Sky Watch Season # 4 Episode # 25

Sky Watch Friday this is the place. Please check out the site and link in if you wish to participate. There were a lot of people with beautiful Sky photos last week. You can link in from my side bar or at the start of this post. You can link a 3:00 PM EDT on Thursdays. SWF is run by Klaus, Louise, Wren, Sandy, Sylvia and myself. I wish all my SWF friends a Happy New Year.

This is a view of the Ohio River as we were going to West Virginia last month.

This is my back yard on a winter day.

There are a lot of great skies at the above link.

Header Competition #12

The header theme this week by Darla from Florida is "New Year's". Mac, Tom, Darla and I have a little contest to show a new theme header each week. Go to the other sites to see their interpretation of this weeks theme.

This was my hardest week, New Years Eve is tomorrow so I had nothing. I had this photo from the performers from last years party.

I also had this deer from yesterday that looked back on time.

So, I decided on this same deer as it high-tailed it into the woods. This is just like we are saying goodbye to 2009.

My World Tuesday Season # 2 Episode # 12

This is my posting for the My World Meme. It is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Louise, Sylvia and myself. Won't you join in, I want to see where you live and thrive. Check out the new layout at the My World site.

We had no snow at Christmas but got another surprise today. Click on the photo to see the five birds, three in the woods and two on the feeder.

We got 4" of snow and the male Northern Cardinals really stand out in the snow.

The rear feeder had a Black Capped Chickadee, a female Northern Cardinal and a House Sparrow. It looks like the ca

I hope your world is comfy during this time of year.

Today's Flowers # 72

My friend Luiz from Brazil does the Today's Flowers Meme, check it out. Come and join with your flower photos. Sunday at 2 GMT is the post time.

I again go to the archives to find a sign of Spring when the Magnolia Trees are in bloom. These were taken at the end of April just down the road from my house.

The Magnolia Tree does put out a neat flower and this one has great color as it blooms.

There is something about the blossoms on this tree that makes me smile. It looks like they smile back.

The Magnolia blossoms set ablaze

a tree to shows what will amaze.

So set your sights on the New Year

they will return, surely have no fear.

The April rains come and will surely make

the flower pop and they won't be fake.

The smell of the blossoms will fill the air,

Spring brings flowers for the tree to wear.

Fishing Guy 2009

Camera Critters # 90 - Carolina Wren

Camera Critters by Misty Dawn, go here to see who's participating.

I had tried so hard this year to get a Carolina Wren and had no luck. They would move so fast and never stop for a photo. I added a suet feeder and have been justly rewarded. They now come in and stay for more then just one bite.

I think they are a beautiful bird and love the white eye stripe.

I was even lucky enough to get two for my header contest.

Sky Watch Season # 4 Episode # 24

Sky Watch Friday this is the place. Please check out the site and link in if you wish to participate. There were a lot of people with beautiful Sky photos last week. You can link in from my side bar or at the start of this post. You can link a 3:00 PM EDT on Thursdays. SWF is run by Klaus, Louise, Wren, Sandy, Sylvia and myself.

I will show you yesterday's sunrise for 20 minutes as I traveled East.

The red in the cloud was from the sun coming up in the East.

This dark cloud became so much lighter as the sun approached the horizon.

It looked like the cloud wanted to engulf the sun as it approached the horizon. Can you see a face in the cloud?

The sun finally crested the hill and took over as the cloud backed off. What a great face in the clouds.

I hope you all have a great holiday season and the "Son" has risen for your Christmas.

Header Competition # 11

The header theme this week by Tom from England is "Christmas". Mac, Tom, Darla and I have a little contest to show a new theme header each week. Go to the other sites to see their interpretation of this weeks theme.

Here is our family room Christmas display.

The tree is a more traditional tree.

Here is our living room tree. It has been flocked to give it a snowed on look.

What I decided to use for my header is Soccer Boy and his concert choir shirt, "Dear Santa, I was framed". I really think that it speaks of Christmas in a young ones heart.

I changed my mind and decided on the Carolina Wren photo. I got the ornament in an exchange and thought I would spice up my feeder. These are the best Carolina Wren photos I have ever gotten and was done today. I only had a few single bird photos before this.

My World Tuesday Season # 2 Episode # 11

This is my posting for the My World Meme. It is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Louise, Sylvia and myself. Won't you join in, I want to see where you live and thrive. Check out the new layout at the My World site.

The world I live in has changed as Winter arrives with a small 2" snow. The roads are completely cleaned off.

The Cardinals and other birds enjoy the feeder during this time of year.

A new guest is on the deck for the Christmas season.

You can see other worlds above.

Today's Flowers # 71

My friend Luiz from Brazil does the Today's Flowers Meme, check it out. Come and join with your flower photos. Sunday at 2 GMT is the post time.

