Forest Photos

My 2015 nature photography calendars are available for sale

If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

Well, I feel like I just crawled out from under a rock. A big, heavy rock. I have been spending the past several weeks studying for several exams that will open up some work opportunities, only now to wait for one more test result that’s not coming in in time for an important meeting tomorrow. Argh, life always has a way to let you know you’re not in charge, no matter how hard you try.

And of course, I’ve been working diligently on creating new photo calendars for 2015 and I’m proud to announce that my 2015 nature photography calendars are now available for sale. If you’re looking for a unique Thanksgiving or holiday gift to give a teacher, a friend, a colleague, or a family member, this is a great choice. All calendars are made to order in the USA so you support the US economy with your purchase, and a starving artist at the same time (me!).

While I’ve decided to keep the same five themes as last year, I’ve updated quite a lot of photos in each 2015 calendar and I hope you’ll enjoy them. Of course, Zazzle has made it very difficult for me to promote these 2015 calendars since their system continues to refuse displaying them in my online store, although I posted them for sale several weeks ago. Their tech support answer? “We’re aware of the problem but we can’t tell you when it will be fixed.” Which means, they won’t fix it. Well, thanks for nothing, Zazzle! So to access these calendars, just click on the links I posted below, including links to pages featuring the photos for each calendar. I really wanted to create a couple more new calendars for this year, but I’ve been so frustrated with the process, I’ve run out of energy, haha!

Zazzle offers discount coupons on many products, so visit Zazzle’s coupon page for their latest promotions. They also display coupon codes just below the top menu. And today only (November 12, 2015), you can use coupon code OJNYFHHWBIBVAVOPYTGM to save $10 when you spend $20 or more.

Click on the calendar links below to purchase the calendars of your choice. Thank you very much for your purchase and your support!

Buy this 2015 12-month calendar – A YEAR IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA – VIEW individual photos in a large slideshow

Buy this 2015 12-month calendar – WATER LILIES – VIEW individual photos in a large slideshow

2015 water lily calendar - front cover — 2015 water lily calendar – front cover

Buy this 2015 12-month calendar – BEES AND OTHER INSECTS – VIEW individual photos in a large slideshow

2015 bee and insect calendar - front cover — 2015 bee and insect calendar – front cover

Buy this 2015 12-month calendar – FLOWERS AND BLOOMS – VIEW individual photos in a large slideshow

2015 flower and bloom calendar - front cover — 2015 flower and bloom calendar – front cover

Buy this 2015 12-month calendar – WATER IN SAN DIEGO – VIEW individual photos in a large slideshow

2015 water in San Diego calendar - front cover — 2015 water in San Diego calendar – front cover

WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Adventure

Today I’m participating in the WordPress weekly photo challenge and this week’s theme is “adventure”. 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.

Our adventures this summer kept us close to home. The most adventurous we were was probably the week we spent in the small mountain town of Idyllwild, California. During our visit, we tried a hiking trail new to us called the Ernie Maxwell scenic trail. Scenic is the word because it gave us beautiful views of the mountains and the valleys all around, while hiking mostly in the shade.

View of Mount Jacinto while hiking on the Ernie Maxwell scenic trail

Of course we had a lot of other hiking adventures, mostly in the woods so we could hide from the baking hot Southern California summer sun.

And we enjoyed small adventures by the water, such as this lovely pond where we got to see a lot of birds and some fish.

Talking about birds, we spotted this beautiful violet-green swallow (Tachycineta thalassina) outside our cabin window. It had built a nest right underneath so we got to see it fly back and forth a lot over our week’s stay.

And you can’t hike without meeting cottontail rabbits. This one wasn’t too scared of us, as long as we stayed on the other side of the fence.

Cottontail rabbit hiding behind a wooden fence

Finally, our biggest adventure probably happened at home this summer, when this red coachwhip snake visited our backyard for the third year in a row. Its babies may come visit us next year, but this guy won’t, as it met its end getting tangling in our netting (I guess it didn’t learn its lesson from the first two times…). That was enough adventure for one day!

September 5, 2014February 6, 2020 by Milka Pejovic Categories: Animal Photos, Bird photos, California Photos, Forest Photos, Landscape Photos, Plant Photos, Tree Photos, Woods PhotosTags: cottontail rabbit, Ernie Maxwell scenic trail Idyllwild, hiking in the woods, hiking trails Idyllwild, idyllwild california, nature photography, red coachwhip snake, Tachycineta thalassina, violet-green swallow, Wordpress weekly photo challenge, Wordpress Weekly Photo Challenge: Adventure 8 Comments

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Texture

Today I’m participating in Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge and her theme is “texture”. 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.

