reflection

Will You Be My Valentine?!

February 14, 2020 — 32 Comments

F/6.3, 1/1000, ISO 450.

Mute Swan

What do you call a funny chicken?

A comedi-hen

Interesting Fact: Mute Swans form long-lasting pair bonds. Their reputation for monogamy along with their elegant white plumage has helped establish them as a symbol of love in many cultures. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mute_Swan/lifehistory )

Bonus Valentine Facts:  Feb. 14 was officially designated St. Valentine’s Day in 1537 by King Henry VII of England. ( http://www.ibtimes.com/valentines-day-facts-history-fun-ideas-free-burritos-singles-awareness-other-things-1813226 )

Life Is Only A Reflection Of What We Allow Ourselves To See

February 1, 2020 — 21 Comments

mallard-5

F/7.1, 1/200, ISO 320.

Mallard

A duck waddles into a card shop, he waddles his way to the front desk asking the clerk, Do you got any tape?

The clerk replies, No. So the duck waddles away. The very next day at the same time the same duck waddles into the Card Shop he waddles right up to that same clerk asking him, Do you have any tape?

The clerk looking irritated replying in a stern voice, No! We are a card shop we sell cards not tape! And if you ask me again I will nail your bill to the counter!

So the duck just waddles away. At the same time the next day the Duck is waddling into that same card shop He waddles right up to that same clerk asking him, do you have any nails? The clerk says, no. Then the duck replied good!! So do you have any tape?

Interesting Fact: Mallard pairs form long before the spring breeding season. Pairing takes place in the fall, but courtship can be seen all winter. Only the female incubates the eggs and takes care of the ducklings. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mallard/lifehistory )

I’m Chillin’

January 17, 2020 — 2 Comments

F/7.1, 1/1600, ISO 640.

Mute Swan ice

Why are ghosts bad liars?

Because you can see right through them!

Interesting Fact: Before or during landing at a breeding site they’ll slap the water with their feet to announce their arrival and alert potential intruders. If another swan approaches members of the pair raise their wings and tuck their neck in a “busking” display to warn them off. Territorial defenses sometimes escalate to fights between males that can end with the dominant bird pushing its rival underwater. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mute_Swan/lifehistory )

 

 

Look Up In The Sky!

August 17, 2016 — 18 Comments

OneWTC

 

F/25, 1/250, ISO 250.

What do you call a sheep with no legs?

A cloud.

Interesting Fact: One World Trade Center (also known as the Freedom Tower,[13] 1 World Trade Center, One WTC and 1 WTC) is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, and the sixth-tallest in the world. The supertall structure has the same name as the North Tower of the original World Trade Center, which was completely destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The new skyscraper stands on the northwest corner of the 16-acre (6.5 ha) World Trade Center site, on the site of the original 6 World Trade Center. The building is bounded by West Street to the west, Vesey Street to the north, Fulton Street to the south, and Washington Street to the east. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_World_Trade_Center )

Reflection On This

July 25, 2016 — 26 Comments

Great Blue Heron 4

F/6.3, 1/100, ISO 320.

Great Blue Heron

How do you prevent a Summer cold?

Catch it in the Winter!

Interesting Fact: The white form of the Great Blue Heron, known as the “great white heron,” is found nearly exclusively in shallow marine waters along the coast of very southern Florida, the Yucatan Peninsula, and in the Caribbean. Where the dark and white forms overlap in Florida, intermediate birds known as “Wurdemann’s herons” can be found. They have the body of a Great Blue Heron, but the white head and neck of the great white heron. (  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron/lifehistory )

Walk With Purpose!

April 9, 2016 — 34 Comments

Snowy Egret

F/5.6 , 1/500, ISO 200.

Snowy Egret

Knock! Knock!

Who’s there?

Dozen.

Dozen who?

Dozen anyone want to let me in?

Interesting Fact: Male and female Snowy Egrets take turns incubating their eggs. As one mate takes over for the other, it sometimes presents a stick, almost as if passing a baton. Both parents continue caring for the young when they hatch. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Snowy_Egret/lifehistory )

Show Me, Wax The Floor

February 20, 2016 — 29 Comments

Getty Villa

F/8.0, 1/250, ISO 200.

Getty Villa

California Week

Visiting the modern art museum, a lady turned to an attendant standing nearby.” This,” she said, “I suppose, is one of those hideous representations you call modern art? ” “No, madam,” replied the attendant. “That one’s called a mirror.”

Interesting Fact: In 1954, oil tycoon J. Paul Getty opened a gallery adjacent to his home in Pacific Palisades.[3][4][5] Quickly running out of room, he built a second museum, the Getty Villa, on the property down the hill from the original gallery.[4][6] The villa design was inspired by the Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum[6] and incorporated additional details from several other ancient sites. It was designed by architects Robert E. Langdon, Jr. and Ernest C. Wilson, Jr..[7][8] It opened in 1974,[9] but was never visited by Getty, who died in 1976.[5] Following his death, the museum inherited $661 million[10] and began planning a much larger campus, the Getty Center, in nearby Brentwood. The museum overcame neighborhood opposition to its new campus plan by agreeing to limit the total size of the development on the Getty Center site.[11] To meet the museum’s total space needs, the museum decided to split between the two locations with the Getty Villa housing the Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities.[11] In 1993, the Getty Trust selected Rodolpho Machado and Jorge Silvetti to design the renovation of the Getty Villa and its campus.[11] In 1997, portions of the museum’s collection of Greek, Roman and Etruscan antiquities were moved to the Getty Center for display, and the Getty Villa was closed for renovation.[12] The collection was restored during the renovation. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getty_Villa#History )