James Brubaker

DAVE WROTE: Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. Something a little different. Birds of grasslands, pastures and marshes. An Upland Sandpiper a bird of open country, grass lands and open areas. A Virginia Rail a  bird of swamps and marshes. A Wilson’s Snipe a bird of wet meadows and wet pastures. We are having hot summer like weather here in upstate NY. 90 degrees F. today.   Dave 

06 11 2021 Dave Cesari

06 11 2021 Dave Cesari

06 11 2021 Dave Cesari

06 11 2021 Dave Cesari

06 11 2021 Dave Cesari

06 11 2021 Dave Cesari

NOW SOME THOUGHTS ON OUR LOVE OF ANIMALS:

Why do we adult humans love to be around animals?  Some of us take care of animals. We feed them, doctor them, comfort them, memorialize them, and cry over them. 

But, more important than owning them, humans love to live among them. 

 Even in this modern world it is possible to live among animals without owning them – those animals are called wildlife. In the suburbs in this wonderful country called the United States there are hundreds of wildlife acres near-by that are government protected and, also there are large corporate headquarters with miles of hiking trails.  From my own experience, rural Texas ranch country, open ocean shores on the Atlantic, open Great Lake shores, farm land in the Appalachia Mountains, and a retirement community with the name “The Great Outdoors”, offered me opportunities to spend hours every day watching wildlife live their daily lives.  

Just this week I have spent hours living with and watching wildlife.  I have seen loons strutting on the water while fishing for their breakfast, black bear sniffing the air for dinner, crows and woodpeckers think they are stealing suet which was food that was actually put out for them, alligators crossing dry land looking for better hunting grounds (water ponds), deer searching for the sweetest grass (weed) to munch on, and the opportunities to be among wildlife without owning it goes on every moment of the day.  Some of those moments I see mosquitoes and black flies busy finding food on my bare arms. Yipes!

Oh, I forgot to say why humans love wildlife. That is because I do not know why. But I do have a few thoughts for you to ponder and get your mind thinking about it.

1. They are cute.
2. They offer such a change of scene – they are tiny, big, kind looking, monster looking, many beautiful colors, they have many shapes, they move with grace, jump in a split second, – Wow, the list of things to capture our attention is long.
3. Their intelligence surprises us.
4. The ychange our environment – even their wake in the water is a beautiful change to a flat surface.
5. They humble us by their strength, survival techniques, etc.  We humans are often beat by them.
6. They like us!  I know some of them do anyway.
7. They are like use in many ways – gathering food, loving their off-springs, etc.
8. They bring us closer to nature – look at one and the next thing you know you see others. Not just more animals but the next thing you know you see the whole environment,….
9. They surprise us – they do things we never expected. They pop up where we least expect them.
10. …….The list goes on — You can add more I am sure! 

What a week I have had here on Drummond Island – I lived among many animals the few days that I have been here – I hardly find time to get my chores done – I just go out hunting animals – or they just come around and I stop my chores to watch them. Anyway, I will show you a few recent photos I took (made) to record my experiences living with wildlife.

Starting my morning walk and bike ride – Loons – – I love being around those Loons. –  Their call made  goose-bumps on my whole body. Speaking of goose,  I counted 5 families of Mom & Pop Canadian geese – each pair with 2 – 9 fuzzy babies swimming in a row between them.  

This is a terrible photo but I put it here to tell the funny story about this dumb (or very smart) crow. He was too dumb to figure out how to land on the suet feeder. He would fly up like this – miss catching the feeder and fall back down to the ground. Finally he went away – came back 10 minutes later with a friend. The friend landed on the feeder with no problem. Started pecking out chunks of goodies and dropping them on the ground. The first crow got his fill and sat on the near-by rock. He sat there preening and picking his teeth so to speak – the friend then started to pick the goodies from the feeder and dropped no more – he ate them now that it was his turn. Totally like they had formed this team work before. I know I spent 45 minutes loving being around these two crows. Each of we humans need friends that we team with like that.

