Guest Photographer Diane Hale Smith; A Study in Scarlet
Red. Blood red. Fire engine red. Crimson. That’s what hummingbirds like. These magnificent little birds are drawn to the color red like iron is drawn to a magnet, cats to catnip, humans to chocolate. Where I used to work, there was a bright red fire extinguisher bolted next to one of the doors, and sometimes when we left the door propped open, a hummingbird would fly in and spend quite a lot of time trying to suck nectar from the tube-shaped nozzle. I once made the mistake of wearing a red t-shirt on a hike—this was in Arizona—and I was constantly buzzed by hummers, going ZZZZZZZZZZZZ...
Read MoreThe Road Not Taken
Driving home from central New York, and I try to get on the NYS Thruway at exit 32, about halfway between Albany and Buffalo. Hm. There’s a huge line of traffic getting on the Thruway. I’ve often spent time waiting to get off the highway, but never getting on to it. When I finally get to the tollbooth, turns out there’s an accident eastbound, and the Thruway is closed. (Seems as though they could put up a sign or something, but never mind, it’s too hot to quibble. Just be glad you’re not the one in the accident.) So, muttering under my breath, I get out the map...
Read MoreMagnificent Clouds
Five minutes before this picture: sun and blue skies. Five minutes after this picture: hailstones banging on the roof.
Read MoreSpring Moon
Thanks to Diane Hale Smith for this beautiful moon collage. It was taken last month, when the moon and the clouds were playing hide and seek all night.
Read MoreCinnamon Fern: Summer Plumes
Cinnamon Fern. Osmundastrum cinnamomeum. (At least that’s the Latin name as of the moment, they seem to keep on changing names and reclassifying plants more often than I change my socks.) Many thanks to Frank Knight for this lovely photo–what a nice birthday present! Delicious as it looks, the brown stuff isn’t really cinnamon, of course. In fern-speak, the fuzzy brown stalks are called fertile fronds–leaves whose function is to help the plant reproduce. The fertile fronds grow sori, which are containers for dust-like brown spores. The green leaves are called sterile...
Read MoreEarth Day
Stand up for the Earth! “Green” isn’t very much in the news these days, and other–very worthy–causes grab more headlines. But stay green. Even if you’re the lonely voice in the crowd, keep on telling people–we need to care for our planet. Thanks to Wells Horton for this wonderful photo. http://wells-horton.smugmug.com/
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