Today's walk report: 012514

From gloom to bloom.

Yesterday I mentioned the weather was gray and dismal and not the good kind of gray and dismal which brings rain, just dreary. Today was much different. I knew before I left the house that a detour to a vantage point for the sunset would be in order and I equipped myself accordingly (I brought a 2nd lens.)

Before getting to that...

Okay, it's a boring western fence lizard and not even a very good photo but here's the deal... It's January 25th! It's winter or it's supposed to be. These critters should be hibernating. I saw two.

Maybe a yellow rumped warbler, close enough anyway. It kept hopping around inside this bush and was a little aggravating to get a picture of.

Same bird, different angle. This is why the ID thing is hard.

The other day I took a photo of male Anna's hummingbird #1 from the back and called it a butt shot. Here's #1 again and a real butt shot.

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

One of my donkey friends. The donkeys seem to get a much better deal than the horses do. At least they get to roam some of the time.

Finally, sunset. I did a shortcut to the cross country course because I thought I was getting late. It turned out I had plenty of time. Anyway because of that I'll guesstimate the walk at 8 km. It was a really pleasant walk with a killer album list-- U.K. (Danger Money), Steely Dan (Katy Lied), Led Zeppelin (I) and Brand X (Masques.) Thanks for coming along.

Today's walk report: 090113

We know that in September, we will wander through the warm winds of summer's wreckage. We will welcome summer's ghost.
~Henry Rollins~


Katydied...

One issue with focus stacked images, like the butterfly below, is time. Right now I'd like to get this done and relax, I'm planning on an early morning. 1st, I don't always have a clear idea when selecting a set of images for a focus stack how well it's going to fair but there's also an interim step I'm not generally taking and that's to edit out the areas which Photoshop will "blur" in making the masks for the final composite. This is 9 images stacked, as always, handheld.

Agraulis vanillae. By the way, this is a young butterfly. I was a little surprised. I think I need to read up some on their life cycle.

Wings open, no focus stack here. I was trying to back off before she closed her wings again... 'didn't make it.

Donkey friend #1. Couldn't have cared less about me being nearby.

Donkey friend #2, separated... 1st time I've seen that. I had a wonderful shot over the fence just moments before this but this one wanted to come see me up close both times I stopped by.

Back up topside for this.

Today's walk report: 071413

9.04 km and 3 hours later...

I didn't add much distance to the "regular" 8.79 km walk but I sure took my time.

Mostly stuff I've shot before, only different.

A green fruit beetle (Cotinis mutabilis) gets serious with an Emu Bush flower.

More tiny flowers, no ID.

 

I'm not sure if that was a flour tortilla or some sort of pastry but this squirrel was eating like it was a huge score.

 

A much better shot my donkey friend from the other day.

The world famous straw flowers once again.

 Bee on another unknown flower, Australian native.

A flower in the sun.

Igor came up on my iPod again so I cruised over to the chalk hills of the cross country course to listen and watch the sunset.

It was a really nice walk. I got a lot out of my system. Thanks for participating.

Today's walk report: 070513

All quiet on the western front...

I didn't think it would happen but I told myself not to be surprised if the gestapo had the gates to the campus closed again. They didn't.

It was a nice walk for the most part I was a little sluggish for the 1st 6.5 km and then did something I haven't done in over a year. I bought a Mountain Dew from a vending machine. Ya-hooo!

Before that...

I don't have an ID on this. Last year I missed out on the flower opening. I'm going to try and not do that this year. It would be nice if it could happen this weekend.

Monarch butterfly on Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii).

Skipper on Butterfly bush.

Lesser Goldfinch AKA, Dark-backed Goldfinch on Bog sage (Salvia uliginosa). Boing... boing.

One of the two donkeys, both were in the field the other one is just off camera to the left. This is the 1st time in over two years I've seen them outside of a pen. I wonder what ass is responsible for keeping them hold up all the time. They looked more content out here too.

First pass past this cow it was watching me. I felt there was a connection so I took her picture on the way back.

Sunflower, has seen better days.

Almost home, sun's setting...