We Are Under Construction Again!

Please be patient while we wreck the site and reconstruct it to be even better (overall).Some of the changes you will not be able to see on your side as we continue to work on the site. However, we will be able to post again and get that part back to working order immediately.

The Monarchs Are Looking Good....

and the other are showing their stuff, too! I've seen as many as five different flies on a goldenrod plant plus a wasp, honeybees and a hornet. To me, it's more than just amazing that Monarchs every 4th generation (the longest lifespan so they can migrate) is 6 to 9 months while the 1st through (pick up below the last image to continue to read)

Don't forget to click on any image to get them to enlarge. These are best at 100%.
 This golden rod is loaded with butterflies, moths, hornets, wasp, honeybees. The Monarch's have just started to arrive. They came in on the cold front we got Tuesday but the numbers are beginning to show strength now, as well.  There were some that I wanted to shoot but that's for another day.

The bees are amazing, too!

Check out the pelican on the far right. He was so tired from the flight in from the Canadian Border, he has his sleeping head on the back of his fellow pelican. They are so comical. That is what I love about these pelicans.

3rd generation only live up to 6 weeks and they head north from Mexico in the spring producing  both the 2nd and 3rd generations along the way.

But, they can be spotted so easily fluttering along at a pretty good clip. I watched one today for many minutes as it made it's way down the road in almost a straight line. Thinking to myself how this butterfly half the size of my palm would fly 2500 miles to hang in clusters of thousands on trees in the mountains of central Mexico all winter.

There were some awesome shots of tree leaves today. My favorite, the Sycamore, just does not have that lush tan to brown to beautiful leathery brown that they have produced the past several years. But everything is a trade off it seems. When one lets you down, another lifts you up and such is the cycle of nature.

Another 30 Pelicans Have Arrived Right On Time.

Well, last year, the pelicans were here on October 12th. About  ten days ago, the core of 17 arrived to stake their claim to the lake. Today, another 30 had arrived over night. I even got a shot of three in flight over the dam. But the bigger news is that after receiving word about a month ago that the Monarch's were in flight over Lake Erie on their migration to Mexico, today, I saw the first one on a milkweed plant covered in honey bees. It was starved for energy-building nectar after a long, long trip this far. Even tons of honey bees could not keep it for dining. They still have about a thousand miles to go yet.

It is also amazing to me that with all the hurricanes in both the Gulf and in the Eastern Pacific off the coast of Mexico, that the butterflies timing is just unbeatable. The Pacific hurricanes south of Baja cut across the central mountains of Mexico and come in over West Texas. Maybe that is why we are on the migration path. It seems they come down right in a valley of air currents. Little frail butterflies on wing all that distance. Amazing. One cold front has passed, the next one is due tomorrow night and will drop the temps some 25 degrees for a couple of days before going back into the upper 80s. October is such a roller-coaster of temperatures here. Not complaining---snow birds!

American White Pelicans here until about mid February

Rest stop for migrating Monarch Butterflies

The honey bees were 50 or more per bush but the butterfly was going to rebuild its strength none-the-less. I saw one bee try to sting the butterfly but he stayed right where it was hanging.

Observing the Birds Today

Some days just lend themselves to being mundane, yet so revealing. It was a lazy afternoon. Its  ending found me sitting  on a bench and watching the birds that make the core of the domesticated stock. Once in a while I do that because it never fails that I see something or learn something about the birds that helps me photograph them better in future encounters. Watching the wildlife isn't always just a therapeutic rest, but it does calm the soul from the rushing of life.

Another photographer came by and sat down next to me. Together, we shared photographic past. It was just about a month ago that someone ask me a question and I tried to explain how I had photographed one object hundreds of times but just had not found the effect that I had wanted to produce. Then, it happened and it was like being struck by a lightening bolt that brought me to the exact point in time that was made for that image to be made. All three came out exactly as I had envisioned originally. Today, the photographer and I were talking about such things and I had explained to him from a question that was ask that you get into a routine of shooting a certain way and the creative mindset is still there, it just doesn't come out in the way you see it. He still shoots with that clearcut way unencumbered and I tried to encourge him never to give that up at any cost.

