Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Eternal Blooms for a Happy Springtime


 

Flowers of Rattan Creek

photo of book for sale
Flowers of Rattan Creek (and surrounding areas) photo book
After 15 years in the Rattan Creek neighborhood, located northwest of Austin, TX, I have put together a labor of love in the form of a photo book. My neighborhood has a vibrant gardening community and is particularly interested in native landscaping, xeriscaping, and gardening for pollinators. This has provided me ample opportunities for incredible nature photos. 

 
My photo book is called Flowers of Rattan Creek (and surrounding areas). If you would like to purchase a book, they are $20 each which covers the cost of printing and shipping from Shutterfly. Alternatively, many of the photos are available in a variety of formats including cards, stickers, canvas and art prints on my Society6 artist’s page. 

Monarch butterfly on purple flower
Butterfly on purple flower

How it Began

A funny thing happened when I started a family, especially when I stopped working full time and started staying home to raise my kids. 

I had to get out of the house. I mean I had to.

I hit the Groundhog Day wall where every day was the same. The same four walls. The same routine. The same crying baby. The same toddler meltdown. The insanity-inducing mundanity of daily life. 

Taking walks helped break up the day and gave both my children and me something new to look at; new experiences to be had. Good old-fashioned fresh air and sunshine was just the medicine we needed. As the seasons changed - yes, there are seasons in Central Texas - we observed the changes taking place all around the neighborhood. Neighbors planted things that grew, flowered, and faded in such intriguing ways throughout the year.

Bee on mountain laurel
Bee on mountain laurel

When I was gifted a fabulous new smartphone with a decent camera, I began taking photos of the unique flora and fauna I saw on a daily basis. These photos are the results. Many more are included in my book as well as on my Society6 artist's page. Check it out today!

Mexican Plum tree in bloom
Mexican Plum tree in bloom
Eastern redbud in bloom
Eastern Redbud in bloom