Round Robin Photo Challenge : Wildlife

Wildlife! This challenge was suggested by both Nancy and Gina for the Round Robin Photo Challenge. I decided to go out on a limb with this one and show you a rookery. These photos are from May 10, 2009.

We visited a local rookery back in May. Great Blue Herons nest in colonies called a heronry or a rookery. They construct their nests high in the trees, away from predators.

Males build the nest of sticks and line it with reeds, moss and grass. They will refurbish and use old nests. They are sloppy haphazard builders. Most often they choose dead trees to build their nests in.

Once the eggs are laid, both parents incubate the eggs. Three to seven eggs are laid per nest, but only one or two chicks will survive. They only feed the strongest chicks, and the others starve to death. ( I know, I know, sad isn't it, survival of the fittest.) Herons mate for life, but they only spend the nesting season together, when they head south for the winter, they go alone..kind of like separate vacations.

I took this photo on June 20, 2009 a Great Blue Heron was standing on a submerged log fishing:)

Click on photo's to enlarge!

Round Robins: Looking UP!

The flowering crabs have been just beautiful this year, I always have a great time looking up! Check out the other Robins and see what they found for this looking up challenge:)

Round Robin Photo Challenge : Growing

Oh my!! What is growing..well some Tomato's..Roma Tomato's to be exact. Far Guy planted them and has been growing them out in his old greenhouse. He grows darn nice tomato plants. It is still too cool to plant them out yet, in one more week after the full moon we should be safe from frost..maybe. They really like the warmth in there! Check out the other Robins and see what they are growing. Thanks Whammy for this growing idea! :)

Round Robin Photo Challenge: See The Music

Far Guy plays guitar, he learned how years ago...often times I am serenaded by every verse of Desolation Row, there are like ten verses! Chance doesn't sing along with the guitar..but the harmonica is another story!

Check out the other Robins! Can you can see the music in my photos?? :)

Photos taken with Canon PowerShot SX110 IS on May 1, 2009

Round Robin Photo Challenge : By The Numbers

Chocolate Yummy Numbers
Gassy Numbers

Numbers I wish I knew!

This weeks Round Robin Challenge was a suggestion by Jill at South Bay Soliloquy...By The Numbers. I am off to see what the other Robins found:)

Round Robin Photo Challenge : The Old Place

I will show you two old places. The first is the Farmstead where I grew up. It looks different now, but the barn is still the same. I took this from a distance..because I also wanted you to see the Smoky Hills in the background. A very familiar view I enjoyed as a child, I moved to this farm with my parents when I was one year old in 1952. It is just two miles from where we live now. I hope that you can enlarge it, by clicking on it. I have found that blogger is fussy..if you move a photo..it will not enlarge it.

This photograph is of the old grocery store that we used to shop at in the 1950's when candy bars were still a nickel. I am off to see what the other Robins came up with for their old place:)

Round Robin Challenge: The Color Purple

Purple the color of royalty! This was Vicki's idea, you can check out her blog at Maraca.

Well..as you all know I love flowers..the challenge for me..was searching my archives for the correct color purple! Purple varies so very much..and it is not an easy color to photograph. I had pinky purples, violet purples, reddish purples..but tried to stick with the color of royalty!This is some type of Wildflower in the bellflower family..not sure which one..it just appeared one day!

Pansy Purple Rain..a lovely trailing pansy that will fill a bucket in no time at all! Last Fall I took some photos in the shade..low and behold these Maple leaves looked purple! A purple slide..see there..I can photograph other things besides flowers and trees! Now I am off to see what purple things the other Robins have found:)

Round Robin Photo Challenge: Not Of This Season

A Fisherwoman!

I took these photos several years ago when our entire family took a houseboat vacation up on Lake Kabetogama in Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota. They fit the "Not Of This Season" Challenge for me! Check out the other Robins, to see where they want to escape to!

My Grandkids, and part of our group fishing in the background. Chance is on the lookout for minnows, he loved watching them in the water.

Do Dogs need a Fishing License? :)

Round Robin Photo Challenge: "Camera Resolutions"

This week the challenge was: Think of three photo themes. Pick one and photograph it. Share the other two theme ideas.

My three theme ideas are: A flowering tree or shrub, a road/street sign and going for a walk. I chose to show going for a walk, and had to go to my archives to pick one picture that made me smile.

One day last spring I enjoyed a walk with my twin great nephews who live next door.

I always enjoy seeing what the other Robins have come up with! Follow along if you like, join us sometime, it is an easy challenge..however your photographic entry should be posted within a twenty four hour period on a specific date:)

Round Robin Photo Challenge: Favorite Toy

TRAINS!

This week I decided to showcase Far Guys Favorite Toy! His Lionel Train Set, he got the entire used set for Christmas back in 1957. All that remained in his later years was the engine and the coal tender, the other cars have been purchased here and there. He finally got the opportunity to set his train up again after I moved out of my office upstairs. He enjoys going upstairs to play! It is a work in progress, he wanted to get the Train up and running to show the Grandkids when they were here over Christmas.

I am off to see what other toys are being featured today by the other Robins. Thanks to Karen at Outpost Mavarin for this challenge:)

Round Robin Photo Challenge: Hometown Holiday Decorations

The Challenge today was your Hometown Holiday Decorations. Well since the little town we live near doesn't have their usual charlie brown tree up yet I had to go to another nearby town. Park Rapids, Minnesota, where I went to High School and where Far Guy lived, yes he was a city boy!
Main Street

Park Rapids is one of the few small towns left in Minnesota that has both diagonal parking and parking in the center of the street. The tourists get a big kick out of it, for us it is normal, it has always been that way.

The Hospice Tree

The tree is donated every year and takes it's place in the center of the street on the second block of main street. It is lit the day after Thanksgiving in an evening lighting ceremony. It is one of the local Hospice Fund Raisers, you can light up a bulb for a donation in memory of a loved one.

Outside one of the stores.

This cold and snowy bench appeals only to the hardiest of shoppers!

The view of Main Street one cold and snowy evening.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

I am looking forward to the other Robins entries! :)

The Round Robin Photo Challenge "On My Table"

I knew you were coming, so I threw something on the table! You must be special because I got out the tin plates instead of the paper ones. We are pretty laid back and relaxed up here in the north woods. The table covering is a quilt my mother made for me several years ago especially for this table. You can click on this photograph to enlarge it..did you notice the reflection of the quilt in the knives? I thought it was pretty cool, it was not in the plan so it is an added bonus! Check out the other Robins and see what they have on their tables:)

Round Robin Photo Challenge: Two Halves Don't Make A Whole

Nancy from Nancy Luvs Pix suggested this weeks challenge. Two halves don't make a whole.
THE CHALLENGE: Photograph two different shots of the same thing, crop them in half and then put them side by side ALMOST touching.

It was a challenge for me..I found a way..but it may have not been the best way. I struggled with Abode Photoshop and the layering..if anyone knows of a really good tutorial web site or a blog about Adobe Photoshop please leave me a comment. I finally just cropped the photos like I would normally do and then imported them to my scrapbook program..success at last!

If you are ever company at my home, I have two old boilers, one is copper filled with magazines, the other stainless steel and filled with blankets..you are welcome to use either or both!
Check out the other Round Robins Entries..I know I will ..I hope they are sharing some of their secrets on this challenge:)