Weekly Photo Challenge: Forces of Nature…the force of surprise

Spring has sprung and is playing with summer:  a hot, humid day, then back to the cooler ones that I so enjoy.  This morning during my walk, the air was heavy with the humidity left from last night’s rain and with that approaching today.  I could feel the hair on my head frizzing and waving as I walked. I love cool nights and warm, not hot days, so spring is one of my four favorite seasons.  🙂

Today, the WordPress gurus have declared the theme to be “Forces of Nature.”  Following are a few definitions of “force” that fit my photo choice for today.

Force:

1.physical power or strength possessed by a living being
2.strength or power exerted upon an object
3.strength; energy; power; intensity

On my walk in the park a week ago, I went “off-road”, off the main paths and walked quietly (aided by the dampness) through the forest and by the river, taking photos and enjoying nature.  As I walked towards the main path, I though how I’d love to come across a deer nearby, rather than the three does I saw moving quickly away on the other side of the river.  Not more than a minute later, I glanced off to the side and saw this magnificent guy standing completely still, staring at me.  He wasn’t more than 30 yards away, at most.  We both stood unmoving (except for my camera) for some minutes.  He was still standing, watchful and unmoving, when I slowly walked away, feeling the force of his beauty and the excitement of the moment.

Phoneography and Non-SLR Digital Photo Challenge: Challenger’s Choice…penguins

A fourth Monday means it’s time for Challenger’s Choice, open anyone taking photos with a non-traditional camera.  If you do, please consider joining us. We’re a congenial group, full of good information and ideas.  Come be part of the fun, either this week or next.  You can find the themes for each week on Sally’s site (she’s our knowledgeable hostess and challenger) or you can just go there and find links to all the entries for the week.

Recently, while spending the weekend with our older daughter,  I visited the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska.  I grew up in Omaha, but haven’t been to the zoo for many decades.  It’s an outstanding zoo, particularly for a city of under half a million.  On this particular Sunday, it happened to be Appreciation Day, so entry to the zoo was free.  We were additionally blessed in that we hit a balmy, sunny day just ahead of the Polar Vortex, a day so warm we could carry our jackets.

I really enjoyed seeing the penguins, so ungainly on land, so graceful in the water.  This first guy (in the foreground) posed unmoving for the entire time we watched, while the penguin in the back reveled in the snow under where the ice and snow was dropping from the top of the exhibit.

 I like the somewhat Impressionistic look of this photo.

By adding a little tweak, I got another effect I like, one that give the feeling of winter and the cold.

Phoneography and Non-SLR Digital Photo Challenge: Challenger’s Choice….French donkeys

Since this week’s theme for the Phoneography Challenge is “Challenger’s Choice” (and one of those choices is “Animals”),  I couldn’t pass up photos of these cuties found near my s-i-l’s house.  They were on the other side of the field, not responding to our blandishments to come closer.  I told my s-i-l how my grandfather used to call his cattle and by gum, the donkeys came right over.  Never knew my grandfather spoke French.  🙂

 

Phoneography and Non-SLR Digital Photo Challenge: Challenger’s choice…animals

The fourth Monday of each month is “Challenger’s Choice” in the Phoneography Challenge.  This week I’ve chosen to showcase animals.  In the first photo is my horse, Sunday.  She now belongs to someone else (long story, but best of all possible choices) and will, unfortunately, probably have to be put down this year.  She’s 30 years old and has lived a long life, blessing me with many years of wonderful riding.  We always said she would likely drop dead mid-stride, going as fast as she could.  She could always out-walk and out-run every horse in the corral until she got older.

This next photo is of a dog we met in the Purple Moon coffee shop in Sheridan.  She was perfectly behaved and entertained herself by trying to eat flies.  She got a few, too!

Mockingbird

“If that mocking bird don’t sing…”

This mocking bird does sing!  You might be forgiven for thinking this is a cardinal, but you’d be wrong.  This is a mockingbird, masquerading as a cardinal.