Sony SLT-A77V
Graceful Spring Twins
I like taking walks with my camera. I was by myself, strolling along a rural backroad in central Ohio when I came upon a very small and very old cemetery. There were a lot of interesting old tombstones. I read and photographed a few. Then, off to the side of the plot, among some trees, there were these two daffodils. It was early spring and I saw not other flowers – wild or otherwise. I was very happy to find these two standing tall in the shadows.
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Different Perspective
If you are troubled by what you see, maybe you need to look at things from a different perspective.
This is a photo of one of our Grands taken last summer. I love this stage – when they like to have their picture taken and will even go out of their way to capture the attention of my camera.
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Royal Throne
This monarch butterfly took a moment to rest and feed on the flowers provided by West of the Lake Gardens in Two Rivers, Wisconsin.
These favorite photo subjects will be departing for central Mexico soon. I was able to grab a few butterfly and flower photos on a recent Saturday. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to share a few more of these in the near future.
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Kewaunee Sparkles
Fireworks light up the night sky over the Kewaunee, WI harbor. The Tug Ludington, a tourist attraction and permanent resident of the harbor, was a quiet observer.
One of my photographic joys is capturing fireworks. Kewaunee is a couple of miles from my home, so I try to make their annual display. I’ve photographed their fireworks from a number of locations over the years but this spot, at the edge of the harbor is one of my favorites. I love the reflection from the calm water. The tug adds a nice point of interest.
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All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
The Damsel Be Dazzled
The light danced on the wings of the damselfly while it rested on a leaf.
I saw a few of these damselflies flitting around an area along a trail we often hike. Every time they landed they were facing the sun. (Notice the shadow.) I spent a good deal of time snapping pictures, hoping to catch one sideways to the sun, to see more of the wing.
Well, as it turned out, the hint of sunlight on the ridges of the wings made a rather interesting view as well.
Damselflies are often mistaken for dragonflies. To help you know the difference, here’s some info I found at ReconnectWithNature.org.
Both dragonflies and damselflies are typically found near fresh water and are commonly seen during warm, sunny days. And while they share some physical characteristics, there are four ways you can differentiate between the two, according to Mother Nature Network.
EYES
Dragonflies have much larger eyes than damselflies. A dragonfly’s eyes take up most of the insect’s head, wrapping around to the sides of its head. Damselflies also have large eyes, but they are smaller than a dragonfly’s and there is always a space between their eyes.
BODIES
Damselflies are smaller than dragonflies, with bodies that typically range between 1 1/2 inches and 2 inches, while dragonfly bodies are typically longer than 2 inches, Wisconsin Public Radio reports. Dragonflies also have thicker, bulkier bodies, while damselfly bodies are thin like a twig.
WINGS
Both dragonflies and damselflies have two sets of wings, but there are some distinct differences in their wings that can help differentiate between the two. Dragonflies have two sets of similar-sized wings, but the hind wings become more broad at the base, where they attach to the body. Damselfly wings, on the other hand, are more slender and taper toward they base, where they attach to the body.
AT REST
While the wings of dragonflies and damselflies are a key distinction between the two, how they position their wings while not in flight further helps tell them apart. When not in flight, a dragonfly’s wings stick straight out, perpendicular to their body like an airplane’s wings. A damselfly’s wings fold back so they are in line with their body, giving them a more sleek, slender appearance at rest.
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All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Over Purple Clover
Even the very simple and common can be a work of beauty. While walking through the woods in NW Missouri I came upon this solitary stalk of purple clover blooming. It was early spring and about the only thing blooming in the woods.
Purple Clover is also commonly called Red Clover. According to North Carolina State Extension…
The common name for Trifolium pratense, Red Clover, can be confusing as the flowers are more a pink to pink/purplish, not a true red. It is grown as a forage crop for pasturage and hay for livestock. It is a nitrogen-fixing plant and is often grown as a cover crop to improve soil fertility. Its native habitat includes fields, pastures, meadows, waste areas, and along roadsides. It can be found in grassy locations that are not regularly mowed.
It can be easily distinguished from other varieties of clover by the large pink flower heads as well as the chevrons that appear on the leaflets.
Its flowers have a honey-like fragrance. The foliage can produce a pleasant clover-like scent. The flowering heads and foliage are both edible, both raw or cooked. Its young leaves should be harvested before the plant flowers. They can be used in salads or soups or cooked similar to spinach. The flowering heads as well as the seed pods can be dried and used as a flour substitute. The young flower are also eaten raw in salads.
It has also been widely used for athlete’s foot, constipation, ulcers, corms, and menopause. Red clover contains isoflavones. The edible flowers taste sweet or like hay but they are not easily digestible. Do not eat the flowers if pregnant or nursing.
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Sweet Ride
This sweetie was enjoying her backyard swing set. The wind-tossed hair makes this a captivating image for me.
I took this photo from about 70 feet away, just sitting and watching the grandchildren having fun on a sunny, breezy, early spring afternoon.
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All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
The Victor
This red-tailed hawk was enjoying a lunch of gray squirrel. As you can see, it had already consumed most of it by the time I spotted them.
Thankfully, this hawk wasn’t bothered by me being close enough to capture it’s image. I took a lot of photos from various angles and it mostly ignored me. This was taken while on a hike around the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
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All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Lakeland Desert
The calm water, thin clouds and intense sun reminded me of a lone building stranded in the middle of a desert wasteland.
This sunrise appeared behind the Kewaunee, Wisconsin lighthouse and pier on the western shore of Lake Michigan. This image was captured in May of 2020.
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All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
The Chosen One
Some may stumble into notoriety others seem chosen. Though out of it’s element, this sunflower found growing amidst a field of oats, seems to be have been selected from above for some special honor.
This was taken a few weeks ago in the farm field behind our rural Kewaunee home. It’s not a great photo, technically speaking, due to the lack of light present when this early evening rainbow appeared. This was just a quick shot, without much thought. Given a second chance I’m sure I could have improved it. Of course, that exact moment has long past; the opportunity lost forever.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.