Snowstorm Number 2..........

We are again in the grips of old man winter.  School was cancelled on Wednesday with all the snow and the wind did pick up to gusts of 40 mph.  My neighbor's tree above had beautiful Christmas lights on it but I didn't really know that they had decorations on it.  I zoomed in on the tree to show the snow on its branches and there they are shiny and colorful.

We now have clean fresh white snow to enjoy for a while.  The temps will drop to way below freezing for two more nights.

Hot Blooms........

The amaryllis is putting out a lot of color.  It was a surprise to see these full red blooms when the box show blooms white with pink markings. We would have been glad to get either color.

Outside Shots........

I see compostions as I walk around outside.  Sometimes they don't make sense and yet the art of photography can be on the strength of design and composition rather just making a photographic record.

So here is a photographic record of the front side of the picture shown above today. The blue gate is about all that is very cheery in the winter landscape of Iowa.

The First Capture.....of the Winter.

The camera barely caught it and I was snapping it through the window.  Photoshop lets me take off the glass effects with autocontrast.  He is the same guy that I see in the juniper bushes eating on the blue berries.  We had three pair of these cardinals two winters ago but only one pair is around now.  They are the two that raised three young ones and then had one other later in the summer.

Waiting for Freezing Rain........

I was out on Saturday and took a few shots.  There is not much out there that has much beauty.  I did find some interesting compositions.

Winter Blues......

It isn't spring when you look at these blooms but it does remind me that there are plants that are dormant outside that might bloom again some year.  Warming up enough to cause freezing rain conditions early Sunday morning.

Got 'em.........

How many shots does it take to get a fish in focus with my camera?  Hundreds, well not that many but out of a dozen I finally captured the calico fan tailed fish. I was working on the computer and glanced over to the crowd of three. The other two are out of focus as they can't all three hold still at the same time.  He was such a little guy when I bought him a couple of years ago and now he is decorating my world.