poppy shots

So Jess and I stopped by the local camera shop (of course we did - actually, we may have left our tripod in Durham and are looking for a suitable replacement). And while there, I ran into my most favorite teacher, Mr. Holt. I had Mr. Holt for band through middle school and then high school, as he moved to the high school the year that I moved up. He was a phenomenal teacher - he believed in his students and encouraged us to succeed. And he was a friend. Mr. Holt retired from full-time teaching when he began losing his hearing (too many years of bad notes from marginally talented high school students :) ).

Mr. Holt mentioned that he had just been out shooting pictures of the bear-claw poppy. I had never heard of the little flowering herb, but the bear-claw poppy is an endangered species, native only to St. George. They dot the hills very sporadically, and apparently they're running out of time. Jess and I went on a quick scavenger hunt and snapped a few shots. Pretty little things.