A Spring Photo Shoot

Yesterday was a beautiful spring-like day, with breathtakingly blue skies and bright sunshine. There was a chill in the air as lingering March breezes made their presence felt, but I took advantage of the pretty weather and went exploring with my camera.

I began my adventure at the Old Court House Museum in Vicksburg. The dogwoods are in bloom, but haven't quite reached their peak yet. Can you believe that sky!

I had company as I rambled around the grounds. The "Court House Cat" joined me, and I captured him with my camera when he stopped to rest at the base of one of those huge columns ...

Isn't he beautiful!

I also captured this huge Iris.

When I changed to my macro lens to get a closer look, I was amazed by what I saw. It looked as if there was a candle glowing deep within its petals (you can click on the pictures to enlarge them if you'd like to see the details).

I've discovered that so much of God's glory is hidden within the petals of a flower or under a leaf, and I feel so blessed every time I get a glimpse of it through my camera lenses.

After saying 'goodbye' to my little cat friend, I left the Court House and drove over to the National Cemetery, which is located in the Vicksburg National Military Park. The cemetery is one of my favorite places to photograph in Vicksburg, and this beautiful Redbud tree immediately caught my eye ...

I couldn't get close to that tree, but found another Redbud on a country road that was easy to reach and captured these close-up shots.

As you can see, it was one of those days when you can't help but think, "How great Thou Art" ... and it was a very memorable way to celebrate the beginning of this Holy Week.

The Days of Holy Week Holy Monday was when Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers, saying to them: "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'; But you make it a den of robbers." [Matthew: 21:13] Holy Tuesday of Holy Week is the day when the incident between Jesus and Pharisees is thought to have taken place. This was when the churchmen tried to trap Jesus into making a blasphemous, or, anti-God remark. This day is also significant as the day Jesus discoursed to his disciples on the Mount of Olives about the destruction of Jerusalem and the signs of the last day. Spy Wednesday: The day Judas betrayed Jesus. Maundy Thursday: The day of the Last Supper. In the words of Matthew: Jesus took bread, and blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Good Friday: The Crucifixion Holy Saturday commemorates the day Jesus Christ's body lay in the tomb. Easter Sunday: The day of the Resurrection.

2009 -- A Photo Journey

As 2009 comes to an end, I'd like to share a few random photos I took during the year. When I look at these photographs, it's like taking a trip back in time as I recall the days I took them.

JANUARY: Narcissus is one of my favorite flowers. They are in their peak blooming season here in Mississippi, and I hope to capture some with my camera soon. I took this picture last January.

FEBRUARY: Close up shot of a monument in the Vicksburg National Military Park

MARCH: Headstones resting under the branches of an old dogwood tree. Taken at one of my favorite places to photograph in Vicksburg -- the Vicksburg National Cemetery, located in the Vicksburg National Military Park.

APRIL: The inside of a Snapdragon blooming in our courtyard

MAY: One of the first hummingbirds of Spring

JUNE: Cotton Blossom near Lake Providence, Louisiana

JULY: July 4th Celebration, Vicksburg

AUGUST: Mississippi Delta Sunflower

SEPTEMBER: Twisted Crape Myrtle trunks in the Vicksburg National Cemetery

OCTOBER: The seed pod of a Dogwood Tree at the Old Court House Museum, Vicksburg

NOVEMBER: Oak Tree in Vicksburg National Cemetery

DECEMBER: Light dusting of snow on a Japanese Maple Leaf in our courtyard

I'm looking forward to a new year of rambling with my camera and discovering and capturing in pictures the places I go and the things I see along the way. I hope you will join me.

Still Watching and Waiting for the Ginkgos

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post called Ginkgo, One of Fall's Most Glorious Trees, featuring pictures of a large ginkgo at the Old Court House Museum here in Vicksburg. Yesterday, I went back by the court house to see if the leaves had turned yet, and here are the pictures I captured while I was there.

It's gorgeous, but hasn't quite reached the peak of its fall color.

After I left the court house, I drove over to the Vicksburg National Military Park to check on the ginkgos there. There is one in particular in the National Cemetery that I have photographed many times, but have never managed to capture in the fall.