It can be hard to photograph the texture of a subject. Sometimes you just have to remember or imagine what it feels like in real life to get the idea. Here are a few selections to illustrate various textures, some of them more pleasant than others.

I don’t think you can’t do a photo post on texture without tree bark. I find the patterns and textures of some tree barks wonderful, but I’d hate to scrape my skin on them. 🙂

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Texture of tree bark

The trunk of this cork oak tree looks and feels a lot softer than an oak or pine tree trunk.

The manzinata tree bark peels off as the tree trunk and branches grow larger. The soft and curled shavings make for some interesting texture to look at and touch.

Soft textures feel good to the touch. I’ve never touched the fuzzy fur of a lemur but I bet it’s pretty soft. Look how fluffy it looks in the sunshine. By the way, I still have to find the time to share more photos of this lemur and his buddies, who seem to enjoy the San Diego sun tremendously.

Finally you’ve got to admire (but probably not touch) the gelatinous texture of this sea jelly, which allows it to move around the ocean with the current with minimal effort. I do have more photos of sea jellies to show you also, and a funny story to share about that day. More in a later post!

The gelatinous texture of a Northeast Pacific sea nettle jelly

March 28, 2014February 6, 2020 by Milka Pejovic Categories: Animal Photos, Forest Photos, Ocean photos, Plant Photos, Water photos, Woods PhotosTags: Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge, Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Texture, cork oak tree bark, gelatinous jelly fish, gelatinous sea jelly, jelly fish, manzinata tree bark peel, nature photography, sea jelly swimming, tree bark texture, tree trunk texture 6 Comments

A Word A Week Photo Challenge – Frame

Today I’m participating in the A Word A Week Challenge. This week’s theme is “frame”. 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.

I recently took these two pictures while walking in a San Diego County park. They show the same tree branches arching over the path, but I took each picture from one side of the path. I think I like the first one better but I’ll let you chime in.

A Word A Week Photo Challenge – Frame - tree branches curling over walking path — A Word A Week Photo Challenge – Frame – tree branches curling over walking path

Tree branches create opening over walking path

This is another walking trail in a different county park. I love how the leaning tree branches and tree trunks frame the downhill path.

Tree branches leaning over the walking path

I like the framing created by this wooden fence right on the edge on the walking path, especially when it’s lined with wildflowers.

Wooden fence and spring wildflowers in San Diego

Wisteria behaves like an invasive tree if you give the vine the space and the structure it needs to grow on. I loved photographing these beautiful wisteria blooms hanging from the wooden frame. Here are a few photos of wisteria flowers from further to closer.

Finally, here’s a mama panda bear who doesn’t mind being framed to pose for a picture.

February 28, 2014February 6, 2020 by Milka Pejovic Categories: Animal Photos, Bloom Photos, California Photos, Flower Photos, Forest Photos, Landscape Photos, Plant Photos, Tree Photos, Woods PhotosTags: A Word A Week Photo Challenge – Frame, blooms, California pictures, California spring wild flowers, California spring wildflowers, giant panda bear, nature photography, photos of blooms, tree branches create opening over path, tree branches over walking path, tree branches over walking trail, wisteria blooms, wisteria flowers, wisteria vine 8 Comments

A Word A Week Challenge – Atmospheric

Today I’m participating in the A Word A Week Challenge. This week’s theme is “atmospheric”. 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.

Here are a few photos to illustrate my take on this atmospheric photo theme. Clouds have the ability to create a very distinctive mood, as they affect the natural lighting, both during the day and at night. I like how they can affect the light reflecting from the moon.

A word a week challenge: atmospheric - moon behind the clouds — A word a week challenge: atmospheric – moon behind the clouds

On a winter morning, the fog can create a strange atmosphere as it softens the light from the rising sun.

When rain clouds crawl over the hills, they can create a creepy atmosphere. They’re fascinating to watch, especially because they can crawl quite fast.

Rain clouds crawling over the hills in San Diego

At the time I photographed these crawling clouds, I also noticed the eerie atmosphere created by the winter scene in the foreground. When I saw the “atmospheric” theme, this is the first photo that came to mind, and so I’m showcasing it last.