Not a good sign - memories - the good ones - the bad ones.
But, some of the most beautiful memories in my life are of my Momma - Azalea Powell Westphal. She lived a beautiful 62 years - 62 years of memories. Waiting for me at the door an hour after curfew to make sure I was safe - kissing away my tears and telling me how great I was after losing a game - laughing at my stupid jokes and tricks - shouting out with joy over some little trinket I'd given her - wrapping me in her arms and telling me what a beautiful world Creator's given us - kissing my skinned elbows as she put mercurochrome and a bandage to "make it better" - telling me I'm better for the lesson I learned from heartbreak - her total encouragement over my first (and only) driver's test - telling me how proud she was when I joined the Marines and her tears of rapture when I came home from Vietnam - teaching me how to sing and play the guitar for joy and relaxation - my Momma.
My beautiful and gorgeous esposa Audra is, without knowing it, giving our daughter Victoria, the love, guidance, wisdom and sacrifices that only Mother's can give their beloved children and family. Vicky will be much better for them and, I'm sure, that she'll do exactly the same, if not better, for her children in the future.
We can never say I Love You enough to our mothers. We can never show how much we truly love our mothers. We can never give back all that they have given to us and will continue to give to us.
But, we can try.
Happy Mother's Day to all our beautiful, caring and loving Mothers. We love you.
Good to see you again after the passage of time; thank you for adding a beautiful and touching piece to the article. Hope to see you again regularly as in the past. Be safe and well.
I missed last week as I was super busy and didn't have anything to post, but this week... I'm still busy. LOL!
The Grackles have been taking over the bird feeder as they usually do. They are so loud and bossy!
We have a pair of morning doves in the yard. I've seen them around the neighborhood, but this is the first in our yard. Morning doves are my mom's favorite.
A downy woodpecker on the maple tree next door. We get these around the neighborhood quite often.
This little Rose Finch in my apple tree is super bright red! There is a pair of these that keep coming to the feeder.
I added the orange color to a very pale blue sky, and added the orange reflection. I also added the blue color to the railing as well as the blue reflection in the water.
Blending of the heads and a total feeling of an abstract image.
Thanks Buzz. The Wolf and Eagle heads are the man's Totem Spirit and Spirit Guide. The Eagle is the Totem Spirit that will stay with him all his life. The Wolf is his present Spirit Guide, which will change throughout his life based upon merits in battle, contributions to his Tribe, and other achievements.
A beautiful painting Pink. The painting itself is very elegant. And the frame enhances the beauty even more, but, does not distract from the primary subject. Very well done!
Perhaps not so much in this photo, but people have said that she resembled Ingrid Bergman. She made the hat she is wearing - before she married and for a while thereafter she ran a hat store, and created the hats herself.
Now that you mention it, she does resemble Bergman. In my late teens and early 20's I looked a lot like Cher. My hair was to my knees, and when I visited Las Vegas one New Years I even had people ask me for my autograph thinking I was Cher. They seemed a bit upset that I would not sign their autograph, thinking I was being haughty. Even when I tried to explain that I was not Cher.
Beautiful birds. I, too, have never seen those kind of birds before. Are they staying in your area, or just resting during migration to another location?
I feel like I'm just beginning to scratch the surface of what is possible.
Yes, it is fun to learn new things, and how to use them in other ways. I still feel that I am only touching the second level of my artistic skills, and the number of other levels are still unknown.
I still make an effort to improve my artwork, and eagerly face the various challenges they produce along the way. I also make notes of how I resolve the challenges that come up so that I can use them when similar situations arise. They save a lot of time when needed.
An honest to goodness red-headed woodpecker. Something of a rare sighting for me.
The shots are over-zoomed and rather poor quality, but he was on the back side of the garden fence and I was far away. I tried to get closer, but sure enough I scared him off before I could take better ones.
Also, a magnolia warbler and a yellow-rumped warbler (myrtle), both females. I've discovered warblers are hard to photograph. They won't sit still.
