Photographed: 2004.07.04 White Sands National Monument, N.M.
Pody
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10 Word Tuesday – 2
Tag: Photography
10 Word Tuesday
I have decided to add a few more posts, once a week with images I have captured over the years. Not counting this original post, I am limiting myself to 10 words or less to describe the picture not including the location and date the shot was taken. We’ll see how this goes!
Photographed: Plano Balloon Festival 2004-09-18
Pody
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The Other Totality
January 2018. This year it is a rare occurrence, that we have a Super Moon, Blue Moon and Blood Moon all in the same month. This hasn’t happened in about 152 years, so I had to at least try and capture it. Last August we made the trip to Nebraska to make pictures of the Solar Eclipse. It seemed right to shoot the “Other Totality” as well.
The first Full, Super Moon was January 1st. Technically it was January 2nd at 8:24 CST in the morning. I captured this from our back yard the evening of January 1st.
The second Full Moon, Blue Moon, happened on January 31st, 7:27 CST. It was low on the horizon so I went to a park that is on a little hill and captured this.
Then the fun started. It was a windy and chilly 42 degrees. My hands and feet got really cold. Good thing I sat in my truck most of the time, except to get out and make a few shots.
The Sun started coming up and the horizon was getting dimmer. I could barely see the moon, so I know my camera was having a real hard time too.
It was a fun learning experience. Darkness, and a Bright light for a while, then the haze and atmosphere was filtering what little light the moon was reflecting.
Pody
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Road Trip and Ruins
Almost every road trip we take I can find some old run down building that I think will make a good picture.
Over the Christmas holidays we ventured to Dublin, Texas. It used to be the Home of Dublin Dr. Pepper until a few years ago. I didn’t get many pictures of the Bottling works facility but across the way we saw an old building. I am not sure what this used to be, but cool none the less.
On the other side of the street again was an old Rail Road Depot
I am ready for the next adventure!
Pody
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Local Safari
For Christmas this year, we decided to take a small trip instead of exchanging gifts. Over the Christmas Holiday, we went on a Local Safari about 100 miles southwest, at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, TX.
It was well worth the 3 hour, 9 mile drive through the 1800 acre park. We saw lots of deer like horned animals, an Ostrich, a Sandhill Crane, and Emu. The Rhino’s, Cheetahs, and Giraffes were contained in protected fencing. The center said there were Zebras out there as well, but we didn’t see any.
They have several different tours of the center. The behind the scenes tour was on my list, but Mother nature decided it was a good day for 35 degrees and misting rain. With a 93 year old in the car we decided the self guided drive through would be best.
I did find it a little more difficult taking photos from inside the car than I originally thought, especially with my long zoom. Here are some of the better shots.
It was a fun trip. Many of these animals will come eat right out of your hand.
I am considering a photography workshop tour later in the year the center puts on. Some lens manufacturers send Professional photographers and lenses to try.
Until the next adventure!!
Pody
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Mosaic Art from a paint can
At the first of the year, I purchased a new lens from a guy on Craig’s List. I wanted to shoot the Dallas skyline with this new lens and Juanita was with some of her friends so I decided to go to Dallas.
Driving around the Margaret Hunt-Hill bridge, I found a wall of “Art” and thought I was in some place I shouldn’t be. I didn’t hang around too long.
It turns out these buildings are owned by the City of Dallas and designated as a Graffiti Wall called the “Fabrication Yard”. There are some very good artists that come here to express their feelings with spray paint.
This is an ever changing art display. As you can see from the first few photos above, the content has changed. I spoke to a gentleman that was there letting his speakers air out and he said “come back next week and you’ll see something different”.
This time we went inside to see more.
This is another building where one of my friends practices with his rock band.
The above is from February. Below are the same buildings in November.
I have shot a few trains as well, but will add them to a different blog at some point.
Our next adventure is Fossil Rim Wildlife Center. We decided to take a trip this year for Christmas instead of exchanging gifts. Even though it’s only an overnight stay, I can’t wait!
Pody
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The Birds and the Bees and the Flowers…
Reminds me of a great old song, but I digress.
I have been shooting birds and bees just about everywhere we go. Most of these are shot in a setup I have in our backyard. I found a Crepe Myrtle someone cut down and hung several types of feeders with different seeds and suet. When the squirrels are not eating, I can get some pretty good shots of various birds from under our pergola.
Most of these are from around the house and creek behind our house. Some were taken near the Pawhuska, Oklahoma, home of the Pioneer Woman Mercantile.
Thanks for looking.
On to the next project and or adventure!
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Blueberries and Birds
Last weekend Juanita and I decided to make a quick trip to East Texas to a Blueberry farm in Quitman Texas. It’s just a mere 2 hours away and off we go.
I picked my half gallon of blueberries, and grabbed my camera. There were cardinals flying all over the place, but as luck would have it, every time I would hear one, it would be behind me. I stopped for a while and waited but never got a male cardinal or the yellow birds that were too quick for me.
I have decided I may not be fast enough to capture birds! Here are a few of the better shots.
And our next adventure is…!
Pody
For the Birds
I love being outside in the first place, and have always had a fascination with bird photography. I don’t have the $7000.00 camera and lens that will shoot 10 frames per second from 100 yards away, but mine does pretty good on a very limited budget. Since our trip to Corpus Christi a few weeks ago, my fascination with Birds has grown even more. Of course Coastal birding is completely different than North Texas birding. At some point I want to take a trip to Weslaco, TX to the World Birding Center and Bosque Nature Preserve in Albuquerque, NM. Of course these are not day trips from Plano. So for now I’ll stay in the back yard and surrounding areas of North Texas.
We have all kinds of birds in the park behind our house. It seems I never have my camera when I see something unique like a little finch or a crow.
This Red Tail Hawk was almost out of my range.
M R Ducks, C M Wangs! – Here are a few with babies in a row.
This Robin was taking a bath.
We have a nest of Mockingbirds in our Magnolia tree in the back yard. Mama and Daddy don’t like us getting too close to the nest and now babies!
When we were at Daniels house, there were some House Swallows in a nest under his front porch. These are curious(to me anyway) little birds. They build nests under porch overhangs and culverts along the roads out of mud and twigs.
Last weekend I went looking for the baby ducks again and much to my surprise I found some bucket list birds, Eastern Screech Owls. There were actually 5 or 6 nesting in a tree down by the creek.
I’m in the process of building a bird feeding station in hopes of getting really good shots of some other birds. I also purchased a camouflage changing tent so I can be a little closer to the station. We’ll see!
There will be more to come but for now, I’ll keep my eyes and ears open,
Pody
Elgin, Texas Spring 2017
Elgin, Texas April 28-30, 2017 – pronounced Elg-In.
We took Juanita’s Mom, Chana, to see her eldest son, Daniel, for her 93rd birthday. He lives in a very small town named McDade, about 35 miles east of Austin. Elgin is about 24 miles from Austin. It is a small town of 8100 people or so. Downtown is filled with historical old buildings that have now been renovated into Antique stores and shops. The rest of the town is like most other small towns across Texas. There are some really pretty places and some that should be condemned.
Here are a few shots of both places.
Downtown McDade
The train was a building block of most old towns. Of course next to the tracks was the Grain elevator. I think the grain may get wet.
A retired old blacksmith shop. I really wanted to go inside this place!
This is Sacred Heart Catholic Church. We listened to a very nice homily from Fr. Charles Van Winkle. He has published 3 books and can be found at his website.
Thanks for looking.
Our next Adventure?? We’ll have to wait and see.
Pody
Photos by Pody 