens of the Chateau Royal in Amboise.

A Photo a Week – Endings

….thanks to Nancy Merrill for hosting A Photo a Week Challenge

I think I can safely say that winter has come to an end. Here’s proof.IMG-2364
IMG-2365
IMG-2366
IMG-2368

A Photo a Week Challenge – Contrasting Colours

….thanks to Nancy Merrill for hosting A Photo a Week Challenge

Contrasting colours or complementary colours are opposite each other on the colour wheel. They are often used in costumes and uniforms because together the colours really stand out. The following are examples of complementary colours: purple and yellow, red and green and orange and blue.

fullsizeoutput-fa
fullsizeoutput-eb
IMG-1490
fullsizeoutput-6f44
IMG-2645
P1060244
IMG-3016
54fa756d-516d-4bc3-85b0-595eb3638717
IMG-3869
IMG-6554
IMG-0030
IMG-0037

Cee’s Black and White Photo Challenge – Sculptures, Statues and Carvings

….thanks to Cee for hosting the Black and White Photo Challenge

This summer I’ve spent as much time as possible visiting art galleries, museums and gardens. The first group of photos are from the grounds surrounding the McMichael Gallery in Kleinberg. These amazing sculptures were created by Ivan Eyre.P1060604
fullsizeoutput_70cb
fullsizeoutput_70d2
fullsizeoutput_70d3
fullsizeoutput_70cc

The next set were taken at the AGO from the Rebecca Belmore show. Rebecca is an  Anishinaabekwe artist who is known for her performance and installation work.

fullsizeoutput_70d1
fullsizeoutput_70cf
IMG_3205
fullsizeoutput_70ce

fullsizeoutput_70d0

A Day Trip to Hamilton

….Brendan wanted to spend the day with his twin sister and her family

My daughter-in-law hadn’t seen Gaelan’s place in Hamilton so we took another road trip on Wednesday (one day after Niagara Falls). Luckily it’s only a 40 minute drive when traffic isn’t too busy.

Gaelan’s husband Brendan had the BBQ going when we got there and we started our visit with a wonderful lunch of sausages and salads. Soon after we decided to go to the Rock Garden at the Royal Botanical Gardens. It was a gorgeous day and the Rock Garden provided us with shade and cooling waters from the fountains and the waterfall.

We walked through most of the grounds when a dark cloud quickly appeared over head. The same thing had happened the day before when we were in Niagara Falls so we decided we needed to run for cover. We arrived back at the entrance when the clouds opened up but now we had to get to our cars and mine was parked in a lot on the opposite side of the street. My son-in-law graciously offered to drive me over in his car but the moment I stepped out of the car it rained even harder and in that split second I was completely drenched. I drove back to pick up Brendan and Azadeh.

We all returned to Gaelan’s house to dry off and have a cup of coffee before we headed back to Toronto. The worst of the rain had stopped by then. Despite the rain we had a wonderful time. This summer we’ve had to make the best of what Mother Nature has thrown at us. I only remember one summer worse than this one and that was in 1992 when we were building our cottage and living in a tent trailer. It rained every single day that summer and at the end of the summer on my 40th birthday the canvas gave way and the water came in at the foot of our bed.

P1040281

Cheers!