The pigeons were nervous. They would land and then take off again.

This goose was rounding up a few of the pigeons and made it very well known that the hawk should leave.

The hawk flew in front of us landing in one tree, then coming back closer to us and finally up in my old sycamore that I love so much. From there he took off and headed back to the area where he usually hangs out.

Halloween Scary-Stuff Has Begun

Last Saturday on my rounds, there was a semi-tractor trailer at one of two local churches that I usually check out about this time of year. They both have large pumpkin patches that are pretty super for their pumpkins and also for their own decorations. One of the churches even donates their proceeds to an Indian Reservation a state west of here. It is my favorite for their mission work but also for their decorations and consideration for those that purchase pumpkins.

The week before, I had started watching for signs that  would be an indication that they would be selling pumpkins again this year. And in the process it has been noted that some pretty scary yard displays have already popped up. Some are rather simple, but show the spirit that  I have always looked forward toward. It sets the tone for the two holidays of the season that we all seem to honor;  with our own traditions and the traditions of others.

Yesterday, while checking on the progress of the Monarch butterfly arrivals at the lake, I got that sudden and unexpected WOW surprise as I came around a curve on the West Lawther side of the lake on the downside curve from T & P hill. The lakefront homes that are on the hill side escarpment overlooking the lake usually decorate their home with some neat stuff. One year in the past,  one of the driveway gates were done in some pretty neat spiderwebs with jack-o-lanterns in the flowerbeds. And, one of the homes that I favor architecturally usually comes up with some nifty stuff, too. A big pumpkin sitting on top of the two outer and two inter gate column coping caps are stunning. 

This home, in the years past has tended to keep things rather simple but with a whole lot of class. I also favor that type of decorating over the full-gawdy look that some do by overdoing or just being carried away with the thrill or joy of doing some decorations. We've all been there. The old adage, "keep it simple, stupid" is always a winner in my book. And, that same home that I favored for its architecture not only gave me that WOW effect when I first saw this years display, it stopped me dead in my tracks. It took a couple of minutes for me to catch my breath to where I could make a judgment on what I though of the whole scale of the decorations. In the end...I'd say that the owners did a super job of creativeness in creating a show stopper with plenty of class and simplicity. Well done.

The eyes have blinking red lights that show up in the daylight. I can only imagine what it would look like at night.

Actually, with the stone work and the new gate, the size and the theme are all plus factors.

There are four skulls total. Equally balanced and positioned for full effect.

Today Is....

My favorite  leaf, the Sycamore. I measured one today that was 15-inches by 11-inches.These are at the very top of the tree but I have a feeling that they are about that same size as the ones that I measured.

National Look at the Leaves Day and National Butterfly and Hummingbird Day. Just happen to have a few shots today of such things.

WRR Radio, the classical station  here in Dallas, has a weekly program at 8 P.M. our time (CT) featuring a Symphony Orchestra  each night. Tonight's broadcast is from the New York Phil and the program is once again playing Mahler's Requiem, in memory of those that were lost in the Las Vegas Shooting. It seems that they, NY Phil, plays this when there has been a major national tragedy. The chorus and the orchestra together have a very deep meaning for me. Gustav Mahler and I would have made good friends in our musical thinking.

So, the rain has finally made its way up from the Gulf as this post is being written. Eagerly, I am waiting for the 50 degree nights due next week when the day time temps will be in the 70s finally. It really has been a long hot summer. It hasn't been that Texas Sizzle that drains your energy completely, but it''s been hot non-the-less.

Sorry that I didn't come across a hummingbird. So, I'll sub in for the hummingbird, the place where the mallards have been hanging out this summer to stay cool. The tires and the ducks kind of blend in. Click on any of these pictures to enlarge and see the details closer.

