Spring

How to do Photograph Flowers, My Favorite Spring Hobby

May 5, 2015 by info@3QuartersToday.com

Tips on Photographing Flowers

Spring has finally arrived and I was able to pick daffodils and tulips for my dining room table. That means my camera comes out of its winter hibernation and I get into my flower photography again.

I’m not a winter person and by February and March the lack of sunshine and Vitamin D squash my photographic creativity. A few supplies necessary for indoor and macro flower photography are essential.

Flower photography and editing in Lightroom

This flower frog helps keep blooms and stems in place. I don’t know how anyone arranges flowers without a flower frog.

With the first blooms of the daffodils and warmth of sun, I get inspired again to take pictures. I don’t have a photo studio. But, I use my dining room which has a south-facing window to create a makeshift photography studio.

Create your own table top photography studio where you can photograph flowers and other small objects.

The southern exposure gives me plenty of light during the afternoon. Then it’s a matter of using white art matte boards to bounce light. It would of been easier to set up this tabletop studio tent.

My favorite photos this year actually belong to my tulips. The setup included flowers in vases, various colors of artist mat board for the backgrounds, a tripod and my Canon Rebel with the shutter on a 2-second delay. Yes, I took these photos with a Canon Rebel, an introductory DSLR camera.

This might seem strange but you can achieve sharper images when you don’t manually press the shutter. I like using a remote shutter release cord. Yes, you can buy a wireless one, but they are small and I have a habit of losing them.

With shutter speeds over 1/500 it isn’t an issue, but for macro photography or shutter speeds less than 1/250th it does make a difference. Give it a try and let me know how it works.

Yellow, Orange and Red Tulip Flowers Jigsaw Puzzle
by ndjmom

A professional heavy duty camera tripod is a necessity. Seriously. For still life and macro photography, the sharpest images are those where you have no movement or camera shake.

All the flowers I edited in Lightroom some, like the one below I experimented with various looks to achieve more of a fine art effect. I decreased the vibrancy and contrast for a softer look.

Pink Tulips in the Garden Birthday Card
by ndjmom

Tulips edited in Lightroom

The flowers on the black matte board I left pretty much their natural colors to contrast with the dark background. Yes, the colors were just this vibrant. I did pull the “blacks” slider in the editor down to saturate and even out the black mat. But other than that I did very little.

I made several of my red and white tulip images into puzzles and greeting cards. These are perfect for women who love flowers.

I love post-production and Lightroom! It’s so much fun to explore what you can do with an image to improve the beauty and artistry. A one-year Photoshop/Lightroom subscription is less than $10/month and is a great gift for a photographer.

I’ve never taken any classes in either computer program, most have all been self-taught with the use of a few YouTube videos, books, and a LOT of experimentation.

How to Divide Daffodil Bulbs

March 30, 2015 by info@3QuartersToday.com

I used to be afraid to divide daffodil bulbs, but no longer. Wait, you say you can’t split them in the spring. Well, that’s just wrong and I’ve proved that this is just not the case. Last year I did a simple experiment and it was very surprised at the outcome a year later.

Dividing Daffodils — Daffodils in the garden

Like many of you I searched the internet on when the best time was to divide spring bulbs. They pretty much all said wait until fall, or the leaves were brown and the plants dormant. However, there were a few gardening sites that convinced me these yellow beauties are very hardy and can be dug up, separated and plated just about any time of year. Narcissus are very forgiving.

So I decided to give it a go.

How to Divide Daffodils — Dividing daffodils

As you can see from the clump above the leaves were not yellow or brown yet. But I had ambition, energy (which I don’t always have) the sun was shining and what harm could I really do. These bunches of daffodils were very over crowed and some groups would have 30-40 blooms.

So I got out my shovel and started to dig. Easier said than done. This year I’m going to plant them closer together and get a drill attachment, or a bulb auger to make the planting process faster and easier. I have at least three more clumps to divide.

Flower Bulb Planter

How to Dig and Transplant Daffodil Bulbs:

Transplant on a day that is cool and the ground damp and moist.

Start on the outer edges of the grouping. Insert your shovel as far down as you can all the way around the bunch loosening up the soil.
With the shovel in the ground pull back and gently push the daffodil bulbs to the surface.
You may have to pull the clump out of the ground
Gently pull apart and separate the individual bulbs. (in my case one clump had over 50!)
Place in a bucket, or on paper towels and immediately replant
Dig a four inch hole with a spade, insert the freshly dug bulb and cover with dirt.
Water deeply after transplanting.

How to divide spring daffodils

Replanting immediately I believe is the key. Don’t let the bulbs dry out or get “stale”. To tell the truth after I watered the plants the first time I kinda forgot about them. They were only watered once. But they still survived.