Just wanted to make a piece of artwork out of this Pileated Woodpecker photo. He is peering around the corner looking for a morsel to eat. I love the call of these guys as much as I do love the call of the loon – but somehow it is in a different way that I love it.

Now, here is my favorite of the week. Yes I was that close, with my iPhone, to each the bear and the alligator – obviously one in Florida before I left and the other a few days later here on Drummond – Thought it was a good idea to combine them into a single Photoshopped photo. I loved being around each of them.

As you swing thru life – I say, get out among the wild life – even if you are like me and get almost nothing else done.

DAVE WROTE:  
Hi Jim, I know I just sent you some pictures. I couldn't resist sending these to you. I shot this beautiful male Scarlet Tanager last evening in the hills south of Rome, NY. A rainy day here in Rome so I am playing with my pictures and the computer.  Dave

05 29 2021 Dave Cesari 05 29 2021 Dave Cesari 05 29 2021 Dave Cesari 05 29 2021 Dave Cesari

05 29 2021 Dave Cesari

I (Jim) wrote: “Read on to see the relationship of a poem, nature, and my iphone. First the poem”: “I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud”

By William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

————————————————————————————————-

I (Jim) wrote this too: That is why I carry my iphone camera with me at all times – to take photos of nature. Months or years later, when sitting in my comfortable chair in a vacant or pensive mood, I can fill my heart with the pleasant beauty of God’s nature:

The mirrored lake’s water broken by the nose & eyes of a gator – see it?

Mom says – “This place is dangerous. Let’s get out of here.  There is a human by the house and a gator in the lake.”  Do you see his eyes and nose sticking out of the water?

This guy made me smile – because I think he is smiling.

He just crawled out of the lake – brought a lot of green growth with him – that green is not really part of him.

Another lake edge dweller – Look at his green – in this case it is part of him.

Hiding among the green stuff

Or is he really hiding? Two are watching him.

I really see a smiling face here – Do you?

Family boat returning and a goose family leaving – on a collision course – Oh my

No problem – goose mom said -“Hold-up” – Collision avoided!

Beautiful!

Did the grass push up the mushroom or did the mushroom try to push the grass down and failed?

Back in my house after the early evening rain storm – & it is beautiful.

As you swing thru life – take time to study nature around you – Snap a photo of it – a year later, sit in your comfortable chair and enjoy your nature again.

 

I Wrote: These photos of Dave’s are fantastic to see.

Dave wrote:  Hi Jim, Here are some more warbler pictures from last week. Yellowthroat, Black-thoated Blue, Black-throated Green & a Mourning Warbler. Dave

05 25 2021 Dave Cesati

05 25 2021 Dave Cesati

05 25 2021 Dave Cesati

05 25 2021 Dave Cesati

05 25 2021 Dave Cesati

05 25 2021 Dave Cesati

05 25 2021 Dave Cesati

SOME OF MY STORIES FOLLOW: Nature has always been my life – out and about watching wildlife – reading the story that each animal has to tell about his life. (Now days I should write “His/Her” – if I write “Her” or “His” that is sexist – Oh well.)

Last week I saw that stubby died of Natural Causes.  Maybe old age, maybe stress, maybe???  We who knew the gator called “Stubby” were very sad – he was considered a friend. 

The buzzards found himr within a day. By the second day,  I counted 60 buzzards hanging around.

Then, only a shell remained.

Oh, who is stubby – Stubby is 10 foot alligator that I have known for years here in our TGO community.  I first took photos of him in the pond near hole 3 of our golf course.  Lately it lounged on the shore of the pond in the Spartana section of our community.  We called him “Stubby” because his right front leg was only a stub – I assume the result of fight or maybe an illegal trap? – What ever happened is his story.

Stubby’s passing made me think of animals I have known that just tend to get in trouble more than other animals.  

