Monochrome Maniacs

I'm cheating just a little. I'm not actually sure if this is black and white or color. I took some shots in both but some of them looked the same like this one. I thought this was really cool. It was a bug on the water of a little creek that runs through Descanso Gardens. I'm not sure what kind of but it is but I liked the depressions made in the smooth surface of the water where its feet touched the water and the the reflections of the trees in those depressions.


Not sure what kind of bug it is. I thought they were mosquitoes but they're awfully big for mosquitoes. There were quite a few of them literally bouncing around on the water.

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Today's Flowers & Mellow Yellow Monday

I was walking around Descanso Gardens yesterday when they sprinklers went off. I went a little crazy taking shots of the drops of water on a lot of the flowers. I had such a good time and I think they came out so well. Here are just a few of them.






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Did You Know!?

Until I started visiting the aquarium again it never occurred to me that a starfish was an animal, a living creature that eats. Heck, it didn't even occur to me that they moved. And yep, I did say they eat. If you look at the picture below you can see the shell the starfish is absorbing.


The ones below show it eating seaweed. They have two stomachs - one for digesting and the other can be used to reach out and grab and then digest it's food. I read with some star fish, they use their vascular system to open the shell of something like a clam and then inject their stomach into the shell to eat it.

Sky Watch Friday

I don't think I've posted these before. I thought I'd share a couple of views that were interesting from down around my way. I can't remember exactly where the first shot was taken but I do know it was somewhere up in the San Bernardino mountains looking down over what I believe is the Inland Empire which is about, oh, 40 miles east of Los Angeles. That's not haze of fog you're looking at in the photo, it's smog. It's only when you get up this high that you really see the smog we deal with in Southern California, particularly the L.A. Basin, called that because we're surrounded by mountains.


The shot below was taken from a location up overlooking Bonelli Park and Puddingstone Reservoir that is just up the street from me, the one I visit a lot. This is looking west toward Los Angeles. Those buildings are downtown Los Angeles, about 30 miles away. You can see this was a very clear day. I don't think this was a day last year when we had a lot of fires but it might have been which would explain the color. It didn't alter the photo other than to crop it.


I'll note that a lot of times you can't see those buildings. This was a very clear day (evening). When I'm able to see downtown L.A. like this it always reminds me of the Emerald City from the Wizard of Oz.

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Red Breasted and Coopers Hawks

My Watery Wednesday post is right below this one. Sorry. I wasn't going to post anything else until late tomorrow but I got these today and was a little excited about it and wanted to share.

I went to Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens not far from me. I was a little disappointed because the flowers that were in bloom on my last visit were gone so I concentrated on trying to find some birds. No luck there either. I could hear them but not see them and when I did find a couple before I could focus they were gone. But before I left, as I walked down the ramp to the lower level I could hear this strange bird call and these big birds were flying back and forth between the leaves and branches that I was eye level with.


One finally landed where I could actually see it so there I was peering through the leaves and branches and was able to zoom in, max zoom, and these came out okay. The quality isn't the best because I was zoomed out but still, not bad for photos this size.



Then it took of. They flew around some more and I waited patiently hoping one would land closer. It did! I took several photos but since they all pretty much look like this one I only posted the one. I think the first one is a Red Shouldered Hawk and I think the other is a Cooper's Hawk, shown in that order.


Oh! And did I mention that they had two hawks' nests there. This is one shot. It was so high up that again, my zoom was maxed out but you can at least see the top of the hawk's head in this one. The the other nest shot didn't come out. I couldn't get a clear shot through the branches.

Watery Wednesday #37

Can you believe it's time for Watery Wednesday? If you haven't visited my meme before; if you don't know what it's like to get cyber wet, Click Here or on the icon at the end of this post and check it out!

I went to Bolsa Chica Wetlands yesterday. I've got to say, when I took the shot on the meme's main page, I was standing beside photographers with their tripods and massive lenses. I think they were all waiting to capture the heron as it caught a fish. I felt like such a novice standing there with my little camera and built in zoom. I felt like they were shooting their cannons (Boom!), and I came in with a little six-shooter going pop, pop! I wonder if they laughed and called me a rookie after I'd taken my shots and walked off. LOL!


