Tuesday, June 30, 2009

What Is It XXII

The My World post is below.

#1 - Study this one and put on your thinking caps.
#2 - This was the week that I was feeling that this had to be shown. Good Luck.
I must say that the second one deserves a prize for guessing it.

Monday, June 29, 2009

My World # 38

This is my posting for the My World Meme. It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, Louise and myself. Won't you join in, I want to see where you live and thrive. Here is part of 'My World'. I will be travelling today and will get back to you as soon as I can.

I do go to the Kent Bog quite often to commune with nature. I received an E-mail asking if I would be available when Tom Arbour of The Ohio Nature Blog was going to be visiting NE Ohio. Tom and I communicate on nature and he is a biologist with the ODNR (Ohio Department of Natural Resources) who is in charge of the bog. Needless to say, I was available.
Tom used to live in the area and attended Hiram College and worked the bog during his time. He lived in Munroe Falls. He and his wife Megan just had a little boy, Weston - 16 weeks old, and he has some neat sites.
It was a pleasure to be there as he worked and see him go into the bog to access it health and look for samples of new species. This is a little crannberry patch with ferns invading.
He was looking at this sedge that was neat to the walkway and thought he should take a sample to study. The Carex Sedge has 1500 species.
This is another sedge that shows the way the grass grows in a three way leaf radiating from the center. Where I see grass, Tom sees a special plant.
He did go back into the bog and I stayed on the path, he had on boots to be able to walk into the bog.
The next photo is of a Poison Sumac Tree that is near the path. This is enough reason to stay on the walkway. It will give you blisters and itches that you don't need. We have harmless Sumac in the area but this one is not good for you.
So I met a fellow blogger, communed with nature and had a fun morning. I learned a lot and got to see a botanist in action. He was also knowledgeable about birds and even though they are hard to see I did learn to recognize their call.
Blogging does have so much to offer you in the pursuit of knowledge. A special thank you to Tom for contacting me when he was in the area.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Today's Flowers # 46

My friend Luiz from Brazil does the Today's Flowers Meme, check it out. Come and join with your flower photos. Sunday at 4 GMT is the post time.

Today, I am showing some unusual flowers. You will see why in a bit. Do you love this blue color?
This is the same one with a Bee Fly adding to the show.
This is a different one. Check out the color in the top of the flower. Aren't they just beautiful?
Well, here is the place I took the close-ups. Yes, the first two are wild Bachelor Buttons / Cornflowers and the last one is a Burdock plant in the center that makes the burrs that attach to your clothes and dog's fur. We would normally call them weeds along side the road near one of my favorite spots little Fish Creek.
The beauty of flowers is in the eye of the beholder.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Camera Critters # 64

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

Today I'm showing my garden enemy. He is on my list as the #1 public enemy. He is allowed in the onions, just don't enter the fence.
He noticed something else interesting.
Oh no, you are not going to take up residence in the shed. No way is that allowed. He didn't smell any food and left quickly.
Have fun with other critters above.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Friday Fun Photos - Misc.

I thought I would do something a little different for my post today. My youngest daughter seen and has heard me tell of the squirrels raiding the feeder so she bought me this t-shirt for Father's Day. I must say, I love it. The photo behind me is one of my favorite Great Blue Heron photos I have taken.
This is what happens when the Grey Squirrel goes to the feeder. He does try to be watchful as he raids the feeder.
This is my other feeder on the shed and the Black Squirrel is resting after getting a full belly.
Not to be overshadowed the chipmunk gets his fair share from the feeder.
He will kick what he doesn't want out and the other animals feed from the ground while he is at work.

I do hope you had fun.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Sky Watch # 50

Sky Watch Friday is doing really well. Please check out the site and link in if you wish to participate. There were a lot of people with beautiful Sky photos. You can link in from my side bar or at the start of this post.

A trip to the Mastropietro Winery to see the sunset over the lake. A friend of mine, Pietro in Torino, Italy, should enjoy the winery family name. The day was dark and dreary with storms in the area.
There was a promise in the eastern sky of an improving evening.
The evening did start to improve as it went toward dusk.
The Sun went to a golden color as the sunset approached. I took some artistic freedom and watch as things changed.
The dead tree lit up as the sun set and put on a neat show. It was our friends Liz and Rick's 27 Th wedding anniversary so it was a special time.
You can see other great skies by clicking above or on my side bar.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Wednesday Potpourri - Dragonflies

I have had some fun with dragonflies the last few weeks since they moved north into the area. Several photos are from today at a local Kent park. I'm not the best at ID's but I do enjoy them.

