These photos are not intended to be photos of beautiful art form – They are photos intended to show you what I saw and enjoyed on my morning ride. I carried my D5300 with me and kept it set to aperture priority at f7.1 – I forget the ISO limit I set but I normally set it high. Most of the time the camera software chose 400-800 I think. I did some post processing on each photo to crop and play with tone and saturation.
The temperature was still in the high 40’s and the sun was bright – perfect for me and animals!:
For starters – Spring is about to emerge – The yellow flowers in the background told me that.In fact I looked right into the Lady’s slipper.I know these two – they survived the winter & hunting season – They are saying to me -“Where have you been all winter? – Great to see you back – but why have you not put out apples for us?” They do not understand I sold the place.There are families every where.More families.Nothing special here, unless you enjoy early morning boat rides – I do.Oops – mine in the used boat sales wharf.Just had to snap this shot – made me laugh – in days gone by I tapped maple trees – never thought of this idea. Ha Ha!This is my people friendly Gull – We call him/her Gully. A friend of mine feeds him hard boiled eggs from time to time – But his/her real food source is another friend who fishes every day – rain, sun, or snow – and this Gull sits on her boat waiting for hand outs for an hour or so every day! As you see he/she stood right there posing for this “Photo Opportunity” – Of course, her/she expected to be paid with a minnow for breakfast.As you swing through life, I hope you can find and enjoy your own “Drummond” for your time outdoors!
Dave wrote: Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. Some resident warblers from the upstate NY area. A Pine Warbler, two American Redstarts, A Chestnut-sided Warbler, a Morning Warbler, and two Yellowthroats. Spring migration is about over here. Birds are into the nesting season. Dave
Dave Wrote: HI Jim, Here are some more marsh birds for the blog. A Virginia Rail and a Sora. Soras are members of the rail family. You have to go searching for these marsh birds as they are fairly common but not easy to find. Next I’ll send you some resident warblers from our area. Dave
05 29 2022 Dave Cesari05 29 2022 Dave Cesari05 29 2022 Dave Cesari05 29 2022 Dave Cesari05 29 2022 Dave Cesari05 29 2022 Dave CesariThis is what I saw when sitting at my lunch table – I went out and explained to him/her that the pond that it was drinking from was the pond claimed by the local 10 foot gator. It pondered a moment and headed to hide behind the bushes surrounding the house. – Good move – at least safe for now!I think this is the older brother stopped by to say “Thank You”As you swing through life look out your door or window – bet there is some form of wildlife to study out there.
DAVE WROTE: Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. We have been exploring swamps and marshes in our upstate NY area. Many people consider swamps to be useless areas. They hold some very different and interesting birds. You have to work to find them but when you do there are often great birds. Here are some pictures of an American Bittern we found a few nights ago. Bitterns are members of the Heron family. They call and display in the spring to attract a mate and hold a territory. I’ve got some great Rail pictures also I’ll send you in a week or so. Dave
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I WROTE: It is fun to play with PhotoShop to make Photo Art – Why? – I have no idea but I do spend a lot of fun-time doing it – I will show you here the steps I went through just having fun:
At a car show where income went to charity – I volunteered to photo the event. I liked this, I think, ’55 Chev. – As a teen, I had close ties to one almost 70 years ago! The reflection in the bumper looks like I an standing on my own shoulders – ???? – no PhotoShop, that is what the camera saw?
Then I repeated the reflection of me photographing it.Then I painted to in art oil.Then I went way out in PhotoShop for fun.The I did more surreal things to it. You like my 1955 Chev art?As you swing through life try doing something you have no reason to do it – but to have fun, of course.
Dave Wrote: Hi Jim, Here are some pictures of American Woodcock for the blog. Woodcock are a somewhat odd member of the shorebird family. They inhabit and nest in deciduous woods. In the spring the males find an open clearing near where they live. At dusk they display on the ground making a peent call. They fly up towering quite high. They descend to earth making a strange twittering sound with the end primary feathers of their wings. They are also called Timber doodles or Sky Dancers. A little luck involved to get the bird just as it was taking flight. Dave
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MY QUOTE OF THE DAY – “Judge a person by their curiosity rather than their answers.”
You all know I spend a lot of time outdoors. I see many very interesting things but on this particular bike ride I saw animals and their curiosity:
This little guy came up to within a foot of my handlebar and stared and sniffed. Mom just stood at the side of the road and watched. I think, from living in TGO, she knew I was no danger to her fawn – I assumed I was the first human – at least on a bike – that her little fawn ever saw.I heard someone say “What is that ugly thing?” I do not know if it was the bird that said that or the turtle.” But, the bird sure was curiously checking out the turtle .If I was a bird, I would be curious too.Now, it is time for you and me to be curious – What is this? – Yes, it is a real thing – I did not PhotoShop it.As you swing through life try to find something positive to be curious about every day! – Then you may have all the answers and you can be judged by your answers. – Oh my, that was a deep quote I started with and I am curious about it: “Judge a person by their curiosity rather than their answers?”
Dave Wrote: Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. Birds at our feeders during and after yesterday’s spring snow storm. We got 6 inches of heavy wet snow. The feeders were very active as to be expected with the snow. The Brown Thrasher was an unexpected treat as we don’t often get them here. Dave
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ART #1. One of those watching me fly my radio controlled airplane drone.
I have been playing around with PhotoShop to create art – 1. A painted dog, and 2. an abstract of stuff.
ART#2. Reflection in bumper of me photographing one of my bad landings – Oh My!As you swing thru life in phase 2, work hard and long doing what you love and what earns you enough money so you can play around in Phase 3 of life, retirement, where you can work hard at what you love without pay.
