~ Glimmering Anna’s ~ WPC: Glow ~

What an inviting challenge this week!  Each synonym of glow conjures a different interpretation; shine, radiate, gleam, glimmer, flicker, flare; luminesce.  

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Anna’s Hummingbirds are year-round residents in my suburban sanctuary.  This one stayed still long enough for me to get a fairly clear photo — at the same time he was warning me away by flaring his bright chin feathers!

Glow

 

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~ Dune Runes 2 ~ Wordless Wednesday ~

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~ Porcelain Berry Vine ~ In A Vase On Monday ~

A third day of sunshine, with a week of rain in the forecast inspired me to assemble this unruly posy of Aster, the last of my Rudbeckia, with the lovely fruits of Variegated Porcelain Berry Vine (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata – ‘Elegans’).

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Aster frikartii – ‘Monch’, Rudbeckia fulgida – ‘Goldsturm’

The vase is a short layered glass one in a light green — almost celadon tone.

Here’s to the last bits of summer!

 

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~ Angles of Perspective ~ WPC: Scale ~

The challenge this week is to use size, placement and scale to provide perspective.  Here are some of my favorite photos that do just that!

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Why I Got Rid of All my Ostrich-Friends

I only reblog when something strikes me to the core. Alexis Chateau summarizes succinctly in this post!

Alexis Chateau's avatarAlexis Chateau

The thing I hate most about living in America is the politics. And I don’t mean discussing politics; I mean living in it. I am the wrong gender, race, nationality, and class for almost every new policy that has been proposed; and worse, comes into place.

My everyday reality in America fares no better. Every week, I endure at least one incident of racism, xenophobia, or just plain racial-ignorance… in ATLANTA. If I threw in incidents of misogyny, especially male entitlement, the number climbs drastically.

Naturally, over time I find myself most comfortable in the company of other immigrants. There are many Americans I consider friends, but most are First Generation Americans with immigrant parents.

One of the things I’ve…

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~ Moon and Sun ~ Wordless Wednesday ~

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Moondown at Sunup

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Autumn Light

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~ Farm Sights ~ Cee’s B&W Photo Challenge ~

 

From age 14-18 I lived on a farm in Pullman, WA – USA. I still enjoy visiting working farms to smell the smells and see what’s growing.

Pics Scannded From Dad Low (5)

Dad and his beloved horses c. 1967

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Goat farm near Oysterville, WA — USA

 

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Hay Harpoon*

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Bi-Zi Farm, Clark County, WA — USA

“The spear- or harpoon-type haymow forks often employed a hollow or slotted cylindrical body with a solid point at the end and hinged barbs to skewer a load. The spear (or harpoon) was lowered to the wagon with its barb(s) retracted and then plunged into the loaded wagon. Extending the barbs prior to lifting retained a surprising amount of hay on the fork. Other designs offered different methods to retain the hay for lifting, but they were similar in the job they performed.”

http://www.farmcollector.com/equipment/putting-hay-away-the-old-fashioned-way?pageid=5#PageContent5

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~ Sandhill Cranes ~ WPC: Pedestrian ~

My sister, Diana and I participated in a viewing of the reclusive Sandhill Cranes that took place in a blind established at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge (RNWR) just 20 miles northwest of my home.

entering the viewing area

You can see the blind on the left as we hiked into the area.

We were part of a 30 person group who were transported by van through gated/no public access roads, then walked about a quarter mile (half k) to the viewing site.

view from the blind

A lovely evening.

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Cranes and friends on mudflat.

In other parts of the country, Sandhill Cranes are gregarious — not so in the Pacific Northwest where they are uncommon, and will leave the area if disturbed by humans.

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25X Lumix maxed out!

two cranes

7′ wingspan, 7 lbs mature

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A flock just arrived to join the three I was able to get in focus!

Thousands of Sandhill Cranes migrate through the Pacific Northwest in spring and fall. Diana and I had promised ourselves this adventure for three years — now we’re hooked! At dusk, as the group walked out more cranes flew in.  These photos are the best I could get with movement and low light.

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Three cranes at dusk.

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Crane impressions.

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Walking back after anything but a pedestrian experience!

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~ WPC: Windows ~

The window over the kitchen sink at our Long Beach condo looks out on stairs and walkways — not a very picturesque view — so I added some cafe-curtains, plants and driftwood to soften the look.

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This week’s photo challenge is to use a window as frame or reflection — something I love to do — here are a few favorites!

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~ Clark’s Tree In Fog ~ Wordless Wednesday ~

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http://breakerslongbeach.com/history-of-the-breakers/history-of-clarks-tree/

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