More yard art

I believe Parker threw down the guantlet with a challenge for yard art photos. This one is from the same little town as the Preying Mantis. It sits at the entrance to a very nice edition of homes at the base of a small moutain. The artist who made this statue made several for places all over the country before his death last year.

PREYing !

In Medicine Park, OK. yard art is very active competition! These folks know how to put on a show!

Highly detailed and painted, this rendition of a Praying Mantis in Jurassic proportions is an eye-catcher and makes your lense smile!

( I've heard that the Roving Reporter of The Mountain Gazette has a few pics from a drive by" Photo on the Fly " adventure that he and Nana made of several more " yard art examples " )

Lonely Photographer!

I took this shot in a cold morning, after an hour hike from our camp site. I don't understand why this photographer have to stand in the freezing water to take the shot in wide open area like this. I guess he or she calculated the angle aspec then decided to stand in the water instead. If that is the case, I need to learn something new from this person.

BULL CANYON HIKE

Enjoyed a nice hike last summer while camped at Copper Breaks State Park. Nothing like exploring places I have never been!
Normally a two hour trek at best, somehow I managed to spend five hours dawdling around.

The hike starts at a high hill on the east side of Bull Canyon. This canyon follows a south easterly course before joining with the Pease River. Untold years of erosion has formed this canyon and the higher ground containing it.

Copper was mined and processed here in the early days. Is this an outcropping? Showings of this green cast material were evident and numerous on the hike down into and coming out of the canyon.

Views from the east and west canyon rims covers alot of scenery! The Pease River which flows below the low hills on the southern horizon, plays a large part in the Indian history of Texas and Oklahoma.


A remote and out of the way place to visit. Just my kind of place!!!

Staying with the theme

I took this one a few months ago when the water level of one of the lakes out here was "low" and the birds were looking for fish.

"Ardea Herodias" (Great Blue Heron)

Not so easy to get a good picture of these birds as they are quite shy and will fly away squalking loudly if they suspect you are stalking them with a camera.

I borrowed the NG style frame from Q for this picture. Just need to add a title and whatnot and you have a magizine cover!

Sledding turned photo oppurtunity!

With the recent snow storm that we had I decide to take my son sledding at our local lakes dam. After 15 to 20 trips to the top and being totally worn out we decide to leave.

After packing everything in the truck I walked down the spillway and much to my suprise found this sandhill crane using the outlet walls as a wind break. I spooked him and he took to the air, luckily I had brought along the camera and had it at the ready.

The leftovers

I went for what I thought was going to be an easy, short hike the other day. It turned out my hiking partner isn't good at judging distances or knowing the meaning of "easy". After walking for two miles we had to climb up and over a small mountain to finally get to where we wanted to be. I was told this was the "easy" way to get to where we were going. I guess I should be glad we went the "easy" way! By the end of the day I thought I might end up like this elk skull.

I came across the elk antler on the far side of the mountain and the small elk skull was on the near side of the mountain.

As you can tell, I haven't been out taking many photos. I missed my chance and one of the best sunsets ever a couple of weeks ago because I was in town without my camera. I'ts starting to warm up again and I'm feeling the need to get out and shoot. I may have to put off some of my other hiking activities on hold just to take some photos.

POINTED SUBJECT

FULLY ARMED PAD of A PRICKLY PEAR


Taken at Copper Breaks State Park in Texas, while visiting last summer.

Eh? What's that again!

Been having problems with the Sigma 120 400 focusing properly on a consistant basis so I asked this eagle if I could use him as a test subject but he was so far up that he couldn't hear me... LOL

From what I read on the internet there are a number of these lenses with focus issues... Lucky me I bought one of em. Fortunately the Sigma comes with a 10 year warranty in Canada.

Somewhere in Utah!

These are the pictures that from my previous trip in couple months ago. I forgot to do voice recording for these picture, so I'm not sure the exactly location. I think it's time to invest in a GPS for my camera.

