Wordy Wednesday {Gracie}

Gracie 10/15/2012

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While unpacking dishes, cups, plates and more, I used a cloth basket designated for paper recycling to dump the papers used to wrap the fragile items. Well, Gracie hopped in this basket while I was slaving away and decided to make it her home. I kept working away and just piled on the papers on top of and around her. She did not mind me doing this at all. She laid there contently snoozing until I decided to try to capture a picture of her. I disturbed her peace by calling her name and snapped this shot of her gazing through the air hole I intentionally created for her. After all, I did not want her to suffocate. Ha!

Macro Monday

{Participating in Macro Monday, I heart Macro, and Your Sunday Best.}

Life isn’t Always Pretty 10/20/2012

I first posted a picture of a jumping (or daring) spider in A Week in Pictures (#2). Here is one of the mighty hunters with a prey that looks larger than itself. Sometimes, Life isn’t pretty hereabouts.

A Week in Pictures (#7)

Hazy Morning 11/2/2012

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I saw a white wall early on this particular morning which was just both beautiful and creepy. I thought to self, “Self! This would make a wonderful photography practice session and a great picture!” I grabbed my tripod and ever ready camera and proceeded to set it all up. I was amazed at how this picture turned out. This particular shot was taken at 8:03am in the morning. If you want to see what the land really looks like in the light of day without extremely heavy fog, go to this picture taken at 10:00am on the same day.

Sunset 11/3/2012

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I am continuing to practice taking pictures at sunsets to learn about lighting. This picture turned out pretty close to what I was actually seeing. So, I am making progress on understanding – things are finally clicking in my brain!

Bee Among Flowers 11/4/2012

These are very tiny yellow flowers that I normally do not bother with as they are ever plentiful upon the land; but, when I spied this bee fluttering among them, I had to try to snap a picture. It is not a honeybee. I am not sure what it is. It could be a brown bee fly or a carpenter bee. Nonetheless, it is still a very vital critter that collects pollen and more.

No Image for 11/5/2012

I had taken some pictures that I was absolutely thrilled with and ended up with two for this day. For some mysterious reason, all the pictures disappeared without a trace. They were not in the recycle bin nor could they be recovered via a deletion recovery tool. They just flat out disappeared and both Dan and I have not figured out why this occurred. Needless to say, I was very sad as the pictures were the only ones I had. It has also taught me a very valuable lesson and made me paranoid. I now backup files immediately onto a portable Hard Drive. I am also going to back up the portable Hard Drive more frequently onto another Bigger Hard Drive. See? I told you I gotten more paranoid. Ha!

But, you know what? God graced me with another photographic opportunity the morning after the discovery of the missing files. Those pictures, according to Dan, turned out even better than the ones I took on this particular day.

Butterfly 11/6/2012

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Early this morning, I decided to go hunting for butterflies. Whenever there is some dew on the ground, butterflies often spread their wings to dry while the sun is rising. I managed to capture pictures of several different butterflies. But, I am loving this particular butterfly simply because he/she is a well-traveled critter with ragged wings.

Butterfly 11/7/2012

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I went hunting again for butterflies this morning and found this little one that has an odd I do not know whatchamacallit on the front of his/her head. I am drawing a blank on the terminology while writing this at the moment. It is still a very beautiful critter.

By the way, I took many pictures on these two days that turned out great and I will have to do a special post on all the favorites.

Water Diamonds 11/8/2012

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I mentioned earlier that I was blessed with another photographic opportunity. Imagine if you will upon seeing heavy dew as the sun rises. At the right time, you begin to see what looks like thousands of glittering diamonds on the ground. I was very fascinated the first time I witnessed the scenery and I am extremely grateful it happened again on this day. The pictures I took did not do justice to what I viewed; but, they are still amazing to me. I will have to do a separate post in the near future on the variety of pictures I have taken on these water jewels. Dew is very precious hereabouts as rain is not plentiful.

Wordy Wednesday

We have a minor problem here on our land. At first, we thought maybe it was ants or some black beetles causing the problem; but, in the back of my mind, I knew it had to be something else.

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For the longest time, we would see these hills of dirt pop up; but, we never saw an entry or exit point and we never saw evidence of critters. Until now. I looked out and saw this new fresh hill. And, of course, I went investigating.

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Much to my surprise and shock, I finally see evidence of an entry or exit point. And, in my mind, the hole seemed huge. I still do not know what is causing this; but, I do suspect gophers or moles.

This means we are going to have to be aggressive when we start gardening. I will be putting down the tiniest chicken wire I can find in the ground before building up the garden areas (beds). In the meantime, I need to do research on how to discourage moles or gophers from coming onto our land.

Oh joy. Fun. NOT! Ha!

Macro Monday {Gracie}

{Participating in Macro Monday, I heart Macro, and Your Sunday Best.}

Innocence 10/29/2012

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Gracie was lying on the floor sleeping on a catnip “kick stick” I made some time ago. I thought it would make for a cool macro shot and decided to get down on the floor on her level. Let me tell you, it was hard work for this old lady to lie down on the floor to snap this picture. Ugh! But, the result is so worth the effort.