When out in the garden with the camera, I am drawn to the cardinal flower and the closed gentian. The deep red and interesting shape of the cardinal flower begs to be photographed. The bizarre cone-shaped flower of the closed gentian has a fascination that no other plant can match.
Of course with the closed gentian there is the tantalizing idea that I might catch a bumblebee pollinating a flower. I was just a bit late with this shot. The bumblebee was up and out before I could snap the picture. I have gotten it right in the past(click here) but not this time. While I was concentrating on the bumblebee, I heard a familiar buzzing . Hovering just to my left over the stone path was a hummingbird. Time seemed to stand still while the bird looked me in the eye. It felt like she was daring me to take her picture. This is unusual behavior. Usually these tiny birds take off like a rocket whenever I get close. Either a female or a juvenile bird, this one seemed to welcome a chase. I took the challenge and spent several minutes almost but not quite getting a picture of the speedy hummingbird. It would let me get close and then increase the distance like a game of keep away.
It was when the tiny bird perched on the cage around the closed gentian that success was mine. It's not the same as getting a picture of a hummingbird flying, but it's a start.
