Tag Archives: images

Choices, Choices.

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I’m putting together a collection of my favorite photos from 2013 for a “best photos of the year” post similar to the one I did last year about this time.  It’s been a tough task, especially when there are two photos that are only slightly different from each other.  I’ve gotten through most of them, but am stuck on one pair of photos.  Since I can’t seem to make a decision, I’ve decided it might be fun to just put it to a vote.

I’ve put both options below.  If you have a preference between the two, let me know by replying in the comments section below.

The image that gets the most votes will be part of the photo collection next week.

Thanks for your help!

Photo A: (you’ve seen this one before)

Bison at The Nature Conservancy's Niobrara Valley Preserve (one year after the big wildfire).

Bison at The Nature Conservancy’s Niobrara Valley Preserve (one year after the big wildfire).

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Photo B: (taken just a few seconds after the first)

The same bison just a few seconds later. (Both photos were taken from the safety of a pickup.)

The same bison, different angle. (Both photos were taken from the safety of a pickup.)

You can click on each photo to see a larger and sharper image of it.  Please vote – and thanks for your help!

Photo of the Week – October 4, 2012

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This is the time of year when I get the most satisfaction from harvesting prairie seeds.  Early in the year, seed harvest consists largely of hunting around for little plants hidden here and there in the prairie, and bending low to pluck their seeds.  It’s an important time, but it often feels like a lot of work for not much seed.  In the fall, however, we’re grabbing big handfuls of seed heads from tall plants, and our buckets fill quickly.

One corner of our seed storage barn, showing drying seeds in the foreground and cleaned and bagged seeds on the shelf behind.

The other day, I stepped back to admire the bounty in our seed storage area and thought – not for the first time – how attractive piles of drying seeds can be.  The textures, shapes, and colors all jumbled up together make interesting patterns that beg to be the subjects of still life photographs.

Here are some photos of our seed piles, taken earlier this week.  Because I know some of you will enjoy it, I left the species names off so you can try to guess their identities.  The correct answers will be at the bottom of this post – good luck!

#1

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#2

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#3

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#4

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#5

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#6

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#7

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#8

Did you guess them all?  Knowing that they’ve all been harvested within the last couple weeks should help.  (This is probably more difficult for those of you living on other continents… sorry about that!)

THE ANSWERS:

#1 – Maximilian sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani)

#2 – Blue lobelia, aka great lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)

#3 – Lanceleaf gayfeather (Liatris lancifolia)

#4 – Prairie wild rose (Rosa arkansana)

#5 – Canada milkvetch (Astragalus canadensis)

#6 – Showy tick trefoil, aka Canada tick clover (Desmodium canadense)

#7 – Common evening primrose (Oenothera villosa)

#8 – Pitcher sage (Salvia azurea)