My Photographic Memories

Merry Christmas! and a Happy New Year

2011-12-24T09:05:00.000-08:00

Jan and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and we hope your New Year brings joy and success in all that you do.

2011 has been a roller coaster year for us! There have been highs and lows and the ride went by so fast! We are looking forward to a greater 2012.

My New Year's Resolution is to take more photos and post more on this weblog. I hope you will come back often to see what's up here at the Mem'ries.

All the Best,

Mike Z

Lost Maples State Natural Area

2011-11-26T19:40:00.000-08:00

The day after Thanksgiving, Jan was talking with her sister Kathy, who mentioned that they had gone to see the Lost Maples the previous weekend. She said that the maple leaves were beautiful. I had gone to see the Lost Maples a few years back (see my previous post here), and had thoroughly enjoyed it.

Since Jan had not been with me on the previous trip, we decided to go see. We figured an hour and a half would do the trick, and we'd have time to walk and see the trees.

I brought my camera and some accessories (not a tripod or monopod - huge mistake), and we headed west from New Braunfels to Boerne, then on to Bandera and Medina, then turned south to the State Natural Area.

What we hadn't counted on was that the trip would take 2 1/2 hours, and that we would get there about 15 minutes before sunset. The park ranger asked if we knew that we were getting there very late. We said yes. No discount, of course.

We walked a little ways up the Maple Trail, but decided that as it was getting darker and darker, we switch to the East Trail, which is wider and graveled, so it would be easier to see coming back.

I felt a little like a salmon swimming upstream as we passed group after group who were returning from their walk and heading back to their cars. We were the only ones heading into the park!

To make matters worse, thick clouds came up from the south, and completely blocked any light from the sunset. It got dark in a hurry! I was amazed that my Nikon could get any good shots at all. It took some adjusting in Photoshop to get what you see here.

The tree above was the last one we saw. It is at the junction where the Maple Trail meets the East Trail. We decided that we would head back to the car, and save the rest of the trail for another visit.

The nice thing about going back to Austin so late was that we got to see the Christmas and Holiday decorations that the towns had put up. They were very lovely.

So that's the story of my second trip to see the Lost Maples.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mike Z

Guadalupe River, New Braunfels TX, Thanksgiving

2011-11-26T16:22:00.000-08:00

We had our Thanksgiving with Jan's family at Slumber Falls Camp in New Braunfels, TX. We had it at the camp because with almost 50 people in attendance, no one's house could fit us all. Slumber Falls Camp is located near the Guadelupe River, and after lunch I ventured down there to take some photos.

The Guadalupe River is a favorite tubing and recreation area for local residents as well as visitors to New Braunfels. Lately there has been a lot of interest in cleaning up the river.

These photos were taken at sunset, and the steep hill where the camp is located put most of the river in shadow. It was somewhat difficult to get the right exposure for the photos.

Some of the family members got off by themselves to digest the wonderful lunch and enjoy the peace of the river. Everything was just about perfect.

As the sun set, the lighting got more and more interesting. I was especially captivated by the reflection of the sunlit trees in the water's reflection.

Even though the water level is very low due to the horrible drought we had this past summer, the river still flows and brings enjoyment to everyone who encounters it.

Hope your Thanksgiving Day was the best! Ours sure was.

Till next time,

Mike Z

PS If you click on a picture, Google has a new slideshow feature. Enjoy!

Cactus at Sunset, Sedona Arizona

2011-11-03T17:49:00.000-07:00

As we hiked up the hill to see the Chapel of the Holy Cross, I noticed some beautiful cholla plants with deep purple blooms.

I shot several photos, and this was about the best. There were some with bees, but I don't like them as much.

Much more to show you about Sedona. It will be in another post. Click on the photo to see it larger (you can do this with any photo on my weblog).

Till then,

Mike Z

PS My friend Gordon told me about the faux matting technique I used in this photo. I also borrowed some of the steps from George Lepp in Outdoor Photography magazine. I hope you like it.

Red Rocks of Sedona AZ

2011-10-07T19:07:00.000-07:00

The Teapot Rock

Several weeks (ok, months) ago Jan and I were lucky enough to go to Arizona for one of my business meetings. I had been to Sedona about 15 years ago, and made a pledge that I would bring Jan to see the spectacular red rocks that surround that town before we got to old. We stayed overnight in a bed and breakfast, and spent the day Saturday touring Sedona.

We made several hikes during the one full day we got to spend there, one to the Teapot Rock (first picture above), and after a drive another one to the Palatki Indian Ruins farther outside of town. We also got to visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross, an outstanding church that can be seen from miles around the area.

The rocks above were close by the ruins. There were probably petroglyphs and artifacts in there but we weren't allowed to go in.

This rock looked to me like an arched door. Very very large rock. The red color was awe inspiring.

We had to go under this outcropping rock to get back to the car. It looks to me like a character from the old Frank Oz film The Dark Crystal. I think the character was called an uRu.

Next post will be some photos of the petroglyphs at the Palatki Ruins. There are some really cool ones.

Till next time,

Thanks for visiting!

Mike Z

BraveHawk

2011-07-29T17:32:00.000-07:00

You never know what kind of wildlife you'll see in urban Texas. I had parked my car in the parking lot of the Marriott Courtyard hotel in Houston TX, and was heading to the checkin counter, when I spotted this very large hawk catching a snack in the driveway. Not having my "big camera" with me, I pulled out my cell phone and slowly moved toward the hawk. He didn't seem to care if I was there or not, so I named him BraveHawk.

But even BraveHawk could not stand to have another human walk up behind him. The other gentleman took no notice of the intrepid bird, but BraveHawk decided to take his dinner up to a branch of one of the pine trees near the hotel.

I am really glad I got to see this beautiful bird. It is by far the closest I have been to a wild bird like this, and I was very impressed with him. I am glad to get a couple of photos to share with you, and I hope you like them.

Till next time,

Mike Z

Some wildlife around my house

2011-07-10T18:18:00.000-07:00

Green Heron

We are walking around the neighborhood a lot more often lately, trying to get in shape for the next travel adventure (and trying to shed a few pounds as well). This Green Heron is usually around the Town and Country grounds in the evening hours, and this time I was lucky enough to have a camera.

Black Crested Titmouse

I was experimenting with manual focus on one of my lenses recently, and sat in the front yard and took photos of anything that stood still long enough for me to take its photo. This is the first Black Crested Titmouse I can recall seeing. Our neighborhood birder Mikael (Birding on Broadmeade) says they are pretty common. Maybe I've been getting "new eyes" to see more kinds of birds.

squirrel

While I was photographing the birds, this little squirrel came over from the trees in the yard next door to check me out. He stayed quite still so I got a few good shots of him. Pretty soon he headed back over to the next door tree. I guess he figured out that I wasn't going to feed him.

Till next time,

Mike Z

Lesser Goldfinch in Sedona AZ

2011-07-08T20:16:00.000-07:00

Lesser Goldfinch

Last month Jan and I enjoyed a wonderful weekend in Sedona, AZ. I had been there several years ago, and had told her I wanted us to go together. Little did I know back then how many years it was going to take! We stayed in a beautiful Bed & Breakfast called A Sunset Chateau. I highly recommend this place if you are ever in Sedona.

