I’ve been pivoting the focus of my photography this summer. Earlier this year I had planned on spending the summer on several long road trips with my car, tent and camping gear looking for dark sky areas.

Unfortunately those plans have changed. Our 17+ year old rescue mutt Gizmo is getting old. He’s almost blind, almost deaf and he’s very set in his routine. If either of us are gone in the evening he gets quite out of sorts. He also has some heart related issues that put him at risk of possible sudden death. I would never forgive myself if I was out of town, several days drive away, and something happened to him.

So I’m spending this summer much closer to home, documenting native plants in our backyard. I’ve spent the last several years rehabilitating our suburban property with native plants. This year is really starting to pay some dividends, and I’m enjoying the diversity of plants that are showing up, not just ones that I’ve planted but also native plants that have been waiting patiently in the seed bank for an opportunity to germinate.

I took a Master Naturalist Course last year and I’m enjoying the process of applying that knowledge to restoring some native diversity to our little corner of suburbia.

Enjoy.