Insects #2: Not good eyes: just enlarged image

For all of you who wrote me to comment on my good eyesight: In the previous post (Insects), I didn't see the insects when I photographed them. It wasn't until I saw the photo enlarged on my computer that I noticed the insects in addition to the plants.
Why did I use this photo in today's post? Because it shows another example of the virtue of the camera (mine is just iPhone these days): I was photographing this downspout at a client's while measuring for a basemap, but it wasn't until I saw the image later that I "saw" the nice red plant hoop.

Yippee! We are finally starting to get a little rain...we need it for the plants, of course. And, I love the fresh smell of the rain and the sound of car tires rolling through puddles.

Insects

It wasn't until today, because I had this date's photos on my screen saver, that I noticed these two insects on the Hibiscus August 17th. Can you ID them? Especially the blue and red one? The other looks aphid-like.

The Little Petunia That Could...

Plants do many things, including Surprise, Delight and Inspire...
Enjoy Labor Day weekend in the context of Gratitude.

A Smart, Sustainable Green Wall

Green Walls are very hip...and expensive. Not to mention that they are very difficult to sustain outside in our climate. Whatever zone Chicago is called these days, we still can get the deep cold with no snow cover and that does in a lot of plants. Every year, there is a plant that suffers from stress: cold, hot, dry, wet, insect, disease or human mistreatment; every year, some plant doesn't make it. This past winter, both mature and newer Harry's Walking Stick all seemed to perish.
So, why not have this dried Green Wall to lift your spirits? I do not know the price, but if you treat it as a good piece of art, you will have your money's worth.

Cultivate Urban Rainforest & Gallery

Here are a few random literal/visual/otherwise reflections on a vibrant addition to our local Evanston spaces. Cultivate Urban Rainforest & Gallery.

What a delight to experience others creating an environment that is both stimulating and calming with plants, art and "objets." I love how they use the back of this expensive piece of furniture for a blackboard (with that variegated Iris to pop the black): very out-of-the-box.

Reflecting my predilections, the place shows off carnivorous plants, ferns and succulents to their advantages (light conditions mid-day made photographing "interesting"). The owner, Louise Rosenberg, "founded Cultivate on the belief that plants, art and community create a wonderful synergy that is self-sustaining." (Quote from Magic-on-Main 7/27 blog post.) I felt the manifestation!

While Cultivate works as an integrated creation, I was engaged by exploring so many vignettes that also work independently. There is also a lively extension of the space on the back porch. No pix, but I did put my money where my mouth is and support locally when I bought a vintage, white-painted, metal hanging basket for 4-season interest for my dark, covered, north-facing back porch.
Below, you can see one of the otherworldly light reflections.

The landscape of the street and the surf

Contemporary version of Toto. And lateral current beach buoy.

Last weekend to see Julie Green's "Last Supper" Exhibit

I was astonished, educated and very moved by this exhibit at Northwestern's Block Gallery. Try to get there if you can. I have always been against the Death Penalty, so I wonder if this show caused anybody in favor to re-examine their pose.

I was especially drawn to many of the small plates embodying inmates who do not eat a last meal before execution or did not wish the contents to be made public.

We take so much for granted. I believed working with landscapes has taught me much about lack of control. But this exhibit takes that notion to a much deeper level.