This is a photo from 11 September 2011, of a beautiful Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera). The huge white petals are breathtaking, but I love the flower centre at this stage and, later, the bare seedpod. Taken in the ENMAX Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo. Lol, I wasn't tall enough to look down on the flower.

"The lotus was of great significance to many ancient cultures, and in particular to the Eastern religions. From ancestral times, the lotus regularly appears as a symbol of purity, peace, transcendence, enlightenment, rebirth, beauty, and fertility. In India, the lotus flower is considered to be of divine origin and is viewed as sacred by both Hindus and Buddhists. Buddha was said to sleep on a lotus six months of the year, and Shambala (Buddhist heaven) is sometimes represented as a field of flowering sacred lotuses." Taken from the first link below.

www.holisticaroma.co.uk/shp/TheSacredLotus.htm

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelumbo_nucifera

Tags:   Calgary Alberta Canada Calgary Zoo ENMAX Conservatory nature flora flower flowers tropical Sacred Lotus Nelumbo nucifera very large flower white petals flower centre seedpod macro close-up beauty in nature Panasonic DMC-FZ40DMC-FZ40 FZ40 Lumix point-and-shoot P1190247 FZ40 annkelliott beautiful_expression excellence FloralExcellence

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Just like yesterday, I'm posting a flower "burst" or floral "explosion", as it would take me just too long to search my old external hard drives to find an old photo of fireworks. The sentiment is the same, though - Happy New Year! I'm off to another Bird Count in about an hour's time, this time within the city. Every New Year's Day, we record everything seen in Fish Creek Park, with different groups of people covering different areas - this wonderful park extends right across the width of the city. It's -14C right now but should soar to a comparatively balmy -2C this afternoon. My words from yesterday's post were - I hope 2012 will be a better year than last year - wishing you good health, much happiness and contentment, and of course, endless photo opportunities. Thank you all for sharing your amazing photos - I learn about and see new things each and every day, thanks to you. I appreciate so much all your visits and the wonderful comments that you take precious time to write! Happy New Year to my kids, my relatives in various places around the world, my long-time friends over in England and other countries (including old college friends), all my local friends (including those with whom I share a love of birding and botanizing) and last, but definitely not least!) to all my Flickr friends! Happy New Year!

Tags:   Calgary Alberta Canada southern Alberta Reader Rock Garden nature flora garden flower flowers Thistle Globe Thistle burst explosion detail insect bee bokeh square crop

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I always love discovering one of these very small mushrooms in the forest. This was one of the very few fungi I could find on that day, at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park, as this season has been very poor. Not sure if this is the lichen that produces mushroom-like growths. IF it is, then the information below would apply.

Once again, I am turning to a great online resource - Doug (dougwaylett). I have looked on several websites for information on Lichenomphalia, but anything I found was far too technical for me to understand. Doug has explained more simply how this little beauty is both a Lichen and a Mushroom.

"Lichenomphallia umbellifera 'Lichen Agaric/Mushroom Lichen' is a fungus/lichen that is almost always found growing on a rotting log that is coated with algae. Lichenomphallia is a genus of lichenized Basidomycetes or club fungi which has spores produced on club-shaped basidia. The lichen fungus resembles a mushroom and the algae are concentrated in special tissues or lobes at the base of the fruiting body. This plant is found in both books on Lichens and books on Mushrooms usually under the genus Omphalina." Doug Waylett.

Thanks so much, Doug, for confirming my ID! I did wonder if that was algae growing down at the left lower edge.

Now, the ground is covered in white, after it snowed overnight : ( It's -8C (17F) just before 11:00 a.m. and snow is forecast for the rest of the day and evening, if it happens. Looks like the days after that should be cold, but sunny. And so winter begins ....

Tags:   Alberta Canada southern Alberta Brown-Lowery Provincial Park nature mycology fungus fungi mushroom mushrooms Lichenomphallia umbellifera Lichen Agaric/Mushroom Lichen fungus/lichen lichenized Basidomycetes small forest light macro close-up square crop beauty in nature Panasonic DMC-FZ40 DMC-FZ40 FZ40 Lumix point-and-shoot P1190765 FZ40 annkelliott beautiful_expression Macrolicious NaturesFinest Explore interestingness#81 explore2011November5 © Anne Elliott 2011 © All Rights Reserved #GreatNature

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Love a challenge? Then try photographing a large Blue Morpho at rest, with its wings open, lol! I was lucky on October 4th, though this butterfly does have some damage to its beautiful wings. Taken in the ENMAX Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo.

"As its common name implies, the blue morpho butterfly’s wings are bright blue, edged with black. The blue morpho is among the largest butterflies in the world, with wings spanning from five to eight inches. Their vivid, iridescent blue coloring is a result of the microscopic scales on the backs of their wings, which reflect light. The underside of the morpho’s wings, on the other hand, is a dull brown color with many eyespots, providing camouflage against predators such as birds and insects when its wings are closed. When the blue morpho flies, the contrasting bright blue and dull brown colors flash, making it look like the morpho is appearing and disappearing."

www.rainforest-alliance.org/resources.cfm?id=blue_butterfly

Tags:   Calgary Alberta Canada southern Alberta Calgary Zoo ENMAX Conservatory nature insect butterfly tropical Blue Morpho Morpho peleides large blue wingspan 5-8 inches reflected light top side wings open on leaf macro close-up beauty in nature Panasonic DMC-FZ40 DMC-FZ40 FZ40 Lumix point-and-shoot P1210921 FZ40 annkelliott beautiful_expression © Anne Elliott 2011 © All Rights Reserved Explore Interestingness#201 Explore20October2011 Top20Butterfly - made it to bottom

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On a fairly recent visit to the Calgary Zoo, on September 26th, I happened to notice some very pretty bokeh hiding behind one of the enormous leaves of a tropical plant in the ENMAX Conservatory : )

Later, in the evening ... is anyone else having a problem with Flickr being ridiculously slow? Whatever I click on takes forever to open. Think I will have to give up.

Tags:   Calgary Alberta Canada southern Alberta Calgary Zoo ENMAX Conservatory nature plant tropical leaf large pattern texture green bokeh macro close-up square crop artistic abstract beauty in nature Panasonic DMC-FZ40 DMC-FZ40 FZ40 Lumix point-and-shoot P1200793 FZ40 annkelliott beautiful_expression BRAVO © Anne Elliott 2011 © All Rights Reserved

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