Friday Night Photography - Christmastime in New Zealand
Submitted by janis b on Fri, 12/15/2017 - 5:43pm
Good evening all. I hope you are enjoying a warm and cosy evening.
The Pohutakawa tree, showing off for Christmas …
We even have a dusting of snow … thanks to the white Manuka flowers ...
When I enlarge this image I find 9 whole or partial bees ...
Does anyone know the insect who cut these uniform ovals that look like some kind of secret code, delivered mechanically?
Comments
Hi Janis
I don't know what made the marks on the leaf, but they made me think of a bar code. I guess it's Mother Natures bar code.
I didn't get out this week, so here are some rainbow shots from awhile back.
I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.
Hi social
Don't you just love to try and decipher nature's code!
Hawaii!!!
Many scientists are on it
and many of those have an artistic bent. While I have good bionic eyesight and the tools, I may try stone wrapping. Look it up. Whimsy appears. Achitect-husband and scientist wife (me) used to debate art vs craft. He was more judgmental.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Hey riverlover
Art and Science, as you know, is a valuable blend that contributes much to the understanding and appreciation of life. Whimsy, is of course an added gem.
I looked up stone wrapping. Sounds like a good endeavour for bionic eyes and a creative spirit.
Oh my . . . so beautiful . . .
Thank you.
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo
You're so welcome Marilyn.
It is a great pleasure to share images of what I enjoy seeing so much. Thank you for your appreciation.
Thanks for hosting Janis!
Christmas time around here, i.e., cold and grey (although I managed to catch some morning sun).
A rock pool from a few years ago..... because I'm already tired of winter, and it's going to get even colder next week.
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
You're welcome Bollox
Your frosty mornings are reminiscent of my childhood winter mornings.
I think we're all addicted to light. It's good for us. Sometimes we have to create it when it's missing.
Okay, to forget my winter funk
Here's the international symbol for fun...
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
Thanks for the laugh.
Even though the sunlight is shining I needed it!
I see 'U' 'V' in the code.
We're in our yearly winter inversion
The pollutants get trapped in the valley by the mountains and every winter it gets worse. The temperatures in the valley can be 15-25 degrees colder than the higher elevations.
This seems to be a beagle thing since I have pictures of all 3 of mine with something in their mouths. My first beagle found a pancake and it was so far back in her mouth it looked like she was smiling, but instead of eating it, she buried it. She walked around the campground for about an hour before she found a place to bury it.
Charlie is always finding something to bury too. There isn't a lot of places to do it at the cemetery, so she just put it in a hole.
I've been a brat a few times and after she's done burying her prize, I'll take it out. If looks could kill.
I love rainbows SP, but how do they form if there isn't moisture from a storm?
heh
Nice pics, Janis. I've seen those holes on other leaves and I used to know what caused them... catapillers?
Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.
Your beagle photos are priceless,
and so is your humour ...
"Charlie is always finding something to bury too. There isn't a lot of places to do it at the cemetery, so she just put it in a hole."
Sorry about the atmospheric conditions. Big valleys seem to share the unfortunate aspect of collecting pollution. Christchurch, NZ has a great capacity for that. There have been ongoing discussions, for years, about banning wood stoves. And, although most of NZ strives for 'clean and green' there are features that are still far from pure. They are very lax about fuel emission controls.
Utah banned wood burning fireplaces
two decades ago and I don't think that made any difference. But it made the gas companies happy. My parents run theirs all day during the winter and their gas bill is in the hundreds.
I drove to Salt Lake Monday and the freeway signs told us to spare the air and carpool. One of the signs were right by the gas refineries that were burning off excess gas. Everyone is always complaining about that.
Ahh, I see what you found funny.
Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.
Ah yes, those signs.
My favorite was how they'd say use public transit. Which would be fine if SLC's public transit didn't SUCK ASS!
This shit is bananas.
I know, right?
A few years ago congress was willing to work on the inversions and make those oil refineries do something about their practices, but the legislation they were working on had "climate change" in it and so they did nothing. They sit on their fat tushes on capital hill and they can't even see the temple 1/2 a mile away. Plus any of them that come from the north probably take Becks street and go right by the refineries....
Utah would be a great place to live if the church wasn't in charge of it. In my not so humble opinion.
Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.
Absolutely.
That, and teach people how to f@#$ing drive!! (Though, I suspect many of them might drive better if they weren't so busy thinking about JAAAAAYYYYEEEEEESUUUUUUUUUSSSSS)
This shit is bananas.
My sister-in-law (what, why ???) lives in Sandy, UT
which I guess is above the fray. Non-Mormon. Dealing with partial Judaism and syndromes. I am now realizing that I have never seen a picture of the outside there.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Maybe that was a bit counter-productive for Utah.
Here 80% comes from renewable energy, primarily hydro and geothermal power.
But the ocean surface temperatures in many places are 6° c warmer and setting records.
You're right, Janis
The artic hasn't been this warm for 1,500 years and still people refuse to believe that climate change has been affected by human actions.
The picture of the starving polar bear should be plastered on billboards across the country. I couldn't bear to look at it and I had to block the picture on every website I visited. I'm too sensitive when it comes to animals. I read that 200 species go extinct every day. Dear gawd, when is billions in profits enough?
Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.
I couldn't watch the polar bear video
Years ago, I witnessed the distress and death of a swan on an English river. Still haunts me now.
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
Me either.
I saw a thumbnail of it; NOPE. I have a terrible time with animal death too.
This shit is bananas.
Inversion
I sure don't miss that. It's nice to be able to breathe; my allergies have been much better since coming back. They'll hit me again in spring though no doubt.
This shit is bananas.
I think you're right snoopy.
That is some sort of Lepidoptera larvae. Looks exactly like how the European Corn Borer feeds. When that leaf was still in it's whorl stage (wrapped around the stalk) the larva just chewed through from one side to the other. The leaf grew out and unfolded and you see a straight line of feeding holes.
Had a bunch of cannas in the yard as a kid and they had this damage. Caterpillar would roll the leaf up and much through for a while before moving. I collected some chrysalises, as I often did as a kid, and what hatched out was skipper butterflies, Hesperiidae. That old experiment is all the evidence I have.
https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthisbug/comments/1ji48t/southern_californi...
I was also guessing a late instar caterpillar
for those holes. A large caterpillar.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Wow look at how hard the wind was blowing
(from tonight's EBs)
Too funny. You have to look at these pictures of animals
Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.
My favourite was the image
of the penguins marching to church.
Lots to choose from
The laughing dormouse, the bird falling off the branch or the contrail duck. All of them are something that brightens up our day. The penguins going to church though is pretty darn funny
Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.
Lovely flowers Janis.
Didn't get out much this week either. Yesterday we saw about 50 trumpeter swans in the fields near here, so we pulled into a field approach so I could get a few shots. None of them turned out very good though.
Another warm weather reminder--I found the world's happiest oriole on Pinterest:
I can't wait to see them again next spring/summer. Along with the bobolinks, meadowlarks and grackles.
Cheers!
This shit is bananas.
Thanks Daenerys
Did you here them? Do they trumpet?
I couldn't see the oriole image.
They weren't really making any sounds
just kind of sitting there. I suppose they find corn to eat in the fields.
Hmm, not sure why the oriole isn't showing up for you. Try the direct link: http://www.acehardwareandhearth.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/oriole-fe...
This shit is bananas.
Thank you, Janis--for hosting tonight's
Photography OT, and for sharing the gorgeous photos of the 'Paradise' that you call home!
Thanks, as well, to all of our top-notch Caucus photographers--your contributions make Fridays a real treat, especially, for non-photographers like myself, who can't operate a cell phone camera on a good day.
I'm contemplating replacing my avatar with the photo below, since it seems so suitable for a 'dog-loving blogger.'
I can't remember where I saw it, although it 'seems' that it may have been in a Dell computer ad; anyhoo, I thought it was kinda funny. (Kidding about throwing 'the B' under the bus, though.
)
Everyone have a nice and safe weekend!
Mollie
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."--Lao Tzu
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
I like that graphic, mollie
Maybe you can rotate avatars?
Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.
Thanks, SD! That's an idea
that I might consider. I did think the photo was pretty comical, and definitely apropos for a 'dog lover.'
Hey, I enjoyed all of your photos--especially, the ones of Charlie. She really is quite a photogenic girl--but, I'm sure you know that.
Have a good one!
Mollie
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
She is photogenic, but boy is she stubborn
She loves to cuddle with me on the couch, but I need to change positions frequently and when I tell her to move or get off it she refuses. She becomes dead weight and nothing I say will get her to move. If I force her off she sulks and then I feel guilty.... this too is a beagle trait. I've mentioned how beagles have two brain where one is connected to the ears and the other to their noses. When the nose brain is engaged all bets of minding are off. You have to know what you're getting into when you get a beagle....
Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.
My female Cairn terrier and I are still @ bonding
She now appears from the estate realm indoors somewhere about 7AM to stand on the human bladder or chest. We are still in negotiations. When I die she will go to my sister, after her carnivorous dealings will have been done to my dead body.
Edited for misspled.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
; )
That's morbidly funny.
All the dogs met on arrival
at Auckland Airport are beagles. They always look so innocent ; ).
They practice that look every morning, Janice
I'm serious. I've caught Charlie standing in front of the mirror changing her facial expressions and I have deciphered what each one is meant to express. At first I thought it was funny until one morning as I watched her leave the bedroom and then Abby went in and did the same thing.......
Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.
It must be wonderful to be in the company of such
entertaining creatures all day.
Bombus vosnesenskii
Good morning and thanks.
Nice gift on the deck yesterday morning.Yellow-faced Bumble Bee
Pretty sunrise but Diablo winds are back, nerve wracking
Hula Diesel and a trimmer with tree spirit. Merry Mary!
Volunteers of America
From left to right: Jefferson, Beauregard, Sessions, and III is the little runt pronounced Third, or Her Thirdness.
"Normally" they would get girly names but the zeitgeist said to pay respects. It makes me LOL because I cannot pronounce Beauregard worth beans, it is like a tongue twister. Am I the only one who talks to plants? It seems so natural, like they can hear me so why not. Live long and prosper.
Digital camera is an ancient Kodak EasyShare something or other. Still using the same 1GB SD, cheers PNY. I use gwenview to convert and resize photos, another cool app that comes on my Slackware Linux DVD. Praise Bob!
peace
@eyo, you are too much!! A good laugh is always
great medicine. How bad are the wildfires out your way?
Rec'd for the great thread and pics!!
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
No wildfires up north
thanks. How do southerners say it, like bow-regard? I cannot say iron either, it is the strangest thing. Eye-ron is as close as it gets. lol
Dry, gusty winds expected for weekend trigger red flag warning in Sonoma County
not normal is new normal
Hi eyo
Nice mixture of salad and herbs you have growing there.
Talk away. Those plants are also talking to each other, but I think you'd need to grow roots to get their messages.
Thanks for your photos and light hearted humour. Stay safe over there.
c99 members are an accretion, a mineral in agate
I am overwhelmed by the responses to anything, latest being native's death. We are a jewel. TY JtC and Joe for maintaining humanity.
Rockhound here. Crystals are the result of cooperation.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Beautiful morning here
in Oceanside, Cali.
Left the desert two days ago, Ansa-Borrego State Park
Inspiration Wash.
Desert art. With baby on back.
Appears to go under road.
Dozens of them all over the desert.
Spent an entire day driving around looking for them. Only seen half.
Cholla cactus in Joshua "don't say climate change" Tree National Park.
Flowering.
In memory of native.
Thanks for the opportunity to post janis b.
Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.
Thank you for the photos, earthling.
The desert is such a mysterious place. It makes me wonder how anything but rock survives. I admire the tenacity of the plant and animal life that exist there.