They happily grow outside in California, so the seeds need about 70 degrees (F, not C ) to germinate. I'm going to give it a go. However, waiting several years before any chance of a flower requires a lot of patience . It's easier to buy a bulb from the market in the autumn .

Steve

And now on Sunday 10th May 2026. It will soon be dropping seeds on the carpet. And I know who will have to clear them up...




Steve

Yes. I've used the 1.7 adapter with the DA*300mm f4 to see whether it worked. It did. But AF is provided by the adapter, not by the lens, so you have to get fairly close to focus by hand to give the adapter's AF a chance.

The reason I got the 1.7 adapter was to use it with the Irix 150mm macro, which is MF only. It didn't work because the Irix mount is not fully compatible with pre-digital Pentax mounts. But the Pentax adapter will work with Pentax lenses.

Steve

Ooh, they're good. And the 3rd one is superb

Steve

And here it is on Friday 8th May 2026.




Steve

And here it is today...




Steve

Google should be banned, it makes things too easy! You're right, it is an amaryllis seed pod. I've grown and seen many amaryllises but never seen one develop a seed head. Goodness knows what fertilised the flower. Watching the seed head develop and wondering when it would stop growing kept me happy for few weeks (I'm easily satisfied ).

Thanks for the link, it's tempting me to sow the seed and see what happens .

Steve

Your better half is a true gem, to be treasured. Having a better half who doesn't regard your hanging around to take photos as a nuisance to be, at best, grudgingly tolerated must be a joy for you.

Steve

A seedhead. It's big, on an indoor plant, I've never seen a seedhead on one of these plants before and it has broken open today. A quick late night photo was in order in case the seeds are on the floor in the morning. But what is the plant??

K3iii + Irix 150mm macro, hand held in not exactly bright artificial light.

Thoughts, comments, wild guesses etc. welcome as usual.




Steve

They both work for me because the concepts are so different. To me, the first is about the contrast between the vast, hard, dominating building and the soft frailty of the small (in the frame!) person and plant. The second is about a solitary person lost in thought while the wall adds to a sense of being alone. I think you've done the colour/mono the right way round, too. It probably wouldn't work as well for me if the first were mono and the second colour - but I could be wrong!

Steve