Although my primary reason (other than to see my friends) when I went out to Watermelon Pond to wander around was to look for birds, I try never to pass up a pretty flower, either. This Mexican sunflower bush (Tithonia diversifolia) was growing in my friend’s yard and still had a fair number of flowers on it. I tried to get a little artistic with this shot by using a very shallow depth of field, focusing only on the very center of the flower. I was quite pleased with the result, making the flower petals almost melt into the background. We’ve had a little bit of cooler weather, including a very mild freeze, but there are still a few flowers out there adding a splash of color to our somewhat brown landscape. It’s always awesome to find one, even if it’s not a native.