Welcome to Life Images by Jill

Welcome to Life Images by Jill.........Stepping into the light and bringing together the images and stories of our world. I am a photographer, writer and multi-media artist.
Focussing mainly on Western Australia and Australia, I am seeking to preserve images and memories of the beautiful world in which we live and the people in it.

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Friday 16 December 2011

Her beauty only lasts one night...........

On Monday night my Moon Flower bloomed - 4 beautiful blooms. They really are magnificent - and the perfume - intoxicating. 


 Unfortunately they only flower for one night and by the morning they are finished. My plant only seems to flower a few times a year, and so I need to take the opportunity to photograph it. 



 So I stood out in the rain with an umbrella sheltering me and my camera (on a tripod) to take these images. You can see the raindrops in this image.  Rain in December? - unheard of! - we really are having a strange start to summer.


 These images are as taken - only a little minor sharpening. The light was from an outside tube light which is on the wall above my plant on my patio. I used ISO 800, Aperture Priority, with camera on a tripod sheltered by an umbrella! 


I decided to search for my moon flower on the web - and I found out it is the Dutchman’s Pipe Cactus.

Epiphyllum Oxypetalum or Dutchman’s-Pipe Cactus, is a large floral variety of cactus native from Mexico to Brazil. Plant can grow as tall as 20 feet (6.1 m) in height. It’s branches are dark green and it requires moist soil. It grows in late spring and early summer, somewhere around May 30th (northern hemisphere). It blooms for only 1-2 days. Individual flowers can be up to 11 inches (27.9 cm) long and 5 inches (12.7 cm) wide. It opens as the sun goes down. It has a very deep and fresh fragrance which spreads as soon as it blooms. 

Click on the link and scroll down to Number 1 - The Dutchman's Pipe Cactus


Because the moonflower flowers only one night, you have to start watching the buds when they start to fill out, and make sure you check after dark to see if they are opening - otherwise you come out the next morning and they have all finished.........

 But there is still beauty......raindrops on petals.......


I hope you have enjoyed seeing my Moonflower - or more correctly - my Dutchman's Pipe Cactus.

I am linking into Mosaic Monday at Little Red House. Sincere thanks to Mary for hosting Mosaic Monday in 2011. Thank you to all my wonderful new on-line friends for your comments and sharing throughout the year. I have enjoyed seeing your work and your part of the world. I wish you all a wonderful Christmas in the company of those you love.

Take care. I look forward to hearing from you.

Please click on the link to see the work of Mary and other amazing contributors at Little Red House - Mosaic Monday at Little Red House


8 comments:

  1. I was sure I had already commented on this amazing flower as I had never seen one before! Oh I know maybe it was on Flickr, silly me, anyway these are stunning!

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  2. Beautiful flower, they are a little like the cactus orchid also an epiphyllum. Mine are not as big as yours but last for 3 to 4 days or more.

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  3. Wow! Amazing!
    Have a wonderful week and a wonderful Christmas!
    Markus

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  4. As I said on flickr Jill, this is an outstanding set... great work!

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  5. What an exquisite bloom. I love how fresh it looks with the rain drops on the petals. Beautiful. Merry Christmas. V

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  6. How beautiful and exotic! I'm glad that you were paying attention and able to take those photos for us to enjoy.

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  7. Beautiful photos of a gorgeous flower. Totally worth shooting in the rain under an umbrella! Thanks for that. Nancy

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  8. thank you so much every one for your comments for for visiting my blog this past year. I have certainly enjoyed dropping by yours to see what you have been up to.
    Take care and have a wonderful Christmas.

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I hope you have enjoyed your visit to my blog. Thank you for stopping by and for taking the time to comment. I read and very much appreciate every comment and love hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return.