Mowing

So, you know that feeling of having to do something all the time? Like, if I sit too long at home I start to look around and see laundry, dishes, dust, etc....That's why I love vacation so much. I can relax without worrying about everything I'm not doing...Anyway, I decided today, that I'd do something outside and it might not feel so much like work and besides, the lawn needed mowing anyway and Max needed walking. So Emily and Carter walked Max for a 1/2 an hour while I mowed the lawn. He's afraid of the mower and I needed his cable out of the way so I could mow. Casey played on the porch with our neighbor girl.

Back to my story...As I went around the back of the house I noticed  a hummingbird moth on my flox. I thought "Cool, I should try and take a picture." Since he didn't seem to be bothered by the mower I went around to the front of the house and grabbed my camera while helping Casey get into his swim trunks. Lo and behold, he was still there when I mowed around the back again. So I stopped to take some pictures. He stayed so long I was able to play with  ISO settings and WB settings. Fun!! I like this first pic where his wings look like ghosts they are moving so fast and I like the others where I caught the wings at a stand still and you can see the colors. Check out his long tongue too!!! I took close to 100 pics of one little moth!! And it was in town by my own house! Cool!

The last picture is Casey and our neighbor girl waiting patiently for me to be done and help them get into the pool in our yard.

Ahh Summer!!

Fun with my Camera

Here are some nice nature images to soak up and enjoy...

I apparently like bees....


I tried to catch a goldfinch. They were all over, but didn't like me much no matter how still I stood in the middle of the garden getting stickleburs? all over me....This was all I could get with my telephoto lens on.
I think this one is awesome!! I am really enjoying my new camera. I do need to take some time and learn more and definitely practice more, but I think I'm getting some cool shots so far...

Cool Nature Shots

After Casey's accident, I didn't go back to work for about a week. And even now, I'm not working all of my hours to be able to stay home with him. I love my job for that flexibility! I've enjoyed my time with Casey despite the cast.
Anyway, on that first day back to work, I noticed ditches full of sparkling spider webs. Hundreds of them. It was sooo cool! Do you think I had the sense of mind to have my camera with me that day. NOOO. Ever since, I pack my camera bag every morning in search of the elusive spider webs. I think either a) I imagined it, b)they cut the weeds in the ditches, or c)somehow the spiders got wind that I wanted a picture and they high tailed it out of there!!! I'm guessing c). That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Last Sunday, Emily, Casey and I took a 2 hour walk on our bike trail that weaves through a very nice state/county park here in town. Actually, I walked and pulled the wagon, Emily rollerbladed and Casey fussed he itched and wanted to go home until he fell asleep. Still, we had a nice time. I took my camera with me, never to be without it again, and happed to see some spider webs in the trees. They are not they same. They aren't all sparkly with the morning sun and dew, but they are spiderwebs. And they are surprisingly hard to photograph. Here are my attempts and a few other fun nature shots.

I had never seen bright orange mushrooms before...
These tall tall trees reminded me of vacation...
My children are my joy...
Again, orange mushrooms????...