My experiment from last year was very successful, I had over a 95% germination rate and every day when I go out in my garden I count to see how many “baby” daffodils I have popping up in the gardens. From one large bunch of overgrown and crowded daffodils I now have 48 separate plantings in three new areas.

Transplanted Daffodil bulbs one year after planting

If I didn’t already have a garden nursery full of crowed bulbs ready to be transplanted I would probably buy daffodil bulbs and plant them in the fall, which is when you’re supposed to plant spring bulbs.

TotalGreen 72415100 Daffodil Bulbs 90 Large Long Lasting Assorted Color Trumpet

More Information on Transplanting and Dividing Bulbs

Over the Garden Fence: Cultivation, rodent issues may stunt blooms

Daffodils: cutting foliage before it turns yellow; bulbs need dividing; bulbs too small to bloom; poor drainage; spring cold snap killed flowers before they opened; dry soil caused flowers to abort. • Dogwood: not enough sun; tree is seedling and not …

Expert Advice: Divide and transplant spring-flowering bulbs now

#For more detailed information on planting and dividing bulbs in Georgia as well as a complete list of recommended varieties, see the UGA Extension publication B918, “Flowering Bulbs for Georgia Gardens,” at extension.uga.edu/publications. #Sharon …

Deb Babcock: Trademarked and patented plants

#When we talk about propagating plants, we’re talking about plant reproduction that happens by dividing bulbs and rhizomes or roots, taking cuttings, grafting and budding a plant, and collecting and planting seeds, among other methods. #Since fall is a …

Flower power

Ross Harmon, a fourth-generation Wye United Methodist Church member who Friday was digging up the bulbs to be sold during the festival, said the tradition of church members selling daffodil bulbs to support the church started long before the church …

Daffodil season is here in the daffodil city

Look for suppliers who provide mixtures of daffodil bulbs for sale to make “a springtime parade” of colour. The Paperwhite narcissus, which is popular along with the amaryllis around Christmas, is one of the tazetta species and is not hardy here. Each …

Spring Has Sprung

April 26, 2014 by info@3QuartersToday.com

Spring has sprung in Nebraska, and I am a happy camper!

After a long winter in Nebraska I am more than ready for Spring and it can’t come fast enough. My daffodils are blooming, the buds on the trees are opening and the sun is shining.

With the first blooming flowers of spring I start taking my camera with me everywhere. There is something about the sun and new life rising from the ground that inspires me.

Enjoy my flowers this year and Spring Quotes

Spring has sprung with the first daffodils of the year

Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!” ~Robin Williams

It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want – oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain

Mark Twain had it right, I have SPRING FEVER!

Daffodil garden at Arbor Day Lodge in Nebraska City

Awake, thou wintry earth –
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!
~Thomas Blackburn, “An Easter Hymn”

Apple blossoms at Arbor Day Lodge in Nebraska City

I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden. ~Ruth Stout

So true, I love the flower gardens in the spring and it’s to them that I flock when the warm spring breezes blow. Always with my camera of course.

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. ~Anne Bradstreet

I guess the spring quote by Anne Bradstreet is true, if we didn’t have winter, and very cold winters, we would never appreciate spring. The same is the same with joy. If we never experience sadness we would relish and appreciate joy and happiness.

The naked earth is warm with Spring,
And with green grass and bursting trees
Leans to the sun’s kiss glorying,
And quivers in the sunny breeze.
~Julian Grenfell

So now that Spring has sprung, can summer be far behind? I am a sun worshipper, nothing makes me happier than sitting with my face to the sun on the first warm day of spring. I love the warmth, and can’t wait for an 80 degree day so I can sit on the deck and soak in the rays.

What do you like about spring? Do you have a favorite spring tradition?

God’s Blessings and Easter Miracle Stories

April 20, 2014 by info@3QuartersToday.com

Easter Miracle Stories Can Happen

I believe in Gods’ blessings and the Easter miracle stories because I witnessed a personal Easter miracle.

Miracles from Heaven: A Little Girl and Her Amazing Story of Healing

Many of you hear of Easter miracles, stories testimonials and casually dismiss their validity. You may patiently listen, smile, and nod your head. But truly not believe.

I did the same. But no longer. My father was dying in a hospital. The doctors and nurses were saying any minute, any hour. But I witnessed my own miracle on Easter.

All we need to do is believe and have faith. It’s that simple. Christ died for us on Good Friday many years ago and through the miracle of his Resurrection showed how we can have everlasting life.

For by Grace you have been saved through faith and it is not your doing, but a Gift from God (Ephesians 2:8).

Easter has a special meaning for me and the traditional Easter hymns bring me back to certain times in my life when I have witnessed miracles.

There are true life miracle stories that happen every day. Stories that have no explanation that can only be attributed to the grace of God.