We were close to pretty much everything in Sedona, and took several hikes around the beautiful Red Rocks. As usual, I took my camera along. Next morning, I was out in the yard in front of our room, and happened on this great bird. It seemed to have no fear of me, so I snapped away.

When I got home, I did my usual internet search to see what kind of bird it was. My initial guess (they all are) was a summer tanager. I sent this photo to my friend Bob Zeller (See his website here) and he said he thought it was a Lesser Goldfinch.

And so it will be, always, for me. I hope you like the photo.

Till next time,

Mike Z

Mother's Day Photo Book

2011-05-30T10:40:00.001-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

I had promised Jan a photo book of our trip to Big Bend last May, and had every intention of getting it to her by Mother's Day. She had seen a friend's photo book made by Shutterfly, and she thought it would be great to save our memories of that trip in book form. But my work and travel schedule prevented me from getting it done by that day. But it is done and on the way to her now.

I hope you enjoy the slideshow of the Big Bend Photo Book. I enjoyed putting it together. I can't wait to see how it turned out.

Our next project will be the Washington DC trip, so look for that slideshow soon.

Till next time,

Mike Z

Jefferson Memorial

2011-05-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

On the 3rd day of our sightseeing tour, we hiked from the hotel to the Jefferson Memorial. I knew it would be a long way, but didn't anticipate just how long a walk it would be. The walk itself was very nice, lots of animals and scenes along the way.

We walked through the cherry trees, a gift long ago from the Japanese government, but we missed the bloom by more than a month. We did see one tree in bloom, but could not be certain it was a cherry tree.

click to see a larger photo

The statue of Thomas Jefferson, in the center of the memorial, is very impressive. I guess I never realized from photos I had seen just how big it is. On the walls surrounding the statue are some of Jefferson's writings, which I found very sobering and moving.

I hope you will get to see these places in Washington DC, if you haven't already. I truly believe that every person should see as many of the beautiful sights of our nation's capital as possible.

Till next time,
Mike Z

The World War II Memorial in Washington DC

2011-05-19T19:33:00.000-07:00

Jan and I were privileged to go to Washington DC recently (me for work, Jan for a much needed vacation), and we toured the various monuments and memorials around the White House and the Capitol.

My dad had served in the Navy during World War II, and I was especially anxious to see and photograph the WWII Memorial while we were there.

The memorial was spectacular, and I tried several series of photos to make a panorama of it. This one was the best attempt. You can see the Lincoln Memorial in the center distance.

I hope you like this. There are more photos, which I'll be sharing soon, but I am very proud of this one, so it comes first.

More later,

Mike Z

Cat Stuck in the Tree

2011-05-01T22:04:00.000-07:00

Jan was washing the car this afternoon, and I was raking leaves. We kept hearing a very sad cat crying, but neither of us could locate it. I was looking in the bushes beside our house when Jan said, "Look! It's stuck in the tree!"

Sure enough, there was the cat in the very tallest branches of the oak tree.

We called her and called her, and she tried to get down, but just couldn't work up the courage.

As I write this, it is about midnight. I checked on her just a few minutes ago and she is still up there. I hope she gets hungry enough to overcome her fear, because it is pretty chilly out there tonight.

Monday Morning: Well, I couldn't stand it. Woke up early and put on a robe (it's nippy out today!) and rushed out to see if the tree-climbing kitty was still up there. Good news! Her hunger and cold overcame her fear of climbing down and she was no longer there. I hope she doesn't try that again!

All the best to you (and the cat),

Mike Z

Captured a Bird on our walk around Town and Country

2011-04-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

Jan and I took a walk around the neighborhood, and along the hike/bike trail in Town and Country Sports Center, where I was certain I would find some birds to photograph. I brought the small camera, a Nikon P90, so I could take some quick shots if anything showed up. We saw some crows, and I was beginning to feel like that might be all I would see. Suddenly a large shape flew out of the tree over my head, and this bird landed in a tree across the waterway. I ran the zoom on the P90 out all the way and took about 5 shots. These two looked the best.

I believe this nest was where the bird flew from

I am very much a novice birdwatcher, but I had not seen this kind of bird in the area before (that I can remember). He (or she) looked around for a couple of minutes then flew on.

I looked the bird up in my Pocket Naturalist Guide, and the closest I can come to is, this might be an Osprey. I did not get a good look at the breast, so that didn't help. Also the Osprey has a dark stripe across the eyes. If anyone out there knows what this bird is, please leave me a note. I will continue to look it up on the 'web and if I find out, I'll post a PS.

Looking back at my previous post, Birdwatching the Day after Christmas, I can see some similarities between that bird and this one. Same yellow nostrils, same curved beak, stripe on tail feathers. But I think the head is lighter colored than the "Christmas" bird.

I will look at the crow and mockingbird photos, and post them on another note if they're ok.

Till next time,

Mike Z

Nakia - An Austin Original with UPDATE

2011-04-20T21:01:00.000-07:00

Nakia at South by Southwest sings One More Try

Nakia is one of my favorite Austin singers. He gave a concert at the Open Ears Concert at our church recently and though the audience was way too small just sang his heart out the entire evening.

I think he is going to get a lot more "famous" with folks outside Austin now that he is going to be on the new TV show "The Voice." I can't wait to see how he does.

He deserves lots of ears to hear him sing and play.

Till next time, all the best,

Mike Z

PS: The Voice was on last night, but Nakia wasn't on this week. I'll watch next week and let you all know.
UPDATE: Saw Nakia on the show, he picked Cee Lo Green as his coach. Good choice since he sang one of Cee Lo's songs! I hope he does well. We'll see.

Mickey's Giftshop Across from the Big Rock Candy Mountain

2011-04-16T19:55:00.000-07:00

The Weather Station at Mickey's

I was looking through some old travel photos (this one is from our trip from Washington to Texas in 2008) and found this photo of a "weather sign" that was set in front of Mickey's Gift Shop across the road from the Big Rock Candy Mountain in Utah. I had forgotten that we stopped at this spot, but remembered how much the grandkids liked the replica of Fred Flinstone's automobile and other assorted memorabilia.

We were also more than a little impressed that there really was a Big Rock Candy Mountain! For those of you who've seen Oh Brother, Where Art Thou by the Cohen Brothers, you know that Burl Ives sings about this mountain in the opening song. If you click on the link above you can find out how this particular mountain came to be called TBRCM.

I hope you found as much humor in the weather sign as I did. It shows a sly humor that is not abundant these days. Till next time...

all the best,

Mike Z

The lagoon in back of the hotel

2011-04-12T17:15:00.000-07:00

It seems like ages since I've posted anything on this weblog (hope someone noticed! :-) except photos from my mobile phone. For keeping everyone waiting, I apologize. I do have photos to post, so I will get them on the 'blog soon. Promise.

This little shot is of the lagoon in back of the hotel I'm staying in tonight. I was getting into the car to find a place to eat, and the breeze felt so good I stopped for a second and just breathed.

