Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Tuesday Tooth Report

Still minor movement taking place. I'm doubling up on the elastics to speed up the process. I always find that toward the end of the 8-week period between Ortho visits, movement slows considerably. Par for the course.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Yard — a word worth a 1000 pictures (#100)

This morning I wanted to have something special to post since it's my 100th photo. (That's one-tenth of the way there!) So, imagine my pleasure to find the first wild (cultivated) rose bloom out. These don't last long. Their petals are so delicate that a breeze or a rain can finish them.

Picture #100: The first wild rose bloom of the season seems apt for my 100th photo.


With deadlines on a few projects looming and some personal things to tend to, it'll likely be a few days before I get back to this series. I'll have my Tuesday Tooth Report and Wednesday's Words of Wisdom out this week though. All the best until next time!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Yard — a word worth a 1000 pictures (#89-99)

Today I was home at noon so I thought I'd see what goes on in the yard midday. Turns out, a lot!

Picture #89: First White Petunia of the season.


Picture #90: Cute little black, orange and red bug. Care to name him?


Picture #91: Awesome lazy dragonfly. This fella was so rested that nothing could move him.


Picture #92: Close-up on dragonfly head. I love my little camera. I can get quite good resolution and detail with it.


Picture #93: Close-up on dragonfly wing.


Picture #94: Close-up on the place where all 4 wings connect to the body.


Picture #95: Close-up on dragonfly leg. Quite bristly!


Picture #96: Close-up on dragonfly tail.


Picture #97: Video of said dragonfly. This guy was so rested that I could gently poke at him and he wouldn't fly off! (26 seconds)


Picture #98: Dragonfly now on my arm! After having no success moving this fellow, I turned away to leave and he decided to fly to my arm! Dragonflies are so cool.


Picture #99: Spidey with silk-wrapped insect. Looks like I'm not the only one who thinks it's lunch. I better go see what's in the cupboard....

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Yard — a word worth a 1000 pictures (#87-88)

It's a new insect season! Yesterday I put the screen and roof on our gazebo and today we have a dozen or so crane flies on it. They're in the shaded back yard so it was a little difficult to get a good shot.

Picture #87: Crane Fly.


Picture #88: Out-of-focus spider with in-focus ladybug. Believe it or not, I had no idea there was a ladybug in the water. My goal was to photograph an orange spider that's right in the middle of my reflection's face. Happy, happy accident!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
— a Haida saying

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Tuesday Tooth Report

My teeth keep moving as they should. My bite is more and more refined every day. As predicted, the Cold symptoms didn't result in anything. I'm starting to get the hang of things just months away from the end of this who process!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Yard — a word worth a 1000 pictures (#85)

Yet another overcast day. This guy/girl took full advantage of it! Who knows which one of us was on the giving end.

(Hmm, I think I heard that it was the female that bites. Don't quote me on that. If anyone has thoughts on this, send them in!)

Picture #84: Blood-bellied Mosquito.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Yard — a word worth a 1000 pictures (#84)

Overcast days are the best! Not only will I not get sunburned but I'm likely to find interesting insects on days like this. I've noticed that moths and nocturnal insects are more likely to be seen. Probably because they don't bother finding shade since shade is everywhere on days like this! I also find that daylight insects are more at rest on dark days. They tend to land and stay in one place for a while. Just like this...

Picture #84: Gorgeous silver/copper metallic Dragonfly. Its tail spots match the brick perfectly! I've always been fascinated by these creatures. When I was a child I remember working near dusk in the garden one day. Mosquitos clouded the air and I could feel one land on my bare shoulder. Just as I raised my hand to smack it, a Dragonfly swooped in and grabbed it. Perched on my shoulder like it was the dinner table, the Dragonfly gobbled away. I watched with open-jawed incredulity. I've always thought they were beautiful. From then on I felt nothing but pure love for them. Corny, eh? I should have been an entomologist.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Yard — a word worth a 1000 pictures (#75-83)

At dusk I saw something flying outside the window near my hanging flower pot. I thought it strange that a hummingbird would be out that late but it moved similarly and was just as interested in the long-fluted flowers. Here's what I found...

Picture #75: A huge moth! If you've got an idea of what kind of moth it is, please leave a comment to this post. Thanks!


Picture #76: Moth from the side with wings moving like a hummingbird's.


Picture #77: Moth from the side. These are a sequence of shots so they're quite similar but it shows how it moves around the flower. I find it fascinating.


Picture #78: Moth's tongue right in the flower.


Picture #79: Moth slowly moving so that his/her back is facing the camera.


Picture #80: Moth, 3/4 view.


Picture #81: Moth, full back view.


Picture #82: Moth hovering with tongue clearly extended.


Picture #83: Close-up of Moth and tongue.

Yard — a word worth a 1000 pictures (#72-74)

Robin update. All the babies are out of the nest now. Some are big enough to stray very far — so far that I don't know where they are any more. Some are still in the garage.

Not knowing much about bird behaviour, I was very worried that the parents might abandon the babies once they were out of the nest so I decided to check on them. Both parents were nearby and soon I was the cause of panic and rapid chirping. I should have known better. These animals are as nurturing and protective as the human animal. I'm disappointed in myself for doubting them.

Picture #72: Robin Baby still needing the safety of the garage.


Picture #73: Robin Parent still bringing worms to out-of-nesters.


Picture #74: New batch of Robins on the way! (As always, I turn the camera's Flash off for shots in the garage. I know the photos end up dark and out of focus but it's worth it so that I disturb the birds as little as possible.)

Friday, June 19, 2009

Yard — a word worth a 1000 pictures (#66-71)

Having focused on wild flowers twice, I thought I'd better give cultivated flowers their due. So, here is what's in bloom around the yard right now. (Stay posted because there are at least 2 more that have ready-to-burst buds. I'll be featuring them soon.)

Picture #66: Poppies.


Picture #67: Lily of the Valley. They have a wonderful smell. Just three stems in a vase scents the whole house.


Picture #68: Pansies.


Picture #69: A white, 6-petal flower. Anise?


Picture #70: Pink Petunia with purple centre.


Picture #71: Pink Petunia with white centre and bumblebee!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Yard — a word worth a 1000 pictures (#65)

Oh no! Tonight when I came home the neighbourhood kids let me know that 2 of the baby robins were out of the nest. The kids wanted to know if they should help. I told them to let the Mother try first and to keep their distance so that the Mother feels comfortable returning but at the same time to keep an eye on them. They wanted to touch the babies but I recommended against it because I'd heard that some wild animals reject their babies if there is someone else's smell on them.

Picture #65: 2 baby Robins on the garage floor.

Yard — a word worth a 1000 pictures (#55-64)

10 days have passed since I took note of what wild flowers were on the lot. That's more than enough time for a whole new set of flowers that prefer the middle of June to early June. Today's post is dedicated to them.

Picture #55: Small clumps of many purple flowers. They grow on a vine.


Picture #56: Tiny purple flowers that almost look like miniature pitcher plant flowers.


Picture #57: Intense lemon-lime green flowers.


Picture #58: Johnny Jump Ups.


Picture #59: Forget-me-nots still in full bloom.


Picture #60: Buttercups.


Picture #61: Dandelion in full bloom with Dandelion in closed state (left).


Picture #62: Tiny white flowers which seem to have double petals (5 petals which look like 10).


Picture #63: Clover.


Picture #64: Wild Strawberry flowers with fruit beginning to form.