okay...a few more

We went snowshoeing again.  This time up the mtn!  What fun...  Then we drove out some of the roads and saw a few golden eagles!

Some last photos of 2012

While I may still shoot between now and the new year, I have already set up my 2013 project.  Once again, I'll be doing a 52 week.  This year, however, I'll be using the Nikon Cafe Collective Shoot themes as my guide.  I shoot what-ever the theme of the week is.  I'll post those (and most likely lots of other shots at my next blog:  5-byphotos-2013.blogspot.com   Hope to see you there!

A shot from Thursday overlooking Vegas:

Mark and I went snow-shoeing today on Antelope Island.  No wildlife (a bit disappointing), but wonderful time...

More owls!

Merry Christmas.  Mark and I went to Salt Creek Waterfowl Reserve and Bear River Bird Refuge today.  Got to see lots of owls!

Barn Owl:

Not sure what he is...

Short eared (w/ dinner)

Another Barn Owl...just after stretching his wing he poked his head into the snow and flew away with the mouse!

It was great...we even has some pictures of what I thought was a harrier on a post, only to find out it was another owl.  We probably saw a good dozen all-together.

okay, so I'm posting again

We went to Antelope Island...sure enough my owl was sitting in his normal spot and the female in hers...

We then went for a hike...this is a bit overdone, but I kinda like the effect

Bear River 21 Dec 12

So on the Winter Solstice and the day the world is predicted to end we (Mark is here!) went to Bear River Bird Refuge.  We saw lots of cool birds (and some coots...)

Mark had control of the camera for the shots of the bald eagles:

We saw a short-eared owl sitting on the side of the road, this was the best we could do.

Not quite able to id this guy.  He was real close to the car, but I put the camera down to admire him when he flew away.  Oh-well.

Again, not sure why the herons are still here.  Was a bit amusing watching them take off from ice.

We also saw lots of harriers, a pheasant, many different types of ducks and some rough legged hawks.  Afterwards, Mark got re-qual'd to fly!

2 more weeks

Can you believe that we only have 2 more weeks left in 2012!

All of these were taken with 50mm lens, no cropping (yes, I was that close to the bison!).  I did some pano-stitching on the last one.  Interestingly enough:  I brought one of my panos (the bison in the snow back in Nov) to the printer today and was told that I could get a 72x12 print with great resolution!  Think about that...a six foot long print.  WOW!

Too much fun...

I'm having way too much fun with post-processing this week...

today's shot

Another angle

This hdr is cool stuff!

Sunset

I got to hike to the trail this afternoon for sunset.

This is actually a merge of 3 photos using high-dynamic range (HDR) software.  I may have to invest!

peppy

Wow, this project reminds my why I'm not doing a 365 this year...it's tough when you are in the office before sunrise and leave after sunset...

I'm really liking the results from this old lens of mine...takes practice on the manual focus, but gives good results!

Week 50 Project

My Nikon group is doing a week 50 challenge...a picture a day using a 50mm lens (or there-abouts).  I have a 50mm manual focus from when I first started this hobby back in the 80's...so I'm using it.  Talk about fun.  I keep forgetting that I have to focus and set the aperture (it will meter on my camera, but only set the shutter speed from camera body).

Day 1/2

Maya (neighbors dog)

Butternut Squash Soup

LDS Temple Downtown SLC

Every year the SLC Temple and grounds are strung with thousands (if not millions) of LED lights.

Bonus

Here's last night's dinner:  beet and dandelion green frittata...with kale salad.

Gluttony

homemade pork cheek ragu and pappardelle...yum!

Too little time on my hands...

Sorry, the holiday took precedent over pictures...

15 Nov:  Chocolate orchid decided to re-bloom!  Just under two years since we got it (and it was promptly taken out by Peppy).  The one stem has about 20 flowers on it and there are two more stems that haven't even started opening.  I can't wait!

25 Nov:  Last day visiting Mark in Dayton and it was too cold to do anything outside, so Mark taught me to play backgammon...then promptly kicked my butt!

30 Nov:  Some of my orchids....these were acquired at the show back in early Nov.  The Paphiopedilum just opened this week.  It's been neat to watch his side lobes come up and curl like they did.

Rita gave me these teacups a while back.  Now it's a orchid pot!

Antelope Island

It was cold today, but I needed to get out of the house, so what better place to go, then Antelope Island....

No cropping on this guy, he was right alongside of the road, I just rolled down the passenger window:

This guy was also right next to the road...

Panoramic of the bison on the hill...

This guy was next to the road (do you sense a theme with the wildlife today????

Looking east as the sun was slowly fading