39/365 Fresh asparagus

Asparagus makes me think of two things: 1. my grandmother on my dad's side, and 2. the garden my parents had when I was a kid.

I think of my grandmother because asparagus was something she served every year at Easter when we visited. (I didn't actually eat it myself, but she served it.) It's not like this was the only time I was around asparagus; Mom fixed plenty at home. But for some reason the sight takes me back to Easters in Michigan.

And I think of the garden we had when I was a kid, because we grew a patch of asparagus against a side of the shed. Mom often says that the patch had just filled out and become a fantastic source of fresh asparagus when we sold the house and moved.

Isn't that how it always works?

Camera: Canon 40D with 60mm macro lens and 430EX Speedlite, 1/125s, f/2.8 at ISO 400

38/365 Apple blossoms

Like everything else blooming right now, this apple tree is completely loaded with blossoms. If it's a sign of the fruit to come, then I won't need to make any trips to the orchard this fall!

I'm very grateful that I live in a climate that allows me to grow food in my yard. My parents have generally grown the same vegetables year after year in their garden, but just this year, I learned exactly how extensive the list of Indiana-friendly vegetables is.

You can check it out in the Indiana Vegetable Planting Calendar on the Purdue Extension Publications site. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page, in the "Vegetables" section, and it's pdf HO-186-W. You can download it for free by clicking on the PDF link.

Did you know that you can grow black-eye peas in Indiana? How about beets, eggplants, horseradish, kale or celery?

If I lived in a tropical climate, on the other hand, I would immediately plant some citrus trees in my yard. Oranges, grapefruit, lemons... The idea that I could walk out in my backyard and pick a fresh grapefruit for my breakfast sounds exotic -- and heavenly.

Nevertheless, the list of foods that can grow in Indiana is impressive and not too shabby!

Camera: Canon 40D, 1/125s, f/4 at ISO 250 at about 8:00 p.m.

37/365 Collecting rainfall

I've found collecting rainwater to be a fun pasttime throughout my life. [This goes hand-in-hand with both my fascination with meteorology and the way I was raised -- no video games allowed, just entertain yourself. So you get creative.]

As a kid, I loved setting bowls and buckets in scattered locations outside during a rain storm, then waiting to see which ones (if any) collected more than the others.

Now I enjoy having a visible rain gauge at home to monitor our rainfall. And in the future, I'd like to merge the kid in me with the conservationist and begin collecting rainfall for watering plants.

It's the best of both worlds!

Camera: Canon 40D with 60mm macro lens, 1/60s, f/2.8 at ISO 1250 at about 8:00 p.m.

36/365 Flowering redbuds

I adore the redbud trees at this time of year in Indiana.

I love that they disguise themselves as ordinary green-leafed deciduous trees for the majority of the year, but for a few weeks in the spring, they add bright pops of lavender and magenta to the landscape.

While my other favorite pink spring trees -- magnolias -- are generally planted on purpose, redbuds are often scattered all over the place, in unassuming wild wooded areas.

Wouldn't it be nice if they retained their color throughout the growing season? (Seasonal allergy sufferers are probably screaming "No!" at the screen right now.)

Camera: Canon 40D with 60mm macro lens, 1/125s, f/5.6 at ISO 125 at about 6:00 p.m.

35/365 Waiting patiently

Mom has been doing some intensive training with (the horse formerly known as Destiny but now named) Xena in the last month, now that the weather is improving.

The focused training is done with the purpose of preparing her to do trail rides this year, and to bring her up to the same training level as Shep and Oprah.

Focusing on Xena means leaving Oprah at home occasionally, which Oprah doesn't enjoy, but she enthusiastically greets Xena when she gets home. She's so enthusiastic at the gate that we have to move her to the corral before Xena gets within earshot.

And herein lies an amazing demonstration of a horse's senses. On Saturday, Oprah had successfully been gated into the corral far in advance of Mom and Xena's return. Then, long before they were in sight or my hearing, Oprah started whinnying in their direction. It was so far in advance that I wasn't even sure what she was talking about (yes, it's like she's talking).

