Category: Nature

Rose Garden_May 2013_wm

My dad was an artist.  He loved oil, acrylic and watercolor painting and spent many hours creating art that now hangs in my home.  We used to take day trips on weekends and when he saw something that he might like to paint, I would photograph the scene and he would use the image as a basis for creating his art, always adding special touches to make it his own.  When I saw this woman painting the dogwood trees on location at the park, it reminded me of my dad.  He would have loved this spot and in my mind he was there with his easel and paints, creatively capturing the colors of Spring on his canvas.

0502_Spring 2013_frame
….to post a non-dog/cat image!  Since Spring has sprung, I thought a trip to the garden center was in order.  Somehow I can’t get through the season without adding some new tulip, daffodil or hyacinth bulbs to my collection.  I noticed that the bulbs I planted in the Fall have magically disappeared and there are now holes in the ground where they used to be, thanks most likely to the squirrels who have relocated them for me!  This image was shot with the Lensbaby 3G plus a macro lens.  I’m a huge Lensbaby fan as it lends a softness to the image in all areas surrounding the sweet spot which in this case is the lower part of the tulip on the left. 
Spring is definately a photographer’s best friend!

6642_Middle Creek 2013

Yesterday’s post featured the snow geese at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area blasting off in huge numbers!  Today, the opposite – 3 snow geese coming in for a landing!  I love watching these birds land!  They are so graceful as they glide along, just dropping their legs to touch down at the last minute.  Here they are ready to join thousands of other snow geese on the ground at Middle Creek. 

6671_Middle Creek 2013

They’re baaack!  The snow geese have returned to Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Pennsylvania….by the tens of thousands!  Middle Creek is a stop over point on the migration path of the snow geese every year between mid-February and mid-March.  It’s an exhilarating sight to see THAT MANY geese take to flight all at the same time!  I never tire of watching and hearing the sound of so many wings flapping simultaneously!  So cool!  Speaking of cool…..it was doggone COLD today standing outside in the field watching the geese for several hours, but well worth it to see this miracle of nature! 

5593_Lake_Jan 2013

Here’s one more image from the lake during yesterday’s fog.  I’m not sure how thick the ice is, but I didn’t see any signs where folks had been ice fishing or ice skating.  Sometimes people even ride snowmobiles across the frozen lake.  I think I’ll stay on shore with my camera, thank you!