Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: the color white

Zazzle online shop 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.

Today I’m participating in Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge and her theme is “the color white”. 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 was going to feature flowers for this photo theme until I realized that I’ve taken quite a lot of photos of birds recently, and a number of them happen to be white. So here’s an all white bird series of photos, starting with the white great egret, who loves to hang out by the water, looking for some yummy fish to catch. I have yet to capture that moment on camera so for today, the bird looking for food will have to do. By the way, the birds in the water are American coots. You’ll want to check out their super weird / cool looking feet in my previous post.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: the color white - great egret
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: the color white – great egret

The white egret is a lot smaller than the great egret (probably a third of the size) but it hangs out by the water too since it eats fish. Those birds are so used to standing next to people with fishing pole, they aren’t scared easily, which makes it a lot easier for me to photograph them.

Small white egret looking for fish in the water
Small white egret looking for fish in the water

Finally I found these two white ducks swimming together in a pond at another park. I was wondering when I’d have a chance to feature them, so here they are. By the way, I love the almost still water reflections in this photo.

White ducks swimming in water and their reflections
White ducks swimming in water and their reflections

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: the color orange

Zazzle online shop 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.

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

I photographed these bright orange California poppies yesterday and I thought they would be a great match for this week’s colorful theme.

Orange poppies are the official state flower of California. You can see them on the side of many freeways as you drive. The ones I saw yesterday are a cultivated type of orange poppy, and a little different from the native state flower. They bloom in the late winter and don’t last long so it’s a great idea to snap a few photos while you can.

I hope you enjoy this burst of orange today.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: the color orange - California poppies
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: the color orange – California poppies
Orange poppy flower
Orange poppy flower
Close-up of an orange poppy bloom
Close-up of an orange poppy bloom

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Walk 100 Steps or less and take new photos

Zazzle online shop 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.

Today I’m participating in Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge and her theme is “walk 100 Steps or less and take new photos”. 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 decided I’d step into my backyard and share with you what’s going on in there. My pink snapdragons seem to have survived the freezing December nights and are blooming again. I’m not sure about my yellow snapdragons yet. I love the fuzzy hair on the new plant growth.

Close-up of a pink snapdragon flower
Close-up of a pink snapdragon flower

After getting my produce eaten over and over by the various critters that live beyond my backyard, I’ve decided to give it another try by using greenhouses this year. The advantage of a greenhouse is that the plants should be protected from most critters. The downfall is that it can get very hot in Southern California and even hotter inside the greenhouse, so I could bake my plants if I don’t aerate often enough. But I can’t do that if I’m not around, or the critters will get in and eat it all. It’s a constant battle but I haven’t thrown the towel yet.

My kids and I have been planting a bunch of seeds and the seedlings are starting to come out. The problem is, I didn’t label most of the pots and I can’t remember what I planted where. So I’m not sure what’s coming out in some of them. Like these little guys. I believe they are Swiss chard but I’m not 100% sure yet.

Seedlings of Swiss chard
Seedlings of Swiss chard

Hey, look what’s growing in my potting soil! A freeloading white mushroom…

White mushroom growing in my potting soil
White mushroom growing in my potting soil

Oh, look, there’s more of those little white mushrooms in another pot…

White mushrooms growing in potting soil
White mushrooms growing in potting soil

My kids insisted on watering the seeds after we planted them. I think they were a bit overzealous and the soil has been very wet. I actually haven’t needed to water in almost two weeks. Inside the greenhouse, the humidity has only helped grow these mushrooms so I won’t water until the soil gets dry.

For this last photograph, I actually recognize the plant. This is a green bean seedling. Watching new plants grow is always fun and we’re looking forward to seeing new growth every day.

Green bean seedling coming out of soil
Green bean seedling coming out of soil

Cee’s fun foto challenge: Three items or the number 3

Zazzle online shop 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.

Remember that my 2014 nature photography calendars are available for sale on my online Zazzle store.  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!). I appreciate all referrals through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and of course your blog or website. Save 10% off my 2014 photo calendars (choose between five different themes) and up to 60% off on other products. Enter code HOLIDAYCOUNT at checkout; code valid until November 21, 2013, midnight.

Today I’m participating in Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge to show photos featuring featuring one item or the number one. You can click on any of the photos below to view them in a slideshow format for a larger view.

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

Cee’s fun foto challenge: One item or the number one

Zazzle online shop 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.

Today I’m participating in Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge to show photos featuring featuring one item or the number one. You can click on the photos below for a larger view.

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

I thought I’d stick to animals for this photo challenge. Here are a few examples of animals standing on their own among nature. Enjoy!

One proud white great egret.

Cee’s fun foto challenge: One white great egret
Cee’s fun foto challenge: One white great egret

One red-tailed hawk thinking about his next meal.

Cee’s fun foto challenge: One red-tailed hawk
Cee’s fun foto challenge: One red-tailed hawk

One fat squirrel, who could be the red-tailed hawk’s next meal…

Cee’s fun foto challenge: One fat squirrel
Cee’s fun foto challenge: One fat squirrel

One stunning blue Stellar jay bird.

Cee’s fun foto challenge: One Stellar jay bird
Cee’s fun foto challenge: One Stellar jay bird

One monarch caterpillar munching on milkweed.

Cee’s fun foto challenge: One monarch caterpillar
Cee’s fun foto challenge: One monarch caterpillar

One little crab camouflaged in the sand on the beach.

Cee’s fun foto challenge: One crab camouflaged in the sand
Cee’s fun foto challenge: One crab camouflaged in the sand

One red ladybug who’s not so grouchy.

Cee’s fun foto challenge: One red ladybug
Cee’s fun foto challenge: One red ladybug

One lonely seagull hoping to snatch a good lunch.

Cee’s fun foto challenge: One lonely seagull
Cee’s fun foto challenge: One lonely seagull