Photography

Could you identify this plant / weed that’s in my backyard?

It has white sap, red stems, hairy stems, hair on the under side of the leaves, a red lining around leaves, not a square stem.

I think this is hemerocallis or daylily.

Came across a field of these plants, April 21 2014 .. after a long and colder than usual winter and cold Spring, plants are eager to return back to life, a lot like people.

Nice field with the shade of the sun and green colors looking very nice.

Tubers:

I replanted this plant in the same spot i pulled it out from for the photo.

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I have a few plants trying to identify, here’s the second one

Is it Rumex or sheep sorrel,  a dock or a sorrel?

Photos taken 4/21/2014 (Minnesota)

click each photo to see full (huge) size and zoom in

zoomed on some parts in these photos

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I have a few plants trying to identify, here’s the first

Is it ground ivy (creeping charlie) or motherwort?

Photos taken 4/21/2014 (Minnesota)

video taken 04/19/2014

This one is a video taken 04/21/2014 of the same area after raking, it clearly shows a dried up shoot / stem that is square

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Sunday 04/06/2-14 at Richardson Nature Center in Bloomington. An American Kestrel female, sharp little raptor (falcon).

Click photos for larger image, contact me for larger ones.

07-16-2013

in the AM

Sunrise from a parking lot by a baseball field

in the PM

Evening sunset from a trail 8:20PM

Evening sunset from a trail 8:25ish PM

Standing barefoot on a gravel path to sun gaze (day 2 of sungazing)

First spot, about 5 seconds of sungazing here:

Moved to another spot, sungazed more:

This was the sun I looked directly at

and

Shot on September 2, 2012

At carver reserve in Victoria, MN

A dragon was spotted in MN on September 2, 2012, here’s the proof.

Taken at carver reserve in Victoria, MN.

Do you see it?

Click photo for larger size

Mystery Art

Fairies?

Click for the full size

On Sept 30th, Lebanon Hills Park

Do click on the photo for the full size, and you’ll get a much better view of the Egret

At Murphy Hanrehan

Path, Sky, Calming

Many Have worshiped
One of my favorite celestial objects, the sun.
Photos taken in Savage, MN on 09/23/2012
Make sure to click on the photos for the full-size. Then spend some time exploring the colors of these intense sun rays, look at the clouds, and the areas around the sun for many colorful pieces of natural art curtsey the sun and water vapor.
Why is the sky not blue?  because this is a photo of the sun, not the sky.

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The FULL moon tonight, 9/30/2012, taken with my telescope and DSLR camera at 2AM in Minnesota, the sky is crystal clear.

Enjoy (click the photos to see full size).

one

two

three

This was my first attempt to take photos with my new telescope and DSLR camera. I’m not using an adapter, but didn’t need one.

This is a photo using the camera alone with my telephoto lens at maximum zoom:
(click photo to see full size)

Notice a difference?  The telescope photos are like mirror images, the telescope images need to be flipped to match what your eyes see.

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Last Tuesday before heading out to work I noticed many white worms all over the lid of the refuse container (i.e. trash bin). There was plenty of dew on the car and the trash bin lid was also pretty wet, however the photos don’t clearly show the amount of dew present on the lid.

These little worms were knee deep in dew.

Do you see the pairs? why are they next to each other like that?
These aren’t the usual kind of worms I”m used to seeing, will these turn to butterflies or some other flying insect?

If you click on a photo to enlarge it you will notice the  water surrounding the worms.

Later on that day, 1/3rd the worms were “dead by drying” in the sun light, the rest were gone, somewhere. Maybe birds ate them, maybe they went back into the trash bin to eat trash, I donno.

Well, I think they looked pretty and cute, a bit unusual for a garden worm.. I thought they looked interesting / cool. You might agree.

If you thought these worms were anything but gross, I hope this next piece of info doesn’t change your mind: These are maggots.

They must have come out of the trash bin some how, they are the larva of flies (house flies, blow-flies, and cheese flies). In this case I believe these are from blow-flies.

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Let the sun shine

through

for the green buds

to

grow

Click image to enlarge
March 24, 2012
At Lebanon Hills Regional Park, Eagan, MN Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

Glowing Amber?  Inner Sun? Golden Gem Stone, the Philosopher’s Stone?

Molten Glass? Frozen Water? A Geological Formation?

Hmm, what is this?

Here’s a close-up

Ok, I’ll show you.

It’s resin from a tree, here’s the branch

This inner glow, or “inner fire” here is nothing but the sun light shining on this substance

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Nature painting itself shadows on a rock

Click image to enlarge
March 24, 2012
At Lebanon Hills Regional Park, Eagan, MN Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

I enjoy the shape, geometry, symmetry, snow-like looks

(click image to enlarge)

Click on images for the full-size

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Click photos to enlarge

Nov 03, 2010, Fort Snelling State Park

Oct 24, 2010

Click photos to enlarge

A (non-breading or immature) Cedar Waxwing birds flying, looking, jumping etc..

About to land:

(Click photo above for a much larger photo)

Close-ups:

(Click photo above for a much larger photo)

(Click photo above for a much larger photo)

(Click photo above for a much larger photo)

What’s that there?:

(Click photo above for a much larger photo)

Jumping to another branch, like a ninja wearing a black mask!:

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A Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) eating a frog

After the meal
Click image to enlarge
Oct 24, 2010
Taken at Big Willow Park, Minnetonka, MN Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

Fall Trail

Click image to enlarge
Oct 24, 2010
Taken at Big Willow Park, Minnetonka, MN Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

green moss and leaves turning (red) in background

Click image to enlarge
Oct 24, 2010
Taken at Big Willow Park, Minnetonka, MN Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

Minnehaha creek in Minnetonka, MN

Click photo to enlarge
Taken October 24, 2010 with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

Taken at Big Willow Park, Minnetonka, MN

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Squirrel Indulging, Fattening up for winter

Nov 21, 2010
In the back yard!
Click photo to enlarge

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

Wild Turkeys – Richardson Nature Center

(Click photos to enlarge)

Shot Jan 03, 2011 :: Richardson Nature Center, Bloomington, MN

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The first snow storm of the season caused many tree branches and at times full trees to break and fall.
As it snowed heavy wet snow, driving became unpleasant and most people stayed indoors.
That’s a sign it is time to head out and enjoy this winter wonderland.

These are some photos of the massive beauty of a snow-covered world, taken during snow fall

November 13, 2010 in Minnetonka, MN

Trail entrance

A heavy wet burden

Fallen tree branches, with one perfectly lined in the middle of the trail

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The “Forbidden” Red Fruit

(click photo to enlarge)

A “Taxus media”, A.K.A “Hicksii Yew” plant and fruit. All parts of this plant are poisonous.
.

Great for a desktop background image

Shot Aug 28, 2010 ::  Next to the Hennepin Public Library, Minnetonka, MN

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

More info:

Taxus media (Hicksii Yew)

This yew can reach 20 feet high in 20 years and while it is narrow when young, it grows wider with age. Both male and female columnar clones produce deep dark green needles on top and pale green underneath. In general, form is broadly pyramidal with a central leader. Similar to Taxus cuspidata, the Anglojap Yew has olive green branchlets which do not turn brown the second year. Bud scales are blunt and leaves are two-ranked. Thrives in sandier soil that is acid to neutral and well-drained. Does well in either sun or shade.
Important Info : All plant parts are poisonous if ingested

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(click photo to enlarge)

Some wild plant, thorns and soft cotton

Great for a desktop background image

Shot Aug 28, 2010 ::  Next to the Hennepin Public Library, Minnetonka, MN

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera