Tuesday, January 31, 2017

1/31/17

Well, we finally made it to the last day of January.  It has been a long kind of sad month.  I hope the rest of the year goes better than it has started off.  On a happier note, this is an image of the Sea Oats Grass I was growing in a pot this year.  I couldn't decide where to plant it permanently.  I am going to make a new mostly native plants area by our driveway now that the road construction is done and put it there.  I just love it's bowed stems and the seed heads it produces.  When it catches the light, it's very photogenic.  




Monday, January 30, 2017

1/30/17

So today's image ties in with Saturday's a bit as they were both taken on the same day.  It was a great outing to Konza Prairie and the Bison were quite cooperative at being seen and photographed.  The Bison are fenced in but it is more to keep people out and safe than for the Bison.  They respect the fence and never have issues with it, it does not have to be and is not electrified.  On this day they were grazing very close to the fence and made for great photos.  This image is a fairly good example of the difference between females and males as well.  The females, the two in the foreground with young, have horns that curve in towards their head, the males curve outward away from their head like the one seen off to the right of the image almost out of frame.



Sunday, January 29, 2017

1/29/17

So one of my favorite subjects today, trains.  This is the beautifully restored and maintained 4-4-0 American Type locomotive Number 7.  I took this image as it was making it's way around the grounds of the Henry Ford Greenfield Village.  This locomotive operates on coal but you can hardly tell as it is fired so carefully it barely smokes at all as it runs.  There is not much of a grade so that helps as it never has to work very hard.


Saturday, January 28, 2017

1/28/17

I was in the archives today and rediscovered some images I had taken a few years back when I had the opportunity to escort a photographer from the Netherlands, Philip Friskorn, on Konza prairie in some research areas not generally open to the public.  It was a great day, the weather cooperated and the Bison did as well.  Sometimes you can go out and not see one Bison but we saw quite a few and some were up much closer than this.  I chose this image because it shows the landscape of the Flint Hills off fairly well and also shows the results after a Spring burn of the prairie.  This was taken in May and the grass was returning quite well.

Note:  A pet peeve of mine is to call them Buffalo, they are not.  The settlers thought they resembled them when they saw them but they have no connection to a true Buffalo.  When publications still refer to them incorrectly it's just laziness and continues the bad information.  I am glad to see more and more referring to them by their actual name of bison.  Rant over.



Friday, January 27, 2017

1/27/17

I felt like sharing a summer shot today.  It's been a long week so I wanted to enjoy some happy Daisies.  These were growing beside my pond early this summer.  They spread like crazy but I enjoy them so that's a good thing.  It would be a pain if I didn't because they escaped out of the actual garden to grow beside the pond like this.  ðŸ˜‰  I liked the bokeh that the Lily pads produced in this image.


Thursday, January 26, 2017

1/26/17

This is an older image.  We had an Orchid in our office for several years that was cared for by a great guy who knew what he was doing.  He would bring it by when it was starting to send up flower buds, we would enjoy it while it bloomed and then he took it back home and cared for it till it was ready to bloom again.  This is the last big bloom from it and it was quite the burst of beautiful flowers.


Wednesday, January 25, 2017

1/25/17

This is an older shot that I never shared.  It's kind of creepy and cool at the same time.  This is a nest of spider babies that I had spotted while walking through the yard one day.  I was amazed at how perfectly round the hole was and then also at how many little spiders there were too.  I have no idea what type they are.  I am amazed I got this close to take a photo as I am not fond of spiders to say the least!  ðŸ˜„


Tuesday, January 24, 2017

1/24/17

This is another image that I took at the annual National Bi-plane Fly-In that is now held in Junction City Kansas on the first Saturday in June.  It turned out to be a beautiful day this past one and Bi-planes were in the air giving rides and then a bit of a show.  This is one of the planes that gives rides, a beautifully restored 1929 Waco built for Mohawk Airways in New York.  


Monday, January 23, 2017

1/23/17

I captured this Blackcap Chickadee during what was supposed to be our big Ice Storm last weekend but fortunately turned out to be mostly rain.  I liked how this came out very well, shot through a door window and how it also captured a few streaks of falling ice.  You can see a bit of ice buildup on the branch it is perched on.


