31-JUL-2017
What Caught My Eye!
As I walked along Goodpasture Road paralleling Delta Ponds, I noticed this manhole cover surrounded by lines and angles. The unusual graphic look could have been an artist's work, although I would say that the white painted lines around the cover were likely put there by workers, Still, the result grabbed my attention and brought forth all kinds of mental images, so I called it "Street Art". The manhole cover almost looks like a face.
01-AUG-2017
Elegant Beauty
I find lilies of all kinds simply gorgeous. So I do photograph a variety of them. These orange lilies against a dark background are breathtakingly beautiful. I learned that Lilies are the fourth most popular flower around the world.
"Globally, Lilies rank fourth among flowers in popularity."
"Lilies of different kinds are commonly found all across the globe. Lilies come in different shapes, sizes and colors."
"Lilies are really excellent plants for beds and borders. Lilies are suitable for use in a shrub border, as accent plants, a formal or naturalized pool planting. Even some of the small species would fit perfectly in an alpine rock garden."
04-AUG-2017
Winning the courship contest
This bright eyed little Song Sparrow looked so alert and poised as it clung to the moss covered branch. An interesting thing I learned about them is that the males who show more ability to learn their song are often the ones who win the female being courted.
Cool Fact about Song Sparrows from 'All About Birds':
"Like many other songbirds, the male Song Sparrow uses its song to attract mates as well as defend its territory. Laboratory studies have shown that the female Song Sparrow is attracted not just to the song itself, but to how well it reflects the ability of the male to learn. Males that used more learned components in their songs and that better matched their song tutors (the adult bird they learned their songs from) were preferred."
"The Song Sparrow is found throughout most of North America, but the birds of different areas can look surprisingly different. Song Sparrows of the Desert Southwest are pale, while those in the Pacific Northwest are dark and heavily streaked. Song Sparrows of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands chain are even darker, and they’re huge: one-third longer than the eastern birds, and weighing twice as much." -
11-AUG-2017
Wait For Me!
Have you ever dropped behind when out with friends? Actually, we photographers tend to do that. We get lost in photo opportunities and soon find ourselves alone and way behind. Ever have to run to catch up? I don't know what this goose's excuse was but it was running like mad trying to catch up with the rest of the flock. Now I wonder why it didn't just take off flying? It surely could have caught up then.
I was a lot like this goose the last week or so, so much to do and running to catch up. Needless to say, I didn't really get caught up. So that's my excuse for not posting pictures. I have been otherwise occupied. :) And, I can't fly!
12-AUG-2017
My monthly dose of Heron!
Addiction is not good for one! Some are addicted to bad drugs, others to less harmful stuff. I just love to photograph herons, especially the Great Blue Herons that hang around Delta Ponds. It's good medicine for me! In this shot, I loved the watery background.
14-AUG-2017
You think you are the only one who works hard?
So you worked hard today to provide food and shelter for the family? You aren't the only one who works hard! Consider the spider and how hard it works to get its food for the day, spinning webs of silk, an engineering feat! The following quote shows what a remarkable little creature the spider can be.
"So why do spiders spin webs? When you need food, you go to the grocery store. When a spider is hungry, it heads to the web. The main reason spiders spin webs is to catch their dinner. When an insect, such as a fly, flies into a spider's web, it gets stuck on the sticky threads."
"Instead of boards, spiders produce silk threads to build their webs. The silk is produced in silk glands with the help of the spider's spinnerets. Spinnerets are special organs that allow the spider to decide what type of thread it needs for the web." -
https://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-do-spiders-spin-webs
Point to ponder - so that little tiny spider is able to make such wise decisions, able to decide what type of thread it needs? Where did it get such wisdom? Too often we are more than willing to give credit to the creature, but fail to consider that wisdom doesn't come from blind chance. Could it be that it had a Creator?
14-AUG-2017
Bridge Over The Mill Race
I have very much enjoyed the Mill Race Path since it opened late last year. It's a beautiful walk through a varied landscape. Just beyond this old bridge over the mill race is a riparian area with ponds and grassy wetlands. A variety of birds can be seen here throughout the year. As the seasons change, the landscape changes with it, offering differing beauty at any time of year.
20-JUL-2017
1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Beauville Station Wagon
This beautiful Chevy wagon was sitting at this shop when I drove by. Fortunately, a red light gave me barely enough time to get one shot at it. It looked really mint!
I checked online for information and found this one up for auction, estimated going price at $60,000 - $80,000. That's a bit more than the original selling price of about $3300. The online info is fairly old now, being dated in 2012. So it is long sold now. Anyway, we get some idea of how much the one I saw might be worth. -
http://56classicchevy.com/1956-chevrolet-station-wagons
15-AUG-2017
Carol's Little Fountain
Carol and I put in this little fountain some time ago and it has always made her happy. It bubbles continually by means of recirculating water, making a pleasant sound. I wanted to capture the circle of bubbles it created, so here it is.
22-AUG-2017
Carol's Peacock, and a surprise visitor, for real!
Can you guess what Carol's favorite bird is? Yep, the Peacock! She has peacock pillows, figurines, paintings, puzzles and outdoor decoration. This one is in the backyard.
Now, I want to tell you an amazing story. We are moving to a house on our oldest daughter's property near Veneta. She and our son in law bought the four acre place with a second house a year ago, with us in mind. They came to us, suggesting it was time to move there. We are in the process now and will be moved by the end of the month. They have had wildlife make an appearance on their property, including deer, elk and wild turkeys. But since we have started moving our belongings to the new house, what do you think all of a sudden has also moved in in the last couple weeks? You got it, a Peacock! Totally amazing and a source of pure joy to Carol. :) We have no idea where it came from, but it has become attached to my daughter's chickens and follows them when they are out. When my daughter puts them in their pen for the night, the peacock flies up to the tree overhead and roosts there. We think we are going to like it out there. LOL
25-AUG-2017
Like a Fireworks Display
I don't know what this flower is. Carol doesn't remember the name, but says this is purple when in bloom. Then it dries out like this. I think even the dried flower is beautiful, a marvelous design in nature! Let me know if you have the ID. Thanks to Bea who ID'd the flower as Lily of the Nile (Agapanthus)
I will be offline for a few days or more, as we get new Internet connections set up and complete our move. Look forward to hearing from all my friends, (I hope I have some), when I get back online, and checking out the photos I have missed.
01-SEP-2017
A Walk in the Woods
I truly enjoy a walk in the woods. Trouble is we have been moving, so no walks for me! This trail I enjoyed on a previous walk along the Mill Race Path. It's a perfect place for deer, but also for humans! :)