James Brubaker

I see a fish – and other things too? — I will isolate and enhance the fish – maybe you can see it too.

Now do you see a fish?

i see an airplane.

I see a school of fish

I will isolate the fish. Think they are about to be eaten. – Do you see anything else? I do!

Almost as snapped – but a little help from Photoshop

Photoshop does helps me show others what I see.

An angle bouncing along on a cloud? – Disney sees it for us – I hope you can never look at clouds again without searching for “Things”

Since Gloria does not ride with us – I use my cell phone camera to tell her of the day’s ride: We three rested our horses by an old “Homestead” long lost in the woods in the Isle of Drummond.

Since Gloria is an artist – we often talk of the impact of light and shadows At breakfast she talked of tree shadows she is using in her latest painting – I just happened to have this snapshot of one Gull almost hidden in the shadow of a tree – while two Gulls shown brightly in the morning sun!

I like these siblings – two are twins with a one year old brother – he is sprouting tinny spike! The third fawn is a cousin! All snapped while I worked on the driveway leading to the corral.

They just hang around – watching to see if I do my work correctly – OOPS lets get out of here  he is getting too close with that silly cell phone camera

Gloria sent me this with the request that I plant Milkweed around the house – See – a snapshot (Well I must say, her’s are photographs) used as the foundation for making a work request! But, it sounds like more work then I have time for – Maybe next year.

I just wanted you to be encouraged to take more snapshots and use them at breakfast to tell stories of your yesterday’s experiences! Then, after the snapshot – take your “PHOTOGRAPHS” for your entries into galleries.

Flowers, in the left half of the garden, arranged by Gloria at planting time – not only that but there is a matching arrangement on the righthand side! – WOW to her artistic eye – and God’s fulfillment of color – even in this cool summer on the Isle of Drummond!

In the walk way looking for the restaurant – this dove is worth a photo opportunity it’s self – but back to the restaurant and some closeup looks inside the garden!

Yipes – “I may be on the menu! – Please go take a close look at the flowers and leave me alone!”

Seems to have more layers of petals then the next rose?

OOPS! in the high winds yesterday a Gull lost a feather – But, the feather made a nice addition to my garden

Hey, I see a smiley face! Do you?

May your mind be filled with visions of your garden – what ever it’s size – I am speaking of the size of the garden – not the size of your mind!

I think we both believe – after much real estate searching throughout many of the listings in the good old USA, finding a better place to read the New York Times than the Isle of Drummond is impossible! So, we stay here for now!

Soaring behind the tree catching the morning light and casting shadows as I soar with the North Wind this morning!

Light and shadow as we wait for the bait fish leavings.

More light and shadows – as we head away from the rising sun

Light and shadows create funny images

Now can you see what the shadow has done in the previous photo?

The people have gone and the bait leavings are for us Gulls

So, my morning was studying the shadow and light patterns on Mister Livingston – totally ignoring the New York Times – it has been fun – come see flowers and stuff tomorrow!

My friend Carlyle really concentrates some times – We enjoy working together – of course we are “Two Grumpy Old Men!” do not tell him I said that. But I have always enjoyed working in the woods – Enen more now – Chainsaws now days are a lot lighter and easier to start and keep sharp then they were years ago when I grew up in Pennsylvania cutting wood to keep our new hatched chickens warm.

Digging up stump number one!

Got it! Now let us put stump number two on the other end – and off to the burn pit! – the tree is cut up and used for winter warmth – he figures we provided almost a month of fuel for his furnace – even if it is a cold winter!

I looked up and saw this “cloud cat” in the sky chasing one of my sea gull friends – as you know I love to see sea gulls – yea, they are a little noisy and some times not so clean but they are the most interesting animals that I see almost any time I look outside and they can hover, dive, glide, – almost anything – that is why I named this one Mr. Livingston.

Looked into the woods by our tree clearing project. “Mom told me to stay here.”

I tuned my head just a little and my eyes spotted this – “Mom told both of us to stay here”

But being kids (I mean fawns) we did not obey – we want to see what that big machine is doing!

I love Johnathen Livingston and all those creatures around our home – even the regular toads that visit us every night!

