Submitted by Bollox Ref on Fri, 08/11/2017 - 5:59pm
From the back garden today.
It's been a better year for butterflies. Aside from Monarchs, I've seen Red Admirals, a Spicebush Swallowtail, a Tiger Swallowtail, a Mourning Cloak (Camberwell Beauty).... oh and a Buckeye, amongst others.
Thanks for posting Bollox.
Butler's Garter Snake.
Kind of rare to find in northern Michigan and an unusual, almost neon color.
The wild lillys were abundant this year.
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Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.
@Pricknick
I've seen them before but don't know what they're called.
Thanks for posting Bollox.
Butler's Garter Snake.
Kind of rare to find in northern Michigan and an unusual, almost neon color.
The wild lillys were abundant this year.
@Socialprogressive
what lens did you use to capture this?
There is a meteor shower tomorrow night that's supposed to be one of the best one for a long time, IIRC.
Thanks for the photo open thread tonight BR. Nice shot of the Monarchs.
thanks to all of our talented photographers, for sharing their work with us.
As usual, as a non-photographer, I'll post one of my 'stock' photos.
This looks like a postcard photo, but is supposedly a shot by a tourist. This bayside town was originally an artists colony. Not only was it my favorite childhood residence, it's been named as a favorite small town by Southern Living magazine.
(Which I never read; but, hey--I totally agree with their assessment of this locale.)
Everyone have a nice and safe weekend. Stay cool!
Mollie
“I believe in the redemptive powers of a dog’s love. It is in recognition of each dog’s potential to lift the human spirit and therefore– to change society for the better, that I fight to make sure every street dog has its day.” --Stasha Wong, Secretary, Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)
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Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Well, I've been shooting hummingbirds all summer. Now the rufous hummingbirds are migrating through; I'd like to see one before we leave but probably won't get to. I believe these were all black-chinned hummingbirds. (And I informed my MIL about red dyed nectar being bad for the hummingbirds; hopefully she'll go clear after that's all gone.)
There were several of them buzzing around Decker Lake, chattering at each other.
but I always try and look and give my kudos for the spectacular photos. I forget to capture the moment, absorbing it myself and wondering later why I passed by that opportunity. Oh, well. Thank you, photographers, for your beautiful work.
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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Okay so a few years ago, a friend and I were out in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, and we met these two folks who told us about a certain hill in that area, on the top of which people gathered in mid-September to watch the Monarch Migration stream by. They, like we do, evidently have their favored accustomed routes and highways as they travel from eastern North America down to the mountains of central Mexico. This watching event was happening like in three weekends, and though I marked it on my calendar, life intervened and I was unable to go. Bitterly disappointed!
The event I missed was on a Saturday; two days later, on Monday, I climbed out of my truck after parking it in our rather large parking area (I live in an old (circa 1855) house 6 miles north of Boston) in between said house and the barn, when something caught my eye: it was a Monarch Butterfly, flying over the top of the chimney. I say flying because this was a semi-beeline it was making, due west, about 30 feet up, not the hovery, zig-zaggy, closer-to-the-ground stuff they do when they're feeding in the garden (yes I have a pollinators' garden-- by the way, for the first time in years, we have Monarchs visiting the milkweed and other goodies almost every day!Happy dance!).
I should say that my home is on top of a hill. The weather that day was sublime, as only mid-September can be in New England, mid-70's, dry, white puffballs, with a light westerly breeze, although at that time a light seabreeze from the east was beginning to ooze up. So then there was another Monarch flying over the chimney; and then another; and then three more; and then a group of five-- all on beelines, due west. I watched with tears in my eyes as over the next hour close to 100 Monarchs flew directly over my chimney. They weren't flying over the neighbor's house to the right, nor the neighbor's house to the left-- only over mine. And just before this, as I had been parking the truck, I was still regretting that I hadn't been able to make the 2-hour drive west to Shelburne Falls two days earlier. I was given my own Monarch Migration!!!! This year I will be waiting. I can only conclude that my house is along a path of Monarch Migration. It was like winning something. It is like winning something. It truly was nothing short of miraculous.
When despair comes calling at the state of things, I think about this (and other wonderful experiences that verge on the near-miraculous) and then, as Henri Nouwen would say, I choose joy; and then once I do that I'm emboldened to get back into the trenches again, and fight like hell. (A confession: Another way of feeling better-- a place where joy merges with (alas!) schadenfreude, is to mosey on over to TOP's election blog from the evening of last November 8, and watch how flying-monkeys-ganging-up-echo-chamber-bullying-thought-control-did-you-take-your-HER-Soma-today-arrogant-cockiness we'll-all-be-saying-Madame-President-by-the-morning! merges, like a melting Dali, or a record player turned from 45 to 33, into tears, recriminations, back-biting, rage, shut-the-fuck-up-don't-even-SAY-HER-could lose, a hunt for scapegoats (white males! Comey! Sexism! MISOGYNY! BERNIE BROS! THE DEPLORABLES! THE MEDIA! (as if the media weren't in HER pocket from the get go....)etc etc (the Russian Narrative was still incubating and not everyone had received the memo yet) then drinking, vomiting, the end of the world, how-do-I-explain-to-my-daughter-that-a-pussy-grabbing-rapist etc etc-- as if the blood of women and children from Haiti, Iraq, Syria, Honduras, the Ukraine, Libya, etc wasn't neck-deep around HER) and I always, always, always feel better (fake news stories re: HER help too, the more outrageous the better-- my favorite being how HER ordered 30,000 guillotines just before the election to avenge her enemies once she got in-- Hillary Rodham DeFarge!) As was said in Muriel's Wedding, "Your TERRIBLE, Muriel!" But I just can't help myself! Hmm, we were talking about Monarch butterflies....how did I get onto HER again? Oh I know! Monarchs! Queens! There you go!
Comments
Drummond Island, Michigan
Thanks for posting Bollox.
Butler's Garter Snake.
Kind of rare to find in northern Michigan and an unusual, almost neon color.
The wild lillys were abundant this year.
Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.
What's that moth thing?
I've seen them before but don't know what they're called.
This shit is bananas.
I believe
It's a Virginia Ctenucha or what's known as a wasp moth.
Like the garter snake, it's an unusual color. Something about this island.
Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.
Marvelous night for a moon dance.
Thanks for the photo open thread tonight BR. Nice shot of the Monarchs.
Last nights moon.
I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.
Fabulous shot! I'm jealous n/t
Thank you Deja
I see from looking at your avatar photo you already have your solar eclipse glasses for Aug 21st. Hope you enjoy the show.
I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.
Great photo.
what lens did you use to capture this?
There is a meteor shower tomorrow night that's supposed to be one of the best one for a long time, IIRC.
Was Humpty Dumpty pushed?
Thank you Snoopy
For this shot I was using a Sigma 150-600mm lens mounted on a Nikon D500 body.
The meteor shower is the Perseid meteor shower.
I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.
miscellaneous and random
miscellaneous
and random from a few years ago -- Vancouver East side near Hastings St.
edited to remove duplicate
Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation
Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook
Thank you, BR, for posting a Photography OT! And
thanks to all of our talented photographers, for sharing their work with us.
As usual, as a non-photographer, I'll post one of my 'stock' photos.
This looks like a postcard photo, but is supposedly a shot by a tourist. This bayside town was originally an artists colony. Not only was it my favorite childhood residence, it's been named as a favorite small town by Southern Living magazine.
(Which I never read; but, hey--I totally agree with their assessment of this locale.)
Everyone have a nice and safe weekend. Stay cool!
Mollie
“I believe in the redemptive powers of a dog’s love. It is in recognition of each dog’s potential to lift the human spirit and therefore– to change society for the better, that I fight to make sure every street dog has its day.”
--Stasha Wong, Secretary, Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Tea done
One more.
Clouds in Deepest Suffolk, England.
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
hummingbird season
Well, I've been shooting hummingbirds all summer. Now the rufous hummingbirds are migrating through; I'd like to see one before we leave but probably won't get to. I believe these were all black-chinned hummingbirds. (And I informed my MIL about red dyed nectar being bad for the hummingbirds; hopefully she'll go clear after that's all gone.)
There were several of them buzzing around Decker Lake, chattering at each other.
My best capture of a chickadee so far.
Latest lifer, a Wilson's snipe (cropped)
Cheers!
This shit is bananas.
I don't always comment,
but I always try and look and give my kudos for the spectacular photos. I forget to capture the moment, absorbing it myself and wondering later why I passed by that opportunity. Oh, well. Thank you, photographers, for your beautiful work.
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
I currently have 5
Monarch butterfly chrysalis's all lined up for release. I've raised Monarchs for over 15 years and never tire of it.
"Without the right to offend, freedom of speech does not exist." Taslima Nasrin
The (Monarch) Mountain Comes to Mohammed!
Okay so a few years ago, a friend and I were out in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, and we met these two folks who told us about a certain hill in that area, on the top of which people gathered in mid-September to watch the Monarch Migration stream by. They, like we do, evidently have their favored accustomed routes and highways as they travel from eastern North America down to the mountains of central Mexico. This watching event was happening like in three weekends, and though I marked it on my calendar, life intervened and I was unable to go. Bitterly disappointed!
The event I missed was on a Saturday; two days later, on Monday, I climbed out of my truck after parking it in our rather large parking area (I live in an old (circa 1855) house 6 miles north of Boston) in between said house and the barn, when something caught my eye: it was a Monarch Butterfly, flying over the top of the chimney. I say flying because this was a semi-beeline it was making, due west, about 30 feet up, not the hovery, zig-zaggy, closer-to-the-ground stuff they do when they're feeding in the garden (yes I have a pollinators' garden-- by the way, for the first time in years, we have Monarchs visiting the milkweed and other goodies almost every day!Happy dance!).
I should say that my home is on top of a hill. The weather that day was sublime, as only mid-September can be in New England, mid-70's, dry, white puffballs, with a light westerly breeze, although at that time a light seabreeze from the east was beginning to ooze up. So then there was another Monarch flying over the chimney; and then another; and then three more; and then a group of five-- all on beelines, due west. I watched with tears in my eyes as over the next hour close to 100 Monarchs flew directly over my chimney. They weren't flying over the neighbor's house to the right, nor the neighbor's house to the left-- only over mine. And just before this, as I had been parking the truck, I was still regretting that I hadn't been able to make the 2-hour drive west to Shelburne Falls two days earlier. I was given my own Monarch Migration!!!! This year I will be waiting. I can only conclude that my house is along a path of Monarch Migration. It was like winning something. It is like winning something. It truly was nothing short of miraculous.
When despair comes calling at the state of things, I think about this (and other wonderful experiences that verge on the near-miraculous) and then, as Henri Nouwen would say, I choose joy; and then once I do that I'm emboldened to get back into the trenches again, and fight like hell. (A confession: Another way of feeling better-- a place where joy merges with (alas!) schadenfreude, is to mosey on over to TOP's election blog from the evening of last November 8, and watch how flying-monkeys-ganging-up-echo-chamber-bullying-thought-control-did-you-take-your-HER-Soma-today-arrogant-cockiness we'll-all-be-saying-Madame-President-by-the-morning! merges, like a melting Dali, or a record player turned from 45 to 33, into tears, recriminations, back-biting, rage, shut-the-fuck-up-don't-even-SAY-HER-could lose, a hunt for scapegoats (white males! Comey! Sexism! MISOGYNY! BERNIE BROS! THE DEPLORABLES! THE MEDIA! (as if the media weren't in HER pocket from the get go....)etc etc (the Russian Narrative was still incubating and not everyone had received the memo yet) then drinking, vomiting, the end of the world, how-do-I-explain-to-my-daughter-that-a-pussy-grabbing-rapist etc etc-- as if the blood of women and children from Haiti, Iraq, Syria, Honduras, the Ukraine, Libya, etc wasn't neck-deep around HER) and I always, always, always feel better (fake news stories re: HER help too, the more outrageous the better-- my favorite being how HER ordered 30,000 guillotines just before the election to avenge her enemies once she got in-- Hillary Rodham DeFarge!) As was said in Muriel's Wedding, "Your TERRIBLE, Muriel!" But I just can't help myself! Hmm, we were talking about Monarch butterflies....how did I get onto HER again? Oh I know! Monarchs! Queens! There you go!
Semper ubi sub ubi