Down, but not out (until Saturday)

I got hit with yet another cold this past week. I think that makes at least three weekends this past year that I was sick and the symptoms from last weekends cold are still sticking around this weekend. I have my energy back for the most part but there still is that lingering “just not right” feeling. It didn’t help that I had a public speaking engagement last week for my employer and I’m not too good at those in the first place. I did manage to get through it without coughing and clearing my throat but I was a bit dry by the time I was done.

Besides obligations for work I didn’t spend much time doing anything else that required much effort until yesterday when my wife (who got sick after me, of course) and I managed to get out of the house a little a take a few photos at the local conservatory lily pond. It’s a good time of year for the water plants and I like to visit every year when I can to photograph the flowers and try to outdo myself from the previous year. Plus it didn’t take much physical effort which was just what I needed. Enough activity to help me recover but not enough to wear me down again.

It was a wonderfully cloudy day on the way over and I was hoping the soft light would stick around. Unfortunately the sun came blazing out by the time I had arrived, along with it’s harsh directional light. My early shots were a disaster from too much harsh, contrasty light so I waited patiently for a cloud to cover the sun and grabbed whatever shots I could when the light eased up. All in all I managed to get a few good photos on this excursion but nothing that really excites me. That happens on occasion and I’m sure I wasn’t on top of my mental game either. This black and white lily image was one of my favorites and I kept it simple with a square crop. The color image is equally, if not more, impressive and I’ll show it next post with a few other shots.

Until then….

© David Guidas