1700's British Soldier A sentry standing watch atop the outer wall protecting a British outpost would carry more than just his musket. Hanging from his neck would be several other items in preparation for ... just about anything. The bayonet for his musket would be sheathed and within easy reach if needed. A leather pouch … Continue reading 18th Century Sentry
Sarasota Bay From Bay Front Park in Sarasota, there is a beautiful view of the John Ringling (think circus) Causeway over the Sarasota Bay and the Grande Riviera luxury condos. Shortly after dusk the lights come on, making the view even more spectacular. I thought the vibrant color in the quilted sky added interest to … Continue reading Sarasota Sunset
Howler Monkey There are always new "finds" at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska. No matter how often you go, there is always a new adventure. I've been in the Lied Jungle several times, one of the world's largest indoor rain forests, and have seen every species of monkey. But, this time a Howler … Continue reading Howlers
Off to Work - Montmartre Montmartre is an area on a large hill overlooking Paris, primarily known for its artistic history. During the late 1800's and early 1900's many artists lived and worked in the area, with several becoming famous: Degas, Monet, Picasso, Renoir and Van Gogh. It remains a magnet for artists today. The … Continue reading Off to Work
Gazing out my back window, a bright flash caught the corner of my eye. At first, I didn't see anything, but then it flashed again ... and again. Something shiny on top of our wren house was reflecting the sun; the wind was redirecting the "flash". I walked out to the wren house and found … Continue reading New Year’s Prank
Nice Touch A new year, out with the old in with the new, a new beginning. Forget the mistakes of the past and look forward. Unburden yourself of past mistakes and boldly step forward with a positive attitude. Like the dawn of a new day, I like to think of it as a fresh start. … Continue reading New Beginning
Shadows Shadows can be deceiving. I know what this picture shows because I took it, but it might not be obvious. I thought it made a decent abstract. Give it a go and see if you can identify the shadow. Let me know your thoughts. Thought for the Day: Character is like a tree and … Continue reading Shadows
Buddy & Scout Christmas is an exciting time for everyone, probably the most anticipated event of the year. With all the built-up anticipation and anxiety of a tidal wave, it all comes crashing down in the flurry of gift opening. And after the excitement recedes, the clean-up begins. But everyone chips in enjoying each other's … Continue reading Christmas Debris
Coming in from the bright midday sun, it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. Surrounded by empty space, the cavernous interior of the Notre Dame de Rouen cathedral was lit only by natural light that filtered through the stained glass windows behind the altar, which was hundreds of feet from … Continue reading The Light
Clemantis We are barely three weeks into the winter season and I'm sick of it already. Three measurable snow falls and three days of single digit temps was a brutal wake-up call. The fields are brown, the trees are bare, the nights are long, the fireplace broken in, the garden a distant memory, the bird … Continue reading Clemantis
Grandkids - 2019 When the four older grandkids stopped growing, the "stair step" theme for their annual picture went out the window, but I still record them oldest to youngest (l to r). This year's photo shoot encountered additional complications. Two of the participants had schedule conflicts and couldn't make the "reunion". Rather than scrap … Continue reading Stair Steps?
Winterthur Gardens - Delaware I found this tree while roaming around the Winterthur Gardens in Delaware. I wish I had written down the species. Looks like it would make a good backdrop for a scary Halloween scene. Thought for the Day: Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good … Continue reading Creepy Tree
Market Day Market Day is the busiest day of the week in the small village of Mwiki, Tanzania. Farmers bring their produce, and merchants bring their wares. Bananas are the most popular food item traded at the market. Just about anything you think of can be found at this open air market. Grains, fruit and … Continue reading Going Bananas
Joslyn Museum It looks like these four have nothing better to do than stare at the wall. Maybe they're just resting their feet after hours of touring the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, NE. At best, maybe they're admiring the artwork in front of them. What this picture doesn't show is the animation of this … Continue reading Digital Trees
7' fresh cut Christmas Tree - 2019 20' Blue Spruce After Thanksgiving, a person can devote 100% of their attention to Christmas. Number one on the list is putting up the Christmas tree. Finding the perfect tree for your house can be a chore. Many people resort to pulling out the plastic one in storage … Continue reading Christmas Tree Hunting
Thanksgiving - 2019 Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, second only to Independence Day -- both original American holidays. I have so many things to be thankful for; twelve are pictured here. Four others are not pictured, as they had commitments in Arkansas this year. While I missed the four, I treasured the time … Continue reading Thanksgiving
Andrew Jackson's Home Northeast of Nashville, TN lies the home of Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the United States who was elected in 1828. He was called "The Peoples' President". The original 421 acre frontier farm was purchased in 1804. In 41 years, until his death in 1845, Jackson built the property up to … Continue reading Hermitage
Scoops Galore The Mormons spent the winter of 1846 in what became Florence, Nebraska, now Omaha. While here, they built a mill to grind their corn, wheat and rye. The mill still stands today. While milling around (pun intended) the current art gallery, I found some relics from the old mill, like the wooden box … Continue reading Scoops
Willa Cather Prairie Heading south from Red Cloud, Nebraska on US 281 there are few natural landmarks to mark your progress. Rolling hills of corn and bean fields and ranch land lies on both sides of the highway as far as the eye can see. Just before entering Kansas, there is a gravel road heading … Continue reading Native Prairie
November Bonfire It was still dark as I plodded through the kitchen to check the outside temperature. A cold front was predicted last night, and I could tell it had arrived by the ice cold tile under my bare feet. My reliable thermometer, with digital readouts looked different to me, like it was missing something. … Continue reading Cold Front
