RSS feedBusch Gardens
Look behind the facade….
By Silver Blue
[audio:https://www.eyesofsilverblue.com/jh-f.mp3]A series of shots of harlequin masks shot over the past 5 years.
Masquerade noun \ˌmas-kə-ˈrād\: a social gathering of persons wearing masks and often fantastic costumes (Merriam-Webster Definition)
Facade noun \fə-ˈsäd\: a false, superficial, or artificial appearance or effect (Merriam-Webster definition)
Harlequin noun \ˈhär-li-k(w)ən\: a character in comedy and pantomime with a shaved head, masked face, variegated tights, and wooden sword (Merriam-Webster Definition)
These “masks”, designed for decorative purposes only, run from $19.99 for the very small, basically unadorned, to well over $250 for the feathered and hand painted/glittered. While I don’t own any of these (I much prefer the one here from my great friend $ally and James, which adorns my mantle), I am taken in with their beauty when I visit.
Silver Blue… who has far too many “Masquerade” songs in his archives for his own good. 🙂
A Study in Colour (Part 5)
By Silver Blue
This brings me to the conclusion of the photos that I took this past weekend at Busch Gardens. Oh, I took far more than the 27 shots you’ve seen… but these were the ones I shot with an eye toward form and colour.
Much like the snapdragons that were in front of the “window” in “Germany”, here are another set.
Near the Roman Rapids ride in the Festa Italia section of the park is a waterfall, and shooting station where you can pay an quarter to shoot a stream of water on the passing by riders.
Daisies, Tulips and Dusty Miller come together to … I can’t explain it other than to say it makes me happy.
Using Bokeh (or depth of field to throw the background out of focus is something I enjoy experimenting with. Here, the red tulip and pink snapdragon are the same distance from the lens.
I wonder what happens once everything blooms out. Do they take the plants back to the greenhouse? Do they collect seeds? Or … are they merely turned into mulch?
A straight down shot. Almost looks like a space pod opening up!
What you first see upon entering, and what you last see when exiting the park. The change from the fountain is donated to charity.
Of course, when the heat of summer hits, these delicate pansies will be history. I’d not seen the dusty rose/lavender before, at least not this season.
[audio:https://www.eyesofsilverblue.com/cu-ta.mp3]Silver Blue… who will look for colour to study!
A Study in Colour (Part 4)
By Silver Blue
More photos from the trip to Busch Gardens:
Something to be said about varying bushes with flowers. The pom-pom effect is nice, though I don’t know what kind of plant it is.
More “bedrock” sprouting with a variety of flowers in copious colours.
From almost opposing colours comes a soothing flow of shape and form.
Nature has its own way of cranking up the saturation. 🙂
Even the repeating pattern of colourful umbrellas can be interesting, even when blocked by a tree that has yet to sprout.
The richness of a metallic purple carousel horse beckons one to mount and ride… one more ride on the merry-go-round.
Only I would look up and see…. Silver and Blue. LOL.
It may look like wood, or marble, but this is pollen, resting on the surface of the “Rhine” river flowing through Busch Gardens.
Finally….
I call this “The Lady Of The Lake/The Rhine Maiden” (A hat tip to the legend of King Arthur and to Richard Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen”.) Can you see her face?
[audio:https://www.eyesofsilverblue.com/omrotmgr.mp3]Silver Blue, who… is at a loss for words this evening.
A Study in Colour (Part 3)
By Silver Blue
A trip to Busch Gardens on the second official day they were open. (The season opener was yesterday, but with rain in the forecast, decided to delay it a day.)
Not every study in colours is bright and cheerful. Some are more muted, such as this flowing water.
Still, there were enough colours out and basking in the open air that it made it look, at likes, like Walt Disney had vomited.
Little things, like the water reflecting in the indentation of the rock, however, gave an interesting compliment to the colours of nature.
As you can imagine, the pollen counts were off the charts today, even with the rain of yesterday and the on again/off again misty rain we had today.
Down by the Loch Ness Monster coaster, comes a lesson in repeating patterns.
Wisteria, in the lane, with nary a desperate housewife in sight.
Remember the post I made about “Never be afraid to stand out in a crowd”? Notice that the red tulips don’t seem so special now that everyone is trying to be like them. LOL.
I just think that nature can give us a rainbow of choices to view, and fortunately, Busch Gardens groundskeepers feel the same way!
[audio:https://www.eyesofsilverblue.com/esp-e.mp3]There’s two more sections in our study in colour, but those will have to wait for another day. I decided to hold off and do 9 photos at a time.
