Carol Creech

Tulip tree pod, opened up, bottom view with stem.

Tulip tree pod, opened up, side view.

Tulip tree pod, opened up, side view.

Tulip tree pod, opened up, top view.

So I picked up a tulip tree pod a couple of weeks ago on a walk. It was completely closed up. Forgot all about it and looked today—it opened up! Such a pretty form. #tuliptreepod 🌱

Congratulations!

Yellow swallowtail butterfly many with black and yellow patterning and some rusty red spots.

A dark red sunflower bud, not quite open.

A hummingbird moth hovering over a flower.

Also got to see some of the beautiful, late summer treats at the garden. Butterflies, hummingbird moths, and lots of flowers! 🌱

Close-up of several massage rattlesnakes under a small rock ledge.

Several massage rattlesnakes under a small rock ledge.

Several massage rattlesnakes in a drainage pipe and nearby.

Close-up of several massage rattlesnakes under a small rock ledge.

After seeing a post online, we had to make a run up to the garden to see the new baby massasauga rattlesnakes! One took up residence in a drainage pipe in the Great Lakes Garden and it gave birth this week! It is cordoned off, but so cool to see so close. #massasaugarattlesnake 🌱🐍

Grey fox just off of a golf course in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Seashells collected on the beach, including some great, intact spirals!

Beautiful home in Charleston, SC.

New River Gorge bridge in West Virginia.

Saw some wildlife right outside, did some beach combing, a day-trip to Charleston, and a stop at New River Gorge, WV on the way home. A great trip!

Water lily at Brookgreen Gardens, SC

Large, glass sculpture of flower sculpture of daffodils at Brookgreen Gardens, SC. Artist: Craig Mitchell Smith.

Closeup of magnolia blossom center.

Pond and sculpture at Brookgreen Gardens, SC. Artist: Craig Mitchell Smith.

Returned from a beautiful week in Myrtle Beach, SC, including a visit to one of my favorite places, Brookgreen Gardens! #southcarolina #brookgreengardens 🌱

Mullein plant.

Extracted dye in pot. It is amber-colored.

Mordanted wool soaking in the dye pot.

Final result on left in a light, buttery yellow compared to a white skein of undyed bamboo/wool blend on right.

Experiment time! Did you know that mullein can be used as a dye plant? After soaking and simmering the leaves, the color was amber-like in the pot. I had mordanted some cream-colored wool and soaked it in the dye overnight. The result was lighter than I hoped, but still very pretty! #mulleindye 🌱🧶

Thanks! These are gorgeous shots, too. My coneflowers are just coming on. They are my favorite for taking bee pics and butterflies, when I see them. The finches love them, too, at the end of the season!

Closeup of swamp milkweed pink and white blossoms with lightening bug on leaf.

Closeup of thimbleweed, oblong head with spikey green surface.

Three, orange daylilies.

Hosta blossom with bumblebee inside.

The summer garden this week. I love the many lightening bugs we have been seeing this year! Even finding them on the flowers during the day. I also love how much the bumblebees enjoy the hosta flowers.🌱 #summerflowers #summergarden #hosta #swampmilkweed #thimbleweed #daylily

Small, dwarf sunspot sunflower with first blossom partially open.

So out of all my sunflower seedlings earlier this spring, I was only able to successfully get one to take. 😂 However, it is now on the verge of blooming! This is a dwarf sunspot variety. 🌱#dwarfsunspotsunflower

Thank you!

Finished round, woven trivet in natural cord color.

C’est fini! I think it turned out pretty well! #circularweaving #woventrivet 🎨🧶🧵

Thanks! It is fun. Took me a couple of tries to get the warp set correctly, but once I did, it has been straightforward.

A round warp of natural colored linen thread with natural colored, flat cord woven in the round.

I am enjoying something different, art-wise, this week. This woven trivet kit from @flaxandtwine caught my eye. I love how, as you weave, the center looks like the center of a sunflower! Very fun. #circularweave #woventrivet 🧶🧵🎨

It was in a dandelion leaf. And yes, just poked at it with another stem :)

Thanks, all! Yes, it does look to be it!

Thank you! The more I research, the more it looks like this may be it.

White, bumpy cocoon-like structure found on a dandelion leaf.

White, bumpy cocoon-like structure found on a dandelion leaf.

White, bumpy cocoon-like structure found on a dandelion leaf.

Found this on a leaf out back. Any ideas? Guessing maybe a moth cocoon? It is sturdy and only about an inch long and maybe 1/2” tall. #maybecocoon

Side view of coneflower bud before opening.

Top view of coneflower bud before opening with spiraling center, tightly-packed, petals around the edges.

Top view of coneflower bud before opening with petals closed around center.

Top view of coneflower bud before opening with petals closed around center. Center just starting to peek open.

I just love the intricate shapes that the coneflower buds have before opening. Amazing! #coneflowers #coneflowerbuds #summerflowers 🌱

A series of placed circles in a cluster with small, gradually larger circles reaching out from three areas.

Enjoyed completing a doodle with a new circle template. I like the motion in this one. #intuitivedoodle #circles 🎨

Thank you! I often lack time to sketch when I have the live material so I try to take a ton of photos.

Water lily open blossom from top view. White petals and flexible, strong yellow stamen in center.

Approx 7 inch wide green lily pad.

Cross-section of water lily blossom showing green sepals, white petals and interior yellow parts (stamen and ovaries.)

Cross-section closed up at night.

I was able to snag a beautiful water lily and lily pad from our relative’s property this past weekend. It has lasted well! Pressing the leaf and watched the flower close at night and open in the morning. Did a cross-section view last night. Hoping to sketch from my many photos! 🌱 #waterlily

It is an iris from our garden. This is post-bloom seed pod.

Iris seed pod sliced in half, outside view. Green pod about and inch and a half long with papery outside.

Iris seed pod from the inside. Tiny, white, pearl-like seeds and a possible purple flower remnant curled in at the bottom

So I picked one of the iris seed pods last night and sliced into it. I was surprised to see remnants (?) of the purple flower inside! I wasn’t sure if that gets further absorbed as the pod develops? Didn’t just get lucky to see that bit? Fun stuff! #irisseedpod #remnantflower 🌱

Thank you!

Closeup of dragonfly with black sections on wings.

Closeup of dragonfly with black sections on wings.

A beautiful dragonfly chilling on a blade of grass just behind my lemon balm, close to the ground. I didn’t even notice it and had just broken off some lemon balm to show my daughter when she spotted it. Got some good close-ups with the big camera. #dragonfly #summergarden 🌱

Pink peony bloom with light pink interior frill.

Side view of pink peony bloom with two buds forming.

Pink peony bloom with light pink interior frill.

Pink peony bloom that is almost open.

The neighbor’s peonies are looking gorgeous! #peonies #peonyseason #pinkpeonies 🌱

Possible blue flag iris with fully opened blossom. Darker purple with yellow in center and maroon veining.

View from top with light purple and dark purple petals.

So the “small iris” - most likely Blue Flag or Siberian Iris - has bloomed! I love the yellow patterning and the delicate structure. #blueflagiris #siberianiris #purpleiris

Ooo—I need to get some yellow for our yard. So cheerful!

Love the big swath of white!