My Easter Miracle Story

In 1995 I received a call from my Mother on Good Friday. Dad was in the hospital and not expected to make it through the weekend.

I immediately flew 1500 miles to Connecticut and we started a 24-hour bedside vigil.

The years of emphysema and COPD had taken a toll, Dad was laying in the hospital bed, nonresponsive and hooked to machines that beeped his life story.

I had the overnight shift on Saturday night and spent the hours repeatedly putting his oxygen mask back on his face, as he kept pulling it down. The nurses came in and asked me what I wanted them to do if he stopped breathing.

They did not expect my Father to live through the night.

I just gave them a stern and outraged look and said, “He can hear you, we aren’t going to talk about it.” You see, my Father had not yet met his brand new granddaughter, who had just been born a few months earlier.

The next morning was Easter, and I left the hospital when I Mom arrived to attend Easter Service at my home church of Grace Episcopal in Broad Brook CT. Traditional Easter songs have always moved me in ways I can’t explain.

I sat in the back, in one of the Mother rocking chairs with my baby girl, and listened to the traditional Easter hymns in that small church. I prayed, I held my baby girl, rocked her, and wept. The He’s Risen hymn touched my heart and soul and I can’t explain the feeling I felt.

It was a warmth, a radiating “tingle” throughout my entire body that did not cease. I tried to sing, but could not because of the lump in my throat.

Pretty Flower Christian Happy Easter Card
by ChristianGiftIdea

I prayed for an Easter miracle.

After church, I went anxiously to the hospital. My Dad was sitting up and drinking coffee.

I have no explanation except as an example of the many Easter miracle stories that abound. Afterward, I learned he was on seven prayer lists that morning.

Thank you for that Easter miracle and those last few days with my Dad. Christ is Risen indeed, and Jesus gives life.

Add Church Name to Easter Button
by ChristianGiftIdea

Hymns to Enjoy this Happy Easter

To me, these hymns are Easter. They are my favorite traditional hymns and I look forward to singing Jesus Christ is Risen Today hymn during church every Easter morning. I do have to admit there is always a lump in my throat as I remember sitting in my hometown Episcopal church praying for my Father.

Jesus Christ is Risen Today Hymn

Traditional Easter songs cross over various denominations. The following Christian hymns and music are sung in churches of various denominations including Episcopal, Lutheran and Catholic churches.

Christ the Lord is Risen Today Hymn

My favorite traditional Easter hymn is “Christ the Lord is Risen Today.” It reminds me of not only my own Easter miracle story but God’s grace in my life every day.

He’s Risen, He’s Risen Hymn

Another favorite hymn in both the Lutheran and Episcopal church is the He’s Risen Hymn. It’s also one of mine. The majesty of the He’s Risen hymn played by an organ is magnificent and will send a chill through your soul.

Thank you for reading and listening. If you have a favorite Easter Hymn or Easter miracle stories please share them, below.

Remember Easter is not just one day, but all year round. Christ is Risen!

Have a Happy Easter and look for Easter miracle stories in your life, not just on Easter, but every day.

If you love the traditional Easter songs and are looking for Easter hymns and sheet music for the piano try the music books below.

Lorie Line – The Heritage Collection Volume 6 – Piano Solo Personality Heritage Collection 2 by Lorie Line (2000-09-29)Christ Is Risen! – 26 Easter Songs Celebrating the Resurrection A Month of Sundays: Easter and Lent (Sacred Performer Collections)

19 Interesting Tulip Facts

April 21, 2013 by info@3QuartersToday.com

I love spring, and I love flowers, good thing the two go hand in hand. The tulips haven’t bloomed yet, just the daffodils, but I’m anxiously awaiting and while I wait I thought I would add some interesting facts about tulips. My 19 Facts About Daffodils is my highest viewed post on my blog and it stuns me every day to see how many people come to learn about daffodils.

I have photographed all of these flowers you see here, not all are in my garden, I’m a neighborhood stalker and can be found crouching on the ground in random yards. Good thing we live in a small town and people know me and my photography habits. I’m trying to see how many different varieties of tulips I can photograph.

19 Facts About Tulips — Interesting and fun facts about tulips

Fun and Interesting Facts About Tulips

1. Tulips are the 3rd most popular flower (roses are the most popular)
2. Originally from Turkey, tulips were brought to Europe during the 16th century and introduced into Holland. Facts About Tulips

Trowel and Error: Over 700 Organic Remedies, Shortcuts, and Tips for the Gardener Growing Bulbs in Containers: A Season by Season Guide to Growing Bulbs in Containers (The Weekend Gardener Book 4)

3. Over 100 species and 4000 varieties of cultivated tulips. Majority of tulips are grown and exported from Holland. Tulip Facts
4. Average height of a tulips is 10-70 centimeters, each flower has 6 petals, and the flower life span is 3-7 days.

