There has not been a lot of autumn color around my area this year. A lot of the trees that produce the nice yellows and reds and orange seemed to drop their leaves fairly quickly. I found this scene of a bit of color while on a bike ride out by Milford lake. This is a pond in the spillway area.
It's Friday, TGIF! It's also Friday the 13th which bothers some people but I always seem to have a fairly good day. 😅 Today's image is of another Monarch enjoying the Lantana I had in a pot on my deck this past October. I loved the bokeh in it so sharing for today because Friday's Are Bokehlicious here on the Blog!
I love to capture dragonflies, I find them quite interesting creatures. It's always a bonus when I can capture them in flight and have it turn out well. This one turned out really well I thought as it was quite in focus. This was while I was out walking in my yard late this summer.
It's Wildflower Wednesday here on the Blog! It's also a double digit day! 😁 It is also Veteran's Day, thank them for their service! Today's flower is Rigid or Stiff Goldenrod which normally blooms August through October. It can grow to 5 feet tall and has deep roots to help with drought. This is the one Monarchs enjoy when they come through my yard as I have some volunteer plants growing that I leave for them.
This is how I typically see Herons, they are flying away from me. I had actually captured some shots of it standing before it did, one of which I have shared a while back. I liked this capture due to the reflection in the water.
Happy Monday and happy new week! My Fushia is still blooming into November. It took longer this year for it to bloom it seemed and now it's going very late. It's been a weird plant year overall in my area it seems.
It's Steamy Sunday here on the Blog! Last weekend we did our last steam run for the year at the railroad I volunteer at outside of Topeka, KS. A friend was back for a visit who used to run with us but moved to a different state and he was running so I was able to go around and take a few photos. This is one of the other locomotive as it was coming up the hill on a rather wet day and looking very steamy due to the chill in the air and the humidity.
I got this image back in late August while on a bike ride. A storm was coming in and I liked how you could see the rain from it in this photo.
It's Friday, TGIF! The Monarchs have all moved on now it seems. During the end of October there were several in the yard enjoying the flowers. This one visited the Hummingbird feeder which I had never seen before.I loved the bokeh in this image as well so sharing it for today because Friday's Are Bokehlicious here on the Blog!
Today's photo is not one I would normally post as I am not fond at all of these though I have come to appreciate them more and their function in nature. While out bike riding in the last couple of weeks in October, there had been many young snakes in the road warming themselves. This was one of them that had survived so far unlike some others. This one was bit larger than some I had been seeing and is a Bull Snake.
It's Wildflower Wednesday here on the Blog! Today's flower is Tall Thistle or Roadside Thistle which usually blooms in August and September. I found this bloom in mid September. It is in the Asteraceae-Sunflower family and is a biennial plant. It can grow to 8 feet tall! This one was only about half that at most. Birds will eat the seeds.
I have been seeing Red Tail Hawks a bit more often on bike rides lately. It's probably because the Turkey Vultures have gone south for the winter now. Anyway, I captured this one about a week ago and thought it turned out fairly well.
Happy Monday and happy new week! Starting off the week with one of the numerous butterflies I have been able to see in my yard lately. This is a Variegated Fritillary enjoying a Zinnia bloom.
It's Steamy Sunday here on the Blog and the first day of November, wow, the year is going by quickly. Today's image is of locomotive 163 as it headed back to Antonito, Colorado after double heading to Osier Station for the Cumbres & Toltec's special run on August1. It was actually moving backwards towards town, I am not sure why they decided to do this instead of how it's usually done with returning trains. It was by itself because trains never double head downhill due to braking issues.
Happy Halloween to those that celebrate! I find it a fun holiday and enjoy seeing the lights and decorations around town. I also enjoy creating fun photos for it and here is my creation for this year. I used an old dilapidated house that I bike ride by at times as the basis.
It's Friday TGIF! Today's photo is of one of my Morning Glory flowers being very photogenic. It also had some great bokeh in it so sharing for today because Fridays Are Bokehlicious!
Butterflies are back and coming through the yard to feed on the various flowers I have growing. It has been nice to see them as their has not been many around this summer like usual. Monarchs especially have been around quite a bit lately as they are making their way south. These were enjoying the Goldenrod on the day before the Equinox.
It's Wildflower Wednesday here on the Blog! Today's flower is one that is very common in my area, Flannel Mullein. It normally blooms June through September but I found this one on October 11th. Their leaves are densely covered in woolly hairs which help to prevent water evaporation and makes them feel very soft. They can grow to 7 feet tall and are not very great looking when their lifespan is over so are a bit of a pain. Birds seem to like the seeds though. They are in the Figwort family.
