Got Me Wondering

I'm a bit obsessed with the strawflowers....so you'll just have to bear with me a while longer.  I just gotta' go with what's bringing me joy!

Paul and I walked down Abby Lane again and I expected to see the strawflowers even more open and unfurled. But they were tucked in tight in the early morning light.....and that got me wondering. So I did a little research about why some blooms close up at night....and other don't.   

Many flowers including the strawflowers and rain lilies closes up at night and sometimes even on cloudy days to preserve and protect their centers for pollinators.  

This bee, however, is doing the best it can to get to the good stuff!  

Many of these nyctinastic plants (yes there's a name for them) even close during rain to protect the pollen. Once they're dry they open again in the sunshine. Pollen is more easily gathered when it's dry.

I did a quick little tag inspired by the pink strawflower....and I also started a page spread in my art journal which I'll share soon.

The flower image is one of my  recent photos...and there are two layers of tissue.  The bottom layer is "look again" over and over...and the top layer is an experiment from a while ago using my Stabilo Woody colored pencils on tissue.  When you adhere it with the colored side down...it doesn't run.  I just happen to have some experiments in this pink and orangey yellow color scheme....apparently it's a thing for me right now.

These aren't the pieces I used....but it gives you the idea of what they look like. The tissue becomes almost transparent....so just fades away during the gluing process leaving the image behind.  This make tissue great for layering. 

I'm still madly in love with this nyctinastic bloom....

and I'm quite fond of this little bee too.