The birds below were really putting on a show. At various parts of the preserve, there would be about 10-15 birds flying above the water, scouting it for fish and then they would dive bomb into the water. All you could hear was them squawking and the sound of them plummeting into the water. Click on any to enlarge or you'll miss some of the water coming off the birds as they took off.


I think I spent most of my time photographing these birds. They were so fast I would never get them going into the water but I could get them coming out. Because of the delayed snap of the digital camera it took me a while before I figured out the timing and then it was on! The minute they splashed I had to snap the camera as I aimed at the splash of water. By the time it clicked, the bird was coming up out of the water. I was like a big kid. LOL! I actually got more good shots then I thought I did. I'd probably still be standing there if my batteries didn't fizzle out on me.


And you can see in the one below on the left that I actually got one coming up with a fish in it's mouth!



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My World Tuesday - The Little Bird Feeder

I couldn't figure out what to post for this meme this week so.... I thought I'd post some pics of my little bird feeder that I have hanging from my baby tree.

Monochrome Maniacs - Foggy Morning

Today is Memorial Day when our country remembers and pay tribute to those in the military service who died while in the military service. Just wanted to take a moment to mention that. My hat is off to our fallen heroes and the families who beared their loss.

This was taken at Bonelli Park several months ago. I love the effect that fog has in that the photo must focus on what is in the foreground. Nothing in the distance to distract or add to the photo.



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Mellow Yellow Monday

Have a wonderful Mellow Yellow Monday!! May your week be filled with warmth and sunshine.



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Today's Flowers

It's gotten a little easier to find something to post for the memes I participate in now that all of my photos are a little more organized. I really liked these and hope you do too.

A White Rose
By John Boyle O'Reilly (1844-1890)

THE red rose whispers of passion,
And the white rose breathes of love;
O the red rose is a falcon,
And the white rose is a dove.

But I send you a cream-white rosebud
With a flush on its petal tips;
For the love that is purest and sweetest
Has a kiss of desire on the lips.

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Camera Critters - The Big Cat

I posted these so long ago I'm sure no one has seen them. It was back when if I got one comment it was a good day. :-) These were taken at the Los Angeles Zoo. It was a good day because normally they're laying around sleeping with their backs to the camera. They're my favorite tiger shots. To me the tiger is the most beautiful of the big cats.




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Scenic Sunday - Santa Monica Beach

I thought these would be a great entry for Scenic Sunday. I took these last summer at the Santa Monica Pier here in Southern California. To me there is nothing more peaceful that standing on the beach listening to the waves and feeling the sea breeze in your face. I couldn't post just one photo. Thought I'd give you different scenic views from the pier.





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Brown Pelican

I've spent the last few days cleaning out my hard drive that has all of my photos on it. 120 gigs and I only had 4 left. I've now got 43 gigs left and most my photos are a little more organized. I'm still working on transfering more to DVD's. It's been tiresome on the one hand but fun finding photos I'd forgotten I'd taken and never shared. I thought I'd post these of the brown pelican.


I love taking shots of the pelican and I've got enough photos to prove it. I think it has such an interesting face and it's one of the few birds I've managed to easily catch in flight. These were taken at Cabrillo Beach.

Skywatch Friday

I think it's interesting and great how the colors in the sky can change almost dramatically in just a matter of minutes as evidenced in the shots below.

And when I see the mountains like in the photo below I always think of the part in our national anthem "for purple mountains majesty, above the fruited plains....". The mountains really do look purple.

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Black Crowned Night Heron

I went up to the lake the other day and just after I got out of the car, I walked under a tree and a bird moved loudly in the tree above me. It was no small bird. It took me a moment to find it but I did. I was surprised it was a Black Crowned Heron.

It was well hidden among the branches but I did manage to find a clearing through the branches to get a shot. I know they fly but I didn't know they did the tree thing.

I was surprised and treated by how many of them there were flying around and walking around the edge of the lake. Of course, they didn't let me get too close before they took off.