So on Sunday, I took my camera out to try to catch her in the act. Did she perform?

Nope. Of course not. She was the picture of patience, quietly waiting for their return.

Sheesh.

Camera: Canon 40D, 1/250s, f/5.6 at ISO 100 at about 5:30 p.m.

34/365 Leaving the nest

With all the possible danger that baby birds have to face, their survival is truly commendable.

Think about it: your mom lays her eggs (you and your siblings), and you mature in an open-topped bed made of twigs and grasses, woven together by your doting parents. You're exposed to the elements -- freezing temperatures, raging winds, blinding rain -- and that's before you've even hatched yet.

Then you hatch, and like all babies for a time, you're completely helpless. You still face those harsh weather elements, but now you have an added threat: you're a warm body that may look tasty to a fellow tree-crawling creature.

You grow quickly, as wild animals do to protect themselves, and you're getting adventurous. You start to spread your wings, literally, and try to fly. But here's the catch: if you fall out of the nest too soon, there's no way for you to get back in. Your mom can't pick you up, and you can't fly. You're stuck. And the number of predators on the ground is even higher than the ones that can get you in your nest.

And yet, thousands of baby birds live to become adults every year. How do they do it? Thinking about it gives me a whole new respect for mother nature.

Camera: Canon 40D, 1/125s, f/5.6 at ISO 100 in direct sunlight at about 6:30 p.m.

33/365 Watercolor motion

This photographic technique always reminds me of a watercolor painting. Not only is it a fun and different way to photograph flowers, it's a great way to combat wind.

I did this by focusing on a flower, setting a slow shutter speed, then zooming in while the shutter was open. Last year I did something similar, but instead of zooming with the lens, I leaned toward the flower while the shutter was open.

Same idea, one's just a little more high-tech than the other.

Camera: Canon 40D, 1/10s, f/11 at ISO 100 at about 6:30 p.m.

32/365 Cherry blossoms

This lovely little cherry tree has been a favorite subject of mine, but this is the first I've photographed its blossoms instead of its luscious fruit.

Curious about the story of this little tree? Check out these posts from Year 1:

34/365 -- How this little tree came to be...
92/365 -- Full of fresh fruit
99/365 -- A modest but wonderful harvest

I adore the bright green grass that acts as a backdrop for the bright white blossoms in this photo. The wind presented a challenge, but I fought back with patience and a sufficiently fast shutter speed.

I can't wait for the fruit!

Camera: Canon 40D with 60mm macro lens, 1/125s, f/5.6 at ISO 640 at about 8:00 p.m.

31/365 A small-town cemetery

I realized recently that I haven't tried to do any cemetery photos in the time since I've been authoring SightSalad.

That may not seem like an odd thing, but in the Indianapolis photography market, trekking to Crown Hill Cemetery is a must-do for interesting subject matter.

This shot isn't of lovely Crown Hill (which I do mean to photograph at some point) but it's a small cemetery I passed on my way home. My great-grandparents on my mom's side are actually buried in this cemetery.

One aspect of this photograph that I like is if you didn't know it was a photo of silhouetted grave markers, your first thought might be that it is a city skyline. Or is that a stretch?

Camera: Canon 40D, 1/250s, f/11 at ISO 100 at about 8:00 p.m.

30/365 Bunches of bananas

I've mentioned before that I don't really care for bananas. But I'm on a mission to learn to like them.

I want to like them for many reasons. For one, they're incredibly good for you. But two, what's easier than grabbing a healthy snack that comes in its own container and doesn't have to be washed? You just separate one from its neighbors and you're set to go!

I did the same thing with salad years ago when I started college. I didn't like salad before then. But being a picky eater, and seeing that eating salad would open up a lot of new restaurant options for me, I was determined to learn to like it.

And now I do. So for the last couple of weeks, I've been forcing myself to eat bananas. And honestly, they're growing on me.

