Picture-A-Week 2022 - Week 30

[pierces]

Pictures taken between Monday, July 25 and Sunday, July 31.

 

Last week of July, 2022!

Sounds like a good reason to take some photos. 

 

Rules: See above

That's it. This isn't a contest.

All photos taken this week are welcome (not just cruising).

Prizes will not be awarded. Discovering the joy of photography is the prize.

The idea is to get folks out using their cameras for more than vacations and toddler birthdays.

Post one. Post many. Up to you.

Have fun with your camera and share your fun with others!

[ski ww]

Tall ships in Midland ON.

 

[pierces]

The last two years have been a seemingly never-ending series of home improvement projects. With some located in the back yard or inside, the location of tools and leftover bits of hardware have had no definite home. The result is that over time, clutter has multiplied like a remake of the Trouble with Tribbles Star Trek episode. With projects still in process, there’s no time to stop and sort it all out. If only to cut down on the time spent looking for a specific tool I “put away” in one of four possible “storage” areas after the last use, I have resorted to a baby steps method where I organize one thing at the start of the weekend project cycle. I fear the baby steps will be in their teens by the time I’m done.

 

Baby Steps

 

 

 

 

Dave

Edited July 31, 2022 by pierces

[zackiedawg]

Lovely day at the wetlands - despite the heat and humidity.  Very few people willing to deal with the heat out there in the swamps, so I have it mostly to myself and the animals don't seem threatened by a single person.  This means I can get some pretty tight closeups sometimes!

 

A pig frog, looking up out of the duckweed covered water:

 

I happened upon a 'bee ball' in the pine scrub forest - this typically occurs when a hive becomes too crowded and the original queen moves out - most of the workers follow her, and when she lands somewhere, they surround and protect her.  Temporarily homeless, the scout bees will head out looking for a new spot to build a new hive...then will let the group know where to go and they'll settle the queen in and build a new home:

 

This lovely double-crested cormorant was enjoying the rail of the boardwalk and couldn't bother to move when I walked by just 2 feet away...I love their eyes:

 

And a few hundred feet farther down the boardwalk over the main lake, this black-bellied whistling duck had the same attitude, finding me to be no threat worth moving for:

 

An Egyptian goose wandering along the levee:

 

Also barely visible right at the edge of the levee, a row of black-bellied whistling ducklings were walking in a row behind their parents:

 

A juvenile black-necked stilt, only recently free from its parents, was out exploring the wetlands on its own - wandering past this large and gaudy roseate spoonbill:

 

A cattle egret mom, raising her plume after having a near-wrestling match with her two chicks - both grabbed and pecked at her hoping she had some food to deliver when she came back to the nest, and she finally got away for a break:

[pengu1n]

The Missouri Conservation Department plants fields of sunflowers. It becomes a popular place to take photos!

 

 

Edited August 1, 2022 by pengu1n

[tommui987]

14 hours ago, zackiedawg said:

Lovely day at the wetlands - despite the heat and humidity.  Very few people willing to deal with the heat out there in the swamps, so I have it mostly to myself and the animals don't seem threatened by a single person.  This means I can get some pretty tight closeups sometimes!

 

A pig frog, looking up out of the duckweed covered water:

 

I happened upon a 'bee ball' in the pine scrub forest - this typically occurs when a hive becomes too crowded and the original queen moves out - most of the workers follow her, and when she lands somewhere, they surround and protect her.  Temporarily homeless, the scout bees will head out looking for a new spot to build a new hive...then will let the group know where to go and they'll settle the queen in and build a new home:

 

This lovely double-crested cormorant was enjoying the rail of the boardwalk and couldn't bother to move when I walked by just 2 feet away...I love their eyes:

 

And a few hundred feet farther down the boardwalk over the main lake, this black-bellied whistling duck had the same attitude, finding me to be no threat worth moving for:

 

An Egyptian goose wandering along the levee:

 

Also barely visible right at the edge of the levee, a row of black-bellied whistling ducklings were walking in a row behind their parents:

 

A juvenile black-necked stilt, only recently free from its parents, was out exploring the wetlands on its own - wandering past this large and gaudy roseate spoonbill:

 

A cattle egret mom, raising her plume after having a near-wrestling match with her two chicks - both grabbed and pecked at her hoping she had some food to deliver when she came back to the nest, and she finally got away for a break:

 

[tommui987]

Zackiiedawg

 

The “bee ball” shot - fascinating!

[zackiedawg]

3 hours ago, tommui987 said:

Zackiiedawg

 

The “bee ball” shot - fascinating!

Thank you - it's very cool when they do that - usually just after or just before a swarm.  I've had two other occasions like this - about 7 years ago I encountered a bee ball like this, though even larger, on a walking trail near my house:

 

The other occasion was considerably more unnerving - I was walking when I heard a droning buzzing sound in the air from behind me - when I turned to see what it was, I was facing a swarm of bees that looked like a cloud just a few feet away and headed right at me.  I could do nothing except stand very still and hunch over, covering my face with my hands...5-8 seconds later, though it felt a lot longer, the cloud moved on past...not a single sting or even a bump (I guess they're pretty goo at flying around objects).  It's said that when they're in transit and following a queen, they are extremely unlikely to sting as their mission is to follow her and watch over her...as long as she doesn't land on you, you should be fine...if she lands on you...you might become the bee ball!

[Docker123]

Fort Gellibrand is on the shoreline in my suburb, Williamstown. It was one of a series of forts built during the Crimean War in case of Russian attack (1860s--). Over some years it was equipped with cannon and associated works. A little still left, with some renovations in recent years.

 

Photos from outside the fence as it is still a reserve regiment headquarters, so no normal entry.

 

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

From our family room door and next to our patio, here was a visitor a week ago.  We live in a wooded ravine area in Central Ohio and receive many deer visitors.  BUT, few have this nice of a rack.  Agree?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Not quite like being in Alaska, but for the middle of the city, this deer visitor looked cute and interesting.  But, they eat up our hosta, etc.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see this visual larger/better!)

[TLCOhio]

For those in Midwest and/or those who are roller coaster fans, you might have heard of Cedar Point.  It is located, charmingly, right on Lake Erie with a beach where later-to-be famed football legend Knute Rockne was a summer life guard in 1913.  There, Rockne worked to perfect the forward passing concept that he would use to win three National Championship at Notre Dame.  

 

Cedar Point is known as the Roller Coaster Capital of the World.  They have several of the top-rated, most-intense thrill rides.  Last week, we were there with our son and two grandsons, ages ten and nearly twelve.  I rode eight of the thrill rides, but our younger families did many, many, many more.  There were limits as to how many twists and turns, upside down experiences, etc., that my aged body and brain could sustain.  

 

Yes, it was fun and we had a perfect weather day.  Much less crowded and not as hot, hot as we experienced in early May doing a week for our 50th Wedding Celebration with the whole family, including two grandsons, at Disney World and Universal Studios in Central Florida.

 

Cedar Point goes back to 1870 when visitors from Detroit, Cleveland, etc., would ride on steamships to visit this resort location.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 244,710 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

From Cedar Point on Lake Erie, here is a small sample of the high-intensity rides, a special parade to celebrate their 150th anniversary and their old-fashioned, coal-fired steam locomotive.  Look like fun?:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

At night at Cedar Point, there are different visuals as certain rides such as the ferris wheel are uniquely lighted, plus the twists and turns of rides as a the sun sets.  Like?:

The next morning from Sandusky looking across the Bay, here is the view showing just a few of the mega roller coasters and high-intensity rides that rise up more than 200' in the air.: