flower — 2015 — The 21st Century Matriarch

After I took the picture of the one flower on our hydrangea bush last weekend – just about the only part not eaten by the overpopulation of deer in our area – I looked around the house at the hydrangea flowers I had cut in previous years from the same bush. They tend to dry and retain their shape…and sometimes some color too.

The oldest ones are probably over 5 years old. They have visible cat hair and dust they’ve collected from the air as they stood in their vase on top of the book case. There is still some color (originally pink) in the tips of some of the petals.

Some of the petals curved so that the veins became more visible.

Last year I cut some more and they have more of the pink color remaining although some parts turned a deeper brown.

The purple/pink flower is from earlier this summer. The color deepened as they dried.

I’m trying to decide if I want to risk putting them all in one vase. They are fragile enough that they might crumble completely. The color variation and shapes of the dried flowers appeals to me.

I’ve pasted monthly about the classes I was enjoying on Coursera for the past year or so.Last month I expanded to ‘online classes’ since I enjoyed a Creative Live photography class. This month I’m expanding beyond that to the idea of a ‘learning log’ post each month as a way to document my learning paths; it’s an acknowledgement that my learning paths are evolving all the time both in content and learning strategies.

Learning by doing. I am endeavoring to take/make opportunities to apply what I am learning. The best example over the past month was the nature photography activity I did with summer campers. Teaching someone else is a great milestone for learning. I’m in the process of writing out the activity notes…and lessons learned….so that I can do it again next summer - even more effectively. The interaction also prompted several photographic projects for my continued development.

Coursera courses are still something that will appear in my learning log almost every month….I’m not planning to have more than a couple in progress at any particular time. I finished the Geodesign course in August. It was a nice follow on to the Geospatial Revolution course I took earlier in the year and I’ve noticed more articles about communities apply Geodesign ideas since taking the course.

I’ve started a Mediation course from the University of Virginia. It is the first in a series which will extend at least through the end of the year. Right now it is almost overwhelming but interesting enough that I am making the effort.

Later this month, a Forest and Humans course will start. I’m looking forward to the lectures and references during the fall in Maryland (lots of colorful leaves from the forest behind my house).

My husband purchased The Art of Flower Photography from Creative Live so we are beginning to watch in at hour at a time. As usual….I am interested in composition more than anything else although strategies for dealing with full sunlight (which often it too bright for good flower photography) may also be part of the course.

Photo Week 2015 on Creative Live happens in September too. My husband has already signed up for watching it live (and free). The three segments I am most interested in are: