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This is a leaf and blossom of a giant water lily at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Virginia. The Giant Water Lily adapts to the environment by growing thorns on the bottom of the leaves to protect itself from fishes and other predator that might want to eat it. Another adaptation is the rim around the edges of the leaves. These rims help protect the leaf from birds and insects that might want to eat the leaves (the rim is a barrier between the insects and the leaf). The third adaptation of this Giant Water Lily is that the flower only lives for three days, it traps the beetles that come to pollinate the flower inside its core and then releases all its pollen on these beetles. This enlarges the percentage of pollen that gets transported to other flowers for pollination. The bottom of the leaf is maroon in color.

Growing up on a farm near Davidsonville, Maryland, I observed my father taking his camera everywhere, whether it was out in the field while driving the tractor or into the woods for a Sunday afternoon walk. Fondly, I recall the exciting anticipation as we gathered in the evening to watch his slides flash up on the living room wall. And so began my love of the beauty of nature. Although he is gone, his legacy continues as I now view the world through the lens of a camera. I do not own a fancy camera, nor do I have professional training other than an intro to art class and an art history class in college. My photographs, however, I feel reflect my love of nature and the natural talent God has given me to let others experience that...