Sunday, July 24, 2022

Spirals in Flowers

At this time of year, with the Echinacea or Coneflowers coming into bloom, the presence of spiral patterns in flowers becomes really obvious.  Fibonacci, an Italian mathematician from Pisa first described these spirals to the western world as early as 1202.  I don't pretend to understand the mathematics, but the spiral patterns are fascinating.

How's this for a spiral at the centre of a pink coneflower?

A common garden daisy has spirals too.

Here's a yellow coneflower just emerging into full bloom.

This is a very pink coneflower with really obvious spirals.

And just to show you that it's not only flowers, this is the fiddlehead of a Christmas Fern.

And a slender Maidenhair Fern.

Now I really could impress you if I could express all those spirals in numbers and equations, but that's way beyond me, in fact it's in a different universe!  I just like the pretty patterns.  And thanks to Mrs. F.G. for suggesting this topic.

We've had quite a bit of rain the past few days, but it's really good for the garden, the lawn, the trees, and the crops!  I'm watching a thunderstorm pass to the south of us as I write this.

A quick trip to emerg yesterday, just another skin infection, a constant hazard if you're paralyzed.  But the remarkable part was that I got there, was brought in immediately, transferred myself to the examining bed, and welcomed the doctor all in 15 minutes!  I was out of there with prescriptions in hand in less than an hour and a half - oh the joys of having a small town hospital about 3 blocks away!





16 comments:

  1. I love the macros of the cone flowers. Sometimes close-ups work for me, sometimes they don't. Can't figure out if it's the camera or if it's me.

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  2. Great observation of the spirals. Nature is amazing.

    Glad you were seen so promptly at Emerg!

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  3. For years I've seen the spirals but I don't think anyone had ever done any mathematical calculations of them -- very nice photos.

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  4. Lovely flower pics, and glad to hear you got such good care at the local hospital.

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  5. My cone flowers are blooming now too for the second time. Deer came by and ate them the first time, but they grew back again. I don't mind the deer eating them though, I'd rather have the deer than the flowers.

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  6. Yes, sunflowers also have that and the seeds at the end of the season are so perfectly rowed. The golden mean is amazing.

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  7. Those Fibonacci spirals occur naturally everywhere, reminding me that there's a wonderful mathematics to our universe. So glad the hospital visit was easy and effective for you.

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  8. This was a beautiful post. Thank you Mrs. F.G. for the idea. :) My cornflowers, pink, are just budding now. We received rain off and on all day but at supper time, it was heavy for about 20 minutes and windy with thunder. We were in an Airstream so it sounded worse than it was! Yes, I could hear the grass and plants rejoicing!

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  9. Fibonacci, I had to Google the sequence. Beautiful spirals, and raindrops on leaves, lovely. We, too, have a smaller local hospital about 30 minutes drive, and apart from a VERY few times, have always been seen promptly. Skin infections, Hugh gets them too, after years on a steroid for PMR. And they can be so hard to heal. I hope yours heals up quickly, and no more trips , even if only those short three blocks.

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  10. isn't it amazing what mother nature can create. all of my cone flowers were ripped out when the deck went in, but i am reestablishing that garden now. i am happy your ER visit went so well. i have waited as much as 3 - 4 hours just to be called back. glad you received good, speedy treatment, and i am even happier that you know when you need to go!!

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  11. Very observant and satisfying with nice photos. Glad it went well at the ER.

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  12. Nature truly has men (and women) beat in creativity. As for the math, it would be wasted on me.
    Glad your ER visit went so quickly. Small regional hospitals here are being temporarily closed due to lack of staffing.

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  13. I think I am going to throw away all my DSLR cameras and lenses and get me a smart phone camera just like the one you got.

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  14. What a difference having open ERs nearby! I think Perth reopened, but I am not sure.
    So glad you did well.
    Your tireless manager did well, both for the moral support, I am sure, as well as the blog topic! Take care!
    (ツ) from Jenn Jilks , ON, Canada!

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  15. I am fascinated by spirals like these, too. So glad to hear you had such good treatment at the hospital. :-)

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  16. Wonderful studies! I’m glad the doctor was able to see you right away.

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