Saturday, May 31, 2014

5/31/14

I was able to get this image last night while walking on the Konza Prairie.  There was rain to the east, we did not get any of course.  The setting sun was illuminating the clouds just beautifully.  Couldn't resist getting off several images and this is one.


Friday, May 30, 2014

5/30/14

This is an image of what the inside of the firebox on a 20HP Minneapolis Steam traction Engine looks like.  It is also what a steam locomotive's would look like only it would be larger.  You can see the Flue Sheet which is where the Flues or tubes connect to and then run the length of the boiler.  These are what the heat travels through to heat up the water in the boiler to produce steam.


Thursday, May 29, 2014

5/29/14

I took this at a pond at the railroad I help at in Topeka a couple of weeks ago.  I loved how the light was sparkling on it's wings.  This is a young Eastern Pondhawk.


Wednesday, May 28, 2014

5/28/14

I have had this photo for a while but never shared.  I had taken after a rain so the web even have some rain drops on it.  I didn't know what kind of spider it was but thought it was fairly colorful for one.  I have since found out, thanks to a couple of people on Google+ that it is an Orchard Spider.


Tuesday, May 27, 2014

5/27/14

I took this image in Minnesota, last spring I think.  It's a female Redwing Blackbird in the reeds of a marshy area by a pond.  Amazing how they look nothing like the males or like their name.  No red wing, no black.  :-)



Monday, May 26, 2014

5/26/14

Happy Memorial Day!  This image was an experiment inspired by a photographer on Google+ whose work I really admire.  He mostly is known for snow flake photography but he does cool images like this at times too.  While mine is not the quality of his I thought it turned out well enough to share.  Those are real raindrops on the spikey part of a Cleome flower.  Wish we would get more rin but it keeps going around us.  Glad for what we have gotten anyway.  Remember you can always click on the image to view larger and see more detail.


Sunday, May 25, 2014

5/25/14

Steam train time!  This is an older image from when we visited the Durango & Silverton Railroad a few years back.  The train was just coming off the famous High Line and the Fireman blew down the engine as it was coming towards us.  When they do this for just a few seconds it can remove crud and scale that may have gotten into the boiler.  It's an impressive sight to see and loud as all the steam goes.


Saturday, May 24, 2014

5/24/13

This is a sunrise I have had for a while but never shared.  I was able to capture this on the way to work one day.  We don't have many colorful sunrises or sunsets since we don't get much rain so skies are mostly clear.  If there has been one I've been busy and not able to get out and photograph it.  


Friday, May 23, 2014

5/23/14

Got to start the holiday weekend a bit early.  It's raining too a bit so yay!  This is from after a rain last summer.  This is an image of a Surprise Lily in bloom after a rain.



Thursday, May 22, 2014

5/22/14

I have not seen many butterflies yet this spring especially not large ones.  I had seen some smaller butterflies earlier but then we had frost and since then have only seen a couple.  Hope they will come back around soon.  This is an image from last summer of a Monarch on the Rose of Sharon.  Hope they come around again this year since they are severely threatened.




Wednesday, May 21, 2014

5/21/14

I actually have a title for this one, Lady Slipper Bouquet.  Saw this group of them on a past trip to Minnesota.  The Lady Slipper is the state flower of Minnesota but I believe it's the yellow variety.  I think the pink one is just as lovely.  They are from the Orchid family and the flower resembles a slipper.  It was neat to see them in such a large group, they are usually found more single or in very small groups.


Tuesday, May 20, 2014

5/20/14

We were at a small scale train event this past weekend and they had a couple of miniature horses there.  This one was very intent on snacking on grass and trying to ignore anyone around it while I took this image of it.  Thought it was rather appropriate, small trains, small horses!  :-)


Monday, May 19, 2014

5/19/14

We had a bit of sprinkles one day last week.  During this time I had refilled the grape jelly and there were several Orioles coming to eat at once.  A spat broke out between a couple of them when one got possessive.  I was able to capture the argument but not the more heated lunge by the one on the left.  It was getting dark and that image was mostly a blur of wings.




Sunday, May 18, 2014

5/18/14

Something a bit different today.  My miniature Lilac bush was blooming in the Garden Railway so had to shoot one of my Live Steam engines near it.  This is my small "Mimi" locomotive fitted with a kit wooden cab in the garden on a spring day last week.



