Self-portrait with two rabbits

Feeling a little silly tonight!

Pieces of home

So Beth in NYC came for a visit this past weekend. She'd wanted a break from "the big city" and, so, came to Atlanta.

; )

This is closer to "city-living" than I've ever known, so her idea made me chuckle, just a little. I'd last about five minutes living in Manhattan. Anyway, I was happy to show her a couple favorite pieces of home...

We visited Arabia Mountain and checked in with the Elf Orpine... still not blooming! I haven't decided what those little white flowers are, yet. Maybe Sandwort?

We checked in with the sunset... gorgeous!

We checked in with each other... we're all doing okay!

We wandered around Oakland Cemetery...


(where Beth had an unfortunate run-in with fire ants!)

and I got to observe a real photographer at work!

; )

I checked in with Spring... on its way!

We wandered downtown for rainy views of some very tall buildings...

(Beth, of course, was particularly bored by this part.)

We took against-the-rules photos of a sand mandala at Emory...

And finished up at a favorite burger joint!

The weekend went too fast, but I was so glad to see her friendly face here.

: )

Florida's magic

The Anhinga, a silent bird who lives mainly in the silent places of the wildnerness...

A weekend visit in late January to St. Marks and Wakulla Springs brought close looks at some of Florida's most magical and strange birds. Most everything one sees in Florida feels exotic. It's the setting, for sure... everything mist-laden and draped with Spanish moss...

Focus on the dagger-like bill, used to impale fish. Yikes!

But there's something, also, about the birds themselves that works on me. Many are new to me... "lifers" as birders would say. They're also confiding for some reason... "tame" almost. The photographer in me enjoys this chance to get close without too much disturbance to the bird. Being able to ponder the ribbing on the outer tail feathers of an Anhinga, for example, or that acutely-pointed bill...

An apple snail specialist...

The boat ride at Wakulla Springs was a treat... close-up views of manatees and my first-ever January Osprey. The Limpkin (above) was the best find, though... a cool looking bird that I'd heard described as a very large Rail with the habits of an Ibis. I mistook a juvenile White Ibis for a Limpkin the last time I was in Florida... so I need to get to know both species better.

There's a visit to South Florida planned for late next month, which will require learning a couple new wading birds... I can't wait!

Mid-week bunny fix

The perfect bunny hideout!

Skyline

Downtown Atlanta skyline from the Jackson St. overpass

Beth G. is coming for a visit later this month! And she wants to shoot the skyline, so I tried out a couple places for the best view. This spot downtown is nice, but standing on the overpass was a little scary and vertigo-inducing. Midtown has the prettiest buildings, but finding a spot to shoot from is a challenge.

3/29

It's amazing how the world begins to change through the eyes of a cup of coffee.

 ~Donna A. Favors

The February photo challenge subject today is HANDS... mine are happiest around a cup of coffee. 

The mug, by the way, was made by flockmate KatDoc!