Tulip Glow

SmugMug Daily Link

I wanted to post one more tulip shot from my visit to Duke Gardens this past Saturday before moving on to pics of something else.  I went back and forth between 3 that I really liked and finally chose this one.  I hope you like it.

Here's the collage I made of my favorite pics of the day.

SmugMug Link

I had a great time on Saturday with Donnie. Looks like the first time I went to Duke Gardens was in 2009 and then at least once each year since. Hoping for more fun trips there in the future.

Heron and Fish

SmugMug Daily Link

This is another shot from my trip to Duke Gardens on Saturday.  After getting the Mandarin Duck shot, I circled back around and Donnie motioned that the Great Blue Heron was posing on the bank of the pond out in plain sight.  Several photographers were lined up taking shots, and this GBH was quite the entertainer. He ate this fish then got another and for some reason tossed that one back.  It was smaller.  Maybe not big enough to eat?  It was exciting because I was maybe 10' from him.  I think he'd have let me walk closer but I didn't want to risk scaring him away.

I am pretty sure this is the same heron I took a picture of back in April of 2009 (see picture below). This guy has no fear and will come quite close to people.

Mandarin Duck at Duke Gardens

SmugMug Daily Link

I was chasing a Great Blue Heron at Duke Gardens when I discovered a group of Mandarin Ducks. There is a fenced in area on the pond where the water fowl can go to eat and have some privacy. Photographers are usually on both ends of the fence and looking under it not to mention across the water to try to catch pictures. This guy posed for me several times, and I was very pleased.

Tulips at Duke Gardens

SmugMug Daily Link

I realized this past week kindof all of a sudden that the tulips were in bloom at Duke Gardens.  We've been working so hard on our house consolidation/move that I wasn't paying much attention.  Donnie and I tried to go Thursday, but we had a wet and chilly day and even if I could have tolerated the weather I wouldn't have gotten any good pictures.  So, we made a date to go yesterday.  There's something so special about spring and flowers that shine in all their glory for only a few short days each spring.  I had the best time and kept telling Donnie that he did great getting me over there.  The boys are with their dad this week, so there were no interruptions.  I got over 300 tulip shots plus a great blue heron with a fish, a gorgeous wood duck, other pretty flowers and birds, and maybe most important of all some shots of us.  I've definitely had my spring fix now although I'm also wondering where the next pretty flower shots will be.

I'll be sharing more Duke Gardens shots this week.  For now, a few of Donnie that I took and really like.

SmugMug Link

SmugMug Link

The Front Porch

SmugMug Daily Link

Taken after a hard day's work hauling boxes from my attic up to Donnie's attic.  The chairs came out of my dad's house.  I had just finished cleaning them up again.  They sat on my uncovered back deck all winter and were yucky.  The only thing missing here was a 'beverage'.  We didn't sit long but hopefully some other day we'll have great temps, no bugs, and time.  Donnie's bluebird house is just off the deck to the right.  They have a half nest and no eggs.  I think the hawks may be scaring them away:-(

Great Blue Heron at Lake Crabtree

SmugMug Daily Link

Well, we didn't make it to Duke Gardens yesterday.  The rain, and I guess some sleet, moved in quick and heavy.  Donnie and I had a picnic lunch with us, so after our appointment, we swung into Lake Crabtree and parked looking out over the water to have our lunch in the car.  I saw a Kingfisher, several types of ducks, and various other birds.  It was calm and lovely.  I took a few pics through the window.  On the way out of the park, I hollered STOP as I saw this heron close-by looking for fish on the docks.  Of course Donnie obliged, and I was able to snap quite a few pics of him.  He was in the snatch a fish pose for a long time but never dove for a fish.  My daily image was captured as he stood up and moved to the other side of the dock.

I've altered the image using Color Efex Pro Detail Enhancer, Eye Bright Action from The CoffeeShop Blog, and Orton filter layter 25% also from The CoffeeShop Blog.

Here's the original cropped to the same size as my daily.

SmugMug Link

These pretty daffodils were also in the park.

SmugMug Link

Hoping now to go to Duke Gardens on Saturday.  We'll be reasonably warm and sunny again by then.  I am sure we can kiss our spring goodbye in about a week.  It will go form 50-60 to 85 in no time.  I saw 80 in our temps for next Wednesday so hopefully some of you still very cold will at least warm up some.

Swallowtail Day 2

SmugMug Daily Link

I spent about 15 minutes taking pictures under my big yoshino cherry tree today.  There were quite a few swallowtails in it and enough bees that the trees was buzzing.  This was the best shot I got in my opinion.  Unfortunately this guy had a break in his wing.  I fixed in PSE.  Here's the original.

SmugMug Link

If I didn't say so yesterday, this tree is HUGE.  I should stand back and take a far away shot tomorrow.  Here's a shot showing part of the tree canopy.

SmugMug Link

Hoping the weather holds out today.  Donnie and I have an appt. not too far from Duke Gardens and we're going to go visit the tulips!