Cathy
We’ll start off the year of living photographically with a picture of my lovely wife. If you know her, I bet you can practically hear her laughing when you see this.
Monthly Archives: January 2011
Christopher
Christopher
This is Christopher. He’s just built a pretty impressive Lego® tower and he is rightly proud.
Amaryllis ‘Ruby Meyer’
Amaryllis ‘Ruby Meyer’
This is a lovely, small amaryllis, blooming on our kitchen table.
Categories: Flowers and Plants
Tags: Amaryllis, Amaryllis Ruby Meyer, Bulb, Red
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Grass Tassel
Grass Tassel
You know how when field grass goes to seed it has little, soft tassels at the top? And if you pick one off and put it in your shirt pocket it will crawl out? That’s what this is. Close up.
Teasel (Dipsacus sp.)
Teasel (Dipsacus sp.)
I’m not sure how I’m going to have pictures every day. Today, as I did yesterday, I went into the empty building lot next to my office. There are plenty of things there that I find interesting and I have a feeling you’re going to get tired of them over the next few weeks. These are pretty common weeds around here and amazingly beautiful in bloom, but pretty awesome dry, as well.
Categories: Flowers and Plants
Tags: Dipsacus, Dried Weeds, Teasel, Weeds
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Oil on Water
Oil on Water
The empty lot next to my office is mostly brambles and small trees. It was cleared about 15 years ago so all the trees are younger than that. There is a smallish stream running through the property, which I’m sure has been a headache for those hoping to build there. For the most part, the water is beautifully clear but there was this one quiet corner with a small amount of something oily on the surface.
Red Honeysuckle Leaves
Red Honeysuckle Leaves
It was overcast and a bit colder today (upper 20s) with a light dusting of snow on the ground which stayed all day in shady spots. On days like this, little bits of color really stand out. I’m not a big fan of Japanese honeysuckle but these are pretty, I think.
Categories: Flowers and Plants
Tags: Honeysuckle, Leaves, Red
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Silo and Barn
Silo and Barn
It was snowing this morning. Quite lovely. There’s a big oak tree on Rt. 108 that I’ve thought dozens of times, as I drive by, I really need to stop and take a picture of that tree. So, today I went and I did. But they aren’t as good as I’d hoped, partly because of the power lines running behind the tree. Then I drove around and came across this barn and silo that I think are pretty nice.
Jean and Family
Jean and Family
Our good friends, Maria and Alex were baptized this morning and I took this picture of the family after lunch. What a beautiful family. We love you all.
Gears
Gears
I wanted to take a picture of Dorothy at the orthodontist today but she wasn’t having any of that. In the evening I was looking around for shapes and patterns and I saw this hand drill, which I use when I need to make small holes and don’t need the power of the electric drill. I love gears.
Snow
Snow
Twinkle, twinkle, little snow
How I wonder where you go
Falling from the darkened sky
On the winter winds you fly
Ice
Ice
I took pictures of the grass and snow in the lot next to my office but the consensus here was that this was a better picture. Can you tell what it is? It was a beautiful afternoon, although a bit nippy.
Rose Hips
Rose Hips
As I was taking this picture, I startled (and was in turn startled by) a rabbit who took off into the grass. I was able to track him in the snow but each time I got close, he saw me before I saw him and he darted away. Anyway, I’m a sucker for any sort of berry, particularly red berries. And yes, I know rose hips aren’t berries. Strawberries and raspberries aren’t berries, either. So there.
Eat
Eat
Speaks for itself, I think. We did.
Easily Distracted
Easily Distracted
I was taking a picture of Dorothy with her new t-shirt and some colorful bird flew past the window. Happy Second Christmas to everyone.
Dorothy
Dorothy
This is a more flattering picture of Dorothy than yesterday’s shot. It also happens to be the 1,000th picture taken with my new camera.
Butterfly Weed
Butterfly Weed
Back to the empty lot today. It was cold and a jacket would have been a good idea. Or gloves, anyway. It was also overcast and not terribly bright so getting a sharp photo with a frozen shutter finger was difficult.
Icy Rose Stem
Icy Rose Stem
The picture isn’t as sharp as I would have liked but I love the pattern in the ice on this rose stem.
Categories: Flowers and Plants
Tags: Ice, Icy Rose Stem, Rose Stem, Winter
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Bracket Fungus
Bracket Fungus
I think this is Daedaleopsis confragosa. I love the patterns on the pore surface of bracket fungi.
Categories: Flowers and Plants
Tags: Bracket Fungus, Daedaleopsis, Daedaleopsis confragosa, Fungus
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Parking Garage
Parking Garage
You’re probably thinking this looks like the exit gate for a parking garage. Well aren’t you clever. That’s exactly what it is. Now you’re wondering if there’s a story behind it. Yep, there is. But I’m not going to tell you. Sorry.
Auction Dinner
Auction Dinner
At last year’s WCA auction we bought, along with our good friends Janis and Greg, Krystal and Mike, and Diana and Tom, a gourmet dinner cooked by Jeanette and Barbara. After our gourmet dinner and wonderful desserts fixed by Amy, we enjoyed a movie on the big screen. Sadly, Diana and Tom couldn’t make it.
Yellow African
Yellow African
I was trying to take pictures of my fish today. It’s harder than it sounds. First, you have to make sure the flash doesn’t reflect off the glass. Then, you have to avoid dirty areas on the glass. Also, they move about a bit and getting them in focus is hit or miss, even with auto focus. This is the best “whole fish” shot and even this isn’t as good as I’d like. The eye should be the point most in focus and it isn’t. Labidochromis caeruleus, by the way.
Dinosaur and Friends
Dinosaur and Friends
Dorothy and some of her friends after getting back from a church youth group retreat. Sounds like they had a great time. From left to right: Anna, Amy, Dorothy, Ariana, Cat.
Bone Fragment
Bone Fragment
This is the end of a short piece of bone, about six inches long. I think it’s probably the femur of some small mammal, but I don’t really know. I like the three-dimensional network of the bone structure.
WackyTacky Day
WackyTacky Day
It’s spirit week at school and today is Wacky Tacky Day (“Students should come to school dressed as crazily as possible”). This is Dorothy, all ready to go. She didn’t actually take the ukulele with her.
Golden Weeds
Golden Weeds
It was a relatively exciting day in the empty lot today. I started by slipping and putting my foot in the creek as I crossed. Then I startled two deer, who bounded off into the woods. Two days ago I found and photographed a bone. Today I came across an entire (or nearly) deer skeleton. I decided not to post that picture here, though. I picked this picture for its rich color.
Dorothy and Some Snow
Dorothy and Some Snow
The top of our small holly tree was bent over until it was touching the ground by the weight of the heavy, wet snow that came down overnight.
Japanese Painting
Japanese Painting
This reminds me of a Japanese painting (which sort of explains the name I gave it). This is next to the stream near my office.
Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
A turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) soars overhead. These are pretty impressive birds although they are somewhat ugly close up.
Categories: Creatures
Tags: Cathartes, Cathartes aura, Turkey Vulture, Vulture
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Loch Menk Monster
Loch Menk Monster
Our friends and neighbors built this creature in their front yard. I’m not exactly sure if it’s a centaur or what so we named it the Loch Menkis Monster. Very nice, guys.
Categories: Miscellaneous
Tags: Snow, Snow Man, Snow Sculpture, Winter
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Rubus Thorns
Rubus Thorns
There’s a lot of this growing in the lot next to my office. A couple times I’ve come back with scratches on my hand and arm and once a pretty wicked gash on my ankle. Still, they’re really beautiful, in a sinister way.