My Camera's Eye

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 13:04:00 +0000

After a Christmas Eve day of rain and wind, the clouds are blowing away.....

The first day of Christmas is here and it's cold and blustery - the dogs LOVE IT and are ready to romp.....

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas season and a joyful, safe and wonderful New Year.

Scenes From Yesterday

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:55:00 +0000

Yesterday started out rainy and miserable - but, then the sun came out and the foggy look evaporated and the dogs wanted to go for our walk about.

When I came by the wild blueberry bush, the sun was filtering through the trees and it looked so pretty with it's leaves beginning to turn.

I'm fascinated by bark - tree bark and it's patterns and the sycamore tree just looked like strength and poise without all it's leaves.

A Cherokee Rose hip.... looks like some kind of space alien with it's brilliant orange, spiky, bulbous body and dark "antennae".

Later, on the way back from agility practice last night, I took some neighborhood decoration photos... mostly to test out which setting was best with my camera in the dark.

...and BTW, Have a Merry Christmas!

Caramel Colors

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:32:00 +0000

Doesn't this leaf look luscious? Such a rich brown with interesting folds.

Even this fungus growing on a dying street looks rich and bubbly...

....and the Pampas Grass all sugary brown.....

Wait. I must just be really craving some caramel! I need a snack....

Leftovers

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:56:00 +0000

I actually took these the first part of June, when Lisa, Denice and I decided to go for a wildflower ride around the lower part of the county. I have no idea what these ditch flowers are called. I just thought they were pretty.

These pitcher plants were in a piney bog area just off the road.

There were a nice variety of sizes and shapes.

I thought these clumps of pinkish white plants were handsome in their own right.

And a dead saw palmetto leaf with the sun shining through made an interesting rainbow of color.

Being animal lovers, too, we stopped to admire these burros, who the land owner had gotten from out west in a Bureau of Land Management round up.

From sparse to an over abundance of greenery, these donkeys are now living large.

FINALLY!

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:58:00 +0000

Imagine my surprise to find out that my blog didn't exist one morning. Imagine what I thought when I found out that Blogger had "locked" it, labeled it as a link spam blog - whatever that is! :-(

Now imagine what you are faced with finding out how to unlock it by using "Google Help" - an oxymoron if there ever was one. >:-/

I tried using the "dashboard" link entitled "Tell me more". Send them a request to unlock. Okay, did that. Got a message back on the "dashboard" saying they'd send me an email telling me what to do. Great. But wait..... that email they are going to send it to isn't mine. #*!*#

Back to "Google Help".... it's a wonder I'm not an alcoholic by now.... You almost need to fortify yourself with a pitcher of margaritas before tackling that maze of pleading questions by posters and the short, curt, mostly useless "answers" by "levelers". Did not find anything useful.

After a couple of days, there was another message on the dashboard, send them my URL and they'd have a look. So, did that. Days pass. A week passes, another week passes. No more messages.

Finally, got brave again and tried Google Help again. Became alarmed when I found post after post of people asking how to get unlocked - they'd been locked out since October! Egads! Found a link to a blog that specialized in Blogger problems. That figures - I'll bet there is a fortune to be made out there by folks who have unraveled Google Speak and turned it into language that non-geeks can understand.

On that blog, I found another link to request Blogger unlock after you've gone through the dashboard links. Now, just HOW are you to know this last step if Blogger doesn't bother to tell you?? Anyway, THAT finally did it and My Camera's Eye was unlocked.

I sincerely hope this never happens again - to me or to you.

So, enough ranting. I did take some photos, mostly dog stuff which I posted on my other blogs, but did get this yard scene with some fall color.

Dogs and Birds - A Sunday Morning

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:36:00 +0000

This morning I took Guy and Prize over to Animal Barn's agility field to meet up with a club member to practice. Prize was so cute, jumping up on the pause table, but I couldn't get her to stay long enough for a photo. So we worked around for awhile until her tongue was hanging out.....