Dave Wrote: Hi Jim, I was able to get out to my photo blind a few days ago. Here are some shots of Wood Ducks on the pond. Lots of action as the sun was going down so not the greatest light. Dave
04 14 2022 Dave Cesari04 14 2022 Dave Cesari04 14 2022 Dave Cesari04 14 2022 Dave Cesari04 14 2022 Dave Cesari04 14 2022 Dave Cesari04 14 2022 Dave CesariAs you swing thru life come back and enjoy these photos of Dave’s again.
Dave wrote: Hi Jim, Greetings from the Rome, NY area. It is snowing here. My feeders are very active with the snowy weather. Here are a few birds at the feeders. A Fox Sparrow, a White-throated Sparrow, a male Cardinal.and the treat of the morning a male and a female Bluebird on the stub posts I put up near the feeders. Bluebirds don’t eat seeds at the feeders but birds attract birds. It is too cold and the water is too high to get out to my blind to shoot Wood Ducks. Supposed to warm up later in the week. Dave
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I love to see Dave’s birds in the snow – I want to show you a couple of my iPhone snaps of a “day-in-my-life” here in NO-SNOW-TGO:
When I started my day with a bike ride, these guys were playing around in my driveway – A natural ballet with a one rabbit audience – I enjoyed it – Like being in the NYC theater district, Haha.Along the nature trail I saw this on a dead palm tree – I enjoyed seeing it – like a piece of nature’s art. Someone added a seashell to the fungi in the upper right-hand corner of this photo. Next time you see one, tell your walking partner “Oh, look at the Ganoderma Zonatum” – They will be impressed with your scientific knowledge of things seen in nature.The sky as I flew my RC airplane – almost crashed because I was distracted by the beauty of the cloud’s natural art in the sky.Yep, I know why I quit taking flying lessons on real planes – With this Radio Controlled plane, the pilot(me) and the plane were ready to fly the same windy day after this mis-judgement(or distraction) on the landing approach happened – with the help of two good friends, of courseThen doing some fence repair at the air field – I would not call this art but it made me laugh ’cause it seemed to take 4 watchers (5 if you count me) & one worker to get the hole ready for the fence post.I must be famous. I saw, on TV, our President getting his booster and during this pandemic, I must have seen, on TV news, a 1,000 arms getting the needle.As you swing thru life enjoy each distraction
I wrote: Hope you are looking forward to seeing some pictures from Dave taken in upstate NY. Dave told me that in a week or two he would send photos of Wood Ducks and more.
Dave wrote: Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. Our time here is growing short. We’ll be heading north in a week or so. I will be sending you pictures from our home area in upstate NY. Seems like we just got here and it is time to go. Dave
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Now My Story:
There is an old adage about sitting on your hands at a meeting. Somehow I forgot about it at our Photo Club meeting last Friday.
Members at the meeting were saying they felt many people in TGO were not aware of the excitement we members have for our club and the great things that it does for our TGO community.
Well, I raised my hand and now I am the new “Community Relations Officer” with the job of getting people in TGO to be aware of us.
You can help me – tell your friends and neighbors about our web sites, our wall displays, our meetings, and our photo trips.
But for now – I want to show you an iPhone photo of the sky I took a couple days ago:
Study this photo and see how many images you see. – Couple of faces, a fish, maybe more?As you jump for the joy of your life – always look up – see art in the sky – smile
Dave wrote: Hi Jim, We found a group of 100 plus White Pelicans out on the refuge this morning. I had too much lens on so I couldn’t get the whole flock on the water. Shooting with my 500 mm that worked great for some flying shots. I’m quite pleased with the flying shots. This is the most White Pelicans we’ve seen the whole season. Dave
03 10 2022 Dave Cesari03 10 2022 Dave Cesari03 10 2022 Dave Cesari03 10 2022 Dave Cesari03 10 2022 Dave CesariFrom my “What You Think” series – “Do you think trucks can get confused? Just 5 days apart – 80 degrees in Florida and 30 degrees in Conn. I think that truck is confused and yearning for a new home in Florida!
ON TO A NEW SUBJECT, GIVING THOUGHTS TO MY KIDS VIA WORDS AND DEEDS.
I am at the age where my kids are retiring and beginning to face, yipes, old age. So, I tell them I have never really retired – I just do different things.
I can not say I have started to do the things I enjoy doing.I always really enjoyed, quote, working or should I call it playing? Playing is what I always did at work. But, now I do need to plan my work/play.No boss is telling me what to do – I have to decide on my own.To me, that is what hobbies are all about.
For example, Dave Cesari has posted, here, some of the most great photos of those white Pelicans – I am sure no one told him to did it – I bet he enjoyed being out hunting for them and using his camera in a professional way to get those flying shots. And, I bet he planned the trip on his own – no boss told him to get up and do it! I call that a hobby.
Here is some stuff I read:Hobbies provide seniors with an opportunity to socialize, a new experience, methods to improve physical health and relieve stress, a better sense of community and strong sense purpose. It is important for seniors to engage in rewarding activities that enhance wellbeing, self-esteem and individual satisfaction:
Here, I am getting some instructions on how to take off and land on water with a Radio Controlled airplane – Hope to do that some time in the future!
A hobby can be beneficial for you in more ways than one.
Physical activity leads to better health. …
It will sharpen your mind. …
Productivity is good for those used to always going. …
Social connection promotes happiness. …
It will relieve some stress.
As you jump for the joy of your life – remember to do the deed as well as giving your thoughts about it.
As I swing thru life I may retire this swing photo – Oh my, It my have a plan of it’s own and keep on a showin’ up