The photo isn't the greatest, but I hope you notice the ripples on the water. That is what caught my eye, and that's what I tried to capture for you.

I'm glad to be back. More photos and stories soon.

All the best,

Mike Z

Saucer Magnolia at the Hotel

2011-03-02T18:59:00.000-08:00

More traveling with work, and this time I remembered the camera. I'm in Houston, and the hotel has several saucer magnolia trees spaced between palms and other kinds of greenery. I shot a few photos of the flowers, hoping to get one with good color and sharpness.

I had taken another photo of a saucer magnolia tree at the Houston Zoo, and I am really proud of that one. I had some note cards made with that photo.

I hope you like this one as well.

Glad to be back,

Mike Z

Out the Plane Window

2011-02-21T19:32:00.000-08:00

Seems like I am always on a plane these days! Another trip to California, this time to Simi Valley. I seem to be taking more photos with my phone these days than with my camera, but I try to see interesting things wherever I am, and this shot of the California sunset and the wing of the jet struck me as pretty interesting! I hope you agree.

Til next time,

Mike Z

San Diego Sunset

2011-01-15T10:11:00.000-08:00

My coworkers and I had just stepped out onto the patio atop the Marriott hotel in San Diego, and we talked about the great weather and wonderful sunset as the sun sank below the Pacific Ocean. I had come from some pretty cold and cloudy weather, and Shawn had escaped from even worse weather in Minnesota.

So I got out the trusty Blackberry, and snapped this photo of the bay and sunset. Believe me I know that the image does not do justice to the actual experience! But it will give you the reader some idea of what we saw.

More later! I have not been taking too many photos due to the weather, but I hope things will be different by the time I return to Texas.

All the best,
Mike Z

Birdwatching the Day After Christmas

2010-12-26T16:25:00.000-08:00

Even though the day was very cold, Jan and I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood to walk off some of the Christmas festivities. As we walked through the Town and Country sports park, we stumbled upon a most beautiful hawk in a willow tree just 25 feet or so away. Did I have the camera? No. So we decided to high-tail it back to the house and bring the camera back. I didn't have much hope of seeing that hawk again.

As we walked through we passed a young dad and his daughter and mentioned we had seen the hawk. He said there was one on a wire just a bit ahead. We walked as quietly as we could and there he was! I got three shots before he flew off.

Looking on the Whatbird website the closest match I can find is the Red Shouldered Hawk. It appears to be a young one, but I am no expert. I got this on max zoom and manual focus, and I hope it's clear enough for an expert to confirm my ID of this beautiful bird. (or not, if I'm wrong...)

Another hawk across the waterway

We took some more shots of various birds, a couple of which I think are robins? but that will be for another post. Hope your Holiday was wonderful, and thanks for stopping by!

All the best,

Mike Z

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

2010-12-24T12:34:00.000-08:00

I wish you, your friends, and family the Merriest of Christmases, and the Happiest of New Years in 2011. May your New Year be everything you want it to be!

Thanks for visiting,

Mike Z

Paisano Pete in Ft Stockton TX

2010-12-15T21:01:00.000-08:00

I had been through Ft Stockton TX a few times in my travels around south Texas, and a few years back had been asked by a friend to take a picture of Paisano Pete. I didn't know there was such a thing as Paisano Pete. At that time I did not have a digital camera, so I bought a throwaway Kodak, snapped a few photos, had them developed, and mailed them off. The CD I had gotten as part of the photo developing has been lost.

Jan and Paisano Pete

So fast forward to our recent trip to Big Bend, and we decided to go through Ft Stockton again on the way to I-10 and home. By now I had been told that "Paisano" is the nickname for the Greater Roadrunner, whose photos I had taken on our trips to Big Bend. Things started to fall in place...

I remember Paisano Pete being somewhat more drab the last time I had taken his photo. There was also a sign proclaiming Paisano Pete as the World's Largest Roadrunner. We stopped at a local gas station to fill up, and the manager told me that the city from time to time "refreshes" the paint on the local landmark. He certainly looked more colorful!

Portrait of Paisano Pete

So that's my story of Paisano Pete. The Ft Stockton web page describes the "Paisano" as the world's largest roadrunner sculpture, but Roadside America website showed that a larger roadrunner sculpture made of junk is in Las Cruces NM.

Thanks as always for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this one.

All the best,

Mike Z

Waterlily

2010-12-07T19:27:00.000-08:00

I took this photo of a white waterlily in San Angelo the week of the International Water Lily Association Convention.

This one is one of my favorites from that photo shoot. I particularly like the reflection of the lily in the water.

One of the things I learned (I may have mentioned this before) is that many of the waterlilies found in the Water Lily Display in San Angelo are found nowhere else in the world.

Thanks for stopping by. More photos to come!

All the best,

Mike Z

Grey Morning in Galveston

2010-12-03T16:08:00.000-08:00

This week I spent in the Galveston area, and stayed at a hotel on the waterfront. Moody Gardens was across the bay, and I wanted to go, but never got the chance. The first morning was relatively warm and hazy, and when I opened the curtains the photo above was the sight that greeted me.

I did a small amount of color enhancement to bring out the colors of the buildings, and cropped out some of the sky, but did little else to "photoshop" the picture. The next morning was bright sun and MUCH colder, but I didn't think to get a contrasting shot of the same area.

12/16/2010 Note: One of my favorite photo-friends pointed out that the billboards behind the houses were taking away from the scene. So, I confess I did a small amount of fixup in Photoshop. I agree the photo looks better now. Thanks, Bob!

And thanks to you for stopping by! I'll have more photos up soon.

all the best,

Mike Z

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T15:22:00.000-08:00

I want to wish everyone a Very Happy Thanksgiving! Even if you're not living in the US, please take a moment and remember the people and things you are thankful for. It can't hurt, right?

The photo above is another of Jan's sister-in-law's "pet" turkey. (See Christmas Turkey) This guy just showed up at their house and literally took over. He was never very happy to see most visitors, including me!

"Tom" has since moved to another family's home I understand. I wish him well.

'Til next time,

All the Best!

Mike Z

Butterfly at the Ranch

2010-11-23T21:47:00.000-08:00

The weather had turned cool last weekend, but the butterflies were still out and about around the fire bush by my mother-in-law's house. This Gulf Fritillary and a pipevine swallowtail were busy, gathering what they could while the sun was high.

I had to get low to shoot the underside of the butterfly's wings.

I hope you have a great week. Come by often, I am starting to get more photos up for you.

Best regards,

Mike Z

More wildlife photos from Big Bend

2010-11-21T17:56:00.000-08:00

I believe this magnificent fellow is a sharp-shinned hawk.

I've been working on these photos off an on for a few weeks now, and I guess they're as good as they are going to get. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them!

This bull snake was at the side of the road, and looked like it couldn't make up it's mind what to do. It was alive I know because I saw its' tongue flicking every few minutes. But it never moved.

I wish I could have gotten a better photo of this beautiful bobcat. I feel very fortunate to have even seen one! It was in the park under a tree, and seemed comfortable as we stopped the car and shot photo after photo. Then it moved on...

