Photo-a-Day Challenge

Flowers, Friend, Feathers & Felines

My week in photos

These Mexican sunflowers were the only sunshine in our gloomy Sunday. At least I think these are Mexican sunflowers. That’s what my flower identification app says, although this bush is at least 9 feet tall and the app says Mexican sunflowers top out at 6 feet. Perhaps the master gardener who grows them has a special secret for making them extra tall.

Dane is a friendly dog who barks hello when Syau and I walk by but on Monday, he was just too sleepy to be bothered.

November ended with our coldest morning of the season. Despite the almost-freezing temperature, this Whistler was contentedly floating in chartreuse waters.

Invasion of the Whistlers! On these cold mornings, we have hordes — yes, hordes of Whistlers — at least 30 or more. And, usually most if not all dozen Quacklings and two or three adult Muscovy ducks.

As soon as the Whistlers spot me on the porch, they file or fly down the stone path, eager for the corn they know I’ll scatter.

The Quacklings and other Muscovies are usually at the far end of the lake or on the opposite shore. As soon as they hear the cacophony of the Whistlers, they head to our shore. See why I can never retire?? I have to make money to feed hordes of ducks 😉

On Thursday, my friend Gina and I took another local photography road trip. This time we had a specific goal — to see a Roseate Spoonbill. Although they are found throughout Florida, neither of us had ever seen one. Gina found a website where people post sightings of spoonbills and some were spotted at a nearby retention pond earlier in the week. Bingo! We found two, as well as a large flock of Wood Storks. Double bingo!

I wrote a more detailed post about the birds we found at that pond here:

The second Roseate Spoonbill is in the bottom left of this photo of the Wood Storks.

I’ve been seeing a lot of Pileated Woodpeckers lately but they are not cooperative photography models! They are timid and move quickly from one place to another. I took several photos of this guy and this picture was the only one in which he appeared. By the time the shutter closed on the others, he was long gone. I had to follow him from tree to tree. Not a good shot but still a successful one to me!

The week began cold but ended warm — warm enough to have doors open. Tango and Sébastien go out on the back porch every day but for a change of pace, they like to view the world that’s beyond the front door.

© Dennett 2021

In July 2020, I started the Photo-a-Day Challenge to help combat the virus blues. I take photos every day and choose one (maybe, two) to represent the day. Then, add a one-or-two-word descriptor and maybe, some narrative. A simple way to observe and preserve.

Want to join the fun? It’s all about noticing and appreciating your environment and sharing it with us, as these photographers and story-tellers have:

Erika Burkhalter / Eileen Vorbach Collins / Anne Bonfert / Sasha Meyer / Tracy Aston/ Lisa Bolin / Juan O. Aguilera / David Wade Chambers / June Nguyen / Mia Verita / Susan Alison / LensAfield / Barbara Radisavljevic / Diana Lotti / Barbara Dalton / Kim Zuch / K. Barrett / Sandra Barrett / Shruthi Sundaram / Gustavo Mendez / Olive Wilson / Jane Frost (Jane Grows Garden Rooms)

(If you participated in the Photo-A-Day Challenge and your name isn’t listed above, please let me know.)

Please follow the Snapshot rules:

Lead with a photo/title and subtitle follow No more than 10 photos per post No more than 750 words per post Yes, we know that the photos are yours but you still have to state that they’re your work

And, have fun!