Saturday, May 17, 2014

5/17/14

This is a macro of a Lantana Bloom that I had been keeping alive over the winter.  I took this shot while it sat in the window at work.  Right now it's back outside and hopefully will be OK with the cold weather we have had the last 2 nights.


Friday, May 16, 2014

5/16/14

These Iris are in bloom again.  I thought the frost last night might hurt them but they seem OK.  I checked all my plants and while the grass was crunchy it looks like everything I planted made it so far.  This image is from last year and i liked how it almost appeared to glow.


Thursday, May 15, 2014

5/15/14

I have seen several small butterflies around this spring already.  Several Sulfurs and Checkerspots.  I think this one is either the first or at least the first good one I have gotten of a Spring Azure Butterfly.  This butterfly is only about 1 inch across at most.  Looking forward to the larger butterflies now.  I have seen a Swallowtail or two but have not been able to get a shot.



5/14/14

This is an image from last summer.  Have not seen too many of these yet and when I did, I didn't have a camera handy.  A Ladybug on Penstemon.


Tuesday, May 13, 2014

5/13/14

I have seen several photographs on the web where textures have been added to a photo.  I've never been much into that but decided to try it with this image.  I added a Grunge type texture to this Yellow Gerber Daisy image and liked the result so decided to share.


Monday, May 12, 2014

5/12/14

Different birds seem to be wanting to try and eat the Oriole's jelly this year.  I have had a Red Bellied Woodpecker and now this Blue Jay who want to partake.  By the look of the purple on it's beak I think it enjoyed the jelly.  



Sunday, May 11, 2014

5/11/14

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there!  This is a Bumble Bee I was able to capture flying around the Cleome plant on my deck a few days ago.


Saturday, May 10, 2014

5/10/14

I took this image today.  We were out working at the railroad east of Topeka.  It has a pond and and I got this shot of this Duskywing Butterfly on a dandelion. 


Friday, May 9, 2014

5/9/14

The Iris are in bloom in the yard.  Mostly white ones open right now which I had forgotten I had.  There was this purple on though which I took this macro of.  Love the little "hairs" and the texture of it.


Thursday, May 8, 2014

5/8/14

I posted a Hummingbird shot on Monday and mentioned that it was the Baltimore orioles that were eating their food.  I got an image of one of them on the feeder yesterday.  I actually saw my first Hummer too, it chased off the Oriole!  I wasn't able to get a photo though.



Wednesday, May 7, 2014

5/7/14

My friends have a Clematis blooming already.  I went for a different look with it by focusing on the center and keeping the petals somewhat abstract.  Remember you can always click on an image to view larger.


Tuesday, May 6, 2014

5/6/14

This is an older sunset that I found while looking through some photos.  It's from back in December.  Haven't had many lovely sunsets, need clouds for that and since we don't get much rain, no clouds.  


Monday, May 5, 2014

5/5/14

This is an image from last year.  Still hoping for the Hummingbirds to stop by this Spring.  So for the Baltimore Orioles are enjoying the Humming bird food.  I got lucky with this close up shot as a Hummer came to get some food last summer.



Sunday, May 4, 2014

5/4/14

Another image from Yellowstone.  I just loved it there with such unique views to see.  This steamy area with it's blue pools was almost alien looking.  This is the Black Growler Vent in the Norris area of Yellowstone National Park.  The Tetons can be seen in the distance.


Saturday, May 3, 2014

5/3/14

This is a beautiful tulip that some friends of mine have at their house.  I had never seen such a perfectly outlined by natural means flower like this.  The day was incredibly windy when I was trying to get this image so I was very glad it was in focus too!  I need to look for interesting tulip bulbs like these this fall.






Friday, May 2, 2014

5/2/14

This is a Pin Cushion flower from my garden last summer.  I looked the other day and looks like the plant made it through the harsh winter we had so hope to have some more blooms to observe and photograph this summer.


Thursday, May 1, 2014

5/1/14

Posting a bit late today as I just got home.  I took this photo a couple of weekends ago in Wamego, KS of the old Dutch Windmill style flour mill.  It was built in 1879 twelve miles north of Wamego.  In 1925 it was moved stone by stone to Wamego.  The stones were numbered as it was dismantled and then reassembled in order.On this day there were only about half the tulips in bloom due to the late spring we had.  You can see them at the bottom of the photo.  The Redbud trees were blooming rather nicely.