Wonderful. You've won me over with Batik, Zencat. I've seen that offered here. Thanks for posting a pic from a distance ;)

And I want the greenhouse ! ...Arlyn

That gh is well worth the dollars and effort we put in. It just needs electric now.

Beautiful memorial garden!

Love the greenhouse, rock border and batik too.

Thanks, Rob. I am going to start a memorial garden thread when the roses start blooming. Should be very soon. Westerland is covered in buds.

Sorry to take the thread off topic again, but I have to assure Paul that his photos couldn't possibly discourage others from submitting their own photos, so the statement is false to begin with, and it's also horribly unkind and downright rude.

Paul, we're all happy that you post so many wonderful photos, especially in view of the high quality of all your images. Please continue doing what you've been doing.

I think seeing Paul's lovely photos would encourage others to show too.

The only iris I have in bloom right now is a little noid that was composted and has made a show.

That's a nice one ...Arlyn

Got my photos back from printer yesterday & am so disappointed. For example, one which I thought showed the good characteristics of the flower, is a color blob. I didn't go through them & will work on it today, Need to work on the focus, I used to do better.

So sorry Lucy. I hope you get some good pictures before your blooms fade.

Seriously -- you should consider a digital camera, Lucy. You can tell instantly if your pictures aren't what you're aiming for.

Time for a digital camera Lucy.............we need your pictures.

On the subject of cameras...A problem I have concerns "focus' also. My camera takes pictures well enough to suit my needs, but, it has a "display screen" type of view finder, and when I'm shooting extreme close ups, especially on the medians, I can't get my face close enough to the screen (without laying down!) to see that the shot is even correctly framed, let alone sharply focused. How are others doing it ?....Arlyn

I sit to take most of my macros. Getting harder to get back up but I manage.

I sometimes will lay on my stomach and take a shot. It can be fun getting up and down, but it's good for me to do so I think!

I just take a lot of shots and keep the best , most the time don't even look through the back screen.Would have to use my reading glasses to see and don't wear them out much.

crowrita1 said:On the subject of cameras...A problem I have concerns "focus' also. My camera takes pictures well enough to suit my needs, but, it has a "display screen" type of view finder, and when I'm shooting extreme close ups, especially on the medians, I can't get my face close enough to the screen (without laying down!) to see that the shot is even correctly framed, let alone sharply focused. How are others doing it ?....Arlyn

Hmmm. You mean that it *only* has a viewscreen and no proper viewfinder at all? I didn't realize they had started doing that. I've never understood the appeal of the "viewscreen as viewfinder," but I see lots of people using them that way, even on cameras with viewfinders, and I guess it's marginally cheaper to not include a viewfinder. About framing, though: Are you saying that you hold the camera like at waist level, without bending down? I've found that shooting irises almost always requires me to get down on one knee.

Celia, wonderful history on the rocks. I am glad you have them.

Paul, don't you ever stop posting those gorgeous pics!!!!! Or else!

well, if you photo takers do not want to lie down to get pictures of six inch irises (mud, rocks, snakes, centipedes, fire ants perhaps) and do not mind looking funny to passersby, turn your back on the iris you want to take a picture of, take a golfers stance with your feet, bend over and take a photo upside down between your ankles. You can rotate later. when you get through laughing try it.