Before I show some of my stories, here is a story I found on the internet: Charlie, a 120-pound Rottweiler could have gotten into trouble but he really did not get in trouble.  Charlie was sitting in the front seat of the car when he got his foot caught in the trigger of Gilligan’s gun, accidentally shooting a round into his owner, Tex Gilligan. Tex suffered three broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a broken scapula, but he still forgave Charlie. Now that’s a friendship.  See, Charlie did not really get into trouble. 

This deer on my property on Drummond Island stood out from the rest because of a broken leg – He got our pity and became hand fed.  I never found out what happened to his front leg. Maybe it is the result of his “Get into trouble” personality.  

See what I mean in the photo below.  The photo was taken a little later in the year. How did he get that flag caught on his full grown antlers?  Anyway, since he was hand fed I was able to sneak up on him and cut the flag from his antlers – were he got it I never found out – I have seen flags like it flying on boats that docked down at the local marina – Maybe he tried to take a boat ride.

I see this bird fishing often here – His eyes  are always bigger then his gullet – this guy spent 15-20 minutes getting this fish turned just right to slide down his throat – Other birds in this pond seem to find smaller fish and catch 2 or three in the time it takes this guy to line up his one fish to swallow  – I call that trouble?

Hiding is one way to stay out of trouble – This pygmy was so beautiful on the trail when I first saw it – now do you see it here in the weeds beside the trail?  Of course you do not because God gave the Pygmy the camouflage to hide when he is in the weeds.

I will zoom in, now look at his beautiful colors and pattern.   Oh my, and he sticking his tongue out at me – As you can tell, I love finding snakes to watch.

The hard shell of the turtle below has a story to tell about this guy getting into trouble with a passing golf cart – I bet.  Guess where I found him – In the middle of the road of course – Does he have a “Get into trouble” personality?  I made sure he was off the road when I left!

I cannot believe this one I saw today – just crawled out of a drain ditch filled with water. Nothing unusual – I see gators almost every day – but this one quickly turned and retreated into the ditch – Guess what – His right rear leg was just a stub! – I am beginning to believe this “stubby” thing happens when they are just young – I have read that old gators will actually eat baby gators – maybe these “stubby” guys are the ones that got away?

Tangled-up in a discarded fishing line.  I threw my shirt over him/her.  Then, Gloria and I were able to control her while I used my Leatherman knife to free her from the trouble she got into.

One leg seems to be a way of life for this guy. I do think it looks stronger and maybe a little larger than the legs of a two legged bird.  Wonder what story this bird has to tell about the trouble that took her leg..

Pearlla, my horse just eats too much giving her a crippling condition in her feet called Founder-Laminitis.  Therefore, she has to wear this funny mask, not because of Covid 19, but to control her diet – I would call that trouble.

As you swing thru life – take time to study nature around you – Believe me, there are stories out there – some sweet, some loud, some amazing, and some sad – but that is nature – enjoy your opportunity to experience it and read the story it has to tell.

Dave Wrote:  Hi Jim, A lovely morning here in upstate NY. Finally got some pictures of warblers. As  I have told you in the past the warblers are my favorite group of birds. A male Blue-winged Warbler and a male Restart.  Dave

05 16 2021 Dave Cesari

05 16 2021 Dave Cesari

05 16 2021 Dave Cesari

05 16 2021 Dave Cesari

05 16 2021 Dave Cesari

05 16 2021 Dave Cesari

Jim Wrote, “Now My Story”:  In my camera I have close to 15,000 photographs – no no, I mean they  are 15,000 snapshots.  It’s difficult to define what makes an image a snapshot or a photograph.  Although “snap” has a negative connotation, I don’t think a “snap” is defined by its quality.  

Here is what I think: Planning an image based on subject, quality of equipment, lighting, and camera angle is not a snapshot, it is a photograph.  The photographer had intent behind it and made plans to create what they desired in the image.