Sunday, January 22, 2017

1/22/17

So this image dips into the archives as well.  This was made on a vacation to the Grand Canyon several years back when they ran steam regularly to the canyon.  This is a shot of the locomotive that pulled our train sitting and waiting for the return trip to Williams.  We had ridden from there to the Canyon, stayed overnight and then rode the train back the next day.  It was a great trip but not enough time to really see the canyon.  


Saturday, January 21, 2017

1/21/17

I am working on a project for Google Maps so I have been looking at older images of places I have been.  I found this image of one of my favorite places to photograph in Chicago, the old Water Tower.  I just love the character of this building.  I took this image at night in the rain but I think it turned out pretty well.  It always reminded me a bit of a castle.


Friday, January 20, 2017

1/20/17

With all the dreary-ness we have been having I decided on a nice summer shot for today.  I captured this Twelve Spot Dragonfly on our truck antenna while it sat in the yard by the garage.  I liked the great bubble type bokeh the leaves produced behind it.


Thursday, January 19, 2017

1/19/17

So I felt like sharing something bright and cheerful and I haven't shared a butterfly in a while so here's one.  This is a Painted Beauty that was visiting the Butterfly Bush which is also known as a Buddleia or Buddleja Bush.  I'm looking forward to summer and views like this.  



Wednesday, January 18, 2017

1/18/17

I found this lovely group of Coreopsis growing wild in the ditch this past summer.  There were all these bright orange flowers growing in the ditches along the road into Manhattan.  When I stopped and walked closer I saw what they were and took some different shots of them.  It was a lovely colorful sight while they were in bloom as you were driving.  Coreopsis is also known as Tick Seed.  They have a long bloom period and can be easy to grow in a home garden.




Tuesday, January 17, 2017

1/17/17

This is an older image today from a trip to the Grand Canyon.  With it cold and blah outside, I find myself dipping into the archives for shots.  I love these old Cedar trees with their twisted trunks and lines and colors.  This one with the shape of it's limbs that appeared to be reaching out to embrace the sky and warmth was particularly appealing.  Plus a back drop like that is hard to beat.


Monday, January 16, 2017

1/16/17

Well, that ice storm turned out to be a big nothing.  I didn't even get good photos out of it.  Didn't want the problems but some pics would have been good.  My photo for today is another one of the Loon family I was able to see in Tamarac Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota back in June.  The Bird Poker theme is Preening and this was one of the few I had of a bird preening and it was all of this Loon family, one or the other adults.  This is dad working on his feathers shortly after joining the rest of the family.


Sunday, January 15, 2017

1/15/17

Well, so far so good with the ice, let's hope it stays that way although now it has actually started doing something so I guess we shall see.
My image today is of Denver & Rio Grande Western 315 which was sitting in the Chama Yard of the Cumbres & Toltec the last time we were there.  The D&RGW locomotive 315 is the “Flagship” project for the DRHS. After seven long years and countless hours, volunteers were responsible for the engine running again. It first ran under it's own power in 2007 and ran some excursions up until 2010 but then needed more restoration as other problems were found.  It began running special excursions in 2013 on both the Cumbres & Toltec and Durango & Silverton. 


Saturday, January 14, 2017

1/14/17

So our ice still is predicted.  I am hoping it turns out to be not so bad as a lot of their predictions do.  I am just thinking warm thought of summer days like this one several years ago on a trip to Yellowstone National Park.  We had just arrived at the park and set up our trailer and decided to go for a walk down to Fishing Bridge which was what our campground was named for.  This was the sunset I was able to view and a great way to spend the first few hours in the park.  This image was difficult to get with it looking nice as there were so many insects, most likely mosquitoes, swarming about.  I got lucky with this shot.


Friday, January 13, 2017

1/13/17

I got myself a new camera a couple days ago because the old one was having light metering issues.  I was testing it out last night with some flowers that my sis-in-law got me for Christmas.  She got me 3 months of bulbs that are in an arrangement and bloom to brighten up the house in these dreary months when all the Christmas festivities are over and we are waiting for spring.  I got this shot of a tulip that is coming up against some LED lights and since Fridays are Bokeh days I decided to share this one as I thought it rather festive.  


Thursday, January 12, 2017

1/12/17

I've been really good about writing 2017 everywhere except on these post titles, really have to think.  I had to fix 3 days in a row.  ðŸ˜ƒ  Anyway, we are back to the cold weather so I am trying to think warm thoughts and of days with lots warmer weather.  This is a shot of a Bumble Bee that was enjoying the Butterfly Milkweed.  It seemed the bees used it more than the butterflies but I enjoyed them as well.