This Mexican Jay was one we saw on during the May Big Bend trip. I just liked it so I added it to this post.

I am glad you visited the Memories. I have some more photos that will be going up in a few days. 'Til next time, All the Best,

Mike Z

Some Random Photos of our Recent Return to Big Bend

2010-10-28T21:28:00.000-07:00

Jan and I recently returned to Big Bend National Park a few weeks back, and this time we got to see lots more of the surrounding area. Things have been pretty hectic around here since our return home, but I wanted to post some photos to give you an idea of the places and wildlife we saw while we were there. Above is a photo of Casa Grande, in the Chisos Mountain basin. I had taken a photo of this stunning rock in my previous Big Bend post, but I really liked the way the shadows looked on the rock this time. I hope you agree.

We toured the area this time with two friends, Bob and Ann, who are avid birders. So I got a chance to test my photo skills on birds. I realized very quickly that there is a lot more to bird photography than there is to landscape or still life photography. The hawks and other birds were very far away and didn't "pose" for photos for too long. I gave it my best effort, with mixed success.

Above is the view of Casa Grande from the road leading to the Chisos Mountain Lodge. The air was clear and the scene was kind to my camera.

This hawk let Bob and me get close enough for me to get a pretty good shot, before it flew off. Jan and I had fun spotting the birds from the car as we drove along the road. Jan has very good eyes for spotting birds!

Birds were not the only animals that caught my attention as we walked the paths in the sunlight. This little lizard almost got away before I could get a shot, but I got this one. I felt lucky.

Later in the week, the morning air was particularly hazy, and it made for some interesting photos. This is a photo of The Window in the Chisos Mtns, with Casa Grande behind it. The ocotillo and sotol in the foreground make the photo more interesting to me.

I was told that this little bird is a Rufous-crowned Sparrow (thanks Bob Z), and I found him on our hike to The Window early in the morning. He watched me for quite a while as we passed, then flew on.

As best I can tell from the butterfly ID websites, this is a Painted Lady. There were quite a few varieties of butterflies passing through the area, and I'll be posting more photos as I can. I also got some pretty good photos of some rock formations and sights along the Rio Grande river. I hope you'll come back and visit again soon.

Later,

Mike Z

Langtry TX, home of Judge Roy Bean

2010-10-24T11:58:00.000-07:00

Hello! It has been quite a while since I have posted anything on the Mem'ries, but I didn't want anyone to think I have been lazy. :-) There has been a lot going on, so in the next few days and weeks you should see lots more activity around here!

This post is sort of a "prequel" to our second trip to Big Bend National Park and surrounding areas. While on the road from Del Rio we stopped in Langtry, TX to see the original home of Judge Roy Bean, Law West of the Pecos. I had posted a photo of the replica of this building when I wrote a while back about Pecos, TX, and in that post I mentioned that one day I'd like to see the original site of this colorful and historic character.

I also included the historic marker which I thought was most informative.

Going through the front door of the Jersey Lilly, to the right was the "bar side," with an original photo of Lilly Langtry, a soul mate of the judge's. Sad note: the historic marker says that the judge never got to meet Ms. Langtry, as she made her appearance in Langtry a few months after he passed away.

The other end of the room, looking from the bar.

Adjacent to the bar, is the Billiard Room. Lots of photos from the time Judge Roy was active in the area. The artifacts in the lower right corner are the legs from the billiard table.

Overlooking the bar and the billiard room is a rare Eclipse Model 10 ft windmill that is part of the Cactus Garden exhibit next door. A very beautiful windmill which has been well preserved.

The last photo is of the Opera House, where Judge Roy lived, listened to opera, and dispensed justice West of the Pecos. I suppose this is where Lilly Langtry performed when she was there.

Thank you so much for stopping by My Photographic Memories. I hope you've enjoyed this visit to Langtry, TX. We sure enjoyed visiting there.

Until next time,

Mike Z

Part 4 - Our Hike Up the Lost Mine Trail

2010-08-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

Our first day at the Chisos Mountain Lodge started out early. We took a short walk around a trail designed to give us a really good view of The Window. The sun had just come up high enough to shine right in Jan's eyes. We found out later that we missed a mountain lion moving across the trail towards The Window by about a half hour. We got to see a video of her though.

This Paisano, or Road Runner, was wandering around the parking lot as we got in the car to head to the trail. He seemed totally unafraid of humans, and went about catching his morning breakfast without breaking stride. I was told later that this lack of fear of humans is a characteristic of these beautiful birds.

The Mexican Jay above was in the parking lot of the trail. Searching for and catching a late breakfast was formost on its' mind. The blue of its' head and wings is like no other jay I have ever seen, a light pastel sky blue that is not like the "standard" blue jays around our house. When this jay flew off, I pointed the camera at it as best I could and just took shot after shot. The one above is the best of the lot.

We encountered our second Road Runner out on the trail, at about marker 6 or 7. We did not pick up a legend of the different markers, but I highly recommend that any hikers on the trail get one before going up. The hike would have been more interesting with one in hand!

Ocotillo, Fonquieria splendens

We met two hikers from Australia on the trek, and they were very friendly to us. The man in the photo above was visiting his friend, who had been in the US for some time working at a company in Austin. When he got up on the rock to get a better view, I couldn't resist taking this shot. It's one of my favorites.

These two photos were taken about half the way up the trail. I think the one on the right is the more interesting one. I can almost see a man's profile in the rock...

Some random shots as we reached the top of the trail. We were quite high up, and got a great view of the whole area. The pinon pine above left and the weed just cried out to be photographed. And flowers are always a treat to see and capture.

This photo was taken at the very end of the trail. If you look closely, you can see a young man on the left (about the mid point of the shot) taking a photo of a young man across the rock on the right. I think it gives a sense of the scale of the rock and a small part of what we enjoyed when we got there.

I hope you like these photos. I sure enjoyed taking them. I will be back to Big Bend in October for a longer stay and will surely have some great photos to show then.

This is the last post on Big Bend for now (I know I promised four episodes, sorry) because other photos are begging to be shown. But I will post the last episode later, once some more current things are done. Til then, thank you for visiting this humble 'blog.

Mike Z

Part 3 - Sunset at the Chisos Mountain Lodge

2010-07-25T20:25:00.000-07:00

We went to dinner at the Chisos Mountain Lodge main building. It was a combination reception desk, gift shop, and restaurant. The restaurant had a stunning view of the Window, which is what the gap in the mountains is called. A more perfect view of the beautiful sunset I could not imagine. So I took a few photos.

We had a great dinner at the Lodge, and the only thing that spoiled it was my jumping up every few minutes and rushing out to take "just one more, I promise" photo. Our waiter was young and very friendly and told us about his family and home in Ohio, I believe. He was glad to be on the staff, and this was his first night as a server! He did an excellent job, so I am confident his tenure there will be long.

The sun continued to set and the colors got more beautiful...

I wanted this sunset to last forever, but as we all know, time and sunsets wait for no man.