On the other hand, a snapshot occurs by happenstance and was not preconceived by the photographer.  Now days, a person takes a phone camera “just in case” something pops up to capture the moment. The snap-shot did not allow time for planning the shot.  The equipment was small enough to carry in ones hip-pocket. The subject most likely just popped into the snap-shooter’s life – it was not pre-planned.

I understand the reason the photographer creates a beautiful photograph.  But, now the question is: “Why take a snapshot?” 

There are four reasons why I take my iPhone with me at all times. Remember, I am an experienced snapshot taker – nearly 15,000 snapshots in my iPhone camera makes me experienced. So, here are my four reasons:

1. To make me happier.  I’ve noticed that happy families tend to display large numbers of unplanned photographs – called snapshots. Mom changing her first-born’s diaper, Grandpa saying grace, Jimmy falling off his first two-wheeler, Heather cuddling her new doll, the snake crawling across the patio at the family bar-b-que, and more.

2. To control my memories. Snapshots tilt your memories toward the good experiences you’ve had simply because you’re more likely to snap times of joy. Having snapshots of the good times keeps times of joy vivid in my mind.

3.To share.   When you see something beautiful, it’s natural to feel a desire to want to share it with others.  It is a way to build friendships for now and your senior years.

4. To hold onto. I like to remind myself how easy it is to forget. I’m always trying to figure out ways to hold on to memories now that I am lucky enough to be getting quite old!  Every now and then, I sit for an hour browsing through my snapshots and really feeling great after that session.  Much better than after any TV show!

IN CONCLUSION:  You can even categorize your snapshots. Three major categories are:  1) Family gatherings, 2) being home and out and about on your bike, 3) traveling on the road.  

Here are a few of mine: “Being home and out and about on my bike”:

Each morning, with coffee, I sit in our library with iPhone and read the headlines and of course snap what I see out the window – even if it is through the curtains.

Then to breakfast table window

Oh my – lunch visitors – a very small fawn studying the bird on the shore

Then on Nature Trail near the St Johns River and swamp area

What is that on old stump by the Nature Trail? – Is it the result of a wild golf-ball shot?

Oh – someone left a painted rock

This is a true – unaltered- sky shot WOW

Heading for the pond – I made sure he/she had not a disagreement with an automobile before I went on the rest of my bike ride

How old do you think this one is? – I warned the neighbor to be careful of his little dog – he thanked me – Oh – How old? – I say 2-3 years.

Do you know about snakes climbings trees – I saw one fall out of the tree a couples years back – think a bird chased it away from its nest!

This bird claims, as its own, this steeple on the church – see it most every night

On my bike rides I see shots like this most every day. Somehow I have come to love Gators – they are a beautiful examples of nature. Look at this guy.

All these friends of mine are gathered to place thousands  of fish in dozens of ponds – Just to re-stock them and keep a correct balance of the proper kind of fish to help keep our ponds healthy

Is this an original wild flower or a domestic flower turned wild? – Does not matter – it is beautiful

Oh – My children sent me this to wear on my bike rides – This is a Fathers day present that I use every day

The neighbor had a good laugh on me – This plastic snake of his was laying in the road in front of his house – I got off my bike and tried to shoo it off the road so that it would not get run over – After I figured out it was fake – I insisted on this  photo

Me pre-operation for Cataract Surgery – Now fake plastic snakes will not fool me.

And I know this not a real bird

And this not a real dog or real deer

But I still like to make photos that are not real

Two weeks ago – pre-eye operation – the previous photo looked like this

I do not see this guy any more when I look in the mirror – I love my new eyes

Now, my eyes  enjoy this beauty that God created.

Just be glad I did  not make you sit through looking at 15,000 snap-shots

As you swing thru life – share with me lots of snap-shots – and of course I want each of you to share your photographs.  Encourage others to become great photographers.  Scroll back up and re-look at Dave’s warblers.

