GOSH #2 - Nature

[Levina de Ruijter]

Welcome to GOSH, our new Go Out and SHoot challenge!

This challenge will run for 2 weeks and the idea is to go out (or stay in) and shoot new material for it. So no images from the archives for this one.
As this is a personal challenge the winners are those that go out and shoot. That’s what this challenge is meant for: to motivate us to pick up the camera and take photographs. The themes are chosen via a poll.

>>> The theme for GOSH #2 = Nature.

This theme tied with another theme in our poll. So let's go with this one first. Show us nature in all its diversity and with Spring just around the corner we should have no problem photographing it.

Have fun everybody!!

Rules (we can add them as we go along and we think they're necessary)

• Shots need to be taken within the period the challenge runs, so no images from the archives!
• Any camera is allowed: DSLR, mirrorless, fixed-lens cameras, film cameras, phones, all are welcome
• You can post as many images as you like
• Likes and discussion are very welcome; the more the merrier.

 

[RDWP]

Gosh! I get to start this one too!

Today I found this creation of Nature hanging from the end of my eavestroughing where earlier snow had pulled down a section. About 6 - 7 feet long. Can't quite see Spring yet.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

Gosh! I get to start this one too!

Today I found this creation of Nature hanging from the end of my eavestroughing where earlier snow had pulled down a section. About 6 - 7 feet long. Can't quite see Spring yet.

Yeah, that’s still very much winter.

 

[David1701]

It's indoor shots, at the moment, due to the never-ending rain.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

It's indoor shots, at the moment, due to the never-ending rain.

View attachment 81649

Indoors or outdoors, it's nature and it's beautiful!

 

[NixEre]

One of my Spring favourites!

 

[Macstory]

I'd noticed a couple of week back snowdrops, no heads at that time so put my 90mm len's on set my speed and aperture then heard rustling above me. One shot and he was gone. Got my squirrel photo but still no heads on the snowdrops.

 

[Terry McDaniel]

Mistletoe

And something I've never photographed before, Mistletoe flowers. The plants are usually high up in trees, this one was low enough I could reach it.

For many years Mistletoe was the official state flower of Oklahoma. It was chosen because it stayed green throughout the Oklahoma winters. It represented the perseverance of the early settlers in Oklahoma. Indian Blanket replaced it as the state wildflower in 1986.
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[Levina de Ruijter]

And something I've never photographed before, Mistletoe flowers. The plants are usually high up in trees, this one was low enough I could reach it.

See how great it is when we have to shoot new stuff?!

Seriously though, congrats, as this is a first. Very cool.

Why was Mistletoe replaced by Indian Blanket as your state wildflower?

 

[Terry McDaniel]

Mistletoe is a semi-parasitic plant that roots into trees and uses the trees water for itself. Some of our less educated legislators in the history of early settlers using Mistletoe to decorate graves with during the winter decided we needed a flower that actually has showy petals. They went back and forth between Indian Blanket and Indian Paintbrush, and finally decided on Blanket.

Indian Blanket:

Indian Paintbrush:

I prefer Paintbrush, but they didn't ask me. Oddly enough Paintbrush, like Mistletoe is also a semi parasitic plant. It's roots intertwine with roots from various grasses and steals nutrients from them.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

Mistletoe is a semi-parasitic plant that roots into trees and uses the trees water for itself. Some of our less educated legislators in the history of early settlers using Mistletoe to decorate graves with during the winter decided we needed a flower that actually has showy petals. They went back and forth between Indian Blanket and Indian Paintbrush, and finally decided on Blanket.

Indian Blanket:
View attachment 81771

Indian Paintbrush:View attachment 81772
I prefer Paintbrush, but they didn't ask me. Oddly enough Paintbrush, like Mistletoe is also a semi parasitic plant. It's roots intertwine with roots from various grasses and steals nutrients from them.

Indian Paintbrush would definitely have been my choice too. They're really lovely.
But at least they didn't choose chrysanthemums!

 

[Terry McDaniel]

What amazes me about Paintbrush is the color variations. The bracts vary from off white to yellow, to light pink, light to dark reds and everything in between.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

Oddly enough Paintbrush, like Mistletoe is also a semi parasitic plant. It's roots intertwine with roots from various grasses and steals nutrients from them.

I didn't know plants could be parasitic. Are you by any chance a botanist, Terry? You know so much about plants.

As to the Paintbrush's colour variations, your image already shows two variations and they're both beautiful. It must be a great sight to have say, a flower bed with differently coloured paintbrush. I'd love to see that.

 

[Terry McDaniel]

Not a botanist, but I was a biology major in college. Then taught middle and high school science for several years. I finally got tired of driving a school bus route before and after the school day and working weekends at Walmart just to help pay the bills and raise my children. I went 18 months without a day off when I finally gave it up for one job at the paper mill in our town.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

Not a botanist, but I was a biology major in college. Then taught middle and high school science for several years. I finally got tired of driving a school bus route before and after the school day and working weekends at Walmart just to help pay the bills and raise my children. I went 18 months without a day off when I finally gave it up for one job at the paper mill in our town.

A pity you had to give up the teacher's job. I'm guessing you enjoy being a substitute teacher!