Picture-A-Week 2023 - Week 07

[pierces]

Pictures taken between Monday, February 13 and Sunday, February 19.

 

Valentine's Day is this week. 'Nuff said.

 

 

Rules: See above

That's it. This isn't a contest.

All photos taken this week are welcome (not just cruising).

Prizes will not be awarded. Discovering the joy of photography is the prize.

The idea is to get folks out using their cameras for more than vacations and toddler birthdays.

Post one. Post many. Up to you.

Have fun with your camera and share your fun with others!

[boeckli]

Sailing on board the tall ship "James Craig" as part of the Australian Wooden Boat Festival final day

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Craig_(barque)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

Super sunny here today in Central Ohio.  Can almost pretend to be in Florida!!!   Understand things down south have been doing well.  Right?

 

Below are a couple of my wildlife visuals just captured this afternoon from our second-floor window.  The fox was very, very relaxed and casual to able to be enjoying the sun and wooded surroundings.  Not sure what type of bird is shown below.  Any bird experts know?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

 

[cruises42]

6 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

Super sunny here today in Central Ohio.  Can almost pretend to be in Florida!!!   Understand things down south have been doing well.  Right?

 

Below are a couple of my wildlife visuals just captured this afternoon from our second-floor window.  The fox was very, very relaxed and casual to able to be enjoying the sun and wooded surroundings.  Not sure what type of bird is shown below.  Any bird experts know?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

 

It's a Tufted Titmouse

[TLCOhio]

10 hours ago, cruises42 said:

It's a Tufted Titmouse

 

Yes!!   You win the prize.  After your identification, I got several other confirmations from birding friends to whom I shared this image for it being a "Tufted Titmouse".  Interesting, unique and fascinating name, right?

 

Below are some added visuals from walking around in our backyard area with the Spring flowers coming up, UP for very early at this mid-February date.   

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 246,097 views.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/

 

Our Spring flowers are coming UP! at fairly early dates.  In the background of this first picture, you can see how high are a group of rising Daffodils on this hillside.  What happens when the next freeze happens?  You can see more of the early flowers below, including the cute Snowdrops.  Like these early Spring flowering offerings that prove the winter will be ending soon?:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

It's another super sunny day in Central Ohio.  Need proof and evidence?  Here is one of the "pets" in our backyard, wooded, ravine area.  Like this squirrel?  Look cute?

 

The best thing about these "pets" like our deer, fox, birds, squirrels, etc., is that there are not costs for vet bills, food purchases, etc.  Don't have to walk them, clean up their messes, etc.  Such a deal?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 242,027 views.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

 

Does this squirrel have a cute and big tail?  Busy dining outside with an acorn?:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

 

[ski ww]

Terry, thanks for the hint of spring we still have snow here & I'm still skiing.

[pierces]

We have been taking the back way home from the High Desert since family moved there about a year ago. The winding road leads to the (mostly) two-lane Highway 138 and avoids several miles of Sunday afternoon traffic on the main freeway route. Winter weather hasn’t allowed for a view like the one here and the bright, clear day gave me a reason to pull off the road and capture the snowy peaks. I grew up on the other side of those mountains and they dominated the horizon all my life. In theory, the view from this side should be slightly less impressive since the elevation where I live is about 900 ft and the main peak is over 10,000. In reality, at about the same distance and 2,700 ft. higher, I can honestly say the view is no less awesome. 

 

The Other Side of My Horizon

 

 

 

 

Dave

[zackiedawg]

That road is the one that runs through Lancaster and the high desert, right?  So this is the 'back' side of the San Gabriels...Baldy to the left background?  Didn't make it up there too often - once or twice when I lived out there.  I more often went east to Joshua Tree and had a relative in Phelan.

 

Another wetlands weekend for me - with the extended holiday weekend, I headed out on Saturday and Sunday, and then let Monday be my errand/shopping/relax day.

 

A female red-winged blackbird (aka: prey) chasing a red-shouldered hawk (aka: predator) in a mixed up alternate universe:

 

The plain dull cattle egrets are getting quite pretty as they turn up their breeding colors and plumage:

 

Closeup of Mr. Alligator:

 

Few birds put on quite the show that great egrets do for mating season.  Fanning out their aigrette feathers, tarting up their faces with green lores, and then doing these intricate dance moves raising and dropping their necks and bodies:

 

A zebrawing butterfly:

 

Very close up with a great blue heron, too busy watching for fish to care about me standing 8 feet away:

 

Common gallinule, aka moorhen, stretching:

 

Boat-tailed grackle flying close-by:

 

Wood stork flying home:

[pierces]

43 minutes ago, zackiedawg said:

That road is the one that runs through Lancaster and the high desert, right?  So this is the 'back' side of the San Gabriels...Baldy to the left background?  Didn't make it up there too often - once or twice when I lived out there.  I more often went east to Joshua Tree and had a relative in Phelan.

 

Yup. The Pearblossom Highway runs through mostly desert from near Lake Arrowhead all the way through Palmdale and Lancaster to the 5 Fwy in the middle of the "Grapevine". Depending on the time of year, it can be pretty scenic with weather ranging from Snow-dusted cacti with "chains required" signs to a balmy 115° with a chance of thunderstorms. 

 

Despite the mess California is in, it is blessed with an incredibly wide variety of natural beauty and getting out to chase the scenery with a camera it is good therapy.

 

Dave