I'm going back school now to get my degree in Network Administrator. I feel such out of place being a college student again. Since, I'm busy with the school, and other things in my life, I'm not sure when is my next photography expeditions. Therefore, I'm going to try to dig out some of my old photos, and work on it.

Elvis has left the building

I ran across this guy in the special use area on Sunday. I was told his hair-do is a limited edition so to speak. These are known as "Elvis Bulls" just because of the way the hair stands up. There are only about 18 out of 600 buffalo on the refuge that have this "do".

Shooting eagles

I was able to get onto the Special Use area of the refuge yesterday, this is an area that is normally closed off to the public, and I went for the express purpose of taking photos of eagles. They migrate here for the months of December through February and then they head back north.

I know Paul is laughing at my photo of these eagles but this is as close as I could get all afternoon. And this was taken with the Sigma 150-500mm at 500mm! I only saw four eagles as it was and two of those were young, immature eagles that hadn't gotten their white feathers yet.

Since I couldn't get any closer to the eagles I had to resort to taking a photo of the moon. It cooperated more than the eagles!

Wet lens... No problem!

I took some fellows out on the landing craft today to do a video inspection on an underwater pipeline. Normally they have to carry all the equipment in their truck down to a boat before they can use it. They were totally thrilled that they could put their truck right on my boat and work from there!

Yosemite National Park

Both pictures is on same location, but I have to walked about 100 yrd. in 2 ft. of snow to get the shoot in first picture. Also, I setup the tripod on the flowing water, and trying to balance myself on two small rocks. Then got lost on my way back to my car, I thought for a moment that if I don't make it back to the car, I'm going to be in the TV series "I shouldn't be alive".

Green Power

I took this shoot on our way to the LAX airport on our return trip to Dallas.

Puppy and a knot hole...

Chew, chew, chew

Sniff, sniff, sniff

Hum? What!

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Oh to be young!

BEHIND THE DAM

OVERHOLSER DAM on a warm December Day. Lots of activities take place behind the Dam.

Fishing for the Rough Fish is enjoyed by some.

Our Feathered Friends enjoy basking in the warmth of the Sun.

It's cold outside!

Well the cold finally got here. It's too cold to go hiking so I thought I would get out and take some photos but then I decided it was too cold for that too! I was checking the lake near my house yesterday and all I had was the point and shoot with me but I decided I needed to take a photo, any photo, before I forgot how.

This one should be entitled "Blind Man Shoots". While at the lake I saw a duck coming in for a landing on the lake. All I had was the Nikon S8100 and he was a ways off. I wasn't wearing my glasses and the sun was glaring off of the screen so I couldn't see anything on the point and shoot so I literally pointed and shot. I was surprised the duck was even in the photo much less that I caught him while he was landing. Now I am going to go back with the "real" camera and see if I can do a little better. Maybe I'll close my eyes next time! LOL

Wet & Dry!

Happy New Year Everyone!

NEW DOORS

Across the river from Fort Reno , North, is the location of the Indian Agency of Darlington. Standing on these once Cheyenne and Arapaho grounds is a Chapel built by the Order of The Eastern Star ladies in 1913. Constructed for the Spiritual needs of an orphanage and later serving other functions it lay dormant and almost became a total ruin. Thankfully, Redlands Community College located in El Reno, Oklahoma now has control of the property.

As this property also has several acres included, grapes have been planted and a course in Wine Making has been introduced. A Winery is located on the immediate grounds adjacent to the Chapel. In the middle of being restored to function as a convention and educational center for the fledgeling, but Robust, wine industry in our Great State.

Located in my Home county of Canadian, how proud I am that this familiar site is being saved. Who would have thought that " Vitaculture" would be the purpose behind these " NEW DOORS "

Just 20 more . . . .

. . . . and I might have a meal.

I found this crawdad in a small pool of water a few months back while out hiking. The water was so clear you could hardly tell it was there. He's under about 4 inches of water.

Spiraling out of control

I came across this tree yesterday that looked like it had been twisted for years, something I am accused of on occasion. I stuck my camera inside the tree and tooks some shots. It took me several to get the center the way I wanted it but that's why I love digital!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!