Under the training sail boats are 10 mallards in the shade.

A butterfly recharging it's energy with some nectar for the milkweed and others that draws butterflies like honey to a bee.

Water Towers Are Not All About Water Anymore.

The expansion of cell phone use can be seen just about anywhere. You don't see anyone hardly anymore that doesn't have a phone in there hand or up to their face. The second part of that equation is not only the number of cell phone towers but the increasing number of decks being added to those towers that are already an eye sore of sort. Last week I even saw a cell tower in that now famous triangle arrangement that was covered with a dome like a radar at the airports. Get this. The dome was a dead give away in that it was not round. It was---wait for it----triangular in shape. Now that excites me. Who in the world would go to that length for a cell tower when they are everywhere, bare and cable exposed!

Besides, we have all seen the high tension towers for power lines that runs across hillsides, through meadows, down mountainsides with as wide of a right-a-way as the tower itself. Plus, an equal amount on either side of the outside wires that are strung from tower to tower. Now, the city has started to create additional bike trails that wind there way along these cut right-of-ways with flashing pedestrian crossings at streets underneath the wires mile after mile after mile. They even have names for the section of trail done in stone work and steel mind you. Water fountains for not only you but the kids and the pouch are part of this money grab. Looks like a stepping stone on a toadstool. Nice. But, dang, there are still streets with mammoth potholes from three years ago! But that little gem we will let ride for another days post.

Now, even those, the trail high tension towers, are adding cellphone triangles at their tops. While that kind of cellphone tower makes more sense to me than the single pole type that juts up from  the corner of a church parking lot or behind the local Jimmy John's sub shop's alley, or even a neighborhood's girls soccer field. Even the soccer field abuts the local Kroger store and makes a couple of turn lefts-turn rights and still ending up with a cell tower at the end of the club house area  near the covered patio with picnic tables. There is, of course a lots of reasons for the choice of a site for these things. What is even more amazing is that to get the people to say okay to putting one on their property, there is a little pie sweeteners called  a monthly rent check from the cell provider. That raises even more questions about the utilities getting rent from the cell providers. Do you see a reduction on your monthly Edison (electric) bill? No. I bet you don't! So where is that money going?

Today, as I started out and traveled my regular Sunday route, I noticed a cell tower in a shopping center where I shopped before moving farther way from the old neighborhood. It's on both sides of a major street. There is a water tower set back out of the way that has had a few microwave dishes mounted to its catwalk railings. They encircle the tower beginning at the bottom of the tank and going upwards to the top were a little red light is required by the FAA. It is on the approach area for Love Field. Not so bad. It's stood there for years and likely will be there for more years to come. But, I also noticed a shocking event happening. Workers in multi-high cherry pickers and others with there little boatswain chair seats already attached to their rear ends.I pulled into the parking lot, made the circle to the side where the tower stood and got some shots.  Remember that those white pop sickle sticks are transmitters sending out that little signal or receivers and are the length of a six-foot tall man.

Just for comparison, I also ran across a tower crane being disassembled with one section of the cross bar already on the ground. It was higher than my car and through the sunroof, it was visible about another two feet. That tower crane will now go to a customer that has been waiting over a year to get it. In the metroplex currently, there are more than 100 tower cranes that are up and running. I counted 15 in downtown and 4 more at Love Field that are on my Sunday route. Today there were 3 at Medical City and 1 at White Rock;  2 at Northpark. That's a quarter of the 100 right there. Sundays are good for things like that when the traffic can endure more lane closings while another crane takes one apart. There are others on the tip of my tongue, too. It's mind-blowing.

Water Tower, Microwave towers and Cell Tower

The top deck is without any equipment---yet!

The man with his boatswain chair will need  as he rises upward to the higher deck above the  round dish to the infamous triangle that points the way.