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| Mamou (Erythrina herbacea) |
So... I was on my way home from.... what? Can't even remember. Some kind of meeting down in center of the state. Oh, yes, a Together Louisiana meeting in Alexandria.
I had my camera with me and had very little time, but, you know, really just needed 15 minutes in the woods....
So as I'm passing through the #KisatchieNationalForest where it overlaps Highway 165 for a few miles, I'm looking for an access point--preferably one I've never explored before. And sure enough I spot what looked like an unimproved access road that I had never noticed before.
Turns out, it was really short, just a "driveway" really, except into the forest, not a homestead. But enough of a driveway to get my car safely off the highway. And low and behold, glancing around I immediately spied this gorgeous, fresh, bright red Mamou spike right there on the edge of the forest. And around it, Monarda (aka Bee Balm)! But that's another post.
I rarely do this, but this image is straight out of the camera, #SOOC in photog lingo. This Mamou spike was perfectly fresh, with no spent florets, not hidden by foliage but proudly standing out at this exact angle at about head height. The light was perfect. For once I had no problem focusing the camera! That left choosing a depth of field to blur the background into this lovely dappled green, and... voila! there you have it. This one just might have to be printed and framed.
