Another lazy day along the American River. And Swan Goose came up to me. He was about 10 feet away. And a family of mallards (right, Rock? ) came floating by.  Foul Play And this goose posed for me. And I turned around and saw this cute cedar waxwing up in the tree watching me.

Bonus

"Listen to the voice of nature, for it holds treasures for you." (Huron Indian saying)
 

 Whispering Falls 

I captured this Autumn sunset last October on the Outer Bank's Hatteras Island, North Carolina.

 Sunset - Hatteras Island 

Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.
~ Ancient American Indian Proverb

Resica Falls 

The following were seen on the Boston trip a few weeks but could be found Anywhere USA

 Trash 2          Trash 1 

  This lady was seen on first evening (Tues) and she was at the same place the following Monday  Wanting 

  I pray that places like this are used by girls/ladies who do not want their  safe 

  Now this place Cannot be seen just anywhere  Peaceful 

Thanks for looking!

As promised, here are some shots of the bloom on aloe. 

1          2          3         4  

Two in b&w:  5    6

I'm going to have to take it out again for photos because as I was shooting this they looked like buds (on one of the three shoots) and I asked Michael if he thought they'd open up to be actual blooms.  He didn't think they would, but would you know it, I come home Monday afternoon and one had opened into a little bell like flower with ruffles on the end.  I'm hoping by the weekend the whole shoot will be little bells.

Thanks for looking!  Happy Hump Day!

Back in the spring when we were buying plants to start our garden, I saw an aloe plant.  My parents had an aloe plant in the kitchen when I was younger and it always came in handy when you burned yourself.  My friend in florida had one so big that we could cut the tip off and use it to soothe our sunburns after being out on the beach all day.  So when I saw the aloe plants I told Michael I wanted one.  We got it, took it home and I took care of it.

Come august, I got busy and wasn't home often and Michael neglected my plants on the porch.  I thought the aloe plant had died (although not really needing a lot of water, it did need it on occasions) from lack of water and the cold spurts that had come upon North Alabama in September.  But it hadn't.  In fact, last week it was blooming.  Which I have never seen before.  I took it inside, gave it some water and after a day it greened up again.  Apparantly they're very hardy little plants.  Sunday I decided to give it an afternoon in the spotlight and used it as a subject of choice for a photo shoot.

1   2   3   4   5

I know you'll let me know what you think about these shots and tomorrow I'll post some of the bloom.  Thanks for looking!

During my recent trip to South Carolina, I got a chance to visit Charleston for a day. Since sundown was approaching, I asked a kind security guard if there were a beach nearby that I might visit for sunset. He suggested Sullivan's Island, I plugged it into my GPS, and got underway.

The beach was lovely. Small and quiet. I spent most of my time snapping photos of my unrequited love: the ocean. The sun played nice, and gave me some gorgeous color to play with.

The waters weren't exactly 'still' in the traditional sense, but they were calm, as oceans go, so I'm tossing them toward the challenge.

 Corner Sun 

 Sullivan's Rocks 

 Post Shadows 

A rare pic of  Yours Truly that I had to futz with due to the backlighting. I like how it came out, but I do know it could have been better. I actually noticed that the settings on my camera were screwy when I took it, so I went back to get another, but the sun was already set, so the effect just didn't work as I wanted it to.

After the light died down, I took some leave inside for a little macro fun.  These were my best two:

On the edge

You're so vein...

Thoughts in the written form are always appreciated.  Thanks for looking!

I managed to get out a little bit yesterday and took some pictures for the Challenge.  These are hot off the press, uncropped.  They were taken at noon.  I opened up the exposure of the shadows a bit.  I couldn't decide which I liked better of #2 and #3 (I'm thinking #3) so if you could help I would appreciate it.

All C&Cs greatly appreciated

Crop per MrQ's suggestion.  

I haven't posted in a while but didn't want to miss the Challenge.  I am hoping to get out and take some fresh "water" photos before the challenge is over but until then...   I like the mood of this lake in the Cascades.  It is two image pan and lost a lot of detail when I reduced the size so I increased the focus one step.

Hope you enjoy.

I appreciate your C&Cs.

Lake adjusted

Reflections in small stream --> Still Waters 01

Fish hatchery view (Mt Whitney CA) __> Still Waters 02

Pike County, Pennsylvania   The Glen 

Great Blue Heron 

My wife Dee & I spent the day birding at a new location in Pennsylvania. This was our first visit to the area and we were looking for birds to photograph. After walking about 1/4 mile down a gravel trail we came upon this beautiful waterfall, we had no idea this was there.  I had my camera set up for birding not shooting long exposure waterfall shots. I had the wrong lens and no tripod for long exposures. So I had to use what I had and shoot handheld.

Here I am shooting the falls... Photo By Dee Don't Do It This Way 

I could only shoot the very top part of the beautiful falls, no wide angle lens & no tripod...The Result Handheld & Long Exposure  Waterfall 

You can bet that Dee & I will make a return trip very soon with the right equipment. I really want to see this place in the fall when all the colors of Autumn are bursting.....NATURE RULES!!!

Snowy Egret 

Portland Maine 

Last week I had the opportunity to fly in a B17, and believe me it sure was different than flying in a regular commercial plane...There was one gentleman on the plane who tried to tell me of an experience he had on a B17 during the war (he was 19 at the time).  I really like hearing the stories that the veterans have to tell (the ones who will talk about their experience)--one time there was a gentlemen who had been captured and he told me some of the story of what he endured trying to escape (which he eventually was able to do). 

 inside the plane looking through open canapy.....  Sky 2  

This paticular plane did not see action during the war, it was built in 1945 but  too late to participate Plane 2 

I just cannot imagine the ones who sat in the 'hole' and did what was necessary at the time   Gunnery 

A big thanks to ALL Veterans

  Hope all of you have a good day and thanks for looking.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts  Stony Brook