It was the first one I'd seen in quite a while. They're much more cautious than other woodpeckers, and almost never come to the feeders, even for suet.
I actually saw another one that same day, but couldn't get any shots of it. I could hardly believe it. I suppose it could have been the same one, but still, two sightings in one day!
Already done. The red-headed woodpecker pics are as clear as I could make them.
Seeing that one made me curious about them and I've been doing research. Apparently they suffered a huge population decline in recent years, but are starting to make a comeback now. I guess around here they depend on standing dead trees for nest cavities, and are under competition from invasive European starlings, which are also cavity nesters. I found some nest box plans for them and I'm getting the itch to make a few and hang them on the edge of the woods to maybe help them out a little. It would be awesome to get close pics of them making use of a birdhouse that I made for them. Then again, I'm just as likely to get other woodpeckers in them, like flickers and red-bellies. Still, I might just give it a try.
Thank you Buzz. Telling the story is what I try my best to present so that the artwork is helping others understand more about the life, traditions and culture of the various Tribes. Where they differ, and where they are very similar.
That's a great shot, Mac. A really good close-up. Truly a beautiful Lynx. It looks almost like it knew you were taking its picture and sort of posed for you. (smile)
Wow, that's impressive. How close were you to it when you took that shot?
There aren't any lynx around here. There are bobcats, though. There used to be mountain lions, too. I had a couple of mountain lion sightings back in the 1980s, but they seem to have mostly disappeared. According to the conservation department there's still some around, but I haven't seen one in decades.
in 2016 I watched a mountain lion walk right across the front of our property at Table Rock Lake. It stopped and took a drink out of a small puddle of water left from the rain. I ran back inside to get my camera and by the time I came back out, I saw its butt disappearing into the timber..LOL
200-500mm lens at 500mm w/SB 26 Nikon Flash. Had to use software to remove red eye and correct iris color.
Picture is cropped from original and edited for brightness and contrast. I added the sky and moon digitally.
Lynx, unlike bobcats, are a threatened species. ... Alhough Canada lynx have a bigger range than bobcats, they're the only known wildcat species in Pennsylvania, even though people have mistakenly reported sightings of pumas or mountain lions in the region.
It started as a photo. There’s a feature in the PicsArt app that turns a photo into an oil painting. By varying the amount of application you can make a hybrid. I love that app.
Thanks for the clarification, Hal. I have not heard of that app before, but, I really is a great editing tool. I can see why you like it so well. It truly works well with your photos.
I don't even try to stop them. The few that regularly come to the feeders are only a minor hassle. The only thing that really irritates me is how quickly they can tear up those bird food discs that slide down on the holder behind the hummingbird feeder in the last photo. They'll break big chunks off and run into the woods with them, and before you know it the whole thing is gone.
Other than that, I don't really mind them. Besides, they can be pretty entertaining sometimes.
Show us what you've created.
Note: Above the article; American Goldfinch, Male.
cool effect on the fox pic Mac.
Two great photos!
Wonderful photos. I adore the foxes.
Caption for the photo of the kits: "We've been framed"
I think it's so cool that you're able to photograph foxes like that. I'm envious.
Didn't create anything other than memories -
It's definitely a sign of a mother's kindness when she uses mercurochrome instead of iodine. LOL
Good to see you again after the passage of time; thank you for adding a beautiful and touching piece to the article. Hope to see you again regularly as in the past. Be safe and well.
I missed last week as I was super busy and didn't have anything to post, but this week... I'm still busy. LOL!
The Grackles have been taking over the bird feeder as they usually do. They are so loud and bossy!
We have a pair of morning doves in the yard. I've seen them around the neighborhood, but this is the first in our yard. Morning doves are my mom's favorite.
A downy woodpecker on the maple tree next door. We get these around the neighborhood quite often.
