2 Things Challenge: Flimsy/Solid

The 2 Things Challenge this week was Flimsy/Solid.  This photographic concoction is the reflection of the forest in the rocky shallows of one of the many ponds around Mt. Katahdin in Maine.  In the center of the image the rocks look pretty solid and the reflection looks very flimsy, whereas on the edges, the rocks themselves look flimsy, almost floating, and the reflection looks more solid, albeit upside down as lake reflections tend to be. 

Fire Behind the Woods

93,000,000 miles behind the woods.

2 Things Challenge: Carve/Curve

One winter a few years ago, I decided to carve a facsimile of our dog's head on the top of a cedar branch I was making into a walking stick for my wife.  Curves?  Yeah, lot's of them.

Double Frozen

Water Frozen in January

Water Frozen in September

I'd choose September, if I only could.

2 Things Challenge: Paint/Corner

The 2 Things Challenge for this week is: Paint/Corner.

Columbiana is a small town, supposedly one of the best, that is proud of its history and heritage and they try hard to maintain that small town charm, even though it is the county seat of the fastest growing county in Alabama.  Most of that growth is in the northern part of the county, which is directly adjacent to Birmingham and its immediate suburbs.  As part of preserving that heritage, at least two of the old advertising murals on the sides of the buildings have been restored.  This one was painted on the corner of Main and West College Streets.  (No, Columbiana is not the home of a college; the college refers to the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama, also in Shelby County, but further west on this same road.)  The store has long since closed and the price of a Coca Cola, even a small one, has gone up considerably.

Columbiana Ice

What's this?

It's the ice that formed on the outside mirror of my truck last Sunday night.

They got more ice south of us in Montgomery.  They got snow north of us above Birmingham.  We only got about one eighth of an inch, and the roads were clear, except for the bridges.

I didn't go anywhere on Monday, though, except outside with the camera.

The deck was very treacherous to walk on, so I didn't.  There were a few shots worth taking, mostly close ups though.

Icicles hanging from the truck mirror.

Cracked looking ice on a twig.

Slowly melting Monday.

A stragler leaf on an Oak Mountain Oak Leaf Hydrangea, about to give up the drop.

Incoming!

  The birds were swarming the feeders.  Goldfinches.  Purple Finches.

Doves and sparrows cleaning up the spillage.

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head!

Cardinals everywhere.  Other types too, just no pictures posted today.

Raptors in the Yard

As I meandered near the tall grass and weeds, camera in hand, I nearly stepped on this guy.  I had not seen him and he startled me as he flew off to perch on this tree.  I crept back to the house to get the 300 and tried to sneak as close as I could.  He posed for a couple, but I just can't hand hold the 300, even in pretty good light, and there was nothing to lean against, so it's not as sharp as I would like.  Plus it's cropped from the camera to about 1/4 of the original frame to get a decent composition.  I have a hard time identifying hawks, even with a still photo and Sibley's Guide to Birds in hand, but I'm pretty sure this is a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk.

2 Things Challenge: Coffee/Tea

Coffee: Hot water with an attitude.

Earl Grey Tea: Hot water with a mellow mood.

This coffee mug sat around my office for many years and was used to drink a lot of coffee.  I still drink many of my morning cups of coffee from it, but occasionally it's used for a slightly smoother beverage.