Here we are at week 45 of Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness 2. It’s hard to believe I’ve been posting in this group for almost a year already! Time has raced by with just 7 weeks to go until this year of Monochrome Madness 2 comes to an end.
For this week’s entry I’m in California’s unspoiled marshes in the wildlife refuges surrounded by grass, reeds,creeks, ponds, and the willows.
Some of the Willows look like shrubs, and others like the Black Willow stand tall. Until I started photographing these trees I had no idea there were so many types of Willow Trees.
To see all this week’s entries to Leanne’s Monochrome Madness 2 click here.
Nikon Df| Nikkor 28-105mm| Hoodman Digital Film| PS CC 2015 & On1 Photo 10
I had a walk-around the neighborhood Sunday morning and found Spring everywhere.
The flowering trees are in bud, and beginning to blossom while others are in full bloom!
A Prayer in Spring by Robert Frost-
“Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.”~Robert Frost (from A Boy’s Will, 1915)
The huge white flowering tree was a hive of activity in the canopy. The buzz of bees
was dizzying, and the warmth of the sun on my face when I looked up felt wonderful, healing, and nourishing.
The branches were heavy with blossoms,
papery white, with lovely “look at me!” centers.
Plus one more…
Nearly home I found a huge Sweat Pea vine spilling over a fence with dozens of busy bees.
Nikon Df| Nikkor 28-105mm| Hoodman Digital Film| PS CC 2015
A few weeks ago I had a first time visitor to the little feeder which turned into a bird bath after the rainy week. I was thrilled to see the Western Bluebird in my yard!
Well, she like the temperature, and atmosphere so she decided to stay and have a bath. Luckily my camera was nearby.
Eyeing up the tub, and making sure the coast is clear overhead…
At her toilette
“Do you mind! I’m bathing here!” That look really got me thinking…”man I’m a voyeur!” 🙂
All clean! She had a good shake and flew away after this image was taken. I hope she comes back!
I took these images through the window so they’re a bit soft. I used the dehaze feature to help that a bit. It’s a pretty neat feature!
Nikon D300s| Nikkor 300mm f4| Lexar Professional Digital Film| PS CC 2015
“I have left my bed and walked upon the grass and the night dew has wet my feet and the hem of my garment. Here I stand under the blossoms of the almond tree, heeding the call of your spirit. ”
~Kahlil Gibran, Communion of Spirits, The Treasured Writings of Kahlil Gibran
Went I laid in the grass to photograph the dew and rain drops in the grass yesterday morning I thought of these lines from Kahlil Gibran’s prose Communion of Spirits.
I hope you all have a sunny Friday and week-end both in your spirits and weather!
Nikon Df| Nikkor 105mm macro lens| Hoodman Digital Film| PS CC 2015| Hand-held
This week’s Monochrome Madness 2 I selected an image from a recent day I spent birding in the Pacific Flyway. The Pacific Flyway is a section of CA. that is part of the Winter migration path used by birds fleeing the cold months in the Winter.
These are Black-necked Stilts, and Long billed Dowagers foraging for food.
I was trying out the Tamron 150-600mm super telephoto lens this week-end for the extra reach which was nice to have, but I won’t be saying much about the lens because I wasn’t able to use it as much as I had hoped. We had rain come in which kept me indoors the following day instead of out photographing birds. I won’t complain too much since we need all the rain we can get. 🙂
I’m really behind reading blog posts, but am catching up ever so slowly.
Too see all this week’s posts in Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness 2 click here
Nikon D700| Tamron 150-600mm| Hoodman Digital Film| CS6 & Silver Efex Pro
I didn’t venture too far for this image; just down the street. In hindsight I should have sought higher ground. Venus was setting fast and if I had been higher I might have been able to photograph longer ,so that Jupiter would have been brighter. Live and learn!
I do like the way the Moon looks, and am pleased I didn’t blow it out. 🙂
Jupiter is that teeny tiny white dot above and to the right of Venus which is the bright star next to the New Moon.
Nikon Df| AF-D 105mm f2.8@ f/10| 0.3sec| ISO 400| Manual Priority| Manual Focus| Tripod| Hoodman STEEL Ultra High Speed Digital Film| CS6
+ 1 More…
He-Man and I have been hiking every week-end together since his Dr. and Therapist gave him the okay after he ruptured his Patella Tendon and had surgery last November. He’s really come a long way.
Today he was up for hiking the steepest, and longest hike since he was given the okay.
We gained about 1000 ft in elevation and hiked just about 5 miles. Here are several images I made along the hike.
All were taken with my iPhone 5 and developed in Photoshop CS6
Garrod Pond…when we take #1 Grandson on Pony Rides it’s at this stable, and pond that the guides walk him. I love seeing how excited he is walking the Ponies around this pond looking at birds/ in the trees for birds, and looking for ducks in the pond. His Mother says I am influencing his interests. I can’t say I’m totally innocent or sans motive! If I am able to influence him to love nature, an his environment then I think I can take a back seat and let the young lead.
I OT: I offer no excuses I love being a Grandma, and I’m really glad that I’m able to keep hiking, moving my legs, and hope that I am able to for many years to come! I hear the secret to living a long happy, active life is keeping the legs moving.
I am going to try my best to keep moving…uphill! The reward is going home down hill all the way baby! 🙂
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