In Arboretum - already colorful spring

The plant is commonly known as Bleeding Heart for its distinctive heart-shaped flowers and is native to Siberia, northern China, Korea, and Japan.

 

The greatest wildlife photographs at the North Carolina Arboretum

 

"Photography should inspire. Photography should awe. Photography should inform. And at National Geographic, photography should tell a story. Some photos, no matter how wonderful, don't make the pages of National Geographic magazine because they don't advance the narrative. But when an image makes you stop, think, and wonder, that's when the magic happens. And that is the bar every photograph in this exhibition has surpassed." from exhibition information

Currently, our local Arboretum is presenting a new exhibit called The Greatest Wildlife Photos. It shows the best wildlife photos from the pages of National Geographic magazine.

*SERENGETI DAY TO NIGHT, Stephen Wilkes -  Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, 2015

On the day of his photo shoot in Tanzania, Stephen Wilkes drove to the watering hole at 1:30 a.m. He was accompanied by an armed park ranger to protect him from wildlife and poachers. He spent the next 26 hours on site photographing the watering hole.

Wilkes considers himself incredibly lucky to have photographed the watering hole on a day when it was visited by so many species, from zebras and wildebeests to elephants and hippos. He was amazed to see how many rival species shared the watering hole without conflict, relying on a type of communication that humans rarely witness. 

 

*VUMBI PRIDE, Michael Nichols - Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, 2011 

Photographer Michael Nichols wanted to capture the unique images of the Vumbi pride. These enormous cats are usually photographed from a vehicle, but Nichols wanted to see them from a different perspective.
He and his team built what they called a “lion tank.” The vehicle was motorized and remote-controlled, and could be driven around the hills and valleys of the lions’ territory. Its cameras were completely encased in metal, making them immune to the lions’ curiosity. Nichols operated the camera from the safety of his vehicle, sending the tank into the pride. When the lions sniffed it, they realized it was harmless and inedible. Nichols managed to position it at eye level with the pride, allowing him to see the world through the lion’s eyes.

 

Bonsai collection in the North Carolina Arboretum

The North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville is one of the most beautiful natural gardens in America. It is located on 434 acres in the Pisgah National Forest. It houses a beautiful and fascinating collection of bonsai in the outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden (usually from May to October).  

During the cooler months, the bonsai collection can be seen in the greenhouse at the Baker Center.

The Japanese word "bonsai" means "potted tree." Bonsai are living plants, usually trees or shrubs, grown in pots and shaped to develop characteristics found in very old trees. 

Bonsai are not genetically dwarf plants.
Bonsai cultivation it is a traditional Japanese art and also a very artistic hobby.

Winter walk along the Davidson River trail

Winter and a bit icy walk along the Davidson River Trail

Collection of Nativity Scenes from Around the World at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Brevard, North Carolina - 2024

St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Brevard, North Carolina, again hosted its Nativity scene display in early December.

The exhibition entitled "No Room at the Inn" presented nativity scenes from the church collections as well as from the the people belonging to this church.

Only a small part of last year's collection of nativity scenes was presented. This year, most of the nativity scenes were different.

 

Nativity scenes are made of various materials, wood predominates, but there are also nativity scenes made of ceramics, glass, and even metal...

Just Owls - North Carolina Arboretum Exhibit

Only Owls is a current exhibit at the Arboretum featuring a variety of artistic representations of owls. All of the paintings are from the collection of the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum of Art in Wausau, Wisconsin. The museum is best known for its annual exhibit, Birds in Art, which features contemporary artistic representations of birds. The annual exhibit has been held the week after Labor Day since the museum was founded in 1976.

A walk among the beautiful colors of autumn...

 

I often go for walks along the local Davidson River – it is a beautiful place at any time of year. It is especially impressive in autumn – full of colorful leaves: yellow and gold, orange and red, and also different shades of brown… There are so many of them, on the trees, underfoot… This time of golden leaves reminds me of the beautiful Polish autumn.