This little Rose Finch in my apple tree is super bright red! There is a pair of these that keep coming to the feeder.
Those photos are really nice, EG. We had a woodpecker around here the other day. I saw it just briefly, but unfortunately I couldn't get a photo.
Really beautiful shots, EG.
You get great photos of birds, so many, so beautiful.
Fantastic shots!
What kind of tree is the grackle sitting in? Those vertical-aspect, long stemmed leaf buds really compliment the bird.
Hi Dig! It's some kind of maple, but not a sugar maple.
Thank you for getting us off to a good start, EG.
Zhouzhuang, China
© G. Gam 2021
That is really different, G. And really interesting coloring. You did a great job of editing with this photo.
Thanks!
Nice! Love the soft light.
Thanks, E.G.
Never got there when we were right next door. Did you tint that photo?
I added the orange color to a very pale blue sky, and added the orange reflection. I also added the blue color to the railing as well as the blue reflection in the water.
That is a very interesting image, Raven Wing.
Thanks G. It was a bit of a challenge, and I just kind of let my imagination have its way.
Very cool!
Thank you EG.
That is quite a fascinating concept. Blending of the heads and a total feeling of an abstract image.
Thanks Buzz. The Wolf and Eagle heads are the man's Totem Spirit and Spirit Guide. The Eagle is the Totem Spirit that will stay with him all his life. The Wolf is his present Spirit Guide, which will change throughout his life based upon merits in battle, contributions to his Tribe, and other achievements.
It was brought to my attention that I failed to post the article to the front page … it should appear there now. I appreciate the heads up.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Female
© A. Mac/A.G.
What, somebody said ''heads up'' where are they? Oh, it's us, you're welcome.
Those are sooo cute.
That's a great shot, Mac. And a beautiful bird.
Fantasy Fabergé Egg
© CZG 2021
Did you ever see the movie "Thick as Thieves"?
Not yet, but I will check it out.
It's a pretty good movie. starring Morgan Freeman and Antonio Banderas. Faberge eggs are the MacGuffin.
Another very cute picture, pink.
A beautiful painting Pink. The painting itself is very elegant. And the frame enhances the beauty even more, but, does not distract from the primary subject. Very well done!
Thank you so much for enjoying my fantasy!
You are welcome, pink. and enjoying it I am.
Last weekend I posted a series of kids, so this weekend I'm posting a series of aged ones. The only photos I didn't take are the last two....
One needs so little to find happiness.
.
Among her chickens, she ain't no chicken - an ancient resident of the aincient museum village of Langmei in Guangxi Region.
.
Another Langmei resident.
.
My present mother-in-law at her 84th birthday party almost two years ago. still kicking.
.
He left his image on his gravestone.
.
My paternal great-grandfather - the patriarch of his community.
.
..
And finally, me.
Where was the photo of your great-grandfather taken? In "the old country", as our elderly relatives called where they came from?
It was taken at the Royal Botanical Gardens Rock Garden on the outskirts of Hamilton, Ontario, the city in which I was born and grew up.
Cool, Buzz. What plant product is that in the third photo?
I don't know, but it must be something edible that she has spread out to dry in the sun.
For Mothers' Day, remembering my mother.....
You Mother was truly a very beautiful lady. Thank you for sharing.
Perhaps not so much in this photo, but people have said that she resembled Ingrid Bergman. She made the hat she is wearing - before she married and for a while thereafter she ran a hat store, and created the hats herself.
Now that you mention it, she does resemble Bergman. In my late teens and early 20's I looked a lot like Cher. My hair was to my knees, and when I visited Las Vegas one New Years I even had people ask me for my autograph thinking I was Cher. They seemed a bit upset that I would not sign their autograph, thinking I was being haughty. Even when I tried to explain that I was not Cher.
Another photo of my mother, with my father at the time of their marriage. They're very handsome - what happened to me?
