Milka Pejovic

Macro Monday: Pine tree sap

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Today I’m taking part in the Macro Monday photo challenge. You can click on each photo for a larger view. If you like what you see, I encourage you to subscribe so you can enjoy the new photos I post a few times a week.

Well, after a long summer break to enjoy my kids’ company, I am back! I’ve managed to take a few photos over the past couple of months, but my SD cards are so full of photos I’ve taken for the past year or so, I’m not sure where to start. One huge goal I have for September is to completely revamp my Zazzle nature photography store and create new photo products for sale, so that should be me busy for a while…

For today’s Macro Monday, I thought I’d share a couple of photos of solidified pine tree sap I spotted during our summer vacation in the mountains of Southern California. I love the way these drops of tree sap show reflections of their surroundings, a bit like a glass marble would.

Macro Monday: reflections in a drop of pine tree sap

This pine tree sap seems to attract insects, which then get stuck on it while it dries up. Eventually they become permanent fixtures of this art created by Mother Nature.

Now that my kids are back in school, I’ll try my best to post new photos several times a week, as well as visit other photo blogs to take a look at the beautiful shots you’ve been taking. Happy Monday!

American robin and grackle taking a bird bath

WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Extra, extra

Today I’m participating in the WordPress weekly photo challenge and this week’s theme is “extra, extra”. Remember you can click on each photo for a larger view.

If you like what you see, feel free to subscribe and receive nature photography updates a few times a week.

When we visited Washington D.C. a few months ago, I decided we would take a tour bus to travel around the capital and see a lot of interesting places at once. Of course we got on and off many times for some up close sightseeing, but I also took a lot of quick photos from the inside of the bus. Did you notice I said quick photos? Being inside the bus means I didn’t have the ability to frame the shots the way I wanted to, including getting people and unwanted things out of the way. That made for a few extras in several of my pictures. This guy and his coffee cup are a perfect example of the many pictures I took from the bus. This is the US Capitol seen from the side. The cherry blossoms made up for the coffee guy as the “nice” extras in the picture.

This is the most narrow house in Georgetown, part of Washington DC. Too bad that tree happened to be in the way while I was taking a picture.

The most narrow house in Georgetown, Washington DC

The Washington Monument was being renovated while we were there so depending on the angle you photographed it, you could include a nice crane in your shot like I did.

The Washington Monument and cherry blossoms in Washington DC

I was trying to photograph this American robin in the gardens of the Smithsonian castle when this grackle showed up to say hi. I bet he really wanted to be in the picture.

I didn’t take this last picture in Washington D.C. but I love the way this duck photobombed my photo of a white pelican. That’s a big extra in that picture.

Wordpress Weekly Photo Challenge: Extra, extra duck in front of white pelican — WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Extra, extra duck in front of white pelican

June 13, 2014February 6, 2020 by Milka Pejovic Categories: Animal Photos, Bird photos, Bloom Photos, Washington DCTags: American robin, grackle, most narrow house in Washington DC Georgetown, US Capitol, Washington monument, white pelican 18 Comments

A Word A Week Photo Challenge – Orange

Today I’m participating in the A Word A Week Challenge. This week’s theme is “orange”. I encourage you to click on each photo to see a larger view. If you like what you see, please subscribe to this blog to receive updates of the new photos I post, usually 3 to 5 times a week.

Orange is not my favorite color but I enjoy seeing it in nature and photographing it. I spotted a little bit of orange during my trip to the East Coast. This tiger at the Washington Zoo was very interested in a robin that was standing just a few feet away from him. No need to say that the tiger was way too slow to catch it as the robin flew away.

This isn’t the robin that was standing in front of the tiger. I found this American robin at the Smithsonian gardens behind the red castle. Notice the rings on his legs. I hear there’s a Smithsonian program that tags birds and then ask people to report their sightings on a website, so the Smithsonian researchers can study bird flight paths and patterns.

The backlight at Luray Caverns in Virginia made these stalactites appear bright orange. They almost look like fabric hanging down from the ceiling.

Luray caverns - stalactites with orange backlight — Luray caverns – stalactites with orange backlight

Sea jellies (jelly fish) are hard to photograph in an aquarium because of the low light and their rapid moves. I love how bright orange this one came up, as the light was right behind it.

Orange sea jelly - jelly fish — Orange sea jelly – jelly fish

Of course, I couldn’t do a photo post on orange without pumpkins. A lot of pumpkins from last year’s pumpkin patch.

June 4, 2014February 6, 2020 by Milka Pejovic Categories: Animal Photos, Bird photos, Caverns, Fruit Photos, Washington DCTags: A word a week photo challenge, American robin with orange chest, orange jelly fish, orange pumpkins, orange sea jelly, orange stalactites, orange tiger, photos of orange, pumpkin display at the pumpkin patch 4 Comments

Macro Monday: bee on a Matilija poppy

The large white poppy with a yellow center featured below is called a Matilija poppy, more technically Romneya coulteri. This giant white poppy is a native flower of California. I saw these two poppies at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and not in the middle of nature, where it’s probably too dry for these flowers to easily bloom with our ongoing drought. The bees seemed to really like them and they let me take their pictures without a fuss. Enjoy these few macros of bees on white poppies!

Bee flying in front of a white poppy (Matilija poppy)

Check out the huge bags full of pollen on this bee’s legs. That’s quite a busy bee!

Bee on a Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri)

I wonder what honey made with these Matilija poppies would taste like, but these flowers really attracted the bees.

Close-up of a bee collecting nectar on a giant white poppy with yellow center

June 1, 2014February 6, 2020 by Milka Pejovic Categories: Animal Photos, Bloom Photos, Flower PhotosTags: bee collecting nectar on a white poppy, bees with bags of pollen on their legs, close-up of bees, giant white poppies California, giant white poppy California, large white poppy with yellow center, Macro Monday, macros of bees, Matilija poppies, Matilija poppy, nature photography, photos of bees, photos of blooms, photos of flowers, Romneya coulteri poppy 4 Comments

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Water

Today I’m participating in Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge and her theme is “water”. I encourage you to click on each photo to see a larger view.

If you like what you see, please subscribe to this blog to receive updates of the new photos I post, usually 3 to 5 times a week.

We see water in many forms and amounts every day. Without water there would be no life on earth, so let’s make sure we take care of it. Water can appear in front of us powerful and in motion, as in these waves of the Pacific Ocean on a cloudy and breezy day.

Waves of the Pacific Ocean on a cloudy day

Water can also be very still and peaceful, as in this small pond that was behind the house we stayed at in Virginia.

Birds drink water, and they also use it to take baths. This iridescent grackle bird was very busy getting clean in the gardens of the Smithsonian castle.

Iridescent male common grackle taking a water bath

Water is a habitat for many animals, including this frog popping its head out of the water to keep an eye on me.

Frog's head out of the pond water — Frog’s head out of the pond water

You’ll have no idea how many turtles can hide underwater until they come out to bask in the sun. Can you guess how many turtles are sitting on these rocks?