Macro Monday

                            Family Hesperiidae - Skipper Butterflies

    Hmmmm ... Love em and Leave em :(

Mandarin Orange Monday

This was where I began ... I couldn't take my eye off of the Curve Billed Thrasher's Orange eye.  It was so striking yet in the scope of the picture it seemed to get lost.  So, I decided to help it out a little ...

Okay, this is better. Clearly a Mandarin Orange eye, but really. I think he needs a little touch up :)

How's that ... better?  A little PS filter work and a frame , that is more Mandarin Orange , right?

Oooo ... grunged him up a bit.  Not quite as Mandarin, but pretty cool.  I think I'll stop here.

The Bird D'Pot

At the Botanical Gardens last week we came across a little group of juvenile Mallards swimming in a pool near a little waterfall.  They were not friendly, but they were not bothered by our close proximity ... nice arrangement for taking pictures. 

"The End " :)

Shadow Shot Sunday 2

http://shadowshotsunday2.blogspot.com/

Weekend Reflections

 (Weekend Reflections #148)

The sunset paints this reflection with the warm colors of night in the offing ... Enjoy!

Six Word Saturday

Congratulations Brits
 on a fabulous Olympic Opening!

Photo Art Friday

Improbably Pairings ... good grief, what is that?  I struggled and struggled with this prompt.  I started out being literal.  I mean what two things do I have pictures of that are unlikely to be seen together in real life.  That is how I started out, so my first picture is ...

Cats and Dogs are not supposed to be friends so, to many people, they would be an improbably pair ... but at my house they are all good friends so, to me, it wasn't so improbable.  None the less, I fancied it up with the pdpa painterly texture, put a frame on it and counted it as my first attempt. 

Back to square one ... once again, I am stuck on literal so I came up with another improbable pair that is a little more artsy.

These two ... the Dove and the Red Wing Blackbird are definitely an improbable pair.  But again, it is not that you might not see them in the same place once in awhile.  They definitely wouldn't hang out together so I doctored it up and made it my second choice. 

Still not satisfied, I took this picture to another level and then I said amen.  Maybe I just don't get it.  I will wait to see how others interpreted this prompt and learn from it that way.  So my final effort is ...

The same pair with a grave stone layered into it.  I love the result so I am happy with the art that I accomplished, but I am still not sure this is what the prompt was looking for.  So I shall wait and see how the rest of you approached it.  Smiles ...

The Fabulous Blogger Ribbon

The Fabulous Blogger Ribbon

I have had the uncanny pleasure of having this award passed on to me by two bloggers at the same time.  In light of this and because of the amount of time it takes to comply with the rules, I am choosing to  combine the two awards and to say thank you to each of my     generous givers with an equal amount of appreciation for their thoughtfulness. 

I first received the award from McGuffy Ann of McGuffy's Reader.  http://mcguffysreader.blogspot.com/      
McGuffy is an avid reader and writer of book reviews.    She can create magic with her words and her reviews are always titillating in that they can excite your interest in any book.  I also look forward to her blog because she is a committed animal advocate who  provides important information on protection and care of animals and she delights her readers with the LOL Cat Cartoons to which she seems to be privy to an endless supply.  Thank you McGuffy Ann ... it is always a pleasure to have you in my corner.

I then received the award from Denise Moncrief @ Suspense, She Writes. http://denisemoncrief.blogspot.com/     
 Denise has just recently published an anthology with Liv Rancourt, Something Borrowed, Something Blue.  Denise is a writer of romantic suspense stories, is an avid reader, writes reviews and interviews and with all of this going on in her head, puts out a most interesting and fun blog.  I am flattered that she saw, in my blog (which is very different, focusing on pictures rather than words) something worthwhile.  Thank you Denise.  I will continue to enjoy following you in your busy productive life.