The beauty of the rose can be brought inside from the store when there is snow on the ground.

A red rose is just great at Christmas time.

It brings the summer beauty inside the home.

You can see a lot of great flowers at the above link.

Camera Critters # 89 - Whitetail Deer

Camera Critters by Misty Dawn, go here to see who's participating.

The Whitetail Deer population is growing in my city of Kent, Ohio. The feed is enough that a doe can have up to three fawns. The family unit tends to stay together. There have been two days this month when the family visited my back yard. Here you can see the feeder being used by more then the birds. This was early in December. Click on the photos to get a better view.

This youngster was really getting up to get a mouthful of bird seed.

This was a photo from this week and you can see the deer are feeding on the grass and the feeder droppings.

They are looking really healthy for the winter to come.

Visit some other great critter sites above.

Sky Watch Season # 4 Episode # 23

Sky Watch Friday this is the place. Please check out the site and link in if you wish to participate. There were a lot of people with beautiful Sky photos last week. You can link in from my side bar or at the start of this post. You can link a 3:00 PM EDT on Thursdays. SWF is run by Klaus, Louise, Wren, Sandy, Sylvia and myself.

The Winter skies can be all gray at times with not much to show. A lone crow in the top of a tree calls to its friends. The haunting caw, caw, caw, with no answers.

Then there are some days when there is a mixture of blue, gray clouds and light at sunrise.

The sunsets are the same as the sun barely breaks through the clouds before setting. This could have been a beautiful show with less of the gray.

Visit some of the other great skies that are at the above link.

Header Competition # 10

The header theme this week by myself is "Up on Top". Mac, Tom, Darla and I have a little contest to show a new theme header each week. Go to the other sites to see their interpretation of this weeks theme.

My first thought was this Cardinal up on top of a goose cut-out.

 I always liked the Mourning Dove up on top of the deck railing.

Mister Black Squirrel likes to get up on top of the bird feeder. Check out his friends the American Robin and the female Cardinal underneath.

Miss Mallard Duck likes to get up on top of the bird house.

But my favorite is another photo of Miss Mallard Duck up on top of the bird house. I hope you like it also.

What Is It XXXXIV - Answers

# 1 Now this is one I thought no-one would get. It is a pair of Mourning Doves that come to my bird feeder. The one on the right had lost its tail outer tail feathers (probably to a cat) and only has one inner feather tail left. My resident bird expert, Warren from England, was able to identify a dove from the other feathers showing. Way to show off your birding knowledge Warren. Check out the neat birds in his area of England.

# 2 This is a slug climbing up the siding on my house. Darla from Florida was first to guess a slug, she still has butterflies in her garden. Craver from Illinois guessed house siding, check out his neat 500Th post and the party going on.

I have to give credit for Paul of Salt Creek Life for getting them both late. Check out his neat Christmas poem.
I hope you had fun. We will do this again after the first of the year.

What Is It XXXXIV

My World is just below.

# 1 All I want you to do is identify the bird with the white tail. Really good luck on this one.

#2 Now this is something I see in the warmer months. What is it and where do you think it is located?

Have fun trying a guess.

My World Tuesday Season # 2 Episode # 10

This is my posting for the My World Meme. It is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Louise, Sylvia and myself. Won't you join in, I want to see where you live and thrive. Check out the new layout at the My World site. 

One block from the center of Kent you have the old Kent Hotel. It has been out of business and in disrepair for quite a while.

The city tried to encourage downtown business so it helped in building Acorn Alley right beside the hotel.

There are about a dozen and a half businesses lining Main Street and through what use to be an alley way beside a dry cleaners. There are ten businesses that face the alley way.

Here is a look from the back looking down main. It is a neat development if they can get the hotel out of court and back into a refurbished building of some sort.

You can see other worlds above.

Today's Flowers # 70

My friend Luiz from Brazil does the Today's Flowers Meme, check it out. Come and join with your flower photos. Sunday at 2 GMT is the post time.

I posted Spring flowers last week and I continue with some Spring blooms this week. This flower blooms every year.

I think it has a neat yellow and white bloom. It is called Tupila Tarda, thanks Ruth. It is a member of the Tulip family.

It is neat surrounded by the purple flowers.

You can see a lot of great flowers at the above site.

Camera Critters # 88 - Reticulated Python

Camera Critters by Misty Dawn, go here to see who's participating.

I was at Plum Creek Park this Summer and the people told me of a rescue snake being shown.

I went over to take a look and hopefully get some photos.

The handler was very co-operative and let me get in close for photos.

It was a beautiful Reticulated Python that had been abandoned. It would have never made it through our Ohio Winters. They were using it as a teaching tool to teach the proper handling and care of these large snakes.

You can see a lot of critters above.