Happy Easter!

I did a little home improving yesterday, or really yard improving.  My neighbor wasn't sure my red and yellow pots were bright enough but I'm just wishing I'd painted the little one as well.  Next year.  My Nikon D80 took it's last shot while we were on vacation.  These photos are complements of my old point-and-shoot. 

More Snow

Finally Some Snow

I was pretty excited to get some snow even if it was over Spring Break and in Ohio and only lasted one day.  Sometimes you just have to take what you can get.  It snowed pretty much all day Monday and you can see it coming down in the photos.

More Indoor Activities

I've been goofing around with my oil paints (and with my camera-you can see how serious painting is...ha.)

Website Update

A bit more of what I've been doing inside all winter.  I made a bunch of paintings and put them on my website.

Indoor Activities

This is some of what I've been doing indoors this winter.  I showed the drawings a few weeks back.  On my second trip to Pepper Middle School I showed them how to use the watercolors and they made some great paintings.  I had so much fun with the Junior Duck Stamp class that I went back last week to help out with the Pond Life class at the refuge.  I can't remember the last time I did a science experiment.  It worked out great since we gave awards for the paintings and I got to take a few photos of the hard working winners.  Debbie (that's her in the top photo) made these great fliers summing up our Duck Stamp work. 

Hodge Podge

I haven't been getting outside as much as I would like.  And then yesterday when I was outside I forgot to bring my camera.  Obviously something is seriously wrong with me.  But I was outside last week and snapped these photos, none of which is really good enough for it's own post.  So here they are all together: a Swamp Sparrow, an immature Cooper's Hawk (pretty sure), my favorite Saw-whet Owl again, and a Great Egret ready for spring sporting his breading feathers.

Black Light

You saw some photos of the boat in the shop but here it is on stage after a few modifications.  They added black light paint.  During this scene they rushed the boat back and forth across the stage making several quick turns.  It was pretty cool to watch but hard to photograph.  And you can see that the pit is not below the stage.  They had several other special effects, particularly in the second half, that made the musical a whole lot of fun!

Kokedama

It's probably a bit hard to see but if you follow the strings down from the top of the photo you will discover my Kokedama.  My sister and I took a class at Longwood Gardens this morning and these are the results.  The purplish orchid is very beautiful but I am most excited about the staghorn fern.  I've been wanting one since I first discovered them at Longwood.  Mine has a way to go so I hope I can keep it alive. (see top left)

Not a Bird Feeder

I've been posting an awful lot of bird feeder photos lately and since I just got two new feeders I'm likely to post more in the near future.  But for today a photo from that one day when there was sunshine.  Seriously I object to the total lack of sunshine this winter! 

I Know, I Know

I know it's time to put away the Christmas bird feeder.  But seriously...it's way too much fun.

Picking His Brain

This is one way to get seed from a snowman.  The chickadees will hop all the way into the belly.  Looks like this Tufted Titmouse is considering a similar move but he's a bit bigger. 

Red-bellied

The best thing about moving the bird feeder is that now it's in the sun for at least part of the day.  That makes it so much easier to get decent shots.  This Red-bellied is my favorite.  I recognize his call now so I always know when he's here.  Hopefully he'll start bringing a lady around sometime soon. 

Huh?

I moved the bird feeder but honestly it didn't take the squirrels long to figure it out.  This guy's partner in crime was swinging from the feeder as he watched.

Bring on Spring

As much as I really wanted a big snow this year, now that spring has begun to show it's face, I'm ready.  Bring it on.  More birds, more sun (please let there be more sun!!), and more plants. 

Blackbirds in the Sunshine

The blackbirds are on the move.  Wednesday's walk at Heinz was rife with blackbird calls and I even managed a few photos.  The Red-winged Blackbirds were the noisiest, the second photo is a Common Grackle and the third is a Juvenile Male Rusty Blackbird.  The Brown-headed Cowbirds were also out strutting their stuff but I didn't get any good shots.

Putting My Efforts to Good Use!

I'm so excited to share these watercolor entries for the Junior Duck Stamp Competition.  These are not from my class, some of which I'll share later, but from my friend Marie Elcin's over at Christopher Columbus Charter School.  Every single one of these was painted using photos that I took of ducks.  I spend a lot of time taking these photos and it's really great to see some of them get put to good use. 

Purple-leafed Beech

This Purple-leafed Beach was donated to Swarthmore by the class of 1881.  Assuming it wasn't a seed when it was donated the tree is well over 130 years old.  It's a truly amazing tree which also seems to be under attack by something or another.  Too bad because apparently these trees can live to 300.  Just think of how wrinkly it would be by then!

Austrian Pine

I officially declared the start of spring by going over to Swarthmore College to take photos.  A few trees are already in bloom as well as many of the spring flowers.  But since it's been raining all day the real stars of the show are the trees and their bark.  I love this Austrian Pine tree and I can't believe I haven't posted photos of it before. 

Ring-necked Duck

These are cropped all the way.  But I'm amazed at what I can get away with in Camera Raw.  Bye, bye iphoto.  This Ring-necked Duck is from my second trip to Middle Creek in which we saw no snow geese but had a nice drive and a chat.