A very handsome Father as well, Buzz. But, I think you resemble your Mother. Even you picture is much more recent, I can still see her in you. (smile)
Well, unfortunately, I DID inherit my father's nose,
Well.....that is a very nice nose. (grin)
LOL
We have a new breed of ducks that are now calling Stone Creek their home. For how long we don't know.
These are ''Black Belly Whistling Ducks''.
The photo of them flying credit goes to my neighbor.
The most popular duck here is called Peking Duck.
Also known as a dead duck.
Yep, as dead as dead can be, but tasty.
But what about the ever popular sitting duck?
Ha, good one.
LOL
Nice! I've never seen those before.
I've only seen them a couple of times before so it was kind of exciting to see them here.
Beautiful birds. I, too, have never seen those kind of birds before. Are they staying in your area, or just resting during migration to another location?
One more look at the FEMALE, Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Heading to Saturday.
She is elegant!
© A. Mac/A.G.
Another beauty, Mac. You can even see the texture of the breast feathers. Great photo!
Good morning!
Here's the male mate of the female in post 11
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Male
© A. Mac/A.G.
Mother Nature really does enjoy providing us with such a large variety of beautiful birds.
Great shot Mac!
From our garden
© G. Gam 2021
A vivid colour.,
A great picture, G. Your editing skills are getting better all the time. I am very glad to see your continued improvement.
Thanks, Raven Wing. I'm having a lot of fun with it. I feel like I'm just beginning to scratch the surface of what is possible.
Yes, it is fun to learn new things, and how to use them in other ways. I still feel that I am only touching the second level of my artistic skills, and the number of other levels are still unknown.
I still make an effort to improve my artwork, and eagerly face the various challenges they produce along the way. I also make notes of how I resolve the challenges that come up so that I can use them when similar situations arise. They save a lot of time when needed.
Last night's sunset over the Stone Creeks pool.
Truly a beauty, Kavika. The varied reflections on the pool really set it off.
More rose-breasted grosbeaks, males and females.
An honest to goodness red-headed woodpecker. Something of a rare sighting for me.
The shots are over-zoomed and rather poor quality, but he was on the back side of the garden fence and I was far away. I tried to get closer, but sure enough I scared him off before I could take better ones.
Also, a magnolia warbler and a yellow-rumped warbler (myrtle), both females. I've discovered warblers are hard to photograph. They won't sit still.
Love the red-headed woodpecker.
It was the first one I'd seen in quite a while. They're much more cautious than other woodpeckers, and almost never come to the feeders, even for suet.
I actually saw another one that same day, but couldn't get any shots of it. I could hardly believe it. I suppose it could have been the same one, but still, two sightings in one day!
No apologies necessary; RULE #1 … GET THE SHOT!
Mission accomplished!
Thanks, Mac.
Your editing program should give you the ability to sharpen and clarify the photos somewhat.
Already done. The red-headed woodpecker pics are as clear as I could make them.
Seeing that one made me curious about them and I've been doing research. Apparently they suffered a huge population decline in recent years, but are starting to make a comeback now. I guess around here they depend on standing dead trees for nest cavities, and are under competition from invasive European starlings, which are also cavity nesters. I found some nest box plans for them and I'm getting the itch to make a few and hang them on the edge of the woods to maybe help them out a little. It would be awesome to get close pics of them making use of a birdhouse that I made for them. Then again, I'm just as likely to get other woodpeckers in them, like flickers and red-bellies. Still, I might just give it a try.
Here is one for Saturday...
The young girls are helping their older Sister dress for her wedding.
Nice, RW.
Thank you Dig. It is a very old one from when I first started my Native American creations. I am glad you like it.
That is unique and superb. I really like images that tell a story.
Thank you Buzz. Telling the story is what I try my best to present so that the artwork is helping others understand more about the life, traditions and culture of the various Tribes. Where they differ, and where they are very similar.
I am very glad you like it.
Elegant!
Thanks Mac.
Sunday!