Wednesday, January 11, 2017

1/11/17

I was in Missouri for the day this weekend and trying to get photos of the Blue Jays coming for peanuts.  I captured this one after it had buried it in the snow and then was putting a leaf over it to hide it even more.  Pretty smart birds.  My mother-in-law said she heard that they do remember where they hide their food too.  Not sure the same is with squirrels when I constantly find their nuts in my potted plants and such.  ðŸ˜’


Tuesday, January 10, 2017

1/10/17

So warmer today with a bit of a surprise rain this morning.  I'm glad that wasn't snow.  My image today goes back to the first weekend in June and the annual Bi-plane Fly-In that has been held in Junction City, KS for the past several years.  A fun event and a chance to see some vintage aircraft.  These bi-planes were doing a bit of stunt flying at the end of the day that I was able to capture a few shots of.  They were simulating a dog fight and the smoke effect really added to it.


Monday, January 9, 2017

1/9/17

I have had this guy on my hard drive for a while and thought she fit for today to start off a new week.  The look it is giving just seems to say, "Hi, how ya doin?  Just passing through here."  :-)  This is a Female Praying Mantis, one of my favorite insects.  They have just such a cool look to them and seem fairly friendly even though they are large.  They are usually fairly willing to be photographed anyway.  


Sunday, January 8, 2017

1/8/17

We are supposed to start getting a bit warmer now but it's windy so probably will feel as cold.  Sigh.  My image goes back to a warmer day in September and the locomotive I get to help operate by firing it is waiting for passengers to board.  It was a lovely foggy morning which I seem to be able to experience more away from home than here.  If we get fog I seem to miss it by working or being away or whatever.  I like the atmosphere it gives to an image, kind of mysterious.  



Saturday, January 7, 2017

1/7/17

Another bitterly cold morning but things are supposed to get a bit better.  This image was taken on a nice warm day in July.  This is another image of the Egret that I was able to get fairly close to in Michigan.  It was just walking along and looking for fish.  At one point some fireworks in the distance, it was 4th of July, spooked it and it took off but didn't go far down the river.  It was nice to see one close and not so spooked as ones here in Kansas can be if you get anywhere near them.



Friday, January 6, 2017

1/6/17

It was very Brrrrrr COLD this morning, 0F or minus 18C when I was going to work.  Not liking that at all.  Very cold for Kansas.  My image today I was mainly sharing for the lovely bokeh behind it because Fridays are Bokeh days on Google +.  I loved the Hoar Frost tips on this pine and how it still seemed soft even with the frost.  This was taken on a day about 32 degrees warmer too.  :-)



Thursday, January 5, 2017

1/5/17

Well, we got a bit of snow and even more cold weather.  I am not fond of winter at all.  I am dreaming of warmer weather and I found an image to warm me up.  This is a Painted Lady on the Zinnias in my garden from this past year.



Wednesday, January 4, 2017

1/4/17

Yikes it's cold and this morning the weather prediction was right on with 12 F.  Yuck.  To try and stay warm I am dreaming of summer.  I had this image to help me with that.  This is a group of Daisy Fleabanes, one of which has a couple buddies you can see better if you view large by clicking on the image.  :-)


Tuesday, January 3, 2017

1/3/17

Well, winter is back.  We went from 50s and going outside without a coat to highs of only low 30s and 12 F for the lows.  Yuck.  I thought it fitting for this winter day to post a wintry image.  I took this in Missouri one day after some foggy conditions created some great Hoar Frost.  This is a head of Fountain Grass covered in it. 


Monday, January 2, 2017

1/2/17

I've had this image for awhile but had not shared before.  I liked it because of the color of the background.  Robins are usually  sign of Spring but ours stay around most of the year it seems.  Usually I see them on the ground as well but this one was posing nicely in a tree.  Our US Robins are quite different than the European ones but are just as nice.  Here is a link to an  European Robin Photo and Info


Sunday, January 1, 2017

1/1/17

So we made it to the last day of 2016.  I took this image on Monday morning in Missouri at the in-laws home of the sunrise over the pond behind them.  I thought it was an appropriate shot for today as we have the dawn of a new year.  I hope this year is a good one for all of us and better than the last.  
Happy New Year everyone!