Dave Wrote:  Hi Jim, I am constantly working to improve my set up to photograph birds at my feeder sites. Here is my latest set up and some pictures of birds using it. I had a dead pine tree on my back property line and a dead poplar in my woods. I cut them down removed the tops drilled them out for bird seed. I then placed them outside one of my west windows. The woodpeckers seem to really like this set up. You  have to make things work for you it doesn’t just happen on it’s own.  Dave

04 23 2021 Dave Cesari

04 23 2021 Dave Cesari

04 23 2021 Dave Cesari

04 23 2021 Dave Cesari

04 23 2021 Dave Cesari

04 23 2021 Dave Cesari

This is what we woke up to this morning. Don’t you just love it. My poor daffodils. 24 degrees F. at 7:00 AM. 04 22 2021 Dave Cesari

AND NOW JIM’S LEARNING EXPERIENCE:

Marc: (My Son-in-Law) wrote: I loves your blog yesterday about your life long learning and using lines in photo composition. I am sending you a photo with lines that I took in a Nature Preserve on Long Island – maybe your can do something with it.

I wrote.  Thx for sending that photo. I love it:  I tried to use the lines to create several surreal photos.  The experience is one of learning and I am really enjoying it.- I will study more about lines and things of nature in compositions – Then, I am sure,  I will use Marc’s photo as a starting base for more of my surreal photos.   Here are two of my attempts so far:

Marc’s original photo that he sent to me.

Attempt #1 using lines

Lines and patterns in a composition

As you swing thru life – I will say again – Enjoy learning – and – Keep doing it!

My question to you: “Why do you do what you do?”

My family and friends have often ask why I like to work with Photoshop to create surreal photographs.  In the past, my response was “I don’t know.”  But, now I know. This morning on the CBS show, Sunday Morning, I got my own answer to that question.  The answer came through our former President, George W. Bush, who was the featured person in one segment of the show.

They ask President Bush “Why did he take up art?”  He answered “To learn.”  I have paraphrased here how he explained it: “Every day being president is a learning experience and all of a sudden you are out of the Oval Office and that learning experience stops.  I took up art to keep on learning.”

Boy, I thought, I retired from some very interesting jobs and life styles in my working years and each of those years was a learning experience. I have, also, done many interesting things in retirement that where learning experiences.  It dawned on me, I study PhotoShop and surreal photography because I want to keep that brain of mine learning just as long as it will keep working.

So, in my “old” years, I study every day for the fun and mental value of learning. One of the areas that i have been studying is what are elements of a good photograph. Then I study to learn how I can combine photographs in PhotoShop to create a surreal photograph with those elements. One recent study was about using lines in the photograph’s composition to control the viewer’s eyes and mind – to help the viewer see the photograph’s item of interest. 

Oh, by the way, since the helicopter is taking off early tomorrow morning on Mars, I was thinking about our 1969 moon landing when Commander Neil Armstrong spoke the words “Tranquility base here. The Eagle has landed.”   The following surreal photo, titled simply “The Eagle Has Landed”, took shape in my mind before breakfast, this morning, when an eagle landed on my neighbor’s roof. 

You can see, in this surreal photograph, I used the lines made by the contrails and the flag pole to isolate my point of interest from the surrounding elements. My focal point, of course, is our National Bird in front of our Country’s flag: 

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED

Just for learning I used lines in a less direct way to create this abstract, hoping each viewer sees a story – I really had no story to tell – just and abstract of lines and colors – and of course a single rose.  I titled it simply: “SINGLE ROSE”

As you swing thru life – Enjoy learning –That is a simple message from me

Dave wrote: Hi Jim, A beautiful day here in Rome, NY 74 degrees F. Here are some more shots from out in my photo blind. Here is a shot of the blind on a  pond in an old gravel bed behind our property. Some male Ring-necked Ducks and some male Wood Ducks doing their wild crazy act. Dave

I wrote: I can’t say enough about Dave’s photos – They are great – I think I see a story – It may not be the way it was but that is what I saw.  What do you think? Here is the story I saw: (The blind, the quiet just floating along, the show of male duck manliness, the “get out of here posture”, then the “I am the victor”.)

