The Original Web

Serendipity

Unintentional Snow Birds

Indecision

Yes, I know these are essentially the same photo, but I liked them both, and it's my blog, so here they are.  :)

I think of summer and spring being the time to shoot all the wildlife that wanders through our yard, but it seems like fall is vying for a spot as well. As long as they aren't in the house, I'm okay with that.

Pollinating

It's a Wrap

A Fish Story

There's a story to this series of pictures.

While sitting on the beach in Florida, I watched a man walk back and forth across the sand at the edge of the waves, casting a huge, Biblical-style net into the gulf waters. He'd pull the net in and check it for fish, then send it back out. Over and over he did this. Any small fish he caught, he put in a small, clear plastic tackle box that he carried with him.

One bird caught wind of the smell of fish and began to follow him. Up and down the beach this bird walked, like a puppy at a master's heals.

Soon other birds began to notice and they joined in.

Before long, the man had a flock following him. At first, they pecked around his net when he'd bring it in, but it didn't take much time before they discovered the tackle box.

One bird fluffed his feathers in an act of ownership and fiercely fought others when they came too close.

He could smell the fish. He could see the fish. They flopped right at the tip of his beak. But he could not get to them.

And then the fisherman took his nets and his fish, and he walked away.

Landings

Unadulterated Joy

Contemplation

Adrift

This is from our last year blizzard. It's one of my favorites.  This year, we are inundated by mud. Not nearly so pretty. :)

On The Lookout

Ever watchful, my pup Scout. It's exactly one year since we got him.

What You Do When It Get Cold

Go to the Natural History Museum butterfly exhibit. Beats waiting until spring!

Comfy?

My kids have long wondered what kind of crazy animal the master was in Kung Fu Panda. Last week we looked it up and discovered he was a red panda. Then we went to the zoo and saw a real one. When we first came up on him, he was sleeping. Like this. I'm appreciating my nice bed right about now!

"I Just Wanna Be Your Teddy Bear"

At the National Zoo. I grew up with Ling Ling and Sing Sing, who are no longer here. I wonder sometimes what happened to them. Did they die? Did they eventually have to go back to China?

This is Tian Tian. He and his mate Mei Xiang had a baby not too long ago, which was the biggest boon our zoo had seen in many years. They kept the baby around for a little while, but since our pandas are on loan from China (as opposed to the gift that Ling Ling and Sing Sing were), the baby panda Tai Shan technically belonged to China and they took him.

There is something about that that makes this exhibit sad for me.

A Howlin' Good Day

A wolf, at the National Zoo. He was really big, but we get foxes that could be exact miniatures of him that run through our yard all the time.

Spotted

Creepy Crawlies

A Face Only A Mother Could Love

You Lookin' At Me?