Ruby Tuesday - My Ruby Tuesday Friend - February 1, 2011

My good friend, Joanne Olivieri, aka Poetic Shutterbug, who is obsessed with Hong
Kong and waffles, introduced me to San Francisco's incredible Botanical Gardens
and numerous other things.  I always have so much fun on our picture taking excursions.
When I can, I snap a shot of her, totally intent on the task at hand.  She often is dressed
in red so I'm using a couple of those shots for my Ruby Tuesday post this week.  We
haven't been able to rendevous lately and I find I'm really missing her. 

I am jealous because she can squat down like this and I cannot!  Note the

Ruby Tuesday sweater!



Look at the intense concentration - and there were bees in the vicinity!

We were there at the end of the red snapdragon growing season.

I have captured other shots of Jo with her trusty camera but, since she wasn't attired in

Ruby Tueday garb, I'm not enclosing them here.  Let me say, she will go the mile to get

that perfect shot for her blog. 

I am taking part in Ruby Tuesday - take a picture of something red,

check out the site and join in the fun!

"S" is for Snapdragon - Alphabe Thursday, 5-27-10

The snapdragon is one of my favorite flowers.  Today, as I made my rounds in Pacifica, California, I saw their cheery countenances all over the place - in front of businesses, gracing small ocean front cottages, in more formal plantings of expensive residences.  I got out of my car, with my ever present trusty camera and took a few photographs.

Antirrhinum is a genus of plants more familiar to us as  snapdragons. This name arose because it is reputed to look like a dragon whose mouth opens and closes when the side of the flower is squeezed ( creating a snap ).  This is why it is a favorite of children who love to play with them.  Adult supervision is important, however, because all parts of the plant are toxic! 

Snapdragons are annual plants in cool areas but they are self seeding and will come back year after year.  There are dwarf varieties as well as varieties that grow to two feet.  They come in most colors but blue.  Snapdragons prefer full sun and are excellent for bouquets and cut flowers.

                             

        

                                            

         

All photos are the property of Carmen Henesy and may not be reproduced without her permission.

I am participating in Jenny Matlock's Alphabe Thursday.  Check there for more wonderful posts!