Spring Purple

Photograph taken on Sunday, March 04, 2012 by Henry

It was cool again today but mostly sunny and beautiful. The last few days, with the alternating warm and rain, has brought out the smaller daffodils and crocuses. There are occasional cherry trees already in bloom although we’re not really close to them all being out yet. There are likely to be lots of daffodil pictures in the coming weeks so I decided to stick to posting crocuses today, mostly just pictures of purple.

I was out in the yard, lying on a tarp because the ground is still very wet. I rolled over and was watching the clouds go by when I saw a nuthatch bopping around on the tree overhead. This picture of it (the third one here) was taken through small branches which accounts for much of the fuzziness. Cute little thing, though.

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WCA Auction

Photograph taken on Saturday, March 03, 2012 by Henry
Sterling and Connie

Sterling and Connie

We went to the WCA Auction and had a good time visiting with friends as well as buying a few things to help support the school. I took a bunch of pictures, as you might expect, but I think I like this one the most. This is Sterling and Connie and a nicer couple of people you will be hard pressed to find.

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Sycamore Seeds

Photograph taken on Friday, March 02, 2012 by Henry
Sycamore Seeds

Sycamore Seeds

It was another beautiful, clear day today, at least in the morning. I went out to see what I could find to photograph and didn’t come back with much. There are a some weeds with tiny white flowers but the pictures aren’t all that good. I also got some more pictures of daffodils but we’ll be seeing a lot of those shortly. Finally, there are these sycamore seeds. I can’t say I’ve looked at them all that closely before although I’ve pulled apart the seed balls from time to time. I’m glad I went out when I did because in the afternoon the temperature dropped and it started raining, sometimes quite hard.

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Signs of Spring

Photograph taken on Thursday, March 01, 2012 by Henry

After yesterday’s rain and this morning’s fog, it was a perfectly beautiful day today, sunny and quite warm. I took a break to go outside and take some pictures at lunch time and got some more pictures of maple flowers as well as some feral daffodils blooming in the woods next to my building, being enjoyed by a bee, as well.

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Fog

Photograph taken on Thursday, March 01, 2012 by Henry
Fog

Fog

After yesterday’s rain, we woke this morning to clear skies but the area was blanketed with a layer of fog. It turned our otherwise banal suburban street into something out of a fairy tale, with trees disappearing into the mist.

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Rainy Leap Day

Photograph taken on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 by Henry
Traffic In The Rain

Traffic In The Rain

We had a very rainy day today, with it coming down quite hard for a good while. We haven’t actually had a lot of rain lately and nothing as strong as this so it was kind of nice, in a dreary, cold, gray sort of way. I love days like today, actually, but I’m pretty busy at work and didn’t get a chance to go out in it. On the way home, stopped at a traffic light, I did take a few pictures of the colored lights reflecting off the wet pavement.

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Wide Open Spaces

Photograph taken on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 by Henry
Sunset

Sunset

More precisely, the lack of wide open spaces. There are fewer places to get a good picture of a sunset than you might think. As I came home today I tried to find one but this was the best I could do. I got a couple that don’t have the power lines or tower but they aren’t as good of the clouds. So, the open, westward facing photo spot still eludes detection. But I’ll keep looking.

Categories: Sunrise/Sunset/Sky | 2 Comments

Great Blue Heron

Photograph taken on Monday, February 27, 2012 by Henry
Ardea herodias (Great Blue Heron)

<em>Ardea herodias</em> (Great Blue Heron)

As I pulled into the parking lot at work today I saw this heron down by the water. I parked, slowly opened the door and squeezed off three shots before he got spooked and flew away. The lighting was a bit rough and this long lens of mine is really not very sharp. Gotta save up for something better. Then again, I want something new on the wide end, as well. So many lenses, so little money.

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Backyard Blooms

Photograph taken on Sunday, February 26, 2012 by Henry

More winter/early spring flowers today, taken in our back yard.

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Brookside Gardens

Photograph taken on Saturday, February 25, 2012 by Henry

Dorothy had her second session in the recording studio this afternoon so Cathy and I took the opportunity to visit Brookside Gardens. The flowers in the greenhouse where lovely (much prettier than these poor photos show, I’m afraid). We also walked outside a little but the wind was pretty chilly. Still, there were some nice winter flowering plants in bloom that were worth seeing.

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Sunset Out Back

Photograph taken on Friday, February 24, 2012 by Henry
Sunset Out Back

Sunset Out Back

I didn’t get out to take any pictures this morning and it was raining all afternoon. Fortunately it stopped raining and began to clear as the sun went down so I was able to take this picture out of our back door.

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Acer rubrum (Red Maple) Flowers

Photograph taken on Thursday, February 23, 2012 by Henry

After seeing the butterfly yesterday and with today being even warmer, I decided to go out specifically looking for signs of spring. I hadn’t realized that the red maples were starting to bloom but as you can see, they are. It’s not too late for a surprise snow storm but spring it definitely approaching.

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Colias philodice (Clouded Sulphur)

Photograph taken on Wednesday, February 22, 2012 by Henry
Colias philodice (Clouded Sulphur)

<em>Colias philodice</em> (Clouded Sulphur)

Cathy and I took a walk at lunch time today and I saw a few sulphur butterflies. February seems like the wrong time of year for them, but for all I know they are active throughout the year. Anyway, it’s been a fairly mild winter, so it isn’t too surprising, anyway. This isn’t a particularly good picture but we were on a walk together rather than me being out specifically to chase butterflies. Also, no tripod.

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Gerber Daisies

Photograph taken on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 by Henry
Gerber Daisies

Gerber Daisies

These are in a vase in our dining room and though they are wilting a bit, they are still quite cheery and bright.

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Julia and Dorothy

Photograph taken on Monday, February 20, 2012 by Henry
Julia and Dorothy

Julia and Dorothy

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Winter Blooms

Photograph taken on Sunday, February 19, 2012 by Henry

We think of winter as being without flowers but at least in our zone 7 climate that’s not really true. There are not nearly so many, of course, but there are blooms to be found. We have snow drops (Galanthus nivalis) blooming at various places around the yard. We only have one Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis) but we should get more. The one we have is a lovely claret color that’s quite cheery on a cold winter’s day (or even a warm winter’s day like we had today).

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Bald Eagle

Photograph taken on Saturday, February 18, 2012 by Henry

When we first went to Alaska we’d be out and about and were constantly looking for bald eagles. We’d see a big bird and get excited only to get closer only to find it was a raven or sometimes not even a bird at all. It’s one thing to know you’re looking for a big bird but another thing once you’ve seen how very big they actually are.

I was out at Brighton Dam today, taking a few pictures and enjoying a fine, warm winter’s day when I looked up and saw this bird overhead. I really wish I had a better long lens—this is pretty fuzzy—still, it’s a bald eagle, which isn’t something you see every day around here.

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Sinister Cat

Photograph taken on Friday, February 17, 2012 by Henry
Sinister Cat

Sinister Cat

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Old and New Giant

Photograph taken on Thursday, February 16, 2012 by Henry

I went to the grocery store while Dorothy was at her art lesson this afternoon and when I came out I noticed the two signs and how different they are.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Piano

Photograph taken on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 by Henry

I was taking pictures of the piano keyboard this evening, with the camera on a tripod and with a two second delay. Dorothy had a good time trying to photo bomb my efforts. As you can see from the second of these pictures, she succeeded.

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