Tag: 2018 Photos

2018 Review through the Lens: D2

”It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer.”

– E. B. White, Charlotte’s Web

 

Well, the first weekend of December is almost over, and it’s Day 2 of my December Photo Challenge. I pulled this one out of my archives from last spring. This photo reminds me of my love of our family lake house and all the fun times we’ve had there together. These spiders inhabit every dock, up and down the shoreline, often prompting frustrated boaters to get out their brooms. But, you know me, I prefer to let them be.

The spider web is an amazing and intricate piece of work, with every meaningful string woven, in connection with the next, to construct an ultimately purposeful whole. In a way, it reminds me a lot of writing. That’s probably why I respect the web. I empathize with the labor behind each thread. And, oh, to be a Charlotte…carefully crafting each line while always honoring the heart of one’s soul, in friendship to others, through the message. That’s the work of the greatest of web makers.

I hope you enjoy Day 2 as we continue our count-down together!

 

All the best,

A. J.

 

“Shielding the Sun” (Furrow Orb Weaver; Lake Bridgeport, Chico, Texas. March, 2018.)

 

Furrow Orb Weavers are so named because of a dark pattern on the abdomen that looks like a furrow. They are frequent residents of lake and coastal structures, generally prefering moist locations. Each night the spider will ingest its own web material and recycle it in order to rebuild areas of the web damaged throughout the day. There over 3500 species of orb weavers around the world, but only about 180 of those are present throughout the United States and Canada. If you’re thinking of getting out your broom, you might think twice. The Furrow Orb Weaver is a voracious predator of the common mosquito (and I think we could all use a few less of those).

 

[Check out Day 1 of the December Photo Challenge here.]

 

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2018 Review through the Lens: D1

”The gull sees farthest who flies highest.”

– Richard Bach, Jonathan Livingston Seagull

 

Today is the first day of December. Unbelievable, really. Where has the year gone??? For the past several Decembers, in the spirit of the holidays, I have usually participated in some sort of Facebook® photo challenge…Day 1: Snap Something Red…Day 2: Find a Candy Cane…you get the picture (no pun intended). Now that I’ve gotten this blog off and limping and spent almost a year with my camera, I thought it would be fun to move my photo challenge here and share some of my most favorite outdoor shots from 2018! Many of these have not yet been posted on this blog, and several have not ever left my personal archived albums. I will share one photo each day with a fun fact or short story. Just a quick, easy way to pay tribute to some amazing experiences that I’ve captured and to give us all an opportunity to count down the last few days of 2018 together.

As you prepare for this holiday season, I wish you, your family and your friends the merriest of times, no matter where you live or how you choose to gather and celebrate. And may we all remember our lives as blessings and this planet as the greatest of gifts. Full hearts, everyone.

 

All the best,

A. J.

 

“Wind Beneath My Wings” (Ring-billed Gull in flight; White Rock Lake, Dallas, Texas. January, 2018.)

 

I shot this image during one of my first practice sessions on capturing movement. Each winter the Ring-billed Gulls migrate south to our North Texas area, spending the season around our lakes and streams. This species nests and breeds along the northern borders of the United States and well into Canada, with each bird tending to return to its nesting site and often its mate. Once nearly eradicated in the late 19th Century by hunters, conservation efforts established during the early 1900’s have allowed their numbers to now measure into the millions. Birds reach full adult plumage at about three years of age.

 

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