Watery Wednesday #36

When's the last time you got cyber wet? If you haven't checked out or participated in Watery Wednesday what are you waiting for? See what it's like to have your eyes drenched in cool water from all over the world. Here's my entry for the week.

These were taken at Santa Fe Reservoir yesterday. The Santa Fe Dam and Bonelli Park are county owned and it's that time of the year where they start charging so my visit will be limited. I refuse to pay $8 just to go take some photos of the lake and a duck or too. It's either that or wait until 7:00 when they stop charging and then I'm limited to early evening/sunset shots.


I noticed this duck had something hanging from its mouth. At first I thought it got tangled in some fishing line. I don't think that's what it is but it could be fishing line covered with moss. People are so careless with their fishing lines. Whatever it is, I felt sorry for the duck but they don't exactly let you get close enough to help.

I wasn't there long before the sun began to set. It's not a huge lake but the view of the San Bernardino mountains is a spectacular background for photos of the lake and today we actually had a spattering of clouds that always enchance a sunset shot.

Sometimes not knowing how to work a camera and the lighting works out in my favor. What a fitting last shot of this duck swimming off into the sunset with its light casting wonderful golden flecks on shimmering light in the water.

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My World Tuesday - Graffiti Beach

Actually, this is Venice Beach, a really popular place to visit in L.A. County because you can see a little bit of everything - shop, eat, people watch, get a henna tat or chill on the actual beach and enjoy the ocean view. I just called it Graffiti Beach for this post and this section of Venice Beach that is alive with graffiti.


If you click on the photo below you can see that nothing in this area escaped the graffiti. Check out the tree trunks and the trash cans.




Sometimes I think that only in L.A. can a old boat wash ashore, someone paint it with graffiti and it become a work of art left as a part of the surroundings.


Even some of the rocks couldn't escape the artist's work.

Monochrome Maniacs - Drill Baby!

I wasn't sure what to post this week so I thought this was at least... interesting.


And this is my nephew fixing my sister's gate. Hope he doesn't mind me posting his photo. Those were the screws in his tool box.



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Today's Flower - Matilija Poppy

I thought I'd post the flower that's in my header. It's called a Matilija Poppy, is native to Northwestern America,and grows up to about 8 feet tall. The bush in my first photo was just slight taller than I am and I'm 5'4". It blooms between May and July.




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The Spider Cave

Though this isn't as focused inside "the cave" as I would have liked, I still thought this was a pretty cool shot and wanted to share it. Can you see the hint of the spider in the cave?

My Photo Surprise

While out taking photos the other day I saw this trickle of water coming from a pipe and thought it would make for an interesting photo. It wasn't until I got home to work on the photo that I saw there was something in the photo that I didn't see while taking the shots.


I guess I was so busy trying to get the lighting right all I was looking at was the pipe and the water. I never saw the little frog hiding under the pipe probably trying to figure out what the heck I was doing.




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Sky Watch Friday - Flight at Dusk

I hope I haven't posted this one before....



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Play Time

How about a game of hide and seek? Okay, you count to 20 and no peeking!

Hey gurlfriend! I thought I said no peeking. Well, you're so little I guess this is as close to no peeking as you're going to get. As a matter of fact, you can't even count past 10 yet, that was interesting - 8, 9, 10, 15, 12, 7, 20.... LOL!

Caught you!! Wish I was small enough to hide under the steering wheel. Next time mom can't help you hide!

Ha, ha! Caught you. Is that you hiding behind those big leaves? He said, "No...". LOL!

I'm quietly sneaking up on you and .... Boo!

Let's go riding....

These are my great niece and nephew, and I took these on Mother's Day when I visited my sister.

Watery Wednesday #35

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I've always wanted to see a waterfall in person. This is the closest I've come so far, the waterfall at the Los Angeles zoo. If you look closely, can see the rail behind the waterfall?

This second shot was taken from standing at the rail behind the waterfall where there are dark caverns to wander through. I captured the drops of water falling from the top of the opening.



