What are you staring at?

I shot this picture about a block down the street and the deer didn't seem to mind me a bit!  Unlike the ones in my back yard (or garden) she didn't take off when I saw her.  I think the expression on her face is saying "hey, this ain't your garden so bug off!"

Hmmmmm...

I was walking around the neighborhood this morning when I came across this.  I confess, I would never of though of doing it....

Backyard Birds--2

One of my favorite visitors to the feeders is the cute little Black-capped Chickadee.  While I don't see many of them during the summer they start showing up in the fall and entertain me all winter.

Backyard Birds--1

I think I will make a collection of different birds visiting my bird feeders to see how many I can catch.  Choosing a male Cardinal, the "state bird" of Indiana as the first seems appropriate.

Goose Pond in the fall

We visited Goose Pond last week to see if there was any activity.  While I didn't expect to see much there were actually an amazing number of waterfowl present..  We couldn't get close enough to get any really good photos, but these shots give a hint of the activity (click on the images to enlarge).  What I did find interesting is the enormous "cracks" in the ground on the various dikes they have put in.  I see them in the garden and around the house during dry weather, but these cracks were up to 2 1/2 inches wide!  Boy do we need rain.

Foxtail grass

While some people consider Foxtail grass a nuisance weed, I really think it is pretty.  It is certainly as good looking as some of the stuff they make you pay for at the nursery.  This photo was shot during the Gnaw Bone trip last week.  You can see an old piece of rusty farm equipment in the background.

"Tired" flowers.

It is interesting how something as simple as a bunch of wildflowers can make an otherwise ugly area look lovely!  I guess you could say that these flowers are "tired".

Almost a good shot..

If only I had understood my wife's frantic waving ten seconds earlier, and if only I had a really "long" lens, this would have been a fantastic shot (well at least good).  Let's face it I could just jump in with Photoshop an have a perfect eclipse or a dozen power gliders, but this is a "real" picture.

A final Gnaw Bone shot

This is what I call an interesting collection of wheels.  This is an HDR shot that I took trying to get some details in the shadows.

It's just barbed wire, but it's colorful.

Another image from the Gnaw Bone photo trip.  I really like the contrasting colors of the new versus old coils of barbed wire lying on the wooden pallet in the field.

For those who like to spread BS

I think this guy has probably spread more BS than even I have--although many will argue otherwise.

And these wheels....

As I said yesterday, all that tractor needed was a bit of WD40--and perhaps these wheels?

I have to admit, this place was interesting.  It will provide pictures for several days!

All it needs is a little WD40.

The BPC Macro group visited Gnaw Bone Indiana for a group outing.  We were told there was all kinds of interesting farm equipment rusting away that might be fun to photograph.  You will have to admit that this tractor needs a bit of work.

Caught!

This photo has several interesting stories.  First, I have no idea how I took it--I just found it like this when I transferred pictures to my computer.  Second--the completely unrecognizable teenagers shown are scared s*tless because I took the photo.  I heard them placing things on the railroad track behind my house and snapped several pictures of them in the act.  If you don't recognize yourself, don't worry I have several more that are much clearer...

The did decide to remove all the items they placed on the track... :-)

Ohio River Bridge

This is not a terribly good picture, but I kind of like it.  The "snapshot" was taken from inside my vehicle as we approached the bridge crossing the Ohio River just east of Rockport Indiana.  The strange blue at the top is most likely the windshield tinting.

Itsy Bitsy Spider No 2

This time I had my spray bottle of water with me!  I don't know if it made the web show up much better, but it really ticked off the little guy in the middle.

A different butterfly

When I get a chance I will look this guy up.  I simply cannot remember the names of butterflies--but I like them all.

Close up eggshell

Here is yesterday's egg in high definition!  This was a composite of about 40 images merged with Helicon Focus.  I do like the pattern on the surface of the egg (too large to be individual cells I would guess).

Eggs anybody?

I started to wash off one of the summer squashes that have been prolific in the garden this summer when I thought I saw something. I looked at it under the microscope and found that I had some recently hatched eggs. I decided that squash would make a good contribution to the compost pile....

The total length of the above image is about 4-5mm.

Beautyberry bush

I went to my dermatologist yesterday to see if I had spent too much time in the garden roasting my head (apparently not!).  They had these wonderful shrubs outside their office and I had to sneak a picture.  I looked it up and it is a Beautyberry bush.

This one I also did in 3D:

and the anaglyph:

And guarding this flower....

It is amazing how often I find a "critter" when I am examining flowers under the microscope.  This guy (will all eight eyes!) was lurking in one of the cosmos I was trying to photograph,  The nice thing about spiders is that they stay very quiet (obviously waiting for a hapless bug to come by).

Garden Flowers III

Zinnias are a common garden flower, but I have real trouble growing them.  It seems like they don't grow well in my soil, and they always tend to get mildew on their leaves about the time they start blooming.  Here is one that made it in spite of me (rather pathetic looking!).

Garden Flowers II

This one I nearly always try to pull in the spring thinking it is a weed, but my wife insists it is a flower--and it is!  This is the obedient plant which is a native perennial.

A close up of one of the individual blossoms shows how pretty it really is!

Whats for lunch?

I guess because it has been so dry the deer have been getting braver as they look at my garden.  Apparently it looks better than anything else even though I really haven't been watering it much.  This was mom and her three fawns (adolescents by now!).

Garden Flowers

Cosmos are one of the garden flowers that I plant every year.  I usually just gather the seeds in the fall and spread them in various spots.  I was looking at this one and thought it was rather interesting.

Favorite Flowers

I don't know why, but I have always liked this guy.  I looked it up and it is Cleome or Spider Flower or Spider Plant (according to an unknown "expert" on the web).  It looks better when there are a bunch of them so I gathered some seeds to try next spring.

Pepper time at the Farmers Market

The peppers are beautiful this time of the year!  It is really great going to the farmers market and seeing all the wonderful vegetables.  To be honest we mainly just look (and buy a dozen ears of corn) because the home garden is still producing well (although it looks awful!).

Fourth Street Fair

Labor Day weekend brings the Fourth Street Fair with all the artists and performers!  The only thing that I don't like is the huge crowds (although I am part of it).  The weather was wonderful this weekend compared to the heat wave we have had in recent weeks.

Backyard Birds--00; Minature dive bombers

I am really going to miss these guys when they take off this fall.  I think that we have had more hummingbirds and butterflies this summer than I can ever remember.  I have filled the feeders every week and they "roar" through the back porch all day.

Hickory Ridge Tower

Back when I was younger, I can remember climbing (actually running!) to the top of the Hickory Ridge Tower.  Not any more...  This last week I was able to get to the forth landing before I decided I had seen enough.