Most every year since 2002 I’ve photographed these personable beauties, the first wildflowers to bloom as early as late February through the snows.
Hepatica
Early Spring Beauties
Category: Season
Marantha House Six
near Blarney, County Cork
Continued…..The ground of Marantha House are a well appointed as the home, as you would expect from a luxury bed and breakfast on “Hydro Hill” also known as “Saint Ann’s Hill” close to Blarney, County Cork.
We say “goodbye” to Marantha House…on to new adventures
Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
Woody Peony Series
Effect of f-stop
May 2019 Pam and I visited the New York State historical site of Olana, the former home of Fredrick Church of the Hudson River School of painting. Off the walk was a small planting of flowers, among them a type of “woody” peony in full bloom on Memorial Day weekend, well before the “herbaceous” type that is setting flower buds at that time. These were a striking reddish hue.
On returning home we were pleased to find our own “woody” peonies of the same hue in full bloom as well. On Memorial Day I used the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USB lens and a tripod to capture the following two macros of the flower center with the lens aperture fully open (f 2.8) and at its smallest (f 32).
Question for readers: Which do you prefer, and why?
Click either photograph for a larger version.
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Marantha House Four
near Blarney, County Cork
Continued…..The view from our room, a fairway down “Hydro” hill. We were surprised to fine “sub-tropical” plants, such as the bamboo next to the recliner, in southern Ireland. Thanks to the Gulf Stream roses flourish and we spied palm trees, believe it or not.
Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
Marantha House Three
near Blarney, County Cork
Continued…..More of our surroundings, “home” during our explorations of Cork City, Kinsale and Cobh. Marantha House is a luxury bed and breakfast on “Hydro Hill” also known as “Saint Ann’s Hill” close to Blarney, County Cork.
Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
Hepatica, Fillmore Glen
Hepatica from April 2007
Back in 2007 I used a 100 mm Canon Macro lens on a Kodak slr along with a Sony DSC-F828 variable lens for this mix of macro and habitat captures presented as a gallery so you can flip back and forth among the larger images. Click any image to bring up a larger version.
Click for my “Finger Lakes Memories” Fine Art Photography Gallery.
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Marantha House Two
near Blarney, County Cork
Continued…..yesterday, we saw the second floor bay window of our bedroom of our luxury B&B base for our Cork City, Cobh and Kinsale explorations. Here is a peak into our bedroom and the house furnishings. The last photo is another bedroom. Marantha House is a secluded site on “Hydro Hill” also known as “Saint Ann’s Hill” close to Blarney, County Cork.
hallway to our bedroom 
Common Area 
Another bedroom
Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
Marantha House One
near Blarney, County Cork
Richard Barter, an Irish physician who used hydropathy for treatment, opened the first such hydrotreatment facility in Ireland at this location, near Blarney, in the 19th century. Today it is the luxury bed and breakfast we enjoyed during out days exploring Cork and Cobh. Here is a slide show of the entry and our first introduction to the home.
Our room was behind the large, second floor, bay window 
An enormous, friendly dog greeted us 
Caretaker’s Cottage 
Front Door, Caretaker’s Cottage 
I have Pam to thank for this photo of the entrance
Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
Coolcreen View Six
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day 2021 “No Snakes”
Number six of six from the Kerry County side on the descent Healy Pass, R574. Here we move away from, say goodbye (hopefully, for now) to these marvelous views, our first sight of County Kerry.
Two more strange, conical hills come into view, repeating those in the distance. These have a long story.
Beara Peninsula, Coolcreen townland, County Kerry, Republic of Ireland.
You can easily view a higher resolution versions by clicking on the photograph to open a browser tab.
Click photograph for a larger version.
Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
Marantha House Five
Charlemagne
Continued….yesterday included a view along a fairway of Saint Ann’s Hill on which Marantha House B&B is sited. Not far away was a pasture where Charlemagne, a rescued former show horse lives. Our first evening, the one just before this morning, I brought an apple out to Charlemagne. The next morning I returned with another apple to share. Charlemagne rewarded me with a brilliant approach I captured below with my Sony Alpha DSLR with variable lens.
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Hawthorn Tree in flower 
The “perfect” shot with flowering hawthorn trees 
“Hello Charlemagne”
Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
Michael Stephen Wills Photography 