But they're still not my favorite.

Camera: Canon 40D with 60mm macro lens and 430EX Speedlite, 1/125s, f/2.8 at ISO 400

29/365 Raindrops on tables

I'm always intrigued by the way water molecules stick to each other.

Yes, this is my nerdy side coming out.

I also love water rivulets. When I see a little puddle of water, say, on the edge of a sink or a bathtub, I like to create a path for it to run down. And it works every time -- the water goes where I want it to.

It reminds me of a scene in Jurassic Park (I've searched on YouTube and can't find it) where Jeff Goldblum's character demonstrates the way water will follow the path of least resistance on the back of someone's hand. The fact that I remember this particular (insignificant) scene should tell you a little about how much I notice this phenomenon.

The water droplets clinging to the underside of this table, and the rivulets above, were what caught my eye for this photo. We were between rain showers, and I stepped out to the deck to capture a few shots.

In the words of Dr. Spock: "Fascinating."

Camera: Canon 40D, 1/125s, f/4 at ISO 200 at about 7:30 p.m.

28/365 Heavenly fragrance

The handful of daffodils that I cut on Saturday brought a welcome bit of sunshine on a miserable, rainy Sunday.

They smell heavenly -- not too perfumey, and not so strong that you can't eat with them sitting on the table next to you. Lilacs have always been one of my favorite fresh flower fragrances to have wafting through the house, but they aren't quite blooming yet. These daffodils are a very good second choice.

The only flower that stands out in my mind as an absolute "no" when it comes to having the fragrance around (and it's more of an odor than a fragrance, in my book) is a lily. And the worst offenders are star-gazer lilies.

Gorgeous, yes, but horribly stinky and overpowering. I'm sure there are hundreds of people out there who would disagree with me, and this website proves it. But I stand by my opinion.

Camera: Canon 40D with 60mm macro lens and 430EX Speedlite, 1/125s, f/2.8 at ISO 1000

27/365 Bubble collection

To celebrate spring, and the bountiful blooming flowers, what's better than cutting a bouquet to bring inside with the fresh air?

I cut a handful of daffodils yesterday (a truly beautiful day in central Indiana), and after a few hours, I noticed these collections of water bubbles on the stems in the vase.

I wanted to play with lighting the flowers in the dark with a single spot (flashlight), so I worked in my highly sophisticated studio (which usually parades as an interior bathroom most of the time) on a white surface (the lid of the toilet).

I love having the latest and greatest in photography equipment and studio setups. A little creativity doesn't hurt, though.

Camera: Canon 40D with 60mm macro lens, 1/125s, f/4 at ISO 500, lit by a flashlight

26/365 An entertaining Friday night

One aspect that I love about going to regular performances at the IRT is getting to see the amazing set design that is created new for each show.

The stage is utterly transformed each time (which is obviously the point), and I'm amazed at the craftsmanship and creativity.

Mom and I saw Crowns on Friday evening, and I captured this photo before the show started. We arrived incredibly early, allowing time for difficult Friday-evening traffic (that didn't happen). One positive side to our early arrival was we got to hear an introduction to the play given by one of the actresses.

The play was a musical that told the stories of several African American women and used their vibrant hats as an illustrative device.

I was blown away by the musical talent of the cast (I actually had goosebumps more than once). Mom and I both felt that this was one of the best performances we've seen in a while.

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD1000

25/365 Magnolia at sunset

This photo is more along the lines of what I was going for on Day 4.

It sure helps when the sun is shining! What a great demonstration of how light makes a difference in a photo. This is the exact same plant, just three weeks later. I'm still pleased with how the photo turned out on Day 4, but it's nice to see the result end up closer to the goal.

For this photo, I again sat on the ground, but put the bloom between myself and the sun. I'm determined to get a true silhouette, so I'll have to give it another go, but this is definitely closer.

Camera: Canon 40D with 60mm macro lens, 1/500s, f/4 at ISO 200 at about 8:00 p.m.