....the little stinker NEVER wants to quit! It's suppose to ALWAYS be her turn. I snapped this one before luring her in with a treat so Guy could have a turn.

As I went out to the van to go, I noticed the fungi on a dead privet hedge bush... The blue and green rings on it are quite attractive.

Before I could leave for AB this morning, we all had to go on our morning walk about and when I got back to the house, I noticed there were bluebirds about. Unfortunately, I can't sit out there and try for a photo because the dogs all have to be out there, too..... hence, no birds. So, I stood inside and shot these through the window door.

When we first moved here, I put up blue bird boxes to try and attract some, but red headed woodpeckers took them over. I finally gave up.... I don't know what changed, but now there are loads of them around! Go figure...

Along with the blue birds, there were some other birds about their size. I got a shot of this one and I think it's a yellow rumped warbler.... According to my bird guide book, they winter in this area.

Cute little fella at any rate....

My Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:06:00 +0000

Yesterday was the Mobile SPCA's annual Southminster Mutt Show and all the volunteers were out in force to make it a memorable event. It was a gorgeous day, not a cloud in the sky and loads of people and dogs turned out for all the fun.

My HQ for the day

My duty station was the raffle booth. There were some fantastic items donated... which made it very easy to sell tickets! Items like massages, Starbucks baskets, dinners to fabulous eateries around town, wine and cheese baskets, home make food delivered to your door, music CD, baskets for dog and a wonderful lime green bike! Kudos to those volunteers who wrangled those awesome donations! At last count, we had sold over $600 worth!

Folks started arriving early and scoped out the best spots on the hill for great views of the competition ring.

Things got hopping after that and volunteers scrambled for their assignments.

People of all ages, dogs of all ages, sizes and shapes were in abundance.... all enjoying themselves just being together.

Pups were having tug games...

.....some were just enjoying being together and visiting with others.

Some were just taking it all in and happy to be there.

There were lots of winners sporting their ribbons...

There were really BIG dogs strutting their stuff...

....and little guys just hanging with their people.

Some were not at all embrassed to be seen in costume!

All in all, it was a great day and thanks to everyone who came out to help a good cause!

Fall Scenes

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:04:00 +0000

I love the fall flowers.... the yellows, the blue-purple mist flowers and the way they decorate the scene. Fall flowers along my neighbor's ditch makes beauty in an odd place.

The bounty of my persimmon tree. Love those lovely, orange globes... they'll have to turn red to be sweet.

Just In Time For Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:07:00 +0000

I saw this small spider out by the condenser this morning. I first thought - black widow or red widow. Not a perfect hourglass, but they don't always have those either. Kinda strange place for a black widow.... they usually like dark places, not out in the open sunshine.

It was darned hard to get a photo. The spider is small and my camera did not want to focus on it. Finally managed this one with a different lens.

Then I tried from the side to see if I could get a plainer background to let it register with the autofocus. I got this side shot.... very colorful spider! Not all black, so I'm still not sure just what kind it is. Maybe someone out there knows?? If you do, email me.

UPDATE: Liz, knower of these things, sent me a page from BugGuide. Seems this little spider is:

Species Leucauge venusta - Orchard Orbweaver

Regardless, it's always fun to have at least one "spooky" photo this time of year.

Perfect Formation

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:44:00 +0000

There are some geese, who come from east of here every morning, going west to some feeding grounds and who come back over in the evening. I've been trying for ages to get a photo of them. The problem is they are usually south or way north of my house.... I can heard them, but can't see them. Let me go out without the camera though and here they come right over the house and yard. Never fails!

A little voice insisted I take the camera this morning..... even though it was later in the morning and the geese usually come over shortly after the sun is up good. I had just rounded the back part of the yard when I heard the honking - the geese!

I dashed out into the middle of the yard, hoping the geese would pass somewhere near. They did! They came flying over me in perfect goose formation. What a sight!

Straight over my head then on to the southwest they went.... honking and calling to one another.

