PRETTY SURPRISE!

This beautiful Gerbera Daisy plant was a surprise Mother's Day present - a couple weeks after the actual day. Unfortunately, this shot does not do it justice as the colors are absolutely vibrant, but the lack of lighting so late in the day made the petals seem a bit flat. If it hadn't been for my quick thinking son-in-law, I nearly missed enjoying my present more than just a couple days. I'd started out on my 3+ hour trip to return home and had forgotten to pack my plant. He quickly grabbed it and met me down the road to transfer it to my car. Thank you Tim!

During my visit, I had a camera lessons or two from my favorite expert photographer, so this was my first experiment with the camera letting me know when the focus is adjusted. I'm somewhat pleased with the results although I have a long way to go. Not so much guesswork now. A couple other shots were a bit sharper, but I didn't care for their composition. I thought the center of the flower looked crisper though. Eventually, I'll get the hang of it!

Over the summer, this plant will be a beautiful reminder of the truly wonderful time I had on this visit.