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Mellow Yellow Monday

I thought this was perfect for Mellow Yellow Monday. How much more mellow can you get this to sit under this tree with it's cheerful, yellow blossoms?



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Monochrome Maniacs

If you'd like to see more Monochrome Maniacs monochrome shots from participants around the world, just click on the link or the icon below.

He Love Me, He Loves Me Not - Today's Flowers

Did you ever like someone and take a flower and pull it's petals off saying "He Loves Me... He Loves Me Not", alternating with each petal you pulled? That's what these photos reminded me of today.


And then I thought of God and how He loves me... and how He loves you. And I don't care how many times a little doubt may creep into your head, it's a guarantee that no matter how many times you might try this, the last petal will alway be "He Loves Me." HE LOVES ME!

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us. and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins... We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him... We love him, because he first loved us.
--1 John 4:10, 16, 19

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Glossy Sterling

Ever since I started going into the Aviary at the Los Angeles Zoo, I've been trying to get a good picture of this bird. The sheen of this bird's feather combined with the almost irradescent coloring is beautiful... but not easily captured with my camera under the shade of the thick trees in the aviary. But two things worked in my favor on this trip: one) they thinned out some of the trees so it was a little lighter, and 2) the birds were in rare form landing so close to me that it wasn't a struggle to take the shots or worry about my zoom being over extended.

Ain't it purty?

Descanso Gardens - The Nature Of It All

I mention Descanso Gardens a lot but I haven't really shared the nature part of it all, the trees, the paths, etc. I thought I'd share my view of more than just the flowers and water features.

While walking through one area this butterfly (pictured below), flittered around and landed letting me take a few photos. I got a little closer and it flittered off but flew around me in circles. It looked like it wanted to land on me so I stuck out my hand and after a moment it landed on the back of my hand. Of course, when I raised my camera to take a photo. Still, that was so cool!

Click on the image below to visit the Nature Notes meme created by Ramblingwoods. Get a little visually closer to nature today.

Watery Wednesday #34

If you haven't already done so, get on over to Watery Wednesday and see how it feels to get cyber wet. Maybe you'd like to pull out a water shot and dive in too.

This was another one of my shots that look a little abstract. It'a actually a large, dead branch in the water but I absolutely love the brushed steel look of the water and the way the water seems to fold around the part that is above water.



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Mindblowing - My World Tuesday

I've been waiting for the roses are Descanso Gardens to bloom. They are in full bloom now and it's absolutely mind-blowing. I don't think these photos do justice to what it looks or feels like to stand in the midst of this explosion of roses. Still, I wanted to share a little of what my world is like in the rose garden at Descanso Gardens right now.

Monochrome Maniacs

I took these at the Los Angeles Arboretum. It was a little overcast so my lighting is a little off. I'm still trying to figure out how to work my light. I didn't even notice the baby turtle until I edited down the size of the photo.


I feel I have to explain this because even though this is abstract, it's actually a large palm leave that had fallen in the water and was partially submerged. If you look closely you can even see part of the leaves under the water. I thought it made for a great black and white and I really like it but realize it's totally a matter of taste.



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Buzzy- Buzz- Buzz

I'm combining two memes today - Mellow Yellow Monday & Today's Flowers. My photos easily cover both, so why not?






Please check out both memes by clicking the icons below. Go ahead, see flowers from all over the world and bright up you Monday my some yellow.

A Few Water Fowl

I took these at the Los Angeles Arboretum. This is the first time I've seen a Mandarin Duck. It was so pretty. Both it and the Wood Duck just waddled over in front of my path and let me take as many photos as I wanted. Wish I could share all of those shots.

WOOD DUCK



MANDARIN DUCK



I've only ever seen a Black Crowned Night Heron once before, at it was also here at the Los Angeles Arboretum near the small lake. I saw the first one on the bent trunk of a tree and was able to get close enough for my zoom to take good shots. Then less than as I left that one, about 20 yards away there was another. I didn't post any of those shots.

BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON




I've only ever seen the black or dark grey cormorans. This is the first time I've seen these light gray ones.

PIED CORMORANT