Weekly Photo Challenge: From Above

I know I’m running the weekly photo challenges back to back. A little something in between would probably make for a better reading experience but I am in a hurry. Preparing for a weekend camping trip should not be this complicated and finding a sitter for a smart alack, socially inept chihuahua should not be so difficult.

We have become entirely too indulgent. I suggested to the mister we travel with nothing, relying on our natural abilities and make that damn chihuahua catch us a squirrel or something. Yeah, he’s still laughing.

So here are my recent shots for the Weekly Photo Challenge: From Above.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Culture

The word culture can conjure so many images it boggles the mind. Defining it as beliefs, principles, arts, ethnicity and (may I add) bacteria that reside in yogurt and petri dishes. That doesn’t make choosing a photograph any easier for me.  I can’t zoom in close enough on the yogurt to get a shot of live cultures and petri dishes… well they are just plain nasty.

This week’s challenge is hosted by Aaron Joel Santos.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Up

What’s Up?

The cost of living, this week’s photo challenge, hot air balloons and floating babies…

A shot of the latter two would have been nice but all I got was a Corn-snake with a belly full of Mud Martins.

I might have been dreaming about hot air balloons surrounded by cherubs when someone apparently looked up and the commotion started. I rose from my place of leisure and watched as everyone headed toward the excitement. “Get the tongs and steady the ladder. There’s a snake up here along the rafter.”

I (of course) grabbed a camera and the rest is pictures.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Change

Weekly Photo Challenge: Change

A few shots from last weeks trip to the southern end of the Colorado River. It was a welcomed change except for the cold front, I could’ve done without that. Thankfully the chilly gloom was short lived.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Color

This weeks photo challenge is COLOR and how neat is that since we are surrounded by endless shades of it.

The Bluebird’s are Here

A couple of weeks ago I posted a photo (Marching Into Spring) of  a Bluebird’s nest. I’m excited to report that they have hatched and their appetites are intact. hungry bird (1280x1109)Aren’t they a wriggling lump of ugly? Yes they are but that will change soon. I may try for a better shot when the father is not flogging the back of my head.

The Anole and I

Native Texans

I learned something new today. What I have always called a Chameleon is actually an Anole. Ah-know-lee, it sounds very French, doesn’t it? [Well kick me runnin’ I happen to know a little French]

The Anole

Tending the herb box

 

Fact: They change colors like the Chameleon but are more closely related to the Iguana. Très el strange`o as hell I know. I also know they consume pesky little insects but I did not know that Anoles eat snails! That definitely sounds French.

The Anole and I have a lot in common. Okay maybe just a couple of things because I’m not eating a damn snail- not willingly anyway. Well maybe if it were fried and crispy… or pureed and stirred into a fruit smoothie. Oops I just puked a little. Sorry. I’m sure the French word for puke would probably sound less vulgar. Heck if they can get people to devour something so slimy and creepy by calling it escargot surely they have an elegant word for puke.

Around here we’ll leave the eating of invertebrates to the Anole. The truth is the only thing we have in common is that we are both native Texans scrounging in the same box of dirt.

Insight (Sight & Seeing Red)

This post should have been the Indie update I’ve been planning, giving you all of the gory details about what I’ve learned on this Indie adventure (now having a full year of experience under my belt) but…

I was seriously composing the post meant to share my progress when I diverted my eyes. Did you know you aren’t supposed to stare at the computer screen for more than twenty minutes without looking twenty feet away for at least twenty seconds? It’s called the 20/20/20 rule.

Being the rule devotee that I am [go ahead and laugh if you know me] I looked away and spotted a lovely red Dianthus. WeddingOf course I had to grab the camera and take a walk…

 

 

 

WeddingI spied a red aphid on a yellow Iris. The eye tends to be drawn to these two colors. You didn’t think McDonald’s success came from their fresh delectable burgers did you? Oh, okay.

 

 

I suppose the Red Wasp, Nandina berries and Red Tip Photinia are all shades of red but they look kind of orange to me. That may be from staring at the monitor for too long. See what happens when you don’t follow the rules?

I ended my journey with a collection of red shells. Red ShellsI didn’t find these on a beach but they were near a body of water. Hmm, now I’m wondering if there might be a body in the water? Or a story in the making…

Seeing Red has nothing to do with the upcoming post regarding my first year as an independent author/publisher, I just thought I’d share this little excursion. On the contrary I’m in the black and all lights are green. It’s a go for another trek. I really will post something in the near future that offers more personal insight until then take care of your eyes.

P.S. I once had a patient with Macular Degeneration who told me she saw the most unbelievable shades of red and that she painted more beautifully than ever just before she went blind.

Marching Into Spring

If the old folks in East Texas are right we will have another cold snap so don’t plant your tomatoes yet. I’m not in any hurry, after all we are just getting to the Ides of March and the Spring Equinox is still a week away. What does all of that mean? I could write about it but I’m afraid it would bore you straight to death and I don’t want to be listed on your death certificate as the official cause so how about I show you some pictures instead? Okay! Moving right along…