While out on a bike ride near Milford Lake in recent weeks, I have been able to see Egrets out in a lagoon area. I captured this one in flight as it was heading off to another area. The Egrets are usually more cooperative for picture taking and don't fly off as readily as the Herons do.
Happy Monday and happy new week! It is a double digit day today! My Toad Lily has started to bloom recently. I find it quite the interesting flower, very unique and photogenic with the hairs and beads of nectar on it.
It's Steamy Sunday here on the Blog! On August 1 while I was out at the Cumbres & Toltec Rwy for their special event, I was waiting for the special train to return to Sublette for a short stop. In the meantime, the regular train from Chama on it's way to Antonito, came in for it's short stop. It was being led by locomotive 489.
I finally made it down to southeast Kansas and drove on Route 66 with my classic car. I went over to Joplin Missouri as well and a bit south of town is Grand Falls. There had been good rain in the area so it was flowing quite nicely. It flows over formations of Chert rock. Chert usually has edges that are razor sharp when it breaks, Native Americans used to make tools from it. Because of the many years of flowing water, this Chert was quite smooth and rounded and rather different looking than usual. It was a lovely falls.
It's Friday, TGIF! I captured this Bluejay patiently waiting to go get a peanut at my in-law's house in Missouri last week. I liked the bokeh created by the leaves and berries of another tree behind. Sharing for today because Friday's Are Bokehlicious here on the Blog!
I saw a perfect looking Buckeye butterfly on Route 66 in Galena Kansas on this past Sunday. It let me get fairly close with a normal lens on which was nice.
It's Wildflower Wednesday here on the Blog! Today's flower is Curly-Cup Gumweed. It is in the Asteracaea-Sunflower family and usually blooms June through September and I found this at the very end of September. Many Great Plains tribes used this plant medicinally to treat various things like coughs, colds and stomach aches. The root can grow up to 6 feet making it very drought hardy.
Today's bird is a Killdeer. I usually see them in the Spring but this year I have spotted them at various times, or heard them, all year. This photo is an older one taken in the Spring They get their name because their call sounds like they are saying that.
Happy Monday and happy new week! Starting off the week with some, seemingly, glowing Morning Glory flowers.
It's Steamy Sunday here on the Blog! Today's image is from the special train that the Cumbres & Toltec was running for Colorado's 150 birthday. 168 and 463 were pulling in to take on water at Sublette on the way to Osier Station for the lunch stop.
I have an old car that just got running again after sitting for a few years. I want to take it on a trip so I have been taking it out for drives around sunset lately to make sure things are good with it and also to enjoy the view. This is the sunset at Milford Lake a little over a week ago.
It's Friday, TGIF! My Sea Oats Grass is starting to turn color for autumn. It's looking photogenic as always and had some lovely bubbly bokeh in this image. Sharing it for today because Friday's Are Bokehlicious here on the Blog!
While I was out on a bike ride this past week, I spotted this gal in the road. Why did the Mantis cross the road? 😁 She let me take a few photos. I debated on whether or not to make sure she went into the grass but decided she was close enough to the edge and it wasn't a well traveled road so I left her alone. When I went by the same spot the next day I could tell she had safely made it off the road. She was big, about 6 inches long.
It's Wildflower Wednesday here on the Blog! The Asters have really been blooming in my area recently. Even when the plant is mowed short, they still put out flowers so some areas look rather nice with all the blooms. These are Azure Asters also known as "Sky Blue" and they usually bloom in September and October. They can be somewhat shrub like, can grow up to 40 inches tall, and are in the Sunflower family.
I was out on a bike ride this past week by Milford Lake. There were some Egrets and Cormorants in the lagoon area that I was able to capture. I usually see Egrets here but the Cormorants are usually in a different area so it was a nice surprise to see the 2 together. There had originally been a Heron as well but, as is typical, it flew off. The Egrets don't seem to be so skittish.
Happy Monday and happy new week! I am starting off the week with a group of flowers that make me happy and, hopefully, will do the same for you. These are some of my pink variety Cosmos.
It's Steamy Sunday here on the Blog! Today's image is a bit different one again. This is the C W Parker Carousel steam engine that I help operate over in Abilene Kansas. It turned 125 years old this year and they had an event on October 3 where people could come and learn about it and ride the carousel. This engine belongs with the carousel it operates and is the oldest known operating C W Parker carousel. I liked the reflection in the water in this image. The photo was taken while it was being cleaned and winterized after the event.
