The Oxbow - Fall Seedpods and Galls

"Each tiniest phenomenon is beloved, is love itself..."

― Henry Shukman quoting Master Nansen, One Blade of Grass

The Oxbow

 On election day George and I decided to go for a walk at the Oxbow Nature Conservancy in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.  George is a member and received a newsletter that described a new trail so we thought we would check it out.

When we first started, we had to move at a snail's pace because I couldn't stop finding things to photograph.  I felt like I was at the beach and had to stop to look at every interesting shell.  My subjects fell into five categories: Illinois bundleflower, goldenrod bunch galls, corn, people pics, and unidentified awesomeness. 

Bundleflower

Below is a photo of the Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoiensis).  (I did a print of this seed pod a few years ago.  You can see the final print here and read more about the process here.)  I recently learned from a friend that it is also called Prairie Mimosa, which I think is a prettier name. This particular photo was one of my favorites because of the sparkly background.  

Goldenrod Bunch Gall

Below you can see my next subject, the goldenrod bunch gall.  I didn't know what this was when I was photographing it, but I knew I loved the incredible dried flowers.  Apparently this flower is caused by a tiny fly  (Rhopalomyia solidaginis) that lays its eggs on the topmost leaf of goldenrod (Solidago canadensis).  The stem of the goldenrod stops growing upward, but the leaves continue to grow, thus forming a rosette.  These "flowers" provide a home to many types of midges and thus food for insect predators.  In the fall the midge emerges from the gall and the females lay their eggs in the soil and the cycle repeats.  One interesting fact is the female lays all male or all female eggs.  This is all quite interesting to me, but I have to admit the thing I love the most is the fantastic form of the rosettes.   

Corn

 Corn (Zea mays) was the third subject.  As you know if you read this blog, I have had quite a corn obsession lately.  You can see my latest print of corn here.  I got all excited about doing another print after walking among the rows of corn and seeing it close up.

The Humans

I also had an adorable human subject who would sometimes model with the plants and who sometimes turned the camera back around.

In addition to these subjects, I had a couple unidentified seed pods.  If you know what they are let me know (just found out they are Velvetleaf, Abutilon theophrasti).  Instead of grouping the photos by subject I thought it would be more interesting to mix them all together.  I usually end most of my posts with some "deep thoughts" but decided instead to sprinkle in some quotes and let the photos stand on their own.

"Age is not all decay;
it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within,
that withers and bursts the husk."

― George MacDonald

Many eyes go through the meadow, but few see the flowers in it.
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Decline is also a form of voluptuousness, just like growth. Autumn is just as sensual as springtime.
There is as much greatness in dying as in procreation.”

― Iwan Goll

"The world is filled with hidden love."

― Daniella Kessler

Velvetleaf, Abutilon theophrasti

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them." 

—Henri Matisse

"I quaked in awe for the most ordinary things." 

―Henry Shukman, One Blade of Grass