This last photo was taken from the porch of the restaurant side of the Lodge. I hope you can see the serenity and beauty of the moment. If you look at the lower left corner, there is a couple in the lounge chairs that was enjoying the view as much as I was. We were all very lucky!

We went back to the cabin very refreshed and very eager to get to bed! Our trip up the Lost Mine Trail would start very early. More on that later, my friends.

Part 2 - The Drive Into Big Bend National Park

2010-07-14T21:53:00.000-07:00

It looks like this will be a 4 Part series, because there are so many photos to show you. After we left the Gage Hotel in Marathon, we headed south to the Big Bend National Park.

We had not checked any weather reports, and the radio was unhelpful, but I noticed these huge thunderheads coming over the hills from the east. It looked like it was going to be a big storm...

The sun was setting to my back as I got out of the car to take this photo. The dark clouds behind the mountain were getting more ominous looking as we drove south.

double rainbow

The rainbow appeared for a short time as the sun set. It was raining pretty heavily behind us and to the east. I tried for a panorama shot of the rainbow, but the "right hand" photo did not come out well enough to mend the two photos into one.

As I busied myself taking photos, a group of motorcyclists passed us. They were friendly and waved as they passed. We were just about half-way to the main area of the park, and our destination the Chisos Mountain Lodge.

As the sun set it really lit up the rocks and mountains along the road. The rain was staying off to our east, at least for now....

More photos of some of the beautiful sights as we drove

At last we arrived! This was the view from our room the first night, looking towards the Window, a natural gap in the mountains that affords a spectacular view of the sunset from the Main Hall of the lodge complex. The Sunset will be Part 3.

This rock formation was the dominant feature of the landscape looking away from the Window. We were lucky to have had the opportunity to spend the weekend at the Chisos Mountain Lodge.

Big Bend Trip Part 1 - Gage Hotel

2010-07-04T15:24:00.000-07:00

Hello again! This is Part 1 of what I hope will be a three part series on our recent trip to Big Bend National Park. What I can tell you about the trip is that it was wonderful, relaxing, tiring and FUN all at the same time. We both thought out loud many times, "Why haven't we done this sooner?!?" The area is vast (see Google map at link above), beautiful, and very well kept by the folks at the Park Service. But enough about the Park, you'll see photos of it later. Now for the Gage Hotel.

We had heard about the Gage for a long time, as Jan's sisters and their families had been there several times a few years back. We were never able to go with them on those trips, although now I can't understand why. I guess it was job conflicts, kid conflicts, but for whatever reason we passed. The sisters usually stayed at the Gage Hotel, and had wonderful things to say about it. Located in Marathon, TX, about an hour's drive from Big Bend, it is a very old and historic site, with many cottage-type rooms, as well as the original rooms in the hotel itself.

The dining area has both an indoor and outdoor area, and the menu appeared to be 5-star (with prices to match!). There was light fare, as well as 5 course meals, all available to hotel patrons and passers-by like us. We will have to take advantage of their wonderful facility on another trip, because we were running out of daylight, and just ate at a great little family restaurant down the street.

There seemed to be dried peppers hanging everywhere, which gave the place a distinctive Southwest flavor (pun intended). I wondered several times if they were for show, to eat, or if they had another purpose, but I enjoyed looking at them a lot.

Since I am constantly looking for new bird species in our travels, and very new to birding in general, I learn a lot from friends. Bob Zeller was kind enough to give me the name of these beautiful birds -- the Barn Swallow. They are very pretty, and seemed not to worry about me photographing them.

On the west side of the building is a large courtyard that separates the cabins from the main hotel. I can see many pachangas (bar-b-ques) being held there on special occasions.

Past the pool are the cabins. They look like they're made of adobe, and continue the Southwest look and feel of the place. I think if we stay there at some point, I'd like to be in a cabin rather than the hotel itself. No particular reason, just a preference.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed this photo tour of the Gage. If you are ever out that way, it deserves at least a stop. Next installment will be the road into Big Bend and the sunset at The Window.

All the best,

Mike Z

Ellis Paul has a new CD out!

2010-06-27T16:05:00.000-07:00

Hello again. Long time readers of this weblog will remember my post about Jan's Mothers Day present from Amy--tickets to see Chris O'Brien and Ellis Paul at the Cactus Cafe here in Austin. For those that haven't seen it, Click Here to see the previous post.

I got a note from Mr. Paul's producer, Ralph Jaccodine, that Ellis has a new CD out. I was glad to hear it, 'cause I really enjoy his music. Even better, Ralph said in his note that I could listen to and download a song from that CD, called "Annalee," for FREE. Yes, for free. ~no emails no personal information no come-ons~ You can listen to the song or download it by clicking Here.

One sad note, The Cactus is no more, I hear. The University of Texas needed the space for offices and such, and decided to close it. Sad. But at least we got to go once!

I hope you like the song. I do. And come back to the Memories often. I plan to get more photos up and yes, the movie too.

All the best,

Mike Z

Lighthouse at Port Isabel TX

2010-06-21T19:39:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been almost 2 months since I have added anything to the Memories. How time flies. I have taken some photos since April, and I intend to get some of them up on the weblog. Feels good to be back!

This photo was taken in early May, while I was on a business trip to South Padre Island (yeah, I can hear it now, tough duty Mike! You really got it rough). On the way back to the mainland I saw the lighthouse and it just called to me. The sky was clear and very blue, and the whole scene just begged to be photographed.

I took several shots of the lighthouse, from several different angles, and this one was the best of the lot. I have been learning about the Orton Effect, which was developed many years ago in the days of film and 35 mm slides to give a "glow" to the subject of the photograph. It seemed to me that this lighthouse was a good candidate for a dreamlike photo, and I think it came out pretty nice.

I hope you like the lighthouse. I am working on a video (my first for the memories) and hope to have it up by week's end. Also some photos of Big Bend, which I highly recommend to anyone who loves the outdoors and wild scenic places.

So thanks for stopping by, and I will try to get things interesting around here once again. Till next time!

Mike Z

Wildflower field in Hempstead TX

2010-04-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

Driving back and forth from Houston as much as I have, I couldn't help but notice this very large field of wildflowers. It has attracted hundreds of visitors in recent weeks to get "bluebonnet photos" (a tradition here in Central Texas) of kids, loved ones, and even pets. Most days there would be dozens of cars and vans parked along Highway 290, with people walking through the wildflowers, taking photos, and mostly enjoying the sights and smells of such a large field of beauty.

But coming back this week, there was only a couple of cars, and since I had the "travel cam" I decided it would be a good time to get a couple of shots. I think the rainy overcast day had a lot to do with the scarcity of visitors. The trails between the flowers were quite muddy, so I stayed along the main road into the property.

I took this photo at the entrance to the field, where the road into the property begins. There was a beaten trail right along the fenceline, which you can see in the lower left corner of the photo.

I hope that you have wildflowers blooming where you are. This is really a great time to be in Texas.

More later,

Mike Z

Salivating for Salvia!

2010-03-29T16:15:00.000-07:00

For those who are anxious to see the salvia in our front yard (all 1 of you I suspect) here are two shots I made in the late afternoon yesterday.