View From The Van Window

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:49:00 +0000

This morning I got up before the crack of dawn and drove over to Gulfport, MS to an agility trial. I threw in the camera and practiced taking photos out through the van's windows. It was harder than you think because my camera wants you to adjust the distance on an object before you focus. Many didn't come out, but these three did.

A double decker cloud... all pink with the sunrise...

A cloud formation south of the Pascagoula marsh.

On the way back, I slowed and got this photo of a swampy area with waterlilies in bloom.

Fall's Around The Corner

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:38:00 +0000

The Beauty Berries are starting to put out. One of the dogs tried to eat some. They must not taste good at all.... she spit out and sputtered those things right away.

The hummingbirds are really hitting the feeders hot and heavy. Getting ready for their winter migration in about another 3 weeks....they are usually gone from here around the middle of October.

The persimmons are starting to turn that lovely orange and red shades....indicating they are ready to eat.

This and That

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:59:00 +0000

This past week has been a busy one! I had taken some photos, but didn't get around to putting them up. Today, I took this photo of a "bouquet" of fungi growing around a dead stump. Even decay can make pretty things!

Last week, I saw this green spider on a zinnia. It had caught a small yellow butterfly and was having lunch when I snapped this photo.

The next day, I went out and the spider was still on the same zinnia.... but today it was having a face off with a bumble bee. Neither was giving any ground.

Today, I managed to get this teeney, tiny little frog in focus.... or rather a tiny toad. There are lots of them jumping around. I don't know what has happened that so many are around the house, never had that many before. Guess the "snake away" is doing it's job and the toads are busy multiplying!

Another New Butterfly

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:36:00 +0000

I saw a brown and creme butterfly on my walk. I thought it might be the Palamedes Swallowtail, but it landed on the blueberry bush and when I saw that diagonal line across the back, I was thrilled! A Giant Swallowtail!

Perfect Plumes

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:27:00 +0000

The pampas grass is putting out it's lovely plumes this time of year. I have 3 varieties of it in my yard.

This variety has a pink cast to it...

This is my favorite... it's plumes remind me of sea oats....

This one I call my "fluffy" plumes.... it's most often seen around Mobile.

Another Butterfly Photo!

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:53:00 +0000

Can you stand two more photos of butterflies?? In the shady part of the yard, I came upon two Red-Spotted butterflies and just could not resist the magnificent color of those wings!

Up by the house, there is a sulfur butterfly of some sort..... it's very fast and suspicious of me, so this is the best I could do.

Bee-utiful

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:57:00 +0000

Caught with wings unflurled..... one of the large bees getting nector from the butterfly bush.

**Update! This is NOT a bee, it's a moth!! Liz, told me it's a bee hawk moth, so I looked it up. It's in the same family, but this one is called a Snowberry Clearwing.
Amazing!!

Bonanza of Butterflies

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:54:00 +0000

Yesterday was a perfect day along the upper Gulf Coast. It wasn't too hot, it was dry and the butterflies were out in force!

I planted some Zinnias out front and the butterflies were enjoying the large flowers - a lucky thing for me and my camera! There were loads of small brownish butterflies that were too fast for me and the yellow sulfurs just don't sit still long enough for me to get them in focus.

Here's a Gulf Fritillary ( I've been spelling that wrong!).

This one is a new one to me - Silver-spotted Skipper. Love that big whitish, silver spot!

This was some type of Swallowtail - although you can't see the "tail" at this angle. I "think" it's a Spice Bush , but I could never get a good photo of it with it's wings open.

This poor, ragged thing was sad to see, but it was still busy going from flower to flower and getting a meal. Hopefully, it has offspring in the area. I think it's a Golden Banded Skipper..... but don't quote me!

You'd think this was turning into a Butterfly blog...... ;-)

Red-spotted Purple Butterfly

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 00:33:00 +0000

This butterfly is a new one to me. I thought , at first, it was a Spice Bush Swallowtail, but when I looked it up at Butterfly I found out I was wrong. This lovely guy or gal, was resting on an oak leaf at about dusk yesterday.