Just look at its huge trunk.

I'd love to know how old it is and think I will try to find out. It is, without a doubt, the largest and most magnificent ginkgo I've ever seen, and I don't want to miss its fall show. I just love this old tree!

Here is another old one whose leaves have just begun to turn.

I love its beautiful trunk, too!

I plan to keep an eye on the big ginkgo tree, and hope I can share it with you when it is at its peak. In the meantime, I'm going to try to learn something about its age and history. If only it could talk!

Ginkgo: One of Fall's Most Glorious Trees

When I was at the Old Court House Museum this week taking pictures of the dogwood trees, I noticed a huge old Ginkgo Tree, also known as a "Maidenhair Tree." It's almost time for their leaves to start turning, and they are truly a sight to behold.

The Ginkgo is the world's oldest living species of tree and can live a long time, some up to a thousand years. In general, ginkgo trees will grow from about 80 to 100 feet tall, and here are a couple of large ginkgoes located in the Vicksburg National Military Park. I would love to know how old these trees are ...

You can tell some of the leaves are just beginning to turn on this one ...

I love the ginkgo leaves. They are fan-shaped, and will suddenly turn a pure, dazzling yellow in the fall, remaining for awhile on the tree, then suddenly dropping, virtually all at the same time. I can't wait to try to capture some pictures of the trees in Vicksburg, when they're at their peak. I say, "try," because it's not going to be easy task to catch them before the leaves fall.

This is a close up of some leaves that were turning on the tree at the courthouse (you can click on the pictures to enlarge them, if you'd like).

One of the reasons the tree at the courthouse caught my eye was because of the seed pods under it. They looked like little wrinkled up persimmons, soft and fleshy and "squishy," for lack of a better word, when I stepped on them taking pictures of the tree.

I had never seen the fruit of a ginkgo tree and, after "googling" them, I found out that the female trees produce the fruit-like pods, which are actually the seeds covered by the soft outer skin (the trees in the military park must be "guys," because they didn't have any fruit under them).

I thought it was neat, the way this little pod was perched on the root of the tree.

Of all the pictures I took that day at the courthouse, the next two are my favorites. This is a seed pod that had not fallen yet, and I love the raindrops clinging to it and the leaves around it.

If you would like to see my post featuring pictures I took of the dogwood trees at the courthouse, including close ups of their seed pods, click here: To Everything There is a Season: Dogwood.

I plan to write a follow-up post on the Ginkgos soon, after I get pictures of them when their leaves turn. Hopefully, it won't just be pictures of puddles of golden leaves beneath bare branches. But then, that's going to make some pretty pictures, too!

To Everything There is a Season -- Dogwood

Yesterday was another dreary day in Vicksburg, with a light mist falling and humid temperatures in the 70s, but that didn't stop me from venturing out with my camera. I've been wanting to get some pictures of dogwood trees now that their leaves are beginning to turn and their branches are loaded with bright red seed pods.

Some of the oldest and most beautiful dogwood trees in Vicksburg are at the Old Court House Museum (the subject of my post yesterday), and that's where I headed for my photo shoot.

As I walked around the courthouse grounds, the air was heavy with a soft mist and the heavenly scent of roses. Unfortunately, it was also heavy with pesky mosquitoes buzzing around me, but when the old clock in the courthouse tower struck ten o'clock, I forgot about the mosquitoes and the misting rain -- it was such a lovely morning and I was happy to be out enjoying it.

As I walked, I decided that the magnificent old courthouse would make a perfect background for my dogwood pictures, and I'd like to share those first. You can click on the pictures to enlarge them, if you'd like.

This is the clock tower that houses the
old clock that still keeps accurate time.

There isn't any dogwood in the next three pictures, but I want to show you the columns that grace all four sides of the courthouse. Aren't they magnificent!

I love those stately old columns, and can only imagine the stories they could tell, if they could talk.

Here are a few close up pictures I captured of the dogwood seed pods.

To everything there is a season ... and I think dogwoods are just as lovely in the fall as they are in the spring.

And Only God could turn this ...

into this ...