The heady fragrance of rain is filtering in through the windows. A rain that has been holding off for so long it is welcomed. A smell that feels like a luxury, much like putting your head on a pillowcase that has spent the day outside tracing shadows on the ground. Sun drenched. Rain drenched. It is the balance that is perfection.
A West Coast garden
All images © Karen McRae
draw and shoot 
After a day of racing around, quite the pleasure to see this post. Especially love the yellow flower. 😉
Thanks, Cynthia. 🙂
What a change of the mood !
I thought you are an habitant of barren frozen land. 😀
I didn’t know, your world got so many pretty, and exotic flowers.
(other than one Liliaseae flower and a yellow Poppy, I have
no idea which family they belong to).
And I didn’t know you do the off-focused soft image too. 😀 (I’m joking)
Very refreshing beautiful images.
Oh, it’s not very barren and frozen right now! The day is topping out at 33 Celsius. I guess my pictures are misinforming. 🙂
Thank you, Yoshizen.
Beautiful shots.
Thank you, Ming.
My part of the country is severely out of balance. The raindrops are a beautiful reminder of the whole.
We are rather dry here also, Scilla. And the heat is intense today. I hope you get some rain soon!
Ooh, I needed that today. Thank you. 🙂
You are welcome, Matt. Thanks! 🙂
Nice! I especially like westcoastgarden9 for its perfect focus, colours and background patterns
Thank you, Ephem. We could use some of that west coast rain, but it looks to be lovely weather out your way right now.
It is pretty nice, though where I am in Victoria it is quite chilly still. Too near the waterfront.
gorgeous work
we also SO need rain…
Thanks, I hope we both get rain! We didn’t get nearly enough.
So delicate and lovely, Karen. Such beautiful details.
Thanks so much, Lemony.
Overall beauty, magic, great pictures.
Carlos, thank you! 🙂
To you my friend. 🙂
Oh Karen … I can smell, and almost taste this. Delicious, all of it.
Ah, thank you, Sydney. 🙂
Very beautiful.
Thanks, Michael.
So so pretty! Freshly washed sheets are luxurious! All these images are beautiful, you have given them such perspective. The top shot reminds me of spring!
Thanks, Marina. Are you baking hot today again? We could definitely use more rain.
Um, yes! Baking hot today I was. I think the heat wave is going to die down next week. Sending some sun your way through your blog 🙂
Oh it’s sunny here too! And 33 Celsius. Pool weather. 🙂
I misread, I thought you mentioned it was raining. You wrote the opposite – that you could use rain. Pool weather is good Karen 🙂 I’m not minding the heat too much these days!
Mmmmm…lovely and delicate. To build on “marinachetner’s” metaphor, your photos and thoughts are like the smell of fresh sheets.
Giovanni, thank you for your lovely comment, it is appreciated!
Gorgeous macros Karen!!! All are beautiful!!! 🙂 **
Thank you, Xandre. 🙂
What a gorgeous series. Lovely colors, drops and softness. 🙂
Much thanks for your comment, Inga.
Splendid mood and color and movement, as the drops meet the petals-sumptuous.
Thank you, Elena. I like the use of the word sumptuous to describe the rain drops and petals.
Wonderful words and heady images, beautiful.
Thank you, Helen.
These are refreshingly beautiful, Karen and so delicate and graceful!
Thank you kindly, Marina!
brilliant !! These are peaceful and beautiful.
Akanedou, thank you, I’m glad you think that.
So pretty.
Rain is falling here today.
Feeding all that I love about my landscape as well.
Thanks for SHARING
You are welcome, thanks for your comment.
🙂
Lovely, lovely photos. I can see you are happy for this rain.
Yes, more please! 😀
Thank you, Bente.
I absolutely love these pictures! They are so soft and so dreamy I could stare at them for hours – they are beautiful!
What a lovely comment, Sarah. Thank you very much, stare away!