It would never fully open it's wings, but the underside of the wings was even more spectacular than the top!

I'm becoming a regular butterfly aficionado!

Tiny Things

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:07:00 +0000

I was following a lovely black butterfly this morning, but I was being followed by the terrible two - aka: the puppies, who managed to scare off the butterfly before I could get a good photo. I did get one photo of it, but you'll not see it here because of the icky background. It seems butterflies like to get moisture sometimes from - are you ready? - dog poop. A lovely butterfly sitting on dog poop just doesn't have the appeal that flower backgrounds do.....

So I wandered into the front yard where I found a couple of Horace's Dusky-wings feasting on the lantana. Not a big, spectacular butterfly, but lovely in it's own right.

I found this pinkish red, small mushroom on the morning walk. It must be poisonous or gross in some way because the dogs simply look at it and keep going. My dogs LOVE to eat mushrooms and snack on quite a variety, but they are picky. I think this is one called Boletus frosti and is indeed, thought to be poisonous.

Monarch Maintenance

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:00:00 +0000

I caught this photo of a Monarch Butterfly yesterday. It was quite wary and I had to hide behind the ginger plant to get this photo.

After seeing this one, I decided to read up on the Monarch and see if I could create a waystation for the Monarchs in my yard. I have an open sunny area in the back that I'm going to build up and plant a variety of milkweed and other nector plants for the butterflies. If you're interested in doing the same thing,just click on the MONARCH site. There you can find a kit and other information for creating a good habitat for butterflies.

Gotcha!

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:19:00 +0000

I've been trying and trying to get a photo of a large, brown swallowtail butterfly for ages. I see it wafting around, but it goes up high in a tree, over the fence or I don't have my camera. This afternoon, I finally got the money shot!

It's been so danged hot, I've been waiting until 6 PM or later to go out and walk. I peeped out the back and saw the temperature gauge was on 84 and decided to go earlier - I didn't plan on the outdoor sauna I stepped into. Geez, I was dripping by the time I got back to the house. The photos I got made it worth going out now instead of later.

Along the way , I got this shot of the Palamedes Swallowtail. It was resting on the privet hedge bushes in the shade - too hot for even butterflies to fly about!!

Isn't it absolutely gorgeous! Love that chocolaty brown color with the creamy yellow spots.

Then as I was almost back to the house, a silvery light caught my eye over by the hummingbird bush. It's just starting to put out blooms. I went over to investigate and there was this colorful Gulf Frilliary snacking on some nectar. They almost never unfurl their wings, but their undersides are just as spectacular as the top.

At least while editing the photos and putting up the post, it'll cool off even more and I can make a few more rounds of the yard. Who knows what else I might find?

Backyard Bounty

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:53:00 +0000

The backyard is a virtual bounty of goodies this year. The blueberries are starting to ripen and turn that lovely dusky blue.

The "lemon" figs are growing fast.

The pear trees are loaded! After about 3 years of getting their new shoots and buds frozen in a late March frost, the pear tree managed to escape and has pears hanging as thick as grapes on a vine.

Even though the dogs have snagged all they can off the bottom limbs, there's going to be plenty to share with the friends and neighbors.

Butterflies In The Grass

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 16:02:00 +0000

Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) in the grass. There have been a lot of small butterflies in the grass for the past couple of days. I wonder what they are feeding on?

Delicately Lovely

noreply@blogger.com (Kalahari RRs) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:41:00 +0000

There have been quite a few dragonflies about... one landed on me...a beauty in jeweled tones of blue. Sort of like this one...

Loved the purplish tone of this one..

.....and the orangy colors of this one..

Those transparent wings seem so ethereal and fragile ..... delicately lovely!

* I took this one later than the others. I found out from the Dragonfly.org site that it's called a Common Whitetail.