Blog Archives
FROM DROUGHT TO DELUGE … RAINY DAYS AND SOGGY LAWNS!
Last summer the heartland of the country suffered from a drought. This year we are becoming totally waterlogged. Locally we are in the midst of a week or two of wet and rainy weather. Actually it has been raining non-stop for the past twelve hours. My home is West Walnut Manor is halfway up a block on a hill and the cross street at the foot of the hill is currently under standing water. No flooding problem … just too much water for the storm sewer system to more.
Notice the water flowing across the slope of my back yard. The soil is fully saturated from our spring snowstorms and all the rain in recent weeks. My lawn is zoysia grass and what you see now is the brown winter thatch. I won’t start greening up until the temp rise in May.
The grass in the back of the yard really suffered from the drought and basically dried up by summer’s end welcoming all sorts of nasty ground covers to take root. And they are currently growing like … weeds … which they are. The area is in dire need of a quick trim, which I can’t do until the rain stops and the ground becomes solid again. Which means Mlle. Renee had better get ready for a foot bath every time she comes in from a yard visit. Does anyone have a spare ARK?
THE LADY IN RED IN BED
Mlle Renee woke me up at 6:30 this morning. She had to go out and … you know. It was just starting to snow and only sticking on the deck and a couple of the colder areas of the grass. She was out and back in a flash and after a quick rub down with her fluffy towel, she decided she’d sleep in a little longer in my bed … just to keep me warm. She’s a very thoughtful companion. So we slept in until 11:30.
There was a lot more snow on the ground when we looked out the door this time, and though it was falling in a thick untoasted corn flake fashion she decided she had to patrol the grounds. When I looked out a couple of minutes later she was frolicking like a puppy or a human five-year old. (Renee won’t be five until Mother’s Day, which would make her going on to 35 in human years. She prefers to stop counting years at that point.) After walking around the house for a while, she decided that my room and my bed was the warmest place for her to warm up.
Playing in snow can be so exhausting … cold and wet, too!
PICK PIC OF THE WEEK – WHEN BIRDS OF A FEATHER
GET TOGETHER!
(Clockwise, cardinal, rare Eurasian tree sparrow and house sparrow.)
WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE: LOST IN THE DETAILS
This challenge is about getting lost in the details. Once you’ve found a subject you want to photograph, challenge yourself to work a little further into the scene.
SHARE A PHOTO THAT MEANS LOST IN THE DETAILS TO YOU!
Sometimes you even have to lay down on the ground so you don’t cast any shadows on your subject … and move in close enough to get that fiber optic look of the blossom.
FALL FAMILY FUN FEST … PART TWO – JUST THE PARK
As part of my visit to the Fall Family Fun Fest I just went for a walk in the park … capturing my visions of Forest Park in photos to share with you.
A place where people and dogs can share the wonders of fall.
Wonderful Waterways!
Floral Fountains!
Relaxing Reflections!
Pure escape from the world around you.
Roots!
Wondering how many people have tasted the ornamental peppers to see if they’re really hot.
And if you’re not inclined to walking …
You can ride the Trolley around the park stopping and getting on to visit all the sites for just $2:oo for the entire day. And it takes you to and from the MetroLink train station. Unfortunately, no one ever followed through with my suggestion to add a Clang, CLANG, CLANG! sound when it stops and starts.
And at the end of your visit!
30 DAYS OF CREATIVITY … DAY 9: COOL, CLEAR AND CASCADING!
Today’s theme from the 30DoC Inspiration Calendar was WATER. This meant I was either taking a trip down to walk along the Mighty Mississippi …
… or heading out to Forest Park for a walk along the many steams, lakes and fountains. I opted for Forest Park where I was able to capture a multitude of photos … all depicting the powers of cool, clear WATER.
Wading water bears!
Reflecting streams!
And the wonder of nature’s wetlands.
I opted out for the historic Cascades in Forest Park. Would you go for the cool, clear, cascading water on a late spring day when the temp tops 90?
30 DoC – Day 9 – Water
JUST THISTLES AND THATLES
Today’s post is a photographic exploration … Variations On The Theme A Thicket Of Thistles.
Had to show the thorny side, too.
For a closeup view of any individual photo, click on it twice.
PICK PIC OF THE WEEK – MOMS NATURE DESIGNS
Just realized I haven’t picked a Pick Pic Of The Week in a lot of many weeks. Situation rectified.
DESIGNS IN NATURE’S DESIGNS
It’s amazing how the design on each of the three leaves come together to make a perfect triangle. Well, not counting the leaves that have become slug-nibbled and the ones the birds used for target practice. Also it was a very windy day when I was mowing the lawn, do a lot of mowing dust dropped on the leaves, too. I’d restake the photo, but I already mowed the clover.
... a somewhat unknown or perhaps imaginary actor, writer, director, producer, photographer, friend, brother, uncle and all round good fellow that you really should get to know because he lives with that most glamorous fourpaw Mademoiselle Renee. (Mlle. Renee for short)