Yellow Tulips in spring — Interesting facts about tulips

5. National flower of Turkey and Iran is the tulip. (History of the Tulip)
6. Tulip flowers are supposed to be a token of passion, love, romance, and a perfect lover. (So why is the rose given at Valentines day?)
7. Tulips are classified into 15 different classes based on floral charateristics, time of blooming and other traits.
8. Tulips belong to the same botanical family as onions and lilies (20 Tulip Facts)The most popular color of tulips is red, Red tulips mean “Declaration of Love”

TULIPS: Best Tulips to Grow Tulip: 70 Stunning Varieties of the World’s Favorite Flower

9. Tulips Should be planted in the fall
10. Although tulip flowers are edible, and eaten during WWII, tulip bread is “…not very good…” according to a survivor of the war in the Netherlands (20 Tulip Facts)
11. Tulip wine, however is supposed to be very good and makes a lovely white wine Making Tulip Wine
12. Albany New York has one of the largest Tulip festivals with over 100,000 tulips in bloom

13. The largest Tulip grower in the United States is RoozenGaarde in Mount Vernon Washington. Owned by the Roozen family who has been growing tulips in Holland and the 14. United States since the early 1700’s
15. Tulips will bend and twist towards the light, even when placed in a vase (Interesting Tulip Facts)
16. When buying Tulips for planting the bigger the bulb the bigger the bloom. (The Flower Expert)
17. The origin of the word Tulip might be from the Turkish word “tulbend” for turban (The Flower Expert)
18. Tulip Mania occurred in the 1600’s and people have been known to trade livestock for tulips (History of the Tulip) Inflated prices caused the Tulip bubble to burst and left many Dutch bankrupt.
19. The tulip is the official symbol or the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. (Fun Tulip Facts)

I’m sure there are many other facts. Add your tulip fact below in the comment and please feel free to share this post or images on Pinterest. I LOVE Pinterest and find my biggest photography inspiration there. So stay tuned for some macro flower images once they start blooming here.

I have created a line of Tulip Greeting cards for birthdays, Mothers Day and other occasions. Each one can be customized with your message on the front and inside and are available at my Zazzle Store.

Pink Tulips in the Garden Birthday Card Pink Tulips Happy Birthday Card

Tulip Gift Ideas

For the gardener or someone who just loves tulips here are a few ideas for Mothers Day, a birthday, or just to bring a bit of spring into a cold winter day.

Tervis Tea for Tulips Wrap Bottle with Lime Green Lid, 24-Ounce, Garden Party Pink Tulip Wreath Door Decor With Burlap Bow SENFAI Red Tulip Flower with Cat Eyes Opal Stone Crystal Pendant Necklace Woman Summer Flower Rose Gold Chain Necklaces Esky Waterproof Tulip Solar Powered LED Garden Lights, Solar Path Lights for Path Patio Deck Driveway Garden Christmas Party Wedding Everbling Tulip Flower with Red and Green Austrian Crystal 925 Sterling Silver Bead Fits Pandora Charm Bracelet Multicolor Tulips Table Linens Runner Tulip Love: Picture Book (30 Days of Aspirations & Words Series)20 Ways to Draw a Tulip and 44 Other Fabulous Flowers: A Sketchbook for Artists, Designers, and Doodlers

More Facts About Tulips

15 Things You Never Knew About Tulips

It’s not Spring until the first tulip blossoms make their much-anticipated appearance. To celebrate these lovely perennials, we’ve gathered the most bizarre, historic, and all around interesting facts we could find on them. Check them out below and …

Singing praises, telling facts about tulips

Dear Readers: Tulips are beautiful and such an amazing flower. I love them, even though they may not last as long as hardier flowers. Here is an interesting fact you might not know: Tulips will continue to grow even after they’ve been cut. Yes! They …

12 Fascinating Facts About Tulips

Tulips are one of my favorite flowers. I love their elegant lines, rich waxy colors and intriguing history. I also find great delight in the spring when winter’s snow and chill finally gives way to these early blooming beauties. Read below for an …

Fun Tulip Facts for Kids – Interesting Information about Tulips

Tulip Facts for Kids. Check out our fun tulip facts for kids. Learn how many species of tulip there are, how the tulip has been used throughout history, find out …

10 Weird Facts About Tulips | Teleflora blog

10 Weird Facts About Tulips. Apr 10, 2015 | 2 comments. Tulips are one of the most quintessential spring flowers. They’re seen often in flower beds, fields and …

20 facts about tulips | All Over Albany

May 6, 2011 … They’re all over the Capital Region. We even have a festival for them (you may have heard). So, here are 20 facts about tulips. 1. Tulips belong …