Arizona Sunset

This was taken just outside of Phoenix, AZ.

One more from under the sea

The honu, Hawaiian for turtle. They make swimming in the ocean look effortless, which for an old man like myself is not so effortless!

More form the waters around Maui, Hawaii

Lurking in the Shadows

This was taken in the waters off the island of Maui during a scuba diving trip.

Another random Hawaii picture

View of Diamond Head Crater and Waikiki from Punchbowl Crater.

A little more color

I took a little walk the other day between the downpours of rain and came across this bright tree. I zoomed in just to fill the frame with the leaves and this is what I got. Bright, bright colors. I wasn't wearing the right camouflage for this time of year, now that I think about it, one of my hawaiian shirts might have worked just fine!

Random Hawaii Picture

I haven't taken any pictures to speek of in the last little while, at least nothing good enough to post here, so I picked this random Hawaii picture for today's post.

This is a picture from the "Valley of the Temples Memorial Park" on Oahu which you have to go through to get to the "Byodo-in Temple".

Changing of the colors

It won't be long before everything is brown from the cold or covered in white from snow. All of the leaves are starting to "drop like leaves" around here! LOL

Just before the frost

I took this photo about a week ago before our first heavy frost hit. These sunflowers got planted late by one of our neighbors and I didn't really think they would get bloomed before the first frost but they bloomed and were ready just about a week before the frost. Some people just have really good luck!

Two more views from Quatse Lake

I took these two pictures several years ago up at Quatse Lake one still winter morning. Though I have never gottten around to it I intend one day to print the two and put them in one of those frames that takes two pictures.

Picking up the left overs

I guess I'm stuck in bird mode. I came across these birds feeding on the left overs of a soy bean field that had just been harvested. I don't know what kind of birds they are but they look like they belong around the water. Since it has been raining every week for the last several months the soy bean field had water in it so I guess they had the best of both worlds.

Another couple fallish pictures

Both of these pictures are of Quatse Lake on different days. Both are unmodified, as shot out of the camera. Now I just have to remember how I did the bottom picture...

One Ugly Bird

I'm not sure what the ornothological name for this bird is but around here we call them "turkey buzzards". They will each just about anything.

More fall colours

Had fun with this shot... If I took it one way the clouds were highlighted out and the other way and the foreground was almost black. So I cranked the "Active D Lighting" (Nikons built in HDR function) to Extra High and retook the picture, then using the post processing in camera editing I again applied the "D Lighting" function and was able to get a well light foreground and still see the clouds.

Now I just have to find a nice bit of scenery to take pictures of and quit playing around with all the buttons and dials on the camera °~° LOL

Fall Colors

It's not quite cold cold here yet. It is getting into the 30's at night and back into the 60's during the day but that is enough to get the fall colors coming out on the maple trees. This one is in the middle of a golf course. I'm sure some worker isn't enjoying the colors as much since they have to clean up the leaves!

Back to normal...

Leaves blowing out of the trees on road to Quatse Lake

Looking south through Quatsino Narrows

Well that's it, for sure Summer is over and Winter is knocking loudly on the door. Can't complain though it was one heck of a long sunny Summer, for sure we are going to get punished for all that nice weather... LOL

Photos are back! Spooky digs

Sometimes I think people have waaaaay too much time on their hands! LOL

I came across this house in a little town in Kansas. Normally I'm not too impressed with halloween decorations however these people seemed to do a pretty decent job of spooky without being overly cheesy. I can see where the small kids would like to get candy from this house.

If there's chocolate involved I might even stop by this house!

Trying to put up pictures

For what ever reason this blog is having problems getting to the screen that allows one to post pictures allong with the text in each new post.

So todays post is about blog posts without pictures... Humm kind of boring...

Fly by night

It took a number of shots and a bunch of fiddling around with shutter speeds and f stops to finally come up with this picture.

Though the real trick I found was keeping the camera aimed and moving at the same speed as the subject for the second or two that the shutter is open!

Stalking the wildlife

Sometimes the camouflage works and sometimes it doesn't. I think I got spotted when I pushed the shutter release.

Daddy long legs

Don't know if you have these where you come from... Around here they go by several names. Daddy long legs, Cedar spiders and Cave spiders that I know of. Fortunately they are completely harmless.

Rare that you would ever see them ever grouped together like this. I put the penny down beside the one to give an idea of scale.

Excuse me while I squirm and scratch a bit, I'm not so good with spiders at the best of times...

Sedona, Arizona

The hills are alive with color, or is that the sound of music? Either way, if you get a chance to get to Sedona, AZ, don't pass it up. The mountains around the area are terrific and photo opportunities are everywhere.

Life immitation art...

Or is it art immitating life? Anyway here are two pictures I took, top one is of the Pali Valley the bottom one is a painting of the Pali Valley that was hanging in the hallway of the place we were staying in Waikiki.

What you find in the water

I took this photo at the Maui Ocean Center on Maui (of course). I'm not sure I would like running into one of these while swimming in the ocean though.

Hanauma Bay

Another picture from paradise... Dosn't make me want to be there at all!

Blue & White

This photo is untouched other than resizing and labeling. The water around the Hawaiian Islands is just about as good as it gets. Never past up a chance to go if you get it. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Another glimpse of paradise

Took this picture up the leaward shore (NW side) of Oahu. Very few tourists venture up here, the locals like to keep this area to themselves and I can see why!

Heading south, to a beach near you

These geese flew over my house heading south just yesterday. I happened to be walking to the car with my camera to go to a job when they flew by and took a couple of shots.

The beach shot is from Maui, I just can't stop thinking about that place!

I'd rather be sailing...

Last couple of mornings I have had to scrape frost off the windshield, the birds are heading south and the days are getting noticibly shorter... One consolation I probably won't have to mow the lawn again until next April! Oh well what can you do? Guess I'll just have to win the lottery and buy a tropical island... LOL

Drive By Shooting

This one is just a little blurry on the edges but I was doing about 75 miles an hour when I took it. I was on my way to a job one morning and saw the fog with the trees and cows but didn't think I had time to stop and take photos so I put down the window, grabbed the camera and took a few shots while I was driving with my knees.

I don't think they recommend this in the driver training manual but sometimes you just have to multi-task!

Puff Ball Mushrooms

Took these pictures this very morning...

This is an interesting type of mushroom that grows here on the West Coast. I don't know the proper name as I have always heard them called Puff Balls. If you stomp on them they pop and release a small cloud of greenish yellow spores.

One of the local slugs, obviously a connoiseur of these Puff Ball Mushrooms.

Fishing at Black Point

Found this fellow fishing at Black Point on Oahu last visit there. I got the impression just by watching him that he had been fishing at this location before... I know if that were me I'd probably get myself drowned!

If you want really fresh food...............

Food, one of my favorite topics!! This is another shot taken in the waters off Maui. Now all I need is a cow and I'm set for some surf and turf!

Some of the best food!

When visiting Oahu some of the best food is found in out of the way hole in the wall places like this and where you see the locals eating! Though the only way to find out is to be adventerous and try, more often than not you will be happy you did.

The headless tree?

It's officially October and halloween is coming. Although this photo isn't of a great subject when I saw this tree in the mountains of Oklahoma I just had to take a photo. It reminded me of a man standing with his arms up and his head gone. Maybe I should take a pumpkin with me next time and give him a head!