We arrive on Drummond – the rive is open – no icebreaker needed.

Some still walk on water – on an ice flow, that is!

See, this deer has expanded it’s territory – both spits of land are now his/her domaine – the ice makes it all like one.

This Robin found food in a little snow melt puddle.

Out in the gap, the freighter beats toward the Soo Locks – They have been open for some time now!

OOPS!, the weather on the Island if ofter fickle in the spring – can’t even see if a freighter is heading north this evening!

But when the sun is shinning the horses head for their beach – there is a sand pit placed by the barn for their pleasure on spring days like this!

So, create a snapshot album of your day – save and enjoy later – make relatives sit down and look at it too.  You may not want to scroll down to the last snapshot – but I had to include it since I am showing a album of the real spring on Drummond!

I really hesitated placing this snapshot here – but this is a true story of spring – and last winter the coyote needed to survive also – and the subject shown here is no different then the ribs we had for our BBQ on the fourth!

Beautiful up close pattern – Mayfly or Shadfly wing -From freshwaterblog.net: The mayfly’s lifecycle is one of the most fascinating and fleeting stories in the natural world. One of the many characteristics that makes mayflies the unique insects they are is the potential for two different winged adult forms in their life cycle. The nymph emerges from the water as a dull-coloured sub-imago (or dun) that seeks shelter in bankside vegetation and trees. After a period of a couple of hours or more, the sub-imago once again sheds its skin to transform into the brightly coloured imago (or spinner). It is not clear why mayflies have retained this unique step in their lifecycle, however it is thought that they may not be able to achieve the change from nymph to sexually mature adult in one step.
A mayfly’s life cycle starts with the males forming a swarm above the water and the females flying into the swarm to mate. The male grabs a passing female with its elongated front legs and the pair mate in flight. After copulation, the male releases the female, which then descends to the surface of the water where she lays her eggs. Once mated she will fall, spent, onto the water surface to lie motionless, with her wings flat on the surface, where fish pick them off at their leisure. The male fly rarely returns to the water but instead he goes off to die on the nearby land.

Beautiful up close pattern – How many seeds in a wild strawberry? I do not know but I think this: Strawberry seeds give rise to the strawberry plants that produce the strawberries we all love. We think everyone should have a fond affection for strawberry seeds (unless, of course, you get a strawberry seed stuck in a tooth or between your gums).

Beautiful up close pattern -not sure what it is

Beautiful up close pattern – collection of little pudding stones – see heart stone!

Beautiful up close pattern – New pine growth in the morning dew

Beautiful up close pattern – Flame in my burn barrel -OOPS How in the devil did he get there?

Looking for Mayflys to eat!

Smiling Grandma at Fourth of July party! – Is she dressed for the 4th?

Boat wake as we traveled (boated) to the party.

Perla’s hair while she rode (Carried me – therefore I rode) in the parade.

My burn barrel

Lichen on rock – as I rode my bike I found it

Brought this close-up of the wall of our house in Florida!

If you do not have a camera, paint a pattern in your mind – AND next time do not leave home without it!

This photo essay started here – My good friends Tess and Allen, who own the farm where Perla lives were getting ready for storing hay for the horses for the upcoming winter – Tess is very in tune with the natural world around her and careful to enjoy it and protect – said “WOW, what is that on the horse trailer?”

Hang on they are going to move my resting place!

WEW! That was a bumpy ride – but I made it !

Look at my smile!
Wait… Is That Lichen on My Chair? Luckily, I Spotted This Tiny Member of the Arboreal Choir (Hyla versicolor), in the Nick of Time!
If you live in North America, chances are you’re more familiar with the springtime song of gray treefrogs (Hyla versicolor), than you are with the colors and patterns of this amphibian’s chameleon-like skin. The gray treefrog is a tiny creature —measuring less than 2″ long— and with its highly-effective camouflage, it often escapes detection. In fact, these little fellas blend in so well with their surrounding environment, I nearly mistook one for lichen on my old lounge chair. Luckily — just before sitting down— I paused to get a closer look at the “lichen” growing on my chair. Well… Hello friend!

Learn more about the gray treefrog by visiting AmphibiaWeb.