Lover's Key State Park

Close Encounters

This was our first trip out in a sea kayak.  We had some difficulty getting started including almost dumping ourselves and retreating to the bank for a retry.  Luckily we got ourselves back together and relaunched just in time to see dolphins.  Dolphins so close, in fact, that they swam under our kayak and were really too close for the 300mm zoom I was using.  We spent two hours paddling close to the launch site primarily because we kept seeing so many great things and also because I wasn't actually paddling.  I was taking pictures.  A little more to the left please, Matt.  Not that far.  Quick! Go that way.  etc.  We both had a great time...

A Few of My Favorite Things

It's going to be really difficult to narrow my images down.  These are some of my favorite shots from Lover's Key State Park where we had an awesome kayak ride.  Well, to be accurate, Matt had an awesome paddle...I rode and took pictures.  These birds allowed us to float quite close to them.  Certainly the closest I've ever gotten to a Green Heron. 

No Snow for Me

I missed our last snow storm (last is a word which here hopefully means previous and FINAL...) by taking a lovely trip to Florida.  It was cold on our last day...it was 60.  I sent this in a text to my Dad who wrote back that it was 27 at home.  I took a gazillion photos which are taking forever to process.  But here's a start.

Spring Snow

I don't think our St. Patrick's Day snow will hang around for long.  It will be replaced soon by other things.  I'm using up most of what I have to say on my three classes so this blog has been pretty quiet.  I expect that will continue into May when, perhaps, I will find more to say.  It's been a bit slow on the images as well this year.  My birding project has me taking a lot of shots that aren't good enough for the blog so today I decided to stop over at Scott Arboretum to take some pictures of the small flowers beginning to emerge.

Yet Another Snowstorm

It's hard to believe it snowed again, on St. Patrick's Day.  It has certainly been a wintery winter.  I'll be making a trip sometime soon that should produce many interesting photos without snow.  There will be no snow.  Soon.

Blackbirds

Subtle Colors and a Flash of Orange

More Winter Bark

Giving Way

I am ready for Winter to give way to Spring, especially in the area of temperatures.  Winter does offer some great images though.  In this case the frozen impoundment is beginning to thaw, a noisy and dramatic process.

Sunset in the City

I left the studio as the sun was setting this evening.  I exited the building just in time to see this beautiful Red-tailed Hawk sail over head.  He landed on this church/school which is now a studio building one block over.  Such perfect light.

Feeder Problems

Indoor Guard

Winter Blues