Uno, Who Escaped with One Intact Tail Feather
Bridger’s Light Brahma hen, who earned the name Uno for sporting a single feather in her tail. Bridger thinks a coyote or a dog tried to grab her by the tail, but she escaped with just the single feather.
Here’s a flashback for you. So, there I sat on the pond bank, stalking the ever wary dragon fly and damsel fly (really, I am not picky, I’ll shoot whichever will light close enough and hold still long enough!), when I turned my head and spotted this guy on a leaf really close to my head. Moving slowly, so as not to scare it off (never had I seen anything resembling this critter), I turned and focused the camera. Voila! French is not my language, so ほら！すごい虫ですねえ。
Wheel Bug - Summer 2011 - Arilus Cristatus
Well, I just called it a prehistoric-looking bug, but my friend Travis did a Google Search and came up with the common name, scientific name, and an article about the beast. It turns out it is a “true bug,” something my Dad had tried to tell me about once – that there were insects that were truly bugs, and insects that were not – a member of the Assassin Bug family. And look there on its proboscis, a little assassinated insect from which it is presumably drinking the juices!
I was so excited to make a new (to me) discovery! And there were wheel bugs all around me, once I started looking. They are really quite a large insect, I don’t know how I never noticed them before. What an absorbing hour of shooting that was 🙂
Teal ducks? A blue heron? That large buck drinking? Something was here. It left as I climbed the pond bank, leaving only the widening ripples as evidence that it had been here. Soon they smoothed out and the pond was once again smooth as glass, reflecting the changing sky as the sun slowly rose.
Sunrise at the Pond on the Back Forty - Winter 2012
Tiger is a very companionable cat, accompanying me on many a photo shoot no matter the weather. He claims to be the true photographer’s assistant, not Buttercup.
Tiger - 2011
Tiger is sure you have noticed that he is also infinitely more photogenic than a mere brindle dog, although he acknowledges that it is occasionally necessary to shoot her, too, if only to assure her protection from coyotes and other dangers. He does consider Buttercup a friend. A useful, large friend. Just not quite as good a photographer’s model as a green-eyed tiger cat.
This thistle plant has attracted my attention all year long, since early spring. I have been fascinated by the textures and shapes… But I have to admit I do not want lots of little, new thistles to spring up all around it next spring!
January Thorns, or The Thistle at the Pond
Yet another flashback photo, again of a dragonfly. I think this is my favorite dragonfly photo! He is nearly camouflaged, but so sharp and clear. You can tell it was early morning, before the dew burned off, which may be why he was not as busily flitting around on dragonfly business as they usually are.
Green Dragonfly - Flashback to Summer 2011
Would you sip clear rainwater from this pristine, white cup? It was larger around than your average coffee mug, although quite shallow.
This January white is not snow
In another flashback to Summer of 2011, we see a perfect jewel of a dragonfly reflecting light off his (her?) faceted wings, its translucent abdomen glowing green, orange, and black. Even at rest it looks in motion with iridescent gleams of light flashing off the far wing.
Dragonfly Arrested - Flashback to Summer 2011
Yep, greenbrier again! Those twirling, organic, twisty shapes of the tendrils capture my attention almost as unfailingly as the thorns ensnare my ankles and clothing.
Each tendril unique
Perpetual motion machines, dragonflies flit around continually hunting and ever wary of those hunting them. It is rare to be able to sneak close enough to catch a living dragonfly in a photo.
Dragonfly Paused - Flashback to Summer 2011
Back Forty 