11/09/26

 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.

 

11/08/26

 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.

 

11/07/26

 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.

 

11/06/26

 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!

 

11/05/26

 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.

 

  

11/04/26

 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.  

 

11/03/26

 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.

 

11/02/26

 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.

 

11/01/26

 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.

 

10/31/26

 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.

 

10/30/26

 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!  

 

10/29/26

 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.

 

10/28/26

 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.

 

10/27/26

 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.

 

10/26/26

 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.

 

10/25/26

 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.

 

10/24/26

 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.

 

10/23/26

 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! 

 

10/22/26

 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.

 

10/21/26

 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.