winter

On The Christmas Day This Little Tree Will Light Your Way

December 25, 2015 — 9 Comments

Light Your Way

F/ 22.0, 30.0, ISO 100.

Day 359 / 365

What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?

Frostbite.

Interesting Fact: The Christian ecclesiastical calendar contains many remnants of pre-Christian festivals. Christmas includes elements of the Roman feast of the Saturnalia and the birthday of Mithra.[51] The Chronography of 354 AD contains early evidence of the celebration on December 25 of a Christian liturgical feast of the birth of Jesus. This was in Rome, while in Eastern Christianity the birth of Jesus was already celebrated in connection with the Epiphany on January 6.[52][53] The December 25 celebration was imported into the East later: in Antioch by John Chrysostom towards the end of the 4th century,[53] probably in 388, and in Alexandria only in the following century.[54] Even in the West, the January 6 celebration of the nativity of Jesus seems to have continued until after 380.[55] In 245, Origen of Alexandria, writing about Leviticus 12:1–8, commented that Scripture mentions only sinners as celebrating their birthdays, namely Pharaoh, who then had his chief baker hanged (Genesis 40:20–22), and Herod, who then had John the Baptist beheaded (Mark 6:21–27), and mentions saints as cursing the day of their birth, namely Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:14–15) and Job (Job 3:1–16).[56] In 303, Arnobius ridiculed the idea of celebrating the birthdays of gods, a passage cited as evidence that Arnobius was unaware of any nativity celebration.[57] Since Christmas does not celebrate Christ’s birth “as God” but “as man”, this is not evidence against Christmas being a feast at this time.[8] The fact the Donatists of North Africa celebrated Christmas may indicate that the feast was established by the time that church was created in 311. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas#History )

Going to Christmas Eve Party!

December 24, 2015 — 23 Comments

christmas eve

F/ 7.1, 1/200, ISO 640, Photoshop CS6.

Northern Shoveler Ducks

Day 358 / 365

Twenty ways to confuse Santa Claus

1. Instead of milk and cookies, leave him a salad, and a note explaining that you think he could stand to lose a few pounds.

2. While he’s in the house, go find his sleigh and write him a speeding ticket.

3. Leave him a note, explaining that you’ve gone away for the holidays. Ask if he would mind watering your plants.

4. While he’s in the house, replace all his reindeer with exact replicas. Then wait and see what happens when he tries to get them to fly.

5. Keep an angry bull in your living room. If you think a bull goes crazy when he sees a little red cape, wait until he sees that big, red Santa suit!

6. Build an army of mean-looking snowmen on the roof, holding signs that say “We hate Christmas,” and “Go away Santa.”

7. Leave a note by the telephone, telling Santa that Mrs. Claus called and wanted to remind him to pick up some milk and a loaf of bread on his way home.

8. Throw a surprise party for Santa when he comes down the chimney. Refuse to let him leave until the strippers arrive.

9. While he’s in the house, find the sleigh and sit in it. As soon as he comes back and sees you, tell him that he shouldn’t have missed that last payment, and take off.

10. Leave a plate filled with cookies and a glass of milk out, with a note that says, “For The Tooth Fairy. :)” Leave another plate out with half a stale cookie and a few drops of skim milk in a dirty glass with a note that says, “For Santa. :(”

11. Take everything out of your house as if it’s just been robbed. When Santa arrives, show up dressed like a policeman and say, “Well, well. They always return to the scene of the crime.”

12. Leave out a copy of your Christmas list with last-minute changes and corrections.

13. While he’s in the house, cover the top of the chimney with barbed wire.

14. Leave lots of hunting trophies and guns out where Santa’s sure to see them. Go outside, yell, “Ooh! Look! A deer! And he’s got a red nose!” and fire a gun.

15. Leave Santa a note, explaining that you’ve moved. Include a map with unclear and hard-to-read directions to your new house.

16. Set a bear trap at the bottom of the chimney. Wait for Santa to get caught in it, and then explain that you’re sorry, but from a distance, he looked like a bear.

17. Leave out a Santa suit, with an attached dry-cleaning bill.

18. Paint “hoof-prints” all over your face and clothes. While he’s in the house, go out on the roof. When he comes back up, act like you’ve been “trampled.” Threaten to sue for personal injury.

19. Instead of ornaments, decorate your tree with Easter eggs.

20. Dress up like the Easter Bunny. Wait for Santa to come and then say, “This neighborhood ain’t big enough for the both of us.

Interesting Fact: Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.[4] Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation of Christmas Day. Together, both days are considered one of the most culturally significant celebrations in Christendom and Western society. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve#Historical_events )

First Day Of Spring

March 20, 2015 — 8 Comments

snow

F/5.0, 1/125, ISO 900.

