Tags
bee, butterfly, dragonfly, insect, monarch, Morton Arboretum, nature, nature art, photography, pleinair, prairie, sketch, sketchbook, yellow flowers
August in the prairie
© 2018 Karen A Johnson
Every time I visit the prairie I seem to see or learn something new. Today, bees were gathering pollen from grasses which I’d never seen before. And I saw a male bumble bee chase off a bird, several dragonflies, and anything else within a 4 foot radius which was rather amusing.
In August the prairie is teeming with life, frantic to get everything accomplished before the summer season ends. Yellow flowers are everywhere, waving high above my head as I wander down the path. There are other colors, of course, but you have to slow down and look for them and once I do, other things can be found, like colorful wasps, delicate gaura flowers dancing on thin stems, and two different hummingbird moths.
I notice a large dragonfly take off and I slow down, bummed that I missed it. After several more do this, I stop and wait. One buzzes me, circling around and landing farther down the path. I stalk it, barely breathing and manage to get close enough to photograph it. It’s warm, humid and still. It doesn’t move so I decide to sit and see if I can sketch it. The big bluestem grasses are backlit, making a beautiful patchwork of color behind this colorful green darner. We share the morning sun and cool shade of the grasses. It flies off and I am filled with joy…
Green Darner
© 2018 Karen A Johnson
Green Darner close
© 2018 Karen A Johnson
Green Darner in the prairie
© 2018 Karen A Johnson
Karen's Nature Art 
Always so beautiful! Thank you for capturing this morning on the prairie with your words, photos, and artwork! Keep sharing prairie!
Thank you, Cindy, it was truly a magical morning! Even saw two different hummingbird moths! So cool…
SUPER close up of the dragon fly! Very nice watercolor of the prairie too!
Thanks, Marilyn!
Beautiful, Karen! You brought me with you to the prairie.
Thanks, Barbara! Glad you enjoyed it!
As always, your sketches and photos are wonderful. Thank you!
Thanks, Peter! Glad you’re enjoying my time in the prairie…
Always such beautiful images, photography, drawings, paintings!
Thanks so much, OC! I’m glad you enjoy them…
Lol, those male bumbles can be very territorial! What a wonderful and loving post. Your joy at capturing images of the dragon fly is contagious. The sketches are aprairie pride. Luscious, Karen, and stunning!
Thank you so much, Resa! It’s been so uplifting to visit the prairie every week and see what’s been happening. I’m glad my joy was passed on ☺
😀
Reblogged this on sketchuniverse and commented:
🐝🐞HELLO BEAUTIES! IT’S TIME FOR ENJOY THE PRAIRIE💚 KAREN PHOTOGRAPHS ARE A TRUE PLEASURE😍
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Karen! You’re so welcome. The merit is yours. Congrats for your site 😍