I didn't have a picture set for last week, but I will take advantage of the two posts by posting two pictures in today's post.  Hope that is okay ...

This little boy Gray Squirrel is among the many that come to my feeders and eat the bird seed ... I finally gave in and started providing something for them, but they still eat the bird seed after they have finished theirs.  

In the summer I go to a local farm to get sweet corn and they raise white geese (I am sure there is a more official name for them, but I am not aware of it at this time).  This character caught my eye.  I was quite certain he was going to open his mouth and say ... "Aflac!"

Weekend Reflections

Weekend Reflections # 218

Smile it's the Weekend

Thanksgiving is an American holiday meant for us to set aside a time to appreciate what we have and to say Thank You to those we care about ... But, as Americans are wont to do, it becomes a time of overindulgence which many of us regret for several uncomfortable days.  That is not to say we are not thankful and I truly hope those of you out there who don't participate in Thanksgiving, have many things to be thankful for as well ...  And, I am guessing you aren't having to take Tums today. :)

Happy Day After ... 

Thanksgiving ...

Mandarin Orange Monday

 
I have been away helping a friend who had surgery ... I left before the MOM was posted by Lori, so I didn't have a chance to put up a link ... if you aren't already aware, Lori and I did a collaborative post which she explains on Lorik Art.  If you haven't had a chance to see it , you can go over now at Lorik Art.  Sorry I am late ... hope you enjoy!

Weekend Reflections

Weekend Reflections 

Feline Friday

Feline Friday #74

Smile It's The Weekend

Izzi gets an Adjustments ...

I knows, I is young in dog stantards, buts I is a very active dogs.  I loves to play Frisbee and that means I has to jumps and twist in the airs.  I also loves my Agility in which I dos running and jumpings on different apparatuses.  So sadlys, I gets sore in my bodies and it starts to hurts when I dos things.

  But, todays, my Moms took me to a Chiropractors and she gaves me an adjustments (What's an Adjustments?)  All I knows is it mades me feels so much better ... I am so happys and now I can runs and jumps again likes before. (See smiles on my face and leaf on my butts ... what's that abouts?) 

My Mom says that if you are an active dogs, you should see a Chiropractors.  They can keeps you froms hurtins so much and they also will helps when you get olders.   If you goes regulars it will keeps you youngs:)

I can tells you to gos gets an adjustments even though I don't knows whats it is because I do knows how it makes me feels:)
So Badger Boos ... talks to your Moms abouts it.  Its will makes you youngs again, I thinks :)

Wild Bird Wednesday

Wild Bird Wednesday # 71

I have followed this family of Mute Swans all summer.  They live in the channel among the reeds at the north end of our lake.  They started out with four cygnets and now have only three, but that is successful in the dangerous world they live in.

Dad is aware and leery ... keeping a close eye on me.

Mom, too, becomes aware ...

And starts moving away ...

while the cygnets continue to focus on eating ...

I found them on the south end of the lake where they go during the day to stay away from the channel.  It is hunting season and the sounds of gun fire are frequent in the channel and they are aware of the danger.  I am sure that at night they return to the safety of the reeds ... but I left them  quickly so they could continue to eat in peace.  They have a long, cold winter ahead of them, so far be it for me to add to their stresses.

Have a great week and a Happy WBW!

Camera Critters

I used to do Camera Critters, it seems like a long time ago.  I am not sure what happened,  if it disappeared or I did, but suddenly it is showing up on my Reader list again and I am happy to have it as an option, because I often get pictures of critters that don't necessarily fit in my posts.  

This is a hybrid Peregrine/Gyr Falcon mix that was flown for a group of us that are involved in the Northern Illinois Raptor Center.  There were two of these hybrids.  I did a post on one of them that was in training and was flown on a creance line here.  This is a fully trained, experienced bird that during the demonstration took down a lure that was being flown much higher on a kite.  He was free flying and returned once he had capture his prey.  It was an amazing demonstration of a powerful and skilled hunter.  

Mandarin Orange Monday

I am going strictly abstract today.  I started out with a zoomed in shot of a piece of Quilt Art (I will be featuring this and many other Quilts in a post later this week.  They were amazing!)

Of course I had to enrich the orange colors using Enhance/adjust color/color variations ...

Then I started playing with filters ... this is water color.

Here I swirled #'s 2 and 3 and then blended them ...

And, of course, following in Lori's wonderful footsteps, I started mixing them ...

Posterizing ... ( I would be remiss if I didn't posterize something:)

And finally another filter, and I can't remember which one I used ... Sorry :(

That's all Folks ... Have a Wonderful Week!

Photoshop Friday

These Pictures are for Queen Jester's Photoshop Friday Challenge.  I have been participating in it for a few weeks now and it has been really fun.  She posts a picture, we pick it up, alter it in any way we want and then (at this point) send it to her e-mail that you can get by asking in a comment.  If she gets enough interest she will probably put up a Linky ... so if you are tempted, give it a shot at Life In a Canned Ham .

The original posted by Queen Jester last week ...

Weekend Reflection

The trees reflecting on the lake ...

The Goose reflecting in the reflection ...

Smile It's Friday

Quiets Badger Boos ... I is whispering because I doesn't want hims to hears ...

I has to looks over my shoulders all of the times ...

I even goes out incogsnitos at nights ...

In the daytimes, I is practicing my fastest runs ...

I thinks I has becomes paranoids ...

abouts bein' skunked agains ... Helps me Badger Boos :(

Feline Friday

Feline Friday #73

Wild Bird Wednesday

 

 

There seemed to be a quiet desparation at the feeders on this day of our first snow.   Some of these little fellows have never seen a winter before and don't know what to expect.  They are capable of surviving the cold as long as they eat enough in the day to keep them warm through the night.  It is an important time to make sure your feeders are clean and full.  It will be a long hard winter for all of them.

A bird bath is also essential, not just for drinking but so that they can keep thier feathers clean.  Only then will they serve to keep them warm.

Wouldn't you just love to knit them all little sweaters ...