Silver Blue, who now is off to dye his hair and get this pollen off me!
A Study in Colour (Part 2)
By Silver Blue | 1 comment
1Not much to say this evening. I’m in a rather introspective mood, but I wanted to share some more photos from the trip to Busch Gardens:
The colour, the water droplets, even the mulch come together to act as one.
A wheelbarrow of spring. Overflowing in its greenery, simplistic in its colouration.
Un petit oiseau, jaune.
Tis the season for tulips and pansies.
As well as tulips and dusty miller.
[audio:https://www.eyesofsilverblue.com/tf-epce.mp3]Silver Blue, who wonders how different the world would be if people took time to not only stop and experience the world around them, but if they were for accepting of those who are different. What if… everything were possible?
A Study in Colour (Part 1)
By Silver Blue | 1 comment
1
A trip to Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, has put me on a study of colour, from the garish tones in the above photo, which to me still work as the flowers and greenery spill forth from this window box planter to the simplistic….
…single red tulip blooming in a field of purple pansies. I call this “Never be afraid to stand out in a crowd.”
Learning to use depth of field (known in the photographic world as “Bokeh”) to throw the background out of focus so that you don’t have sensory overload from EVERYTHING being sharp and your brain going “what do I focus on? This? That? This?” is something I’m really beginning to have fun with.
Of course, I realize that most of the flowers at BGW have been “forced” into bloom in greenhouses, the weather has been so peculiar this year that it really wouldn’t surprise me to see petunias, pansies and snapdragons all in perfect harmony. (In fact, this morning while cutting the manor grounds here at the Shenandoah Forester, I noted that the wild violets are already in bloom — something that normally doesn’t happen until late April/early May.)
One of the things I appreciate most about the groundskeepers at BGW is that they aren’t afraid to juxtapose opposites on the colour wheel for dramatic effect.
[audio:https://www.eyesofsilverblue.com/aob-liaf.mp3]Silver Blue, who loves this time of year, even though I suffer from bad seasonal allergies.
Night I left the city…I dreamt of a wolf…
By Silver Blue
Went to Passport Preview day at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg today. Weather was perfect and it was worth putting up with the pollen.
I’ve never heard the grey wolves howl in the park…. until today.
In fact, over in Germany, at the Curse of Dar Kastle ride, a large wolf statue says…. CHEESE!
The thing that I really appreciate about BGW however, is how well they tend to their grounds (a veritable wheelbarrow of Spring):
Plus, the fact they act as caretakers this year to four Bald Eagles who have been injured in the wild and cannot fly or hunt, so are protected and fed here:
and…
This one, if I recall correctly, injured his wing by flying into a power line and almost lost the wing to injury and infection (hence the reason it wasn’t able to be “re-set” so he can fly).
All in all a great day… even if time passed too quickly.
Silver Blue, who is thankful Mother Nature held off on her rain and storms and let me have MY day, making the most of the shots…
(*title from “Cry Wolf” by a-ha)
Not so birds of a feather…
By Silver Blue
I associate closely with Cardinals because they’re the state bird of my birth state, and therefore… one of the few red things I affiliate myself with. So much more interesting to align with, say, the Blue Jay, given my affinity for all things blue.
This photo was taken at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in the spring of 2011. As you can see, one of the parrots they have in captivity was paid a visit…by a cardinal. They posed for several photos, and then the Cardinal actually descended to the ground under the parrot to retrieve lost seed. The parrot seemed to pay the Cardinal no mind.
Therein is the lesson to be learned: if it’s not something that affects you, LEAVE IT BE.
Silver Blue, who thinks its time for one more glass of iced tea prior to bedtime.
When Irish Eyes are Smiling….
By Silver Blue
Love Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Love the park, love the rides, love the shows. Last year, they had a rather spritely show called Celtic Fyre. Your usual Irish Step dance, yes, but with an excellent cast, and setting:
The Irish Pub.
Your humble narrator, who not only sang the introduction, but also kept the story rolling.
All in a circle, and spin!
I know it has to be hard to keep this kind of enthusiasm, show after show, day after day, month after month. But these are professionals, and they really seem to be enjoying what they do.
Somehow, my memory fails me as to what this scene was, but I guarantee you the narrator was NOT saying “I am not a crook!”
I lucked out, and was selected to sit right on the edge of the stage for the performance. The only regulation was: no flash. No problem. 🙂
Slán go fóill (Goodbye for now)…
Silver Blue, who is lost in Smaointe… (A thought…)
RSS