Making Memories

Today's Prompt for Picture Summer was "making memories"...this was a really easy one for me since so many memories have been made on our back porch.  About 20 years ago I decided we needed a screened back porch to replace the rather boring cement patio.  Gary would have been happy with the cement patio, but I dreamed of a porch with white wicker furniture, soft pillows and even a lamp to read by in the evenings.  I found a young man willing to build the porch and the rest is history.  I did get my white wicker furniture, soft pillows and the lamp to read by.  Over the years we have changed the decor and updated the pillows, but it is still the same comfortable, relaxing place that we have loved making memories. 

A couple of glimpses of the back porch.   I love the color blocking image.  In Picture Color Tammy Lee Bradley introduced us to this beautiful new image presentation.  Several directions were posted in the forums, but I found a template that made this sooo easy.  The Coffee Shop Blog has the templates for either horizontal or verticle color blocks. the link is  here.  Try it, you will like it!!  BTW you must have Photoshop or Photoshop Elements in order for this to work. 



A walk around the garden this morning revealed the phlox in bloom.  When these were first planted many years ago they were a hybrid species called "bright eyes", light pink with a darker pink center.  The "bright eyes" have disappeared and these very common pink/purple have taken their place.  I have heard that after so many years some of the hybrids revert back to their origins.  I'll take them in any color, just as long as they keep blooming. 

The bee balm (Monarda) is loaded with bumblebees and I managed to snap this with his wings fluttering...sure wish I could find a hummingbird amongst the Monarda and get this close. 

Love this close-up of a yellow daylily right outside the backporch.  I used my 105mm Nikkor macro lens for all of these images.  You can get pretty close with this lens but I am considering getting some extention tubes to be able to get even closer.  Will keep you posted.   Any recommendations on extention tubes??

Hope you all had a wonderful, peaceful Sunday.

"Look at things as though you are seeing them either for the first or the last time.  Then your time on earth will be filled with glory."   -   Betty Smith

Until next time......(comments always welcomed)