Day 79 / 365

It is the first day of spring and winter is not giving up. I would say it is kicking spring butt.

Interesting Fact: On the first day of Spring the sunrise and sunset are about 12 hours apart, everywhere on the Earth and the hours of daylight and night are almost equal. Daylight is a little longer. ( http://www.kidsplayandcreate.com/what-happens-in-spring-when-is-spring-spring-facts-for-kids/ )

Stealth Mode!

March 14, 2015 — 13 Comments

Common Merganser 2

F/6.3, 1/1000, ISO 560.

Common Merganser

Day 73 / 365

She suspects him of cheating, so she decided to follow him today.    She is literally on his tail.      🙂

Interesting Fact: Common Mergansers usually nest in natural tree cavities or holes carved out by large woodpeckers. Sometimes mergansers take up residence in next boxes, provided the entrance hole is large enough. On occasion they use rock crevices, holes in the ground, hollow logs, old buildings, and chimneys.  ( http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Merganser/lifehistory )

A Foggy Day

March 10, 2015 — 6 Comments

fog

F/5.6, 1/500, ISO 900.

Day 69 / 365

Cause you had a foggy day
You sing a sad song just to turn it around and the road is gone.     🙂

Interesting Fact: The presence of fog has often played a key role in historical events, such as strategic battles. One example is the Battle of Long Island (August 27, 1776), when General George Washington and his command were able to escape capture by the British Army by using fog to conceal their location. Another example is D-Day during World War II when the allies landed on the beaches of Normandy, France (June 6, 1944) during fog conditions. Both positive and negative results were reported from both sides during that battle due to fog conditions. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fog )

Through Open Lens Turns 1 Today!

March 7, 2015 — 40 Comments

It has been one year since my first post.  What a great year!  Thank You everyone for your support.

pheasants

F/6.3, 1/320, ISO 1600.

Ring-Necked Pheasant

Day 66 / 365 Part 1

“Oh sh*t people, time to run”.

Interesting Fact: Ring-necked Pheasants sometimes cope with extreme cold by simply remaining dormant for days at a time. ( http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/ring-necked_pheasant/lifehistory )

owl

F/6.3, 1/125, ISO 800.

Short Eared Owl

Day 66 / 365   Part 2

“I can see clearly now the snow has stopped”!

Interesting Fact: The Short-eared Owl may compete with the Barn Owl in some areas. Some successful nest box programs to attract Barn Owls have coincided with the decline of the Short-eared Owl in the same area. ( http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/short-eared_owl/lifehistory )

 

 

 

Ready, Set, Snow!

March 5, 2015 — 25 Comments

European Starling

F/6.3, 1/500, ISO 1600.

European Starlings

Day 64 / 365

“My family immigrated from Europe”.

Interesting Fact: All of the 200 million European Starlings found in North America today are descendants of approximately 100 birds released in New York City’s Central Park in the early 1890s by an industrialist who wanted to establish, in the U.S., all birds mentioned in the works of Shakespeare. ( http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/160/_/European_Starling.aspx )

Snow Again!

March 1, 2015 — 6 Comments

Common Merganser

F/6.3, 1/800, ISO 800.

Common Merganser

Day 60 / 365

You quack me up!

Interesting Fact: These large fish-eaters have serrated edges to their bills to help them grip their prey. Along with the Smew and the other Mergansers, they are often known as “sawbills.” ( http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/416/_/Common_Merganser.aspx )

Lucky Day!!!

February 28, 2015 — 16 Comments

bald eagles 1

F/6.3, 1/320, ISO 200.

Bald Eagle

Day 59 /365

And I was going to stay home today!  🙂

Interesting Fact: Immature Bald Eagles spend the first four years of their lives in nomadic exploration of vast territories and can fly hundreds of miles per day. Some young birds from Florida have wandered north as far as Michigan, and birds from California have reached Alaska. ( http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/bald_eagle/lifehistory )

Hidden Artwork!

February 27, 2015 — 9 Comments

graffiti

F/4.0, 1/60, ISO 800.

Day 58 /365

I came across one of the PAWN Art Work.  Pawn is a muralist residing in Jersey City that specializes in freehand aerosol graffiti and street art themed work. For nearly 15 years, Pawn has been mastering his craft. Pursuing his passion to leave behind a body of work that the public can freely view, enjoy, and gain inspiration from.  ( http://www.pawnmd.com )

Interesting Fact: The word graffiti comes from the Greek word ‘graphein’ which means ‘to write’. Graffiti was first found on ancient Roman architecture, although back in them days there was no such thing as spray paint, they calved images out on walls. ( http://www.thefactsite.com/2009/10/facts-about-graffiti.html )