I didn't realize until after I pulled them up on the computer screen that I need to do some weeding in that garden! Argh... oh well, they are doing much better this year after all the rain we've had recently. Last year it was so dry I didn't think they'd make it. Glad they did though.

Have a great week everyone! I will try to get some of the photos of the Flat Creek Winery up sometime this week. They had some interesting outdoor sculptures on display when we went by. The owners are so nice, I wish we could visit more often.

All the best,

Mike Z

The Gazebo at Zilker Park, Austin TX

2010-03-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

The Gazebo at Zilker Park, Austin TX

Jan and I volunteered again this year for the Austin Pond Society at the Zilker Garden Festival in Zilker Park. It was earlier this year than last, and the breeze as we arrived was brisk and cool. I was glad I brought a light jacket! The crowds were out in force by 11am, but when we arrived it was quiet. So I was able to walk around and shoot a few photos. I have more than these but I wanted to get my first few tries up as soon as possible.

The flower above looked to Jan and me like a rose, but it was not on a rose bush. I patiently waited till the wind died down a little and took a few shots of it. If someone knows what kind of flower it is, please leave it in the comments. I was not the only one to find this a curiosity. Several other folks with cameras came by and took their turn photographing it. It stood out in the small garden of red and purple flowers.

This is my second try. In all the photos above, I used a technique called the Orton Effect. It was first used back in the days of film, and is much easier to accomplish in this day of digital photography. I think it adds a little softness and yet retains the "pop" I was hoping for. Many thanks to my friend Gordon H for introducing me to this fascinating effect.

As I get more photos done, I will add them to this post. I hope you enjoyed your stay!

All the best,

Mike Z

The Redbud tree in the backyard

2010-03-27T18:50:00.000-07:00

The Redbud Tree

The redbud trees are blooming all over Austin, and we have a lot of them in our neighborhood. I had planted this one after Jan's father passed away, as a way of remembering him. Roland was a minister, and spring was a special time for him, both personally and religiously.

The tree has survived some mighty dry summers, but this past winter was very rainy, and I think that's why it bloomed out so well this year.

In past years I have not concentrated on close-up or macro photos of the blooms. This year I wanted to do something a little different. I got as close as the lens would let me and still stay somewhat focused, and fired several shots continuously, in case there was any vibration or handshake when I took the photo.

And of course, there were bees everywhere around the tree. They were a welcome sight. I have read that bees are dying off in some parts of the country at an alarming rate, and it will not go well with our flowers and crops if they go completely. I hope this one was able to bring back some goodies for the hive. I saw an Eastern Tiger swallowtail butterfly as well, but it didn't stay around for a photo.

I hope you enjoy these little shots of mine. Tomorow, the salvias!

Take care,

Mike Z

Brynach

2010-03-20T15:29:00.000-07:00

I am sure you have noticed that portraits do not often appear on My Photographic Memories. I have many misgivings about my "skills" as a portrait photographer. But when I saw young Bryn sitting in his mom's lap, and the obvious bond of love the two of them shared, I threw caution to the wind and asked if I could take a couple of photos. Tamra agreed, thankfully.

These two photos are the "best of the lot." As you know, my motto is take 100 to get 1. Please don't look at these photos in any technical way. Just look into those eyes and share the joy.

Our church is making a photo directory this year, the first in quite a few years. Last time we used one of the "professional" companies to take the photos and make the directory. But so many people had problems with the "hard sales pitch" from the company that one of our group decided to buy software and do it ourselves. I have volunteered during March to help with the photo-taking. A blatant attempt on my part to get some practice with portraits and how my camera can get the best portrait shot.

Wish me luck!

Mike Z

PS Tamra kindly gave me permission to put these photos on My Photographic Memories. Thank you Tamra!

Bunnies at the hotel, Las Cruces New Mexico

2010-03-04T20:25:00.001-08:00

This is the first time I've been to New Mexico in a while. Although I spent the day in Albuquerque, I made the reservation for Las Cruces so I could get back to El Paso in time to fly home on Friday. (I know, too much information, right?)

Anyway, as I walked in to talk to the hotel people, I noticed quite a few cute little rabbits "grazing" in the grass between the walk and the bushes. As I walked closer all but one hopped back into the cover of the bushes. The little one you see above was bold enough to stay out while I got the blackberry set up to take a photo.

We don't see very many rabbits or jackrabbits in Texas anymore. They used to be plentiful. I have heard that the fire ants have pretty much wiped them out in our part of the country. Pretty sad.

Well gang, just a note from the road. More later. Thanks for visiting!

Mike Z

The Twin Hypodermics, Houston TX

2010-02-28T21:02:00.000-08:00

This was the view from my hotel window Saturday morning as I got ready to be an exhibitor at a conference in the Medical Center of Houston TX. This "landmark" building is where lots of medicine is practiced by some of the finest doctors in the country. (and where some of the finest sales people try to sell products to those fine doctors, I might add)

I took the photos with my mobile phone, not the regular camera. It just seemed like a shot waiting to be taken, kind of like the Space Needle in San Antonio on a previous post. You can see the reflection of the hotel in the glass walls.

In the early 80's when I lived in Houston and peddled my wares in that building, it was affectionately known by friends as the "Twin Hypodermics." I think it is obvious why we called it that. To this day, when I see it, I can't help thinking those words and smiling. I guess it doesn't take much to keep me amused...

Thanks again for stopping by!

Mike Z

The Old House at Seward Junction

2010-02-21T19:07:00.000-08:00

I have passed this delapidated house, or barn, many times as we drove up to Copperas Cove to visit the kids and grandkids. I have often thought it looked like a good subject for a photo. People pass these relics (for lack of a better term) every day and probably never give a thought to the history in the structure.

Another photo of the house

Jan likes this view better

Times change, lives change, and the places we live change. Sometimes our places are abandoned as we move up or move on. I wish I knew who lived here, and why it is still standing in this place along Hwy 183. I will probably never know, but it is fun to think about it.

More later dear readers,

Mike Z

My friend Gordon H added a great sky background and improved the photo nicely. I have to learn how to do that! Thanks Gordon.

Note 10/2010: Sorry to say, but "progress" has taken it's toll on this old house in Seward Junction. The expansion of Highway 183 has reduced the house to a pile of rotten wood. Pretty soon even that will be gone....

Not many will mourn the loss, but I have noticed on my travels lately that I've been looking for other old houses or barns that have similar appeal to this one. Maybe you'll see more in future posts?

Pelicans on the Bayou St John

2010-02-06T19:45:00.000-08:00

First post on the 'Memories in quite a while. I shot these photos in New Orleans about a month ago (that long?? time sure flies...) at the Jackson Day Race on a very cold morning with the temperature at about 21degrees F. Our family had a reunion of sorts to celebrate the 103rd running.