04 09 2021 Dave Cesari

04 09 2021 Dave Cesari

04 09 2021 Dave Cesari

04 09 2021 Dave Cesari

04 09 2021 Dave Cesari

04 09 2021 Dave Cesari

04 09 2021 Dave Cesari

04 09 2021 Dave Cesari

Now my story:

When I show folks my PhotoShoped photos, they often say “How do you do that? – I want to try that.”   I say in response: “Don’t let anybody tell you what to do.   Only you are the expert on you.”

But everybody’s got something to say about what you do. People you know, people you love, people you hate. Even people you’ve never met in posts like this one.

They tell you what to do, who to be, and how to live.  But nobody who tells you what to do actually knows what’s best for you. So stop listening to them.

But I am going to show you how I do it, anyway:

First, I spend hours collecting photos of various themes that I love – like this one of the theme “Color-in-nature.”  I worry about composition while shooting photos – here I practiced depth of field to show off detail in the upper left focus point.

Then in PhotoShop I collect a bunch of my photos into one photo.

Then I decide my focal point and begin a composition that makes you look at my chosen focal point – here I want you to see the bee and be comfortable with all the natural colors around it, Yep, I still have a lot of work to do.

Then, I added some lines (stems) to control your eyes & mind, and I did a little work on the color values throughout the photo to try to make it comfortable for you while clearly focusing on  my focal point.

That is a quick look at how I do it – But, do not listen to me – I am sure you got better things to do with your time!

As you swing thru life – Enjoy those that tell you what they do and what you should do – BUT, Keep you mouth shut and go do your own thing!

Some times there is no way to give enough thanks for what others do for you.  The Photo Club rewarded me with purpose and  friendship for more than 15 years.  I will continue to say “Thanks.” In fact the Club still offers that friendship even though my role has shifted to more of a quiet participant. – I love it!

Now, on to my story. I found this on the internet:  “If you dream of a fog above the water, it creates a dreamy mood and pleasant thoughts.”

Last week the early morning (6:30am) fog over the lake behind our back porch was beautiful. I sat there sipping my first cup of coffee. By 6:45 I set the cup on the end-table and just stared out into the fog.  I drifted back to sleep and dreamed.

Beautiful Dreamy Fog

Oh by the way, I found this on the internet: “The average person has three to five dreams per night.   Dreams tend to last longer as the your sleep progresses.”

Well, my drifting off to sleep that morning only lasted 10 or 15 minutes.  My sleep had no time to progress – so my 5 dreams, in that early morning snooze session, were short dreams.

Three dreams were driven by the dreamy mood set into my brain by the beautiful early morning fog bank over the lake.  I created three abstract photos representing those three dreams.

The other two dreams had to do with Adam and Eve and Apple Pie and Motherhood.  They were driven by Dave Spahn (the new leader of the Photo Club) and his team asking us to photograph food.

The foggy morning I am telling you about was right after Dave ask members to share photos of food.  I dreamed of  two food happenings and created an abstract photo of each. I shared them with the Club and now I will share them with you.

When I stepped down, the Club gave me a gift bottle of wonderfully  expensive Scotch.  So, maybe all five Photo Abstracts were really driven by me enjoying that gift bottle of Scotch:

Of fog – I opened my eyes and I thought I saw a Spanish Galleon approaching my back door. OR was I dreaming

Of fog – Yipes,  a Diamondback in a tree – impossible – OR was I dreaming – I love seeing snakes – I actually saw &  photographed this one on the road while biking in TGO – I hope you’re OK with this abstract photo.

Of fog – a dreamy mood and pleasant thoughts – The Yellow Rose of Texas from my long ago Hill Country ranch in Texas – OR was I dreaming

Of food – Oh my – Adam and Eve – OR was I dreaming

Of food and a pun on words – My Escalade Hood and Motherhood – OR was I dreaming.

As you swing thru life – Dream a photo, share your dream. describe your photo – We will enjoy your story even if it is an abstract – not real – but beautiful