Ecstatic

White Peony with Pink Tear Drop Petal

Ecstacy © 2010 Bo Mackison

Our peony season in Madison has been over for a week, the victim of torrential downpours which soaked the flowers and sent them drooping onto the garden’s earth. So when we took a visit to Racine for a Frank Lloyd Wright Tour this weekend, I was happy to see peonies in full bloom. Lake effect. We were only a mile inland from Lake Michigan and spring was later in coming. The peonies were at their peak.

As we headed up a driveway to one of the homes on the tour, I noticed this peony plant. Each flower was pure white save for a tear-shaped streak of deep pink and a single petal with pink edging. I hadn’t planned on doing any macro photography – not on an architectural tour – but luckily my lenses were in the car. Sherpa was hurrying me more than usual, as the skies were graying and raindrops were splashing around us. But I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to capture this white peony with the unusual pink markings. So we went back to the car for the right equipment and I studied the peonies.

Fifty shots later, and we were back on the tour. But I’m glad I stopped to smell the roses…wait, wrong saying.

Glad I stopped to photograph the peony.

About Bo Mackison

I'm a photographer, book-artist, traveler, naturalist, and creator of the Contemplative Creatives Journey, An Online Workshop and Community and Desert Wisdom Cards and Workshops. Though often not well known, I find the desert a welcoming place - a healing space. Its mysteries and gifts transformed me several years ago. Since that first encounter, I return again and again to fill my well in what most people think of as a desolate region. I'd love to share my desert discoveries and wisdom with you. Please subscribe to receive my five part mini email course The Gifts of the Desert. It's my gift to you.

Comments

  1. I’m sure you smelled them as well. 🙂

    I’m glad you stopped too. It’s beautiful.

  2. The graying skies and raindrops approaching made for beautiful light for photographing the peony. Beautiful! So delicate and graceful.

    • Bo Mackison says

      I’m always happy to see gray skies when I want to photograph flowers, but the torrential downpour that followed — not so much!

  3. Very sensual. Very meaningful. Delicate and evocative. Glad you sent sherpa back for lenses. Glad he went.

    • Bo Mackison says

      Glad I had all my equipment in the car. It’s a flower I would have hated to walk by and not capture. I love its little bit of red in all that pure white.

  4. And that is a terrific capture! I love photographing in that kind of weather anyway.

  5. Exquisite!! And – of course you had to stop to smell the roses. Isn’t that all a part of the fun???

    • Bo Mackison says

      I think photography is one of the ‘funnest’ things I know. So glad I picked up a camera a few years ago. Also glad I seldom put it down!

  6. What a beautiful photo. I love it.

  7. I love that dot of color amongst all the pale petals. Like it was raining drops of magenta paint or something. Very nice.

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