It's a double digit day today! 😁 Today's image is from Kansas City and the World War 1 Museum from the entrance side. It began life as the Liberty Memorial to honor the 441 local Kansas Citians who lost their lives in the war in 1926. The museum was closed in 1994 for renovations and in 2006, it opened as a modernized version. It holds the most comprehensive collection of WWI artifacts and documents in the world and was designated the national museum in 2004 by congress. The tower is 265 feet tall.
It's Friday TGIF! Today's image is one of the several I have seen visiting my yard this late summer/early autumn to enjoy the Goldenrod. This is just a single one because i loved the bubbly bokeh behind it. I am sharing it today because Friday's Are Bokehlicious!
My Common Milkweed turned out to be rather popular and useful this year which was very nice. I saw several Monarchs flying through the yard this summer and I was glad they stopped to make use of it. This is one of several caterpillars I saw feeding on it.
It's Wildflower Wednesday here on the Blog! Today's flower is the Maximilian Sunflower which has been blooming quite profusely in my area recently. It's usual bloom time is August through September and it seemed to be fairly late in September around here. These flowers produce a lot of seed which is great for wildlife. I find them quite lovely as well.
While I was in Minnesota last month, I was able to get a few bird images. This is a Wood Duck not looking quite as beautiful as some photos I have seen but still fairly colorful.
Happy Monday and happy new week! Starting off the week with a butterfly I was able to capture recently. I have finally seen a few more around than I had been. This is a Red Admiral enjoying the Autumn Sedum in my garden.
It's Steamy Sunday here on the Blog! Today's image is of the other full size locomotive I get to help fire on. It is a Porter Tank engine which means it's water supply is carried over the boiler and not in a tender behind. They were usually used for short distance operations. It's a fun engine to fire on and I learned a lot of other operations with it this year such as how to take care of the compressor and I helped fill it with water for the first time. Kind of scary as I am not fond of heights. 😅
Today's image is of the view from Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri looking south. The World War I can be seen on the upper right. The clock in the foreground is partially original but the works are not, I don't believe. The building on the left is a hotel I once stayed in and got a night shot of KC.
It's Friday, TGIF! Today's image is one I was able to capture recently of a neat looking Dragonfly. It is appropriate to the month as it is, apparently, a Halloween Pennant Dragonfly. It gets that name from it's coloration. It enjoys perching on top of a plant and swaying like a pennant in the breeze. I chose this image for today due to the lovely bubbly bokeh in it as Friday's Are Bokehlicious here on the Blog!
My pond at the Gazebo has been doing pretty well this summer even through the very hot weeks. Usually it goes very low but this year it stayed nice, maybe because lower ground levels were more saturated since we had rain before it got hot and dry. Anyway, the frogs are enjoying it a lot. Here is one that was being tolerant of me.
It's Wildflower Wednesday here on the Blog! Today's flower is Blue Sage also known as Pitcher Sage. It is in the Mint family and usually blooms July through October. Livestock will eat it and it is very nutritious for them. I find it rather photogenic too.
While out for a walk in the early evening one day I was able to get this image. There was a Red Shoulder Hawk sitting on a power line and it stayed as I walked past so the setting sun would light it better. It lost it's tolerance for me and flew off the wire but I was able to capture it as it did.
Happy Monday and happy new week! I am starting off the week with an image of one of my water lilies. I like the reflection of it in the water.
It's Steamy Sunday here on the Blog! Today's image is a bit different, it's not a train. 😄 A few weeks ago,the steam roller that we own was a participant in "The Bigger Dig" which was a huge construction equipment show in Kansas just south of Concordia. It is held every 5 years and our roller was making it's second appearance there but the first since we owned it. The roller was built by the Iroquois Company somewhere between 1910 and 1915 and used by the Barber Asphalt Co to roll roads back in the day. Barber developed asphalt and bought the Iroquois Co. It is pictured here alongside the steam traction engines that were there for various displays like plowing. We fire it on wood.
It's a double digit day! 😁 This past week I went to the World War 1 Museum in Kansas City and also to Union Station which can be seen in this photo promoting the Chiefs. I found it a bit surprising that they were promoting them as the Chiefs are moving to Kansas and this is Missouri. It's all weird an I really don't care. 😆 Anyway, I took this image from on top of the museum which has a concrete courtyard and a great view. There is a tower you can go up in for a higher view but I didn't find it necessary. The Western Auto sign seen on the right, was recently restored to full operating condition and financed by the homeowners in the building it sits atop. Very cool to keep the iconic sign going even though the company does not exist any longer.
