Power Shot Tries

Giving it my best shot.

Photo and Pheeder Update

If you squint and strain you can see the wood pecker.  I'd been feeling badly about my horrible pictures.  I listened to all the tips, read the settings and practiced. I was feeling very dumb.

Not happy with the result especially since I had awesome opportunities lighting right in front of me. Birds do love the feeders as long as they're full.

No matter what I tried, I just couldn't take good pictures with my long lens.  The bad news is it died. The good news...it's under warranty.  The bad news is my little Power Shot doesn't zoom as well but the good news is maybe there's a chance at good photos when my lens is repaired!!!  I'm relieved.

Robins with my Power Shot

weren't too bad.

Happy shooting, my friends, and thanks for your help.

Playing With An Idea

about turning a light cover and a hub cap into a bird feeder.

Some feathered friends became very curious

sampling the dog food and the orange.

I believe this one was admiring his image.

Word spread

Now I need to decide how to make it straight and functional.

Linking with Saturday's Critters

Woodpecker!!!!

I keep trying

 The bird did not want to cooperate

 but I kept trying.

Finally it posed for me!

I THINK it's Red-bellied Woodpecker.

The Birds I've Missed

A woodpecker investigating a small bird house.

A Blue bird sitting on a post, yes, it's there

A Blue Jay looking for good pecans.

A small sparrow that worked hard to get the moth in his mouth.

I took pictures as he hopped and chased it.

It was a well earned snack.

A flighty Mocking Bird

who kept landing and taking off.

Another Blue Jay thought it was hidden

A wood pecker looking for a meal 

in the large pecan trees Mom and Dad planted when they married.

A shy Cardinal in a pine...

I need more practice!

Grounded From Flight...

P. Wood looks for keys.

Why I'm Never Bored...

At lunch time today I watched some ants take apart a caterpillar and haul him off to their nest.  Amazing how strong and industrious these little guys are.  I wish I had a crew At The Farm that worked as hard as ants do.

That is the way my sisters and I were raised...to work hard.  I only told Mom one time, I had nothing to do.  She broke me from ever saying that again.  I was given enough chores besides my regular chores I needed an army of ants to help me.  I did learn my lesson and I am never bored. No matter where I am or what I'm doing boredom never hits me.  Because I see things a little differently.  I notice what's around me and enjoy the beauty of all of it.  If they put me in a padded room I would know the thread count by evening.

Why am I talking about boredom?  I filed my retirement papers today or rather mailed them today.  People ask me, What will you do?  That question always amazes me because I will have time, maybe, to look at fossils rocks and ants.

I will take the time to look at the birds

instead of scurrying off to work.

Maybe I will have time to paint, read, write, build fences, clear brush, clean house like it should be, play with the dogs, count the cows, catch fish and just look at all the things around.  I may even make some time for real fun like going to the lake or the river. 

Going to work gets in my way of being able to see the beauty, small and large, that is around me.  Maybe I can find time to sit on the porch with my iced tea just for a minute or two.

Now, if I can just win the lotto I will be sitting pretty!

Homes...

What makes a home?

Security.

  Comfort.

Surrounded by your element.

Home is where your heart is. 

Things I've Learned...

Sometimes art is accidental.

No matter how frozen,

you will thaw.

You have to keep on pecking.

Destruction can create beauty.

The sun is always there,

even when covered with clouds.

A Sunday Surprise

A very welcome visitor for a camera opportunity if not welcome for the tree.  I am glad my art corner window was clean.  I shall admit I took thirty-one shots to get these few good ones.  First I had it on landscape and wondered why every time he pecked away I had a blur.

So I changed the settings, leaned on my human tripod of arms, and snapped away.

I got closer with the handy zoom lens and through the window he had no idea I was spying on him.  I even turned him sideways and he looked just as cool.

What joy it gave me to see this beauty so closely.  He posed nicely for me but he did not know he was posing.  I love being a bird spy!

Marcy Does It Again!

I am the one with the new camera,

and Marcy gets the shots!

Can you see it?

It's not fair, I tell you, it's just not fair!