Bill Pevlor
Thick as Thieves
This seems to be an early autumn convention of Boxelder bugs. They’ve congregated at the bottom of a tree.
When it begins to cool down in Wisconsin, these bugs may form large aggregations while sunning themselves in areas near their host plant – usually maple or ash trees. I’ve also seen them gather in other odd places…the corner of a building, around a door way, etc.
They are harmless to humans but considered nuisance pests. When the temperatures begin to cool in the fall, they sometimes invade houses and other man-made structures seeking warmth or a place to overwinter.
People often mistaken them with insects known as Stink Bugs – a different species. However, boxelder bugs will release a pungent and bad-tasting compound upon being disturbed to discourage predation; this allows them to form conspicuous gatherings without being preyed on.
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Homestead Fog
We’ve had a number of foggy mornings. On one of those mornings, I took my camera out into the field behind our house and snapped a few. The foreground of chopped corn stalks adds something to the scene – I think a bit depressing.
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Autumn Upshot
The wild sumac plant provides plenty of color and interesting patterns. It’s one of the first plants to change color – to a bright red – in early autumn.
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Wonder Leaf
This is another view of the sumac plant in early fall. This example is in transition. In a short time, all the leaves in this frame will be bright, scarlet red. (As you can see, in the previous post.)
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Scarlet Barbs
It’s bright! It’s bold! It’s serrated! It’s red! It’s sumac in the fall! The slender green leaves of the sumac plant turn this bright red color when autumn arrives in N.E. Wisconsin.
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Cascading Sumac
One of the first plants to show it’s autumn colors is the sumac. The leaves turn from a deep green to a bright scarlet red.
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Soft Allure
I was early for an appointment. While waiting, I pulled out my camera and snapped a few photos of the flowers in a flowerbed outside the meeting location.
This is why I advise photographers to keep their cameras close by. You never know when a photographic opportunity will present itself. You won’t be able to take advantage of an opportunity every time it arrives – I’m always seeing scenes I wish I could pause to capture. So, often circumstances don’t allow it, but occasionally they will. If you don’t have your camera with you, you will always miss it.
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Floral Fuzz
This is a wildflower that I found sprouting among the weeds that grow on the edges of our rural Wisconsin yard. The fuzziness of the edges caught my eye.
I don’t know what kind of flower this is, but I think it is an early version of the type you can see in aother post I titled Sun and Stars.
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Wishful Thinking
I wonder what thoughts were rolling through the birthday boy’s mind before he makes his wish and blows out the candles. (Maybe wondering why there are only half as many candles as their shoudl be…or their odd placement.)
Turned out all the lights to capture this by pure candlelight.
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Colors of Calm
The sky was interesting enough to warrant a wide, panoramic view. This, of course, is the Kewaunee, WI lighthouse with a beautiful background provided by the wispy clouds and the sun rising over Lake Michigan.
These are the kind of mornings I wait for, when I’m looking for a sunrise to photograph. Haven’t had the opportunity to catch one like this in awhile. This one was taken the morning of September 6, 2013.
You really should look at the larger version that spreads across the whole screen. Click the photo to see it.