The Rules:

1. Post The Rules

2. Name five of your most fabulous moments, either in real life or in the blogosphere.

3. Name five Things you love.

4. Name five Things you hate.

5. Pass the Ribbon on to five other bloggers (Leave them a comment to notify them of their win).

2. Name five of your most fabulous moments either in real life or in the blogosphere.

*  Watching my Father receive his Doctor's Degree at the University when I was ten years old.

*  Watching my Mother play Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz at the University Faculty Players Annual Play.

*Getting Married to my Husband, Dave.

*  Giving birth to each of my two children.

*  More recently, the first time I held a Raptor on my glove at the Raptor Rehab Center.

3.  Name 5 Things You Love.

*All of my family

*All of my pets

*  Certain of my Friends

* The honesty of Nature

*My Country as it once was ... I know, it sounds like the old cliche "in the Good Old Days", but this time, to me, it is true.

 

4. Name 5 Things You Hate.

*  I hate the idea of "hate" and that I can feel it in my heart about certain things.

*  I hate that we seem to have lost our way in a Country that has so much promise.

*  I hate lies ...

*  I hate pain ... especially in the helpless.

*  I hate indifference.

 

5.  Pass The Ribbon on to Five Other Bloggers.

Many of the blogs that I follow are "no award" blogs so this rule is particularly difficult to comply with.  So, as I believe that an award should be given from the heart and not taken lightly, I am only passing this on to two of my co-bloggers.  These two women have spiced up my life by their honesty, humor and insight every day.  I pass the award on to them in hopes that some of my followers will get the chance to visit and enjoy them as I have ...


1. Edna B. @ Miss Edna's Place   http://missednasplace.blogspot.com/      Edna and I just met recently.  I am not even sure how we happened across each others blog, but I have become an avid fan.   Edna is a jack of all trades, so to speak, but her greatest gifts are  her insightful commentary on day to day things and her wonderful photos.  I learn, I chuckle, I feel, I admire as I read her daily journal ... You should stop to see her, she is a great read.


2.  Jeanne @ Butterfly Tales: Metamorphosis from the Cocoon.     http://thebutterflymetamorphosis.blogspot.com/         
Jeanne's passion is photography, but in reality she is a story teller.  Her photos are wonderful, but her stories take you right into the picture as if you were really there.  She is so honest when she writes that I don't think she realizes how good she really is.  She has amazed me over and over.    Do stop in to see her, you won't be sorry ...              

Cat Thursday

Stretchy, Stretchy ...

Rubby, Rubby ...

Ahhh ... Now, where's my Breakfast ?

This is Maggie, I don't use her often because she is shy and doesn't like anyone in her space (camera's included).  We respect her preference because Maggie is 19 years old (20 in October) and has earned the right to be picky.  She is a love ...



Wordless Wednesday

 

Two Gossiping Hens ... Got any of these in your neighborhood?

Wild Bird Wednesday

Follow the link to join in ...
http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.ca/2012/07/wild-bird-wednesday-2-southern-cassowary.html

On our way home from who knows where, my friend and I spotted two families of little ducks putzing along in the channel by the bridge.  We couldn't tell from where we were what kind of ducks they were, but they were so cute ... looked like a row of little wind up toys.  When I got home and was able to zoom in, I discovered they were Wood Ducks ... no Dad in the picture, of course, but they are beautiful, adorable and very shy.

Initially they all started swimming in the opposite direction when they realized they were being watched.

and then they turned toward shore ...

... and made a mad dash for the weeds.  They were the cutest ever, skimming over the top of the seaweed so they could hide in the reeds.

The seaweed is the Eurasian Water Milfoil plant, an invasive species of seaweed that chokes native seaweed and destroys fish habitat.  Efforts to control it are being explored by the waterway agency ... hopefully, but next season, they will have found a way to eradicate it.  In this series it caused a glare that effected the quality of pictures so, in my mind, that is one more reason to get rid of it :) Have a wonderful Birding Week ...

Macro Monday

Mandarin Orange Monday