Some of you may know that the pelican is the State Bird of Louisiana. A pelican with 3 chicks is on the state flag. This was the closest to pelicans I had been in quite a while, so I snapped a few shots and these were the best of the lot.

pelican on the Bayou St John

The pelican staring at me over its back in the photo below is the same one that is in the photo above. I really felt sorry for them if they were as cold as I was that morning.

pelican family

Ok so the photo below is not a pelican, it's a heron. He was fishing in one of the ponds around the New Orleans Museum of Art. We passed it as we "raced" along (actually walked, more on that in a later post).

heron

I apologize again for this short note. I have been so busy (darn Facebook!) but I didn't want too long to pass before I got back to this blog. I hope to be back more often in coming weeks.

Thanks for stopping by,

Mike Z

Space Needle in San Antonio

2010-01-03T18:51:00.000-08:00

Last December I worked a convention in San Antonio, and stayed at the Hotel Del Palacio on the Riverwalk. The Tower of the Americas, commonly called the Space Needle, dominated the view outside my room. I have always been intrigued by the Needle, but have never ridden the glass elevator to the restaurant at the top. Jan and her family had gone to the Hemisfair in 1968, but she remembers very little of the event.

On his website, the Texas Explorer, George Hosek writes "Standing 750 feet it's one of the tallest freestanding buildings in the United States, 67 feet taller than the Washington Monument and 87 feet taller than the Seattle Space Needle." It is now part of Hemisfair Park, and is a tourist must-see in downtown San Antonio. Please read his article, it gives a lot of information about the needle and the area.

I was also interested in the Wikipedia article on the Hemisfair in 1968. In the article it says that "HemisFair '68 was the first officially designated world's fair (or international exposition) held in the southwestern United States. San Antonio, Texas hosted the fair from April 6 through October 6, 1968."

I hope you enjoy the photo. And I hope your New Year is the best ever!

Best regards,

Mike Z

The Christmas Turkey

2009-12-26T20:51:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Day Jan and I went to her folks' place for a "round robin" Christmas Dinner. The main course was at her sister Karen and brother-in-law Frank's house. I had heard that they had "adopted" a tom turkey recently (or rather I think the turkey adopted them), and I was anxious to see if I could get a shot or two of the bird.

Normally, I think that turkeys are pretty secretive, preferring to stay far away from humans and their habitat. But this one seems to have taken over Karen and Frank's yard, and is very protective of his "space."

As I moved quietly closer to the turkey, he noticed me and immediately displayed his tail feathers, and began to quietly gobble (I guess that's the term for it), moving back and forth in a diagonal pattern. As he weaved back and forth toward me, I got the impression he wasn't very happy I was there.

As he moved closer to me, I moved away from him. We "danced" like that until he began to lunge toward me to peck. I took one last portrait shot, and then stomped and yelled at him and he ran off behind one of the cars.

Frank says the turkey is fond of sneaking up behind him as he reads the paper in the hammock. Maybe if I took the time, the tom would eventually learn to tolerate me being around. I hope you like the photos, and I hope your Christmas holiday was filled with good cheer.

All the best,

Mike Z

Our Christmas Tree 2009

2009-12-18T19:48:00.000-08:00

I am sending all my Photographic Memory friends and visitors this Christmas "card" to let you know how much I appreciate everyone who's visited and shared my photos and stories. I wish you all the Happiest of Holidays, whatever the holidays mean for you. I hope you're with friends and family, and that you are able to forget about the worries and stresses that inevitably crop up in life, and most of all that you find rest, joy and peace as we end 2009 and look forward to 2010 and beyond.

All the Best to You and Yours!

Mike Z

Sunset in Wharton TX

2009-12-07T19:02:00.001-08:00

I did a lot of traveling this week--from Austin to San Antonio to Houston to Brownsville, and back to San Antonio! I don't recommend that much driving to anyone. Too hard.

But, as I drove through Wharton TX, south of Houston on the way to Corpus, I passed this small pond as the sun set, and had to stop and take a photo.

I have a few more, but this shot is my favorite. I hope you like it. As usual, when I find more "photo ops," I will post them up.

all the best,

Mike Z

Tour of the McNay Museum, San Antonio TX

2009-11-24T17:52:00.000-08:00

Driving through San Antonio, I had passed the McNay Museum many times. This time I had my trusty travel camera with me, so during lunch hour (arguably the worst time of day to take photos) I drove in to see the sights.

Entrance to the McNay Museum

The Fountain and Main Building

I was met at the gate by a very friendly Security guard, who asked what I was doing and if I was going to take professional photos. I said no, I was just going to take some snapshots of some of the artwork around the museum. He said the museum itself was closed that day, but that I was welcome to take non-commercial photos if I wished.

Sculpture near the Fountain

There were quite a few sculptures on the property, and an oriental garden and pond. Some of the sculptures were very strange, but most, like the one in the photo above, were very tasteful, and added to the calm feel of the area.

Another View of the Main Building

I wandered around for a while, snapping away, and came across this metal sculpture near the side of the main museum. I thought it was a very fine thing, a lot like some of the sculptures at the Benini Sculpture Ranch that I had been to recently.

Sculpture on the Grounds

The Security guard had told me that the museum was a popular place to have portraits and bridal photos taken. He said some days as many as a dozen different photo sessions were scheduled. The fee for the professional photo sessions was very reasonable, $20, and helped with the maintenance of the grounds around the museum.

Bridal Portrait

Near the main building there was a small pond with a mobile sculpture in the center. There were a few lilies in the pond, and it seemed to be well tended.

Moving Sculpture in Pond near Main Building

Water Lily in Moving Sculpture Pond

Palm Tree and Sky

The photo above was a whim. I looked up at one of the palm trees and thought how pretty it was next to the blue sky. I hope you agree.

Well, that about sums up my "tour" of the McNay Museum. I hope you like the photos.

Best regards,

Mike Z

Rose Macro 2

2009-11-20T20:58:00.000-08:00

Another week, another rose from Jan's work. I decided to try the macro technique again. This time I used a different lens, a Nikon 24mm 1:2.8 D, with the same teleconverter and extension tube setup as last week. I tried a smaller aperture to get more of the petals in focus. Minimal cropping to get a suitable photo size, and I posted it up!

I hope you like this one. I think it's an improvement over last week's. Glad you stopped by, and hope you'll return soon, dear friend.

Best regards,
Mike Z

This morning the rose had opened a little, and I took another photo of it. Not a macro this time, I used the Tamron lens without the teleconverter or the extension, and just tried to get a good close up of the rose as it opened.

Rose Macro Photograph

2009-11-14T11:34:00.000-08:00

I haven't done any macro photography in a long time, but when I got home from this week's business trip, I noticed that Jan had gotten a beautiful tea rose from work. So I figured, what the heck, I'd see what I remembered about shooting close-up.

I took a photo of the rose in the vase to show a different perspective. I will try to do more macro photos, and change some of the camera settings to improve.

Thanks for dropping by, I appreciate you taking a look. Come back again, and hopefully there'll be more photographic memories.

All the best,
Mike Z

PS - I just checked and this post is #100! Not bad for an old guy....

Butterflies at Flat Creek Winery

2009-11-03T17:58:00.000-08:00

Jan and I took a "day trip" to Marble Falls last weekend to visit one of our favorite Hill Country wineries, Flat Creek Estates. I brought the camera in hopes of taking some good photos of the grounds and buildings, but these butterflies caught my eye. And that was that!

