Janet Brien's photos with the keyword: Pacific

[best appreciated at full size against black] Sometimes photographic subjects nearly hit you in the face, and this is an example! I was on a walk with the dogs along our ridge line trail, taking pictures and having a wonderful time. I'd just stood up to continue down the trail when I nearly hit something at eye level. Backing off, this is what I saw! I'm not sure what sort of seeds these are, but I loved the way they were hanging, and their deep, nearly black-rusted-brown color is quite striking. I've uploaded two other pictures today and I hope you'll visit them too! Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :) NOTE! I have finally updated my profile and I hope you'll take a look to find out a little more about me and how important all of you are to my experience here on Flickr! Janet's profile (sfhipchick) This image was taken in April, 2012.

I found this darling Wild Blue Flax blossom peeking out from a tuft of grass out in our front lawn area and I was so delighted because I didn't realize they grew this early in the season. I have seen them from June to August, but apparently they begin blooming in April! These delicate beauties are one of my favorites, growing on their long, slender stems. Wild Blue Flax is also known as Prairie Flax, Western Blue Flax, or just Blue Flax for short, is found west of the Mississippi. Its proper name, Linum Lewisii , comes from Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis & Clark Expedition! Blue Flax grows about 2 feet tall in dry meadows and ridge tops, from sea level to 3000 feet. These small flowers measure about 1/2" in diameter when open, and are pale blue or lavender in color, though apparently they can be white as well. These delicately striped flowers last just one day! If you would like to know more about Wild Blue Flax, Wiki has a great page here: Wiki: Wild Blue Flax (Linum lewisii)

[best appreciated at full size against black] I discovered this charming little family of mushrooms a couple of months ago after a rain shower. They were happy to tuck in together for this beautiful family portrait! This image was taken in February, 2012.

There are some bushes in our neighborhood covered with bright red-orange autumn leaves. I kept seeing them as we drove by without a camera. Yesterday I told Steve that we must go today since the leaves will probably be all gone by tomorrow, and I was right! We had to drive around for a while because the bushes had only a few leaves left. However, I did find a few, and that's all I needed! It was drizzling when I got these pictures and right after it began to rain, but I got my shots! By the way, I've uploaded two other pictures today and I hope you'll visit them too! Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :)

I found this lovely, metallic bronze beetle yesterday as I wandered around taking pictures while I kept an eye on our smouldering burn pile. The only time I've ever seen this beetle is on St. John Wort blossoms, where they breed and congregate. The are fairly difficult to photograph on those flowers because they stuff themselves into the base of stems and run around behind the blossoms if they notice me. However, this little guy was in the perfect place for a picture and he didn't move quickly, so I got time to compose my image the way I wanted it! :) From the Klemson University: The Klamathweed beetle, Chrysolina quadrigemina, is native to northern and central Europe and western Asia. The first North American introduction was reported from California in 1945 where it was introduced as a biological control for St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) which was listed on the federal noxious weed list. The beetle has become well established in California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and most recently, western North Carolina where it defoliates H. perforatum by targeting hypericin containing glands. The presence of the Klamathweed beetle in North Carolina was first reported in 1997 from a shipment of fresh St. John's Wort harvested from naturalized populations in Oregon. The beetles overwintered successfully and established a population in Brevard, NC. Additional populations were detected in 1999 from experimental plantings located in Ashe County, NC, at the Upper Mountain Research Extension Station and the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research & Extension Center (MHCREC) in Fletcher, NC.

These flowers are such delicate beauties, I never tire of staring in wonder at their lovely faces. Each blossom lives but one day, but each plant yields many flowers on their extremely strong stems! The usefulness of this plant's strong fibers has been recorded back as far as 30,000 BC!!!! If you would like to know more about this remarkable and useful plant, Wiki has a super page about it here: Wikipedia: Flax

Today I was determined to get across our meadow and into the lower forest to see if the wild sweet peas were in bloom. Alas...I was making my way across the field when I saw the beautiful faces of blue flax flowers staring up at the morning sun and I knew I'd found my subject for my 365! These tiny flowers are about 1/2" across and they live for just one day! The fibers taken from stems of these plants are 2-3 times stronger than cotton and flax is used to make cloth, paper, and its seeds are made into oil! Such a beautiful flower, such an incredibly useful plant! Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience. King has become a national icon in the history of American progressivism. Wikipedia: Martin Luther King, Jr.