June 30, 2010

June 29, 2010

After a fun day at the beach, the kids and I stopped to take some pictures of birds. I imagine this little guy just stretching his wings, on the edge of the nest and wondering what lies out beyond the safety of the trees. You can do it buddy, go on, try to fly. Just be sure when you jump, because below you is a swamp filled with gators! Not to discourage you or anything.

June 28, 2010

This is my entry for i heart faces, category: Pets

I love taking photos of birds. The is a blue heron flying away at sunset. I had been taking pictures of him as he was walking around the marshy area and hunting for food in the water. I think he is so beautiful. Not a pet, that's for sure; good thing the contest is open for all animals.

Go check out the other pets and animals at i heart faces.

June 27, 2010

June 26, 2010

June 25, 2010

I think the most important component to a beautiful portrait is light. My favorite, as I have said many times, is evening light. I did almost zero editing to these photos; a bit of a crop and that's it.

June 24, 2010

"To do anything truly worth doing, I must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in with gusto and scramble through as well I can."
-Og Mandino

June 23, 2010

June 22, 2010

Once he figured out that jumping into the pool was great fun, there was no stopping him.

JUMP!

June 21, 2010

This morning I went on a duckling hunt. My kids and I have been trying to keep a head count. It's rather sad to watch the number of ducklings decrease as the days go by. My brother said he thought he saw four the other day. I looked in both ponds, tramped through a pasture, hunted in some of the bushes by the pond where they often hide. I was getting a bit discouraged when I finally saw the Mama Duck in the front pasture. Sure enough, only four babies left.

June 20, 2010

June 18, 2010

High, low. High, low. Tall, short. Long neck, short neck.

June 17, 2010

She was proud of herself for getting her horse to complete a round through the poles.

June 16, 2010

Finally got the horses out. It seems we are too busy during the school year, and summer is so HOT!

June 15, 2010

Wood Storks in their nest.

June 14, 2010

She is free wheeling it now. No more training wheels; they were just slowing her down.

June 13, 2010

Just a couple days after I took this picture, this Rosetta Spoonbill's eggs hatched. I would love to go back and see some baby chicks.

June 12, 2010

After my little one and I dropped the big kids off at the bus for their last day of school, we slowed down to investigate all the flowers, bugs, berries, birds, and dew drops that accompanied our pathway home. Sometimes it takes someone closer to the ground to notice the tiny bugs and flowers. I tend to walk at my pace, with my long stride and my head filled with my lists of things to do. When I walk at her pace, listen to her talk, and look at what she sees, it's a much different walk home.

June 11, 2010

We just got home after spending the morning at the beach. As the tide went out the kids found all sorts of treasures; a starfish who had lost a leg, many empty crab shells, fish, etc. Lots of fun!

June 10, 2010

June 9, 2010

What are you looking at?

June 8, 2010

This is my entry for i heart faces: Play

What an endless category, don't you think? Where do I start? I took this picture on March 12 of this year. It had been raining for weeks and our pastures were beyond saturated. The low areas had turned into ponds where ducks and apparently my kids like to hang out. I chose this picture because it represents the unstructured, spontaneous play that kids do best.

Go visit the other entries at i heart faces.

June 7, 2010

June 6, 2010

Two days ago my nephew noticed that some ducklings had hatched on the pond in front of his house. Cute little guys, aren't they? Last time we had ducklings in the pond, each day the kids would go out and check on them, there would be one less duckling. It was very sad. Maybe owls, hawks? Hope these little ones last.

June 5, 2010

"Live a boy's life and you'll be happy." - Linda Marshall

June 4, 2010

More birds. Are you getting tired of bird photos?