I am not sure of the name of the orange creature above. I looked it up on a butterfly identification website, and the best match is a Gulf Fritillary. It was very difficult to get them to stay still long enough to get a good sharp photo!

My old friend the Pipevine Swallowtail (see On to the Next One from 2007). There were many of these around the bushes and flowers. They were constantly running others off from the flowers which was very interesting to watch.

This is a very close cropping of another photo of the Gulf Fritillary. If you look closely, you can see that it's sipping nectar from the flower! This photo is one I'd like to get enlarged and framed. I like it a lot. I hope you do, too.

I hope you enjoy these "gardens with wings," as one website has called them. I have re-cropped and replaced these photos so you can see the details better. Please come back soon and see what's new!

All the best,
Mike Z

---> PS - I just found a very nice video that shows off a little of the winery and the wines. Enjoy!

Benini Sculpture Ranch near Johnson City

2009-10-29T16:31:00.000-07:00

I apologize to all who have come to see more photos and stories. I have been busy and sick, but they are no excuse. A dear friend reminded me today that I have been over 3 months "absent." I will try to make amends now.

A few weeks ago, Jan and I had the opportunity to visit the Benini Sculpture Ranch near Johnson City TX. I don't remember now how I heard about it, but I think it was from one of Jan's sisters who had recently gone with her husband. We drove a good distance, and finally made it. They tour was by car, so most (if not all) of the photos below are from the driver's side window perspective. I have picked a few favorite sculptures, but there were dozens more.

Gothic Cross by Rick Cunningham

Adam and Eve by David Massey

Palladin by Bettye Ann Turner

Gemini's Song by Peter Mangan

Detail from Gemini's Song

Thunderbird Monument by Rick Cunningham

Redwood by Samuel Burns

Dancers 1 by Jerry Daniel

(Not Exterior Inside, Not Exterior Outside by Eyefells is in the background)

By coincidence, there was a lecture series being presented by the Benini's free to the public. We stayed for part of one, which was very interesting, but I was anxious to get back out there and shoot! We met Mr and Mrs Benini, who were very gracious to us and invited us back any time we chose to come. We will be back for sure!

Benini is a sculptor of renown and regularly invites other sculptors to craft and show their own sculptures on his spacious ranch. It is wonderful that so many have an outlet for their work, and that so many like Jan and I can come out and enjoy it.

If you are ever out near Johnson City, TX please make an effort to see the Sculpture Ranch. You will be glad you did.

Till next time,

Mike Z

Flowers from the Austin Pond Tour 2009

2009-07-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

The Pond Tour this year was HOT! ...in several senses of the word. There were many, many (almost too many) beautiful ponds all over Austin to see and enjoy. The pond owners were gracious and friendly, and had bottled water for the thirsty tourists which helped us all.

A night blooming water lily that was just closing up when we arrived at Mark's wonderful pond.

There were bees everywhere. I was glad to see them!

I really like the color of these lilies.

I like this photo because of the koi swimming by...

All in all there were over 30 ponds and water gardens to see and admire. We spoke to many people who had no idea there were so many ponds and bogs in Austin! The pond owners worked very hard to show off their ponds and yards. And, the Austin Pond Society folks who put the tour together deserve a special word of thanks for all their efforts to make the tour a success. Bravo!

Next I post up some animals and insects that I got to photograph on the tour, and then some of the ponds themselves. I am really saving the best for last! I hope you enjoy these, and will come back again to see the rest.

All my best to you,
Mike Z

PS-if you click on the Title of this post, you can go to my Flickr collection of flowers from the tour.

The Pond Tour is This Weekend!

2009-07-14T14:33:00.000-07:00

This weekend Saturday and Sunday (Saturday evening, too) is the Austin Pond Society's 15th Annual Pond Tour. I am so amazed that a year has gone by so quickly.

As some readers will know, my first Pond Tour was last year around this time. I saw the event on one of the TV stations and convinced Jan to go with me Sunday afternoon to see some ponds. As you might expect I took the camera along...

I want to add a link to my favorite pond of the 2008 Pond Tour, Kathy and Rick's Pond. Their pond will not be on the tour this year, and I will miss the opportunity to see how it has changed. I hope that it will return in future years.

The video above is of Mark Akin's beautiful spring-fed pond and water garden that will be on the Sunday Tour this year. We will be there bright and early to see it in person. The video is so relaxing that I highly recommend it if you've had a stressful day.

And, last but not least, if you are in the Austin Area this weekend, PLEASE consider seeing the Pond Tour! If you'd like to spend $12.50 and see more than 30 of the most beautiful water gardens you've ever seen, go to the Austin Pond Society website, scroll down to the 2009 Tour, and click on Wristbands and Bus Tour. BTW, I am the Tour Guide for the Saturday Bus Tour, and we leave from St Andrew's Presbyterian Church Saturday morning at 8:45am. Should be fun!

Glad you stopped by! Come back often. I enjoy reading your comments. You make my day!

Mike Z
PS--Bad news I think for the Bus Tour. Not very many people it seems want to spend the day in air conditioned comfort seeing ponds. I am pretty certain that the Bus Tour is cancelled. But you can still go see ponds! It really is a great weekend. I promise you'll enjoy the tour.

Fireworks in New Braunfels, 2009

2009-07-05T16:04:00.000-07:00

We got to see the fireworks in New Braunfels TX again this year.

I tried again to get some good photos. I hope you like them!

Hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Fourth of July weekend! (This applies to those outside the US, too!)

Mike Z

PS-Thanks to Jason R for showing me how to get the "bulb" setting on my camera.

PPS-To see last year's fireworks photos go to Fireworks 2008

Took a Photo Class at Zilker Park

2009-06-20T21:07:00.001-07:00

ZilkerPhotoClass-22
Originally uploaded by mzieglertx

Today some members of Austin Pond Society went on a photography field trip at Zilker Park. Our topic at this month's meeting was How to Take More Interesting Photos. Gordon Hamilton, from SeniorNet, and I had presentations, and all the members were invited to this photo shoot to practice our skills.

Click on the Title to see more photos from the class. I hope you enjoy them.

Best regards,

Mike Z

Butterfly at Brushy Creek

2009-06-11T18:27:00.001-07:00

The Queen of Brushy Creek Community Center

I was in the Brushy Creek Community Center garden yesterday taking photos of their ponds and plants. The wind was gusty, and I found it difficult to get sharp photos of the flowers.

I noticed a group of Queen butterflies that were trying their best to stay on flowers, due to the very gusty breeze. This one was very tenacious!

Thadeus Project, with my photo!

2009-06-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

I am amazed at Facebook. I have only been on for about a week, and have connected with folks that I hadn't spoken to for years (decades?).

This week Erik Martin (Jan's niece Jamie's husband) sent me a video on Facebook. It's a song called Ghost of Dawn by Thadeus Project. I had not heard of this group, but Erik hooked me by saying that they had used one of my photos in the video! I was so flattered that they would do that.

So I put the video on My Photo Memories, and send it out to the world. I really like the sound of the guitars and smooth vocals. