Category: Nature

A Photo Potpourri

I knew today was going to be mostly cloudy but I was hopeful that the Sun would show up for a few cameos. Well no such luck so I went to my default setting and just took the shot(s). Here is a few from the day!

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The fine folks at the road dept have created green spaces at varies entrance/exit ramps. I do not know if this is true all through our fine Commonwealth but it so in my part of it. The poppies are popping and I hope to get back when the sun is shinning and the wind is NOT blowing!
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Do you wish, as I do, that old and abandon places could talk?
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I love this dog! Meet The Boy! Cute,no?
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I was taking a few pictures of a nearby Fleabane when I noticed these wildflowers. I was drawn to the unopened blooms when I noticed this ant. Quite the poser he is!
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Fleabane: Filling station for pollinators!

A Bee On An Overcast Day

I have been digging the wonderful sunshine since it finally showed up around here but today it took a half day off. I was hoping to get home and take pics of the bees in the apple tree. Seems they took off half the day as well…..the half I wanted to take pictures of them during! Oh well, this fellow decide to buck the trend and showed up for an evening fill up overcast or not. Enjoy!

I took this with my Canon Powershot SX10is
I took this with my Canon Powershot SX10is

Fleabane: Weed, Herb or Little Bit Of Wonderful ?

What grows on our place is whatever shows up and can survive. And one such plant that make use of our place is a weed (to some), Herb (to others) and a little bit of wonderful to me. Meet the first Fleabane of the season!

I used my Powershot SX10is in the commission of this capture.
I used my Powershot SX10is in the commission of this capture.

 

A Cardinal Alighting On A Branch

After the events of today I needed a little nature therapy. I grabbed my camera and headed up the road looking for some color.Then I saw this Cardinal. I started tracking this Cardinal hoping it would land close so I could get a good shot of it. He was quite active and I was watching to see if there was a spot he was favoring. I was not having any luck so I just stopped and watched him flirt around a bit. I saw him land fairly close to me and decided to try tracking him with my camera. Suddenly he took off and landed on this branch and I quickly snapped this shot. Score! I not only had the pleasure of watching a beautiful bird but I got a lucky capture as well. The therapy session was a success.

I took this with my Powershot SX260HS
I took this with my Powershot SX260HS

Seed Head

Dandelions are to many a nuisance. Yet others use them as an herbal medicine or for making wine.  For me they are something else entirely. I simply like taking pictures of them. The composite yellow flower is beautiful in color and a great feeding station for early pollinators. I have several photos already this year with some type of bee getting loaded up on pollen and nectar. Then there is the seed head. That is when the Dandelion starts to look like Albert Einstein’s hair. There is never one seed head that looks like the other, sort of like snow flakes, well to me anyway. So here is a seed head I took on a walk this weekend.

I took this with my Canon Powershot SX260HS
I took this with my Canon Powershot SX260HS

One Pretty Goose

I took a few moments this week to try out my new-to-me Sony A300. I went to the lake and walked about in the hope of capturing Mallards in-flight and other cool things. What I found was several types of Geese that I am not familiar with and Mallards happy simple staying on the water. So I would have to settle for “other” cool things. Here is one of them and it is I believe a Embden Goose.

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More Tiny Treasures

The Bride and I had a wonderfully slow-paced kind of day today. It just felt right not to rush and to enjoy life at one-eighth speed. If we were trucks we would have been in granny gear. It is a good gear to be in and I advice you to try it once in a while.

After arriving home I wanted to extend that slow down pace with a nap. I decided it was to close to bed time. So what to do? Take a lazy walkabout of our place in search of things that bloom I thought. And I did just that. Here are a few more tiny treasures.

IMG_5959The “dead” rose-bush I was given is starting its second full Spring. It is looking good so far.

IMG_5963I have no idea what this little plant is but I do love those little blooms and velvet like leaves. Its probably a weed but it is one of the few things growing well around here

IMG_5950This is another one of those ” I do not know that it is” kind of thing but I like em’. Also they are very tiny: Look below for a comparison showing you just how tiny.

IMG_5954All the above photos were captured with my Canon Powershot SX10is.