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A photograph of some Phlox growing wild on a river's edge in Weldon Spring Conservation Area. The lovely white circles behind are out-of-focus reflections from the water. A very pretty effect, I thought.

This has been a good year for finding local, beautiful, and unexplored-by-me wild areas, and this one was no exception. My wife headed off down the track while I lingered with camera and tripod.

Unlike yesterday, a beautiful clear blue sky and a warm sun made for a more congenial expedition.

Walking on, I kept finding unexpectedly attractive vistas although not, sadly, a hillside of daffodils that a cyclist excitedly told me was one and half miles further up the track. The path branched, and it was not clear which trail she meant. I must have taken the wrong one.
So I walked past this corn field and up towards a small lake.

Lots of dead trees in this, standing out like bones.I walked on further, with a stream burbling beside me to my left before I came to this particular cluster of Phlox growing by the water's edge.

I became so engrossed in setting up the tripod and getting the camera just right that I almost didn't notice my wife coming back down the track after going on ahead about a mile of me. Fortunately, the ground was dry and she lay down to rest as I finished up with my shots.

Then it was back to the car, feeling very satisfied after another delightful hike. Here's another shot of the flowers with a greater depth of field and a smaller starry background.