Lynx at Moonrise
© A. Mac/A.G.
That's a great shot, Mac. A really good close-up. Truly a beautiful Lynx. It looks almost like it knew you were taking its picture and sort of posed for you. (smile)
Wow, that's impressive. How close were you to it when you took that shot?
There aren't any lynx around here. There are bobcats, though. There used to be mountain lions, too. I had a couple of mountain lion sightings back in the 1980s, but they seem to have mostly disappeared. According to the conservation department there's still some around, but I haven't seen one in decades.
in 2016 I watched a mountain lion walk right across the front of our property at Table Rock Lake. It stopped and took a drink out of a small puddle of water left from the rain. I ran back inside to get my camera and by the time I came back out, I saw its butt disappearing into the timber..LOL
I saw a lot of them when I lived in CA and NV.
It's really cool that you saw one in 2016. That's awesome.
200-500mm lens at 500mm w/SB 26 Nikon Flash. Had to use software to remove red eye and correct iris color.
Picture is cropped from original and edited for brightness and contrast. I added the sky and moon digitally.
Lynx, unlike bobcats, are a threatened species. ... Alhough Canada lynx have a bigger range than bobcats, they're the only known wildcat species in Pennsylvania, even though people have mistakenly reported sightings of pumas or mountain lions in the region.
Never saw or even heard of any of those big cats in Ontario where I lived.
C’est moi.
Very impressive, Hal. Is that a painting or a photo?
It started as a photo. There’s a feature in the PicsArt app that turns a photo into an oil painting. By varying the amount of application you can make a hybrid. I love that app.
Thanks for the clarification, Hal. I have not heard of that app before, but, I really is a great editing tool. I can see why you like it so well. It truly works well with your photos.
That is so cool!
Tres bien!
That's a photo of YOU?
Lol, yup - taken three days ago. Since I’ve been working from home my physical appearance is going through a Jesus phase. Ironic.
Wishing all our NT Mothers a very Happy Mother's Day....
Beautiful Raven!
Thank you Perrie. I'm glad you like it.
Squirrels can rotate their ankles and use their rear feet like hands. This one is hanging from the cable by them.
A rabbit (with a damaged ear tip for some reason) and a cardinal. It's Bunny and Boyd.
An eastern kingbird, back from wintering in South America.
It's not apparent in this photo, but this female Baltimore oriole was yelling at a male that was in flight and about to take her spot on that chain.
A house finch (I think), and an indigo bunting.
This goldfinch is like, "Hey, wrong feeder, dude."
A male Baltimore oriole trying to scare a hummingbird away, with a female on a different feeder in the background.
It's Birdapalooza lately.
The Birdman of MO....
Well done Dig.
Squirrels were always the scourge of birdfeeders. One mounted on a greased pole out in the open was about the only way to stop them.
I don't even try to stop them. The few that regularly come to the feeders are only a minor hassle. The only thing that really irritates me is how quickly they can tear up those bird food discs that slide down on the holder behind the hummingbird feeder in the last photo. They'll break big chunks off and run into the woods with them, and before you know it the whole thing is gone.
Other than that, I don't really mind them. Besides, they can be pretty entertaining sometimes.
Happy Mother's Day !!!
Beautiful pat.
Thank you Kavika !
Love those colors
I do too, smile.
Les fleurs des moms - nice colours.
Thanks Pat, and the same to you!
Both are awesome, but I really like that second one. What kind is it?
The second one is either a night-blooming or day-blooming cereus. I have both and I'm not sure which is which, lol.
Cool. Thanks.
Tonight's sunset, Stone Creek, Ocala, FL.
Hopefully you won't get bored of beautiful sunsets. LOL
I haven't had a pretty sunset in weeks. It's either been clear and cloudless or rainy.
Looks like a painting by 19th C. America artist George Inness (one of my favorites).
Once again I thank everyone who makes this GROUP the success it continues to be. I will close this artice tomorrow morning.