White Water Lily

White Water Lily  On this 4th of July weekend, my walkabout yesterday was more like a kayak about.  Kayaks can be really a nice tool to capture wildlife, landscapes, seascapes, and even insects.  My brother’s house lies on a nice lake in Michigan.  Of course, they have kayaks.  This white water lily image was captured in pretty hard light; still it captures the reflected light of the sky and trees overhead.

The white water lily is a perennial plant that tends to form dense colonies. The leaves arise from the lake bottom, several feet deep, on flexible stalks.  The leaves are almost round and bright green with a 6 to 12 inches diameter and a slit about a third of the length of the leaf.  Leaves usually float on the water’s surface.  Flowers arise on separate stalks, have brilliant white petals with yellow centers.  The flowers may float or stick above the water.  Each fragrant flower opens in the morning and closes before evening.