just a walk on the west side

post #108
     This cardinal photo goes with the two others I shared last week.  Every parent can relate:

     

    But what I had planned for tonight is to share some photos from a recent walk on the west side -- of our place.  This weekend is actually the peak of color for our area, but since I am away from home, this is what I have to offer:

 from where I started, looking back at the neighbor's truck headed to the house

   

the tractor path through what used to be Faye's garden, on the north side of our place, on the way to the west side

goldenrod and Queen Anne's lace

looking to the east from the ridge on the west side, along the Ashland Oil Pipeline that they keep clear

our fire trail along the west side, along the western edge of our property

ground work....

the neighbor's fence line and field

and horse

Our wood piles are drying while waiting to be picked up.

more wood piles on the trail

in the forest -- looks like a creamy omelet to me!

maple leaves, showing off

  
       Have you heard me say before that it takes work to make a place look as good as our does?  Kudos to my husband who does all the keeping up with the land we have and love.
    
       Next week, I promise flicker photos even if I am still researching the meaning of their actions!!

wild birds come near and go wild

post #91

      I am not a bird photographer.  I have neither the pricey photo equipment required nor the leisure time that I imagine I'd need to figure out where the birds are going to be and then to go there and set up and wait until they get close enough to get those wonderful sharp photos that many people take. 

      However, I am NOT going to pass up the opportunity to take photos of birds who choose to share my living space around the house!  These last few months I have seen more fledglings than ever, and the season is not over yet.  Today and next week I am going to share some "What's-Happening-Nows" around here, before tackling the end of the alphabet.

day lilies, to match the cardinal's beak.  These grow on our driveway, but they were mowed down this week anyway by the road crew!

 some orange feet on these mourning doves, whom I suspect of being a fledgling pair.

       Behind the maple tree the doves are in is a weeping willow tree, with a history -- it came as a switch when our neighbor long ago went on horseback to visit his future wife.  The switch grew at his house into a large willow tree near the road.  It was eventually destroyed, but we brought a switch from it to our house.  Here is my favorite photo from last week, of the willow tree looking healthy despite having almost been done in by an ice storm several years ago:

 

a goldfinch enjoying that nearby maple tree

    Then two photos from a walk in the woods ten days ago, one looking down, the other  looking ahead:

     Finally, the moon, looking to me like both a tear and a tear in the sky: 

     We did have something happen this week that I am NOT showing a photo of, which was the unusual occurrence of a country version of slaughterhouse five.  One night a raccoon killed 5 of our chickens, in their shut up hen house!  Two nights ago we caught the meany in a trap.  All things considered, a big healthy dose of reality.  But not fun.  Many, many thanks to Jonathan and to Junie for their help.
     Next week, the other half of this set of photos, and some thoughts about taking time to look carefully.

before fall -- follow-ups

post #51 

     Blogger.com presented us millions of bloggers with a new look this week.  I believe the changes will only show up behind the scenes of what ends up published.  But, just in case there are some surprises,  I'll use their shift as an incentive to finish up some of my loose ends.  I will start on my new series -- making art out of tobacco -- next week.

    SO, early one morning, the very day following my second spider post last month, I just happened to notice the largest spider I have ever seen in my non-zoo life ON THE FLOOR, actually on the carpet, in front of where the TELEPHONE is, and I was bare-footed!  But since it didn't then rush off, I decided to try to scoop it up.  I chose the largest, sturdiest glass I could find and bravely and calmly (!) lowered it over the beast, who seemed to be carrying a soft whitish roundish item under its belly.  In case this amazing visitor decided he or she would hide if I took time to search for shoes, I was still shoeless. 

    Then, as happens, I reminded myself that I was a photographer now, unlike when years ago my husband and I came across a recently vacated bear bed on Kodiak Island in Alaska.  We didn't even think to take a photo before starting to make lots of noise and skedaddling away from there.  Anyway, I positioned the assemblage on a kitchen counter by scooting a piece of thin cardboard under glass and spider before moving it.  The spider -- which my laptop and I figured out was a wolf spider -- never let go of what's now confirmed as an egg sac.  
      Here is "Wolf Spider under glass":

At first I didn't realize one leg was caught... I also found a way to let some air in.

      Hours later, after my husband had a chance to see the creature as well, we took it outside.  Here is "Wolf Spider let out far away from the house, still with egg sac":  

I was wearing shoes by now, but didn't have my tripod, so the two closer legs are out of focus.  Big Mama!!

      One of the descriptions of this voracious insect eating monster is that it is harmless but nonetheless very disconcerting to home dwellers who occasionally encounter one..... I'd say!!  I hope the spider family didn't suffer from my curiosity.  Really, I felt admiration.  (Last week I saw a reference to a wolf spider in a children's novel I am reading.  I figure the author must have seen one, too.)

     Another unexpected fascination was this large fungus/mushroom that appeared one day, and was gone the next.  I am so glad I didn't put off taking a photo.  I know nothing about kinds of mushrooms, and I never dare to eat one.  But they do make me think of fairy tables or shelters in the woods.

side view of a porch overhang?

      A favorite Kentucky wild flower of mine (and of hummingbirds) is out.  I took this photo of some cardinal flowers along the edge of the pond.  The red is harder to make work in a photo than I like to admit:

Three final bits

      1. BTW, I can now report that the blogger folks did make some improvements.  A couple of tools available as of today make the process go more smoothly and are not at all intrusive. THANKS.

     2. I am giving a link to a basic article on CNN about photo journalism tips -- there is usually something helpful in another photographer's experience.   Even so, I have to learn stuff by doing.  I don't seem to be greatly skilled at taking advice.  (Sweet family, please do not laugh.) Note: here's a September 6 deadline for some submission to something.

      3. I am not much of a gear geek, but this week I finally bought a waterproof point and shoot, my first.  I haven't liked not being able to take photos when it's wet out.  I had hoped to share one of the new photos tonight but am having some Mac vs PC issues.  Therefore its planned grand debut for this blog will have to wait.  Stay viewed!!  

    Instead, here is one last photo from the summer: hollyhocks along a neighbor's fence.  I like the unusual location for the hollyhocks, and the recently mowed field in the background, with contrast between the straight and the curved.