Oh, these photos are adorable! I was just looking at a the ounce of raindrop one of our nasturtium leaves is cupping – beautiful. btw, if you want some more rain, please take this country’s. We’ve all had enough! 😦 🙂
Ah, if only we could ship the weather to each other, even if just for a little while…
Thanks, Gigi. 🙂
Hi Karen! I love your words “ship the weather” so much. They have inspired me to perhaps write a piece called “Shipping the Weather.” But I would only do so if you allowed to use your phrase which I would acknowledge and attribute straight to you. I have no idea what the piece would be about (if indeed I wrote it) but sometimes just a few words are enough to make me want to write something .. 🙂 Please would you let me know your thoughts and how you would feel about it. I always like to attribute quotes and ideas where I ca … 🙂 Kindes regards to you Gigi xo
Oh, please do run with it, Gigi! I’ll be looking forward to your writing. 🙂
Best wishes, Karen
Thankyou! Now I am on to something else – of course! But thankyou very much! It’s always still there … 🙂 🙂 🙂
Oh, Karen – makes me long for a morning rain. And I know my poor garden would relish those raindrops. Your work always stuns me with its beauty. Just lovely! Kathleen
Hi Kathleen, you’re so kind! Thank you.
Great images and writing, keep it up.
Well thank you! 🙂
We’ve been parched here for so long with this continuously odd 2012 growing season…..these delicate images were a balm to look at this morning.
I’m grateful for your comment. Thank you. I think many of us have been feeling a bit parched.
A tender eye to find and capture such images…so beautiful, Karen….
Thank you, Scott. 🙂
Most welcome. 🙂
exquisite.
and, oh, how i miss some rain…
Much thanks to you, Alessandro. I hope you find yourself rained upon soon!
Beautiful, Karen. The words are the perfect compliment to the images.
Thanks, Erica. 🙂
Lovely series of photos, Karen! I think over here in Northern Europe, we’ve had our rain and taken yours as well – it’s been so wet for these past couple of months! Regards, Steve
Thanks, Steve. Yes, I think we could trade some weather, temporarily… 😉
I love that you have the technology to make the microscopic visceral. Beautiful shots.
Elizabeth, thank you. It’s a fascinating little world up close.
Exquisite photography Karen. Each image is a gem.
Thanks for that, Simon! Much appreciated.
Something about water and flowers that gives them this ethereal quality. Super shots of these beaded beauties!
Eve, thank you! They do look lovely all misty and wet. I think they like it!
Exquisite…
A lovely comment, Emily. Thank you.
Amazing shots!
Thank you.
Precioso, dulce!!, besos
Thank you, Manoli. 🙂
It seems we were both noticing something involving plants this week. Lovely study!
Thank you, Jane!
You have nice series of photos!
Thanks very much, Alex.
You are very welcome!
stunning colours Karen, beautiful..I was longing fo rain a month or so ago, but we’re rather deluged here now..!
Hi Cath,
I understand it’s rather wet your way, we are a little out of balance. Thank you.
These images are absolutely exquisite. I do wish I could send you some rain – here in the UK we’ve had the wettest June on record.
Exquisite….both the prose and the photos. Love the muted tones and the subtle bokeh.
Karen,
What wonderful colors and close-ups of these flowers. Visually serene photographs. Oh, how I wish it would rain in our neck of the woods. We could really use it.
Beautiful. Love the macro!
Also, these make me thirsty. 🙂
I don’t even know where to begin–I’ve missed so many beautiful pictures on your blog lately >< but I really love this set so much–and the little bits of shells and bones arranging into flowers and pieces in the next one. All of your work, be it photos or drawings or random art is so delicate and natural. Hope you're well, Karen ❤
I am well, Mooffie. Thanks so much. ❤
🙂
You are such a formidable nature beauty capturer Karen. Thank you!
These are just beautiful.
David.
Wow, what a delightful images!