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Monday, May 24, 2010

Just Dandy

What is it you're seeing in this picture above? Well, this is my favorite wildflower, the dandelion. I've been reading a lot of very excellent posts about my favorite wildflower recently, so I finally decided that I had to share some of my own dandelion pictures.

As you read on down the post you'll notice that I have taken pictures of dandelions from several different perspectives. And I have quite a few of them too. There is more than one reason why I did this. The first reason is that, like I said, dandelions are my favorite wildflower. The second is that I've been trying to learn how to use the macro on my new camera.

The first picture just happened to look nice in the view screen of the camera while I was playing around, so I decided to take the shot like that. I have several more at various heights, but I don't think you'd exactly want me to repeat myself too much.

I actually zoomed in for these first two. No macro setting was involved in these. I like the second one above because it reminds me of a fiery sun. I still don't have macro mastered so this is the way I did it. Hey, it worked.

I'm not sure if I used macro with this one or not, but it came out pretty good. This yellow is what I like about dandelions. They can brighten up any lawn, whether the lawn owner likes it or not. I certainly do, no matter what anybody thinks.

Here's a fine example of what I'm talking about. If this was someone's lawn it would look terrible. The grass is partly brown and gray, and is growing in patches. But the dandelions fix it right up. Without them it would look dull and lifeless, but now it looks new and exciting. (I remember part of that bad line from a TV commercial.)

Did I even use the macro setting on any of these? I swear I can't remember. Maybe. Maybe not. I remember trying a few times. I do know that I've been trying. I think it's just a matter of holding the camera at the right distance. My old cheap camera did the macro and manual settings much easier. I'll keep trying to figure this out. It shouldn't be as hard as it has been, especially for a camera that is so highly rated.

Anyway, I like this mode of dandelion too. These puffballs look like some kind of alien craft. And you can blow on them to release the little seed pods. Make sure to make a wish when you do it. Hold it over your most hated neighbor's lawn when you do this so that your wish will come true. Tell 'em Ratty sent ya.

I like the name of dandelions too. Dandy Lions. I seem to remember my grandpa telling me that one. I think he had a little story to go along with it, but it was a very long time ago, so I don't remember. Maybe I'll have to make a new one up some time and put it on Rat Tales.

I always picture these big funny looking lions with big yellow dandelion manes. They're dancing around happily on the biggest lawn in the world. The old lions manes have gone snow white. I don't think it would be too wise to try and make a wish with these guys because they might just decide to blow off your mane instead. Baldy!

Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination. That's because I look at everything in Wonkavision. And no, that's not because I stuff myself with chocolate. I don't even much like the stuff. It's pretty good if you freeze it first though.

Where was I? Oh, right. I was talking about dandelions. Don't these white fluff balls just seem to glow? Imagine a whole field full of them. You'll have to imagine because I don't have a picture of that yet. One day...

Dandy Lions.

Nature Center Magazine today will feature a new Cool Nature Video about a deep sea fish with a transparent head. Don't miss it!

24 comments:

  1. I can remember, as children, when we'd get tired of blowing the balls of "dandy" lions, we'd race like mad men through the fields, sending little bits of fluff everywhere.

    Your photos are fabulous!

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  2. Wonkavision is a good way to look at things. In my opinion it makes for a much happier person. My next door neighbor has their lawn sprayed every year and they don't have one single dandelion, my yard is covered with them. I'm sure they don't like me much...lol I happen to like the way they look though.
    When I go for a macro shot I get the camera as close to the subject as I can, you get some pretty amazing details.

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  3. I love that first shot! Amazing how cool weeds can look on camera, isn't it? Makes my fingers itch to go get my watercolors and paint away :o)

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  4. Some of your best photography yet Ratty! This wonderful alien flower brought by colonists as a staple (fresh greens) graces much of our nation. It is truly beautiful as well as prolific.

    Thanks.

    Bill.www.wildramblings.com

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  5. Great shots! you are mastering your camera quite nicely! I like the yellow of a dandelion too!

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  6. It is so nice you like them...we do too...but most people complain about them. There are no mistakes in nature!

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  7. Try to blow the balls of "dandy" lions, and take the pictures on the flying seed pods.

    It must be good.

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  8. When the big farm field sit idle the first to be seen are the dandelions in mass.I grow an Italian variety as a salad green picking it small. Never let it go to flower.Are you familiar with a wildflower, Goats beard(tragapogon dubius), in the asteraceae family?They are huge in the same flower shape and seed pods.

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  9. Those are great shots Ratty. Excellent work.

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  10. They aren't my favorite, I don't think, but I do like dandelions too. They ought to be a cash crop instead of so maligned. I actually did see greens for sale in the store last week. Nice pics.

    And, I see that you also can't get that line from the AT&T commercial out of your head. It's a very good ad.

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  11. i love the dandelions too, they are so pretty and even when they are already turned into puffy whites, they still hold a magnificent beauty.

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  12. I didn't know about making a wish when you blow the seeds. Here we tell the time by counting how many blows it takes!

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  13. By the way, I forgot to mention it's award time again! I just nominated you for the prolific blogger award :-)

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  14. Ratty I love these shots and think numbers 2 and 6 should definitely put on nature center magazine on a Friday so I can have them as wallpaper!! Feel free to play with the macro on your camera anytime you want if these are the fab shots you come out with!!

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  15. Nice shots Ratty, the dandelions are beautiful. I love them too and take photos of the all the time but they are not allowed to live on my lawn. They also have a lot of health benefits.

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  16. GREAT photos, Ratty! Although I get mad at these in my yard, I do like them--far away from my property though! They remind me of my dad who made dandelion wine one time. He forgot to leave room for expansion in the bottles during fermentation and they exploded all over the coat closet they were in! My mom was FURIOUS!

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  17. Finally you managed to control your macro. Very beautiful, Ratty :)

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  18. They are very nice photos, whether you used the macro or not. On her old point-and-shoot, my human often tried doing extreme closeups both with the macro and without, and just picked the one that looked best. She hasn't gotten the new camera yet - she ordered it online and it's arriving by Friday - but she is so excited, she already downloaded the manual! She definitely lives in some sort of weird world. I think it's Geekworld, though, which has nothing whatsoever to do with Wonkavision. I think I prefer the world Wonkavision exists in.

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  19. Dandelion is just as beautiful as any flower, and it's also free and plentiful for everyone to enjoy!

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  20. Ratty, dandelions are my favorites as well. They are little kisses sent from the sun :) Your photos are phenomenal. You absolutely used the macro on the first, third and fifth ones. They are so cool. Those puffballs I love as well no matter what anyone says. They are a little piece of perfection, weed or not.

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  21. Ratty some good photographs. When we were kids in the UK M&D would tell us that if you picked dandelions and got the juice from the stem on your hands you would wet the bed!!

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  22. These macro shots are great but the last two are my top picks. They're just totally surreal.. like creating a magical path to a paradise.. really beautiful.

    Dandelions are my favorite too.. sadly haven't seen a one in ages over here. -__-

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