Carlos "Uno" Takes Photos Around the Farm
My longtime driver, Carlos "Uno" Villamil, is at it again - taking photos around the farm and sharing his unique perspective on the places we see every day.
Carlos is an avid photographer. On many evenings just before sunset, he takes my five dogs out for a walk or drive around the property with his camera in hand. Along the way, he captures images of the gardens, trees, flowers, the sweeping landscapes, the colorful sky, etc. And then he shares his photos with me and all the others that work here.
Enjoy some of the photos he's taken this season.
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- Carlos has seen all of these gardens develop – he’s been working with me for more than 25 years. This is my large hosta garden located down behind my chicken coops.
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- These hostas are planted under the shade of these great dawn redwoods, Metasequoia. I planted these trees when they were just a few feet tall.
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- Across the carriage road from the hostas is my newest formal rose garden. Earlier this year, I transformed what was previously my lilac allée. I planted more than 140 new roses to add to the existing rose bushes and surrounded them all with a border of boxwood.
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- This is one of my horse pastures. In the distance are the tall eastern white pines that were here when I moved to the farm. The trees in front of them are lindens. The allée stretches from my long pergola down to the chicken coops.
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- I planted climbing hydrangeas at the base of some of the trees around my home. They bloom wonderfully every year.
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- Here’s my handsome Chow Chow Emperor Han on the cool stone floor of my stable. He adores Carlos and loves to accompany him wherever he goes.
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- This is my pinetum just off the carriage road behind my Equipment Barn. I started it about 20 years ago. As an arboretum of pine trees and other conifers, this area provides shelter and nesting sites for small birds, and continuous, year-round interest and greenery in the landscape.
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- Carlos enjoys capturing photos of the changing skies. On this warm summer day, there was nothing but beautiful blue above the farm.
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- Aside from his love for photography, Carlos also enjoys helping me with the gardening. He feeds many of the plants for me – with Miracle-Gro, of course.
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- Here’s one of my three French Bulldogs, Luna Muna. She loves going for rides in the Polaris off-road vehicle with her “Uncle Carlito.”
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- Here, Carlos notices the interesting bark of the London Plane tree. As these trees mature, they show mottled, exfoliating bark that reveals a camouflage-like pattern of pale yellow, grey, white, and brown patches.
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- Not far is my grove of weeping willows. Anyone who drives by this hayfield at my farm can see these tall weeping willows along one edge. Weeping willows are upright, fast-growing, deciduous trees that can grow up to 80-feet tall. Because of their massive root systems, they need a fair amount of room to grow. They also prefer wet feet and are often planted on the banks of streams and rivers to prevent erosion.
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- Here’s a photo of my stable complex on July 3rd, the evening before Independence Day – clouds were rolling in.
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- Nearby, Carlos takes this photo of our trusted Kubota tractor, which is used for so many jobs here at the farm.
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- This photo was taken a short time later – here the skies are looking quite gray and ominous.
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- Here’s Carlos in my half-acre vegetable garden. What are you harvesting for me, Carlos?
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- Carlos also enjoys taking photos of the flowers. This year, the hydrangeas are so prolific. I have hydrangeas blooming all over the farm.
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- This photo showing blue hydrangeas and some pink phlox was taken earlier this month. The foliage is so lush and green.
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- One can see my tennis court in the distance with the pinkish skies overhead. A pink sky at sunset occurs when sunlight is scattered by the atmosphere, showing stable, fair and calm weather.
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- The season is going by quickly. Thanks for documenting so many of our finer days and evenings here at the farm, Carlos. Keep taking beautiful photos.
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