Widow Skimmer - I loved the dead flower it was on.
Common Whitetail - Up close and personal.

?? Clubtail - Pretty long shot on this one.
Widow Skimmer - It gave me a cocked head look.
Widow Skimmer - Neat shot on a colorful flower.
I also got some Damselflies.

What Is It - XXI Answers

Yes, it was Mister Bunny Rabbit at my feeder. He has an unusual ear so I thought it would be tricky. Most people guessed a deer or the rabbit. It had one fringed ear which I thought was tricky.

We had a lot of winners this week. Willard got the rabbit ear but missed the eye. Check out the neat Elk Calf this week. Graig came so close but opted out on the deer. Craig had a giant legged Stink Bug on his site. Joan topped him with the double rabbit guess. Joan didn't go for any of his B(etter) S(cience) this week. Joan always has neat photos on her sight such as the red eyed grasshopper.
Thanks for all the others who guessed rabbit.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

What Is It - XXI

My World Post is right below.

Here are two I took recently, they are from nature again. Take your best guess.

#1 - This one is a little unusual. Can you tell what it is?
#2 - The eye has it but what is it from?
Have fun with your guesses.

Monday, June 22, 2009

My World # 37

This is my posting for the My World Meme. It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, Louise and myself. Last week there were 100 people showing their world to us. Won't you join in, I want to see where you live and thrive. Here is part of 'My World'.

My youngest daughter took me on a Father's Day trip to Her boyfriend's brother and sister-in-laws cabin on Lake Tappan. The lake is known for Sauger but that wasn't what the trip was about. They have a nice two story cabin with a great view of a side bay from the main lake. Nice people, great food, plenty of excitement on and off the lake. What a great start to the fun weekend my daughter had planned.
They have a great view of the lake from their front porch.
We went down on Saturday and I got up early the next morning and sat on the edge of the dock during the complete sunrise. My mind wandered and my camera clicked.
It was a great sunrise with a lot of neat views.
They have a white Labradoodle and when I saw this cloud I had to shoot it. This was the only pink in the sky at that time. Can you see it?
We did so much more but I will save that for a later time.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Today's Flowers # 45

My friend Luiz from Brazil does the Today's Flowers Meme, check it out. Come and join with your flower photos. Sunday at 4 GMT is the post time.

Lake Hodgson in all its beauty with the Water Lilies alive in the bay.
They are a really neat flower.
You do have to maneuver the boat close to get a shot from above.
It is a beautiful flower.
You can see a lot of other great flowers at this site.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Camera Critters # 63

Camera Critters by Misty Dawn, go here to see who's participating. I will be traveling this week but will check your post when I return.

I was with my Brother-In-Law when I spotted this. Do you see it? It is there and quite visible. I have seen very few sitting still so far this year.
Did you see the dragonfly on the branch? It has a good hold.
It kept hold of the branch and got a shot from the bottom.
I decided to try for a real close-up, how about this one. You can see the feet and spikes on the legs.
I do hope you enjoyed the trip from my journey.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Sky Watch # 49

Sky Watch Friday is doing really well. Please check out the site and link in if you wish to participate. There were Mr. Linky problems last week but there were a lot of people with beautiful Sky photos. You can link in from my side bar or at the start of this post.

I do love to be on my boat on Lake Hodgson. This was a few weeks ago but we don't always get these Bluebird Skies.
Today was a good example, the day started with a misty rain and the just solid cloud cover. It had rained all day yesterday. I was lucky enough to have a Green Heron land in a tree on the shore in front of me. These little herons are hard to see in a tree with leaves but this is easier in the dead tree. Don't ask me why it is a Green Heron.
I did catch one nice 18" Large Mouth Bass while trolling a black and gold Hot-N-Tot. I was using my Shakespeare Ugly Stick to bring it in. He was a good fighter and he went back into the lake. You can see some sky reflection in the water.
There are a lot of great skies out there to visit.