I was walking in NYC in the So-Ho area back in December 2019 and saw this wonderful Beatles pop-up store. They had lots of cool little Beatles-themed things to buy. I was tempted to splurge on these little figurines but decided on a photo instead. Anyway, this shot fits the strong color theme and then some!!!
I wanted to interrupt my series of strong colors from my back catalog for a more recent picture. Two weeks ago, we risked it all (not really, since we already had COVID--but you never know) and took the RV down to Cortez, near Bradenton, Florida for a week of sun and fun. My buddy Bill and I took a side trip for a day to the Everglades. A side trip to that side trip was a visit a birding platform near the Big Cypress National Preservation Area in an area called Ten Thousand Island National Wildlife Reserve. At dusk, thousands of various water birds fly in for the evening which puts on quite a show. Saw this grouping of what I thought were 5 Snowy Egrets about 500 yards away across the small lake where these birds all gather. As I took the shot I saw it was only 3 Snowy Egrets but with their reflections, it looked like more. I knew I had a cool looking shot when I pressed the trigger. Back at home, the shot looked very painterly when I started to edit it and whenever that happens, I whip out the software that gives me some filters to play with to turn the picture into more of a painting. After trying lots of versions, I like this one best. Got hundreds of shots over the week showing 27 different bird species, a whole bunch of them new to my catalog. This got me inspired again to work on my bird book for my accidental birding year, which is one of the things that COVID brought on. Anyway, more on that later. For now, this is a new favorite.
Burlington, Vermont for work on a cold January back in 2017 bought out the blues in the body and in the scene. Dress for skiing, weather like this is no problem. Bring it on. Dressed in a suit for work--not so much fun. But a great place to visit and a wonderful town.
I was about to start a series of pictures with strong colors as a theme, but I needed to post this one first, after what happened yesterday. This is one of my all-time favorite shots. Just love visiting Washington DC. So much to see and do. Funny that normally you can't take any photos in the tours they offer inside the Capitol but yesterday, protesters with cell phones were filming their own crimes. Yes, many were peaceful and expressing a right to protest but not those who got violent and broke the law. The cell phone pictures will serve them justice. Anyway, want to stay apolitical here as much as I can so I just like this shot. Wish I could go back there this April and get this same shot with the Cherry Blossoms blooming. That would be the way to make this better. However, for now, I like it as it is. Wonderful place to visit and it will be so again. This shot was taken back in 2007.
You don't get much yellow in the midwest this time of the year but nevertheless, it is coming. While it is true that we are 3 million miles closer to the sun than we are in the summer (surprising no?) but we are tilted away from the sun so it doesn't get as high in the sky nor stay up as long (of course). It is the tilt that causes the seasons. The other little tidbit that I forgot about is technically, our winter is shorter than our summer since we are moving faster in our orbit being closer to the sun at this time of the year. Bummer for Australia and the southern hemisphere which has a shorter summer and longer winter. Rounds to about 89 days of northern winter vs 94 days of northern summer. So we have that going for us! Anyway, all of these thoughts were an excuse to get one of my favorite summer shots posted from a trip I did up Mt. Washington in New Hampshire back in 2011. That was the hardest hike in my life. I was so unprepared for it. Uphill for about 4 hours straight. The only thing that saved me is that they have a train that can take you back down. Like to do that hike again as I am in a bit better shape (but older and with knees that aren't sure if they are going to stay around). Anyway, enjoy the yellow.
