A Feast for the Eyes

The last blog was of the marvelous way the city planted its abundant gardens,

but private shops and businesses also join in the generous spread of brightness and joy that comes from flowers.

Perhaps it is due to the barrenness of dark, cold winter days that the people of the north take such pleasure in the warmth of summertime. That is translated into a perfusion of reds, yellows, whites, oranges and violets of these amazing flowers. Like a wondrous throwing off of dark winter coats and walking into fields of color!

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One fine Friday evening after work, my friend Tammy and I walked into town. We were equipped with cameras and the goal was to photograph all the flowers we admired each day from our cars as we drive to and from work.

I really like this neat mural on the side of a building.

The flowers are planted in such a way that they seem to part of the scene.

Here they are closer up. (You can click on this picture to enlarge it and see the delicate colors and petals of this beauties, if you'd like.)

I admired Kathleen's dentist's office every day.

He even planted petunias at the hidden side of the building.

A unique clipper ship made of flowers at the Tanana Valley Fair but I didn't do a very good job of getting the shot. That's the trouble with taking pictures, you have to choose to get the big picture or the details and can't do both. By showing you the whole ship and its cheerful captain, the beauty of the individual flowers was lost. Oh, well.

We focused on a different beauty instead.

These 2 pics were actually taken in Homer but I thought the plate and shells in the planter were such a cute touch for this coffee house/bakery near the marina.

Kathleen is talking to these bright flowers and the snapdragons always talk back.

Did you already know that? I'll bet you did.

Back in Fairbanks, the vibrant colors of these snapdragons looked touched up by some photographer. Absolutely not! They line a drive-in teller at a local bank and are look exactly like this. Anyway, I don't know how to change or tamper with colors.

A special gift shop downtown hangs a long row of these splendid baskets.

In between the hanging pots are planters with many colors of foxgloves.

Just a sample. How lovely!

Of course, most homeowners love to celebrate summer and fill barrels, pots, and window boxes with as many flowers as can possible fit. They spill over in gay perfusion, growing larger, brighter and fuller every day. And our hearts rejoice to see them!