It certainly seemed like spring was never coming to Southern Maine, and of course, when it came, I was away in Ohio at the Biggest Week in American Birding. Here we are approaching Memorial Day Weekend and the Trillium have finally bloomed at Rachel Carson NWR Headquarters. There is no sign yet of Lady Slipper, through the smaller forest-floor flowers of May have made a showing. There is hope.

This Painted Trillium was taken with the wonderful ZEISS Touit 50mm f2.8 macro, a lens I have on loan from ZEISS for a trip ZEISS is sponsoring next month. What a great lens. I have missed true macro focus since I stopped carrying my Canon SX50HS, and the sharpness and clarity of the Touit lens is certainly refreshing! With its 50mm (75mm in 35mm equivalent) focal length, it has decent working distances and yet is easy to handhold for field macros. I like it!

Sony NEX 3N with ZEISS Touit 50mm macro. ISO 1600 @ f13 @ 1/800th. Processed in Snapseed on my tablet.