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Dave wrote – Jim, Here are some pictures I shot with my new outfit. A Red-tailed Hawk, Cardinals, a Chickadee and a Downy Woodpecker.  Dave

I wrote – We have much to learn from David.  I talked with Dave on  the phone today about his new camera outfit. He sent me details on the outfit.  His enthusiasm for birds, photography, and the outdoors inspires me. I hope you catch some of it. 

This memory photo I made from over 40 photographs. It  recaps some of my family happenings – mostly in 2024.  They were all fun!

In October, Heather & I would view what we thought were drones over-head every night. So, I thought I should make a photo-art piece about drones.  I stated with a photo of my NJ horse because I like the shot of him.  The photo shows the pure look of inocence.

This time of year, my mind returns to my youth.  It seems that Christmas was a part of every December moment.   The cows and horses did not really have halos.  But, in my memory they are part of the manger scene when  I close my eyes and recall  feeding them  and carrying  water to them on those cold Pennsylvania nights befor Christmas.

Now that I live in TGO Florida, I wanted to bring my animals of  Christmas up-to-date with this photo-painting:

While researching  birds, I found this in a dictionary:

Birds help keep ecosystems in balance by eating pests, pollinating plants, and dispersing seeds. They also scavenge carcasses and garbage, which reduces the spread of disease:

Dave wrote: Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog.   A Northern Shrike appeared in our yard a few days ago. We get Shrikes in some winters. Haven’t seen one in a few years. The Northern Shrike is a northern bird that comes south in some winters. Shrikes are a predatory song bird that prey on insects, mice and smaller birds. Florida gets the Migrant Shrike but that is a completely different species.   Dave

Dave wrote:Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. A Fox Sparrow at my feeder set up. We get Fox Sparrows as they pass thru on migration in the spring and fall. We  are always glad to see them when they show up.  Dave

I WROTE:  I created this photo-art piece to praise New Jersey.  New Jersey’s “Loantaka Preserve”, pictured here, emulates, for thousands of people within 30 miles of   Manhattan, what my family uniquely experienced while camping in far off Newfoundland 60 years ago.  NJ has done a great job at maintaining natural areas for its residents during this time of extreme housing development.

David wrote:  Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. A Ring-necked Pheasant that showed up in our yard one day last week.  Plus a shot of a Chickadee at our feeder set up. I  have shot many Chickadees but they  are hard  to resist.    Dave

I wrote: This morning I dreamt of a wildlife drama outside my summer office. Thanks Heather for that beautiful office window.

I often worked in Basingstoke, UK near Stonehenge. Some say it is symbolic art representing “peace and unity” when Neolithic people were experiencing cultural unification 4,000 years ago.  I could go there, after a hard day at work, and feel the quiet, spiritual symbolism of Stonehenge.  Our arch does not have the same depth of ethereal connection but I made this photo-painting to remind us to appreciate it’s symbolic call to “home” after we have been gone for the summer, on a cruise, or to Publix.

At the end of my 8 mile bike ride I cam upon this sign. The rest is history!

DAVE WROTE:  Hi Jim, A cold rainy day here in the Rome area. Temperature only 40 degrees F. A small flock of Robins moved thru. Bathing and fighting in a puddle.

I WROTE:  The world on top the northern Allegheny Mountains, where I was born and raised, are the most beautiful memories in my mind. I painted one such memory of the country lane thru the Brubaker farm that is in my mind.

Dave Wrote:  Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. These were all taken at my feeder set  up. A male and female Towhee, a Red-bellied Woodpecker and a Grackle. We are starting to get some colder weather here in upstate NY.  Temperature was 40 degree F. for the last two mornings at 7.00 AM.  Dave

TV, Internet, &  iPhone filled my mind with images of Milton things – I  made a paintingof many of them .