Taking Matters into Your Own Hands

  Just when we thought the snow was gone for the year, it snowed an inch over night. So sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands. I found these cute tulip sidewalk night lights at the dollar store, but the ground is so frozen I had to lean them up against a tree to stand them up.

Spring is Coming

Time to get out and take some pictures as spring is coming.  Wayne and I went out to Fox Lake a couple of days ago and saw a flock of migrating American White Pelicans.  They are coming up from the Gulf Coast and heading north.  This flock will probably summer on a nice lake in Canada, but I like to think they are part of the group going to Yellowstone.  Sigh!

Jellies is More Than a Grape Flavor

I took a trip to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago this week.  I finally got to see the "Jellies" exhibit.  It was fascinating to watch these creatures. It has been one thing on my bucket list to be able to see and photograph them.  The entire museum was amazing.  I know about your every day bass, whitefish, salmon and cute little Nemo, but here are so many fishes, so many sizes, so many colors, so much variety from all over the world. Sea life is not just fishes either.  From whales and sea lions and penguins to sea horses and sea dragons and jellies.  Also snakes and sea turtles and little poison dart frogs.  Then there is all the plant life as the multicolored coral reefs.  This is all stuff we don't generally see, all tucked away in our rivers, lakes and oceans.  On the fifth day God created whales, and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly.  And I was surrounded by them....AWESOME!

 

 

Inspired by the Olympics

The winter weather has been lingering on.  So what is a person to do? Well, I have been watching the Olympics this past week and they are pretty inspiring.  Say,  I still have my old cross country skis in the attic.  Could I still possibly use them?  I hate to say that the last time I used them was in my mid 20's, but hey, why not give it a shot.  I waxed them up and headed to Illinois Beach State Park.  The first time on them was not too pretty.  I probably didn't wax my skis quite right and I spent more time on the ground than skiing.  And my gear is pretty old and so the rubber lock releases broke off as did the pole baskets.  The next day at work I was pretty sore, some serious muscle strain.   I came home and watched a few videos on You Tube on how to wax skis and how to ski correctly.  I went out today and things were a bit better.  I had a goal of going around one trail at Illinois Beach and I made it.  Senior Olympics here I come!  Ha! 

Extreme Window Frost

What is there to do on a cold winter afternoon?  I did something I haven't done in years.  Took pictures of window frost.  The last time I did it was when I used a film camera.  All of our downstairs windows have been replaced since that time and so there is no window frost.  We do still have some older windows upstairs.  With the cold weather we have had this winter I was able to think again about doing some shots.  And now digital is great as you can see immediate  results and make changes as needed to get the picture.  Lenses have also improved.  I have a 1:1 close-up lens.  I used some of my older close-up filters with this to get an even closer look and it was pretty easy.

 

Winter Sports

At this time of year many people are in watching the Superbowl playoffs.  I prefer to do some outdoor sports.  And what better thing to do than to go photograph the American Bald Eagles at Lock and Dam 14.

Winter Walk through the Ravine

After a snowfall last week I took a walk through the ravine a block from our house.  I found some beautiful things to take pictures of.  It just shows that you don't have to travel to distant places to get nice photographs.  A local place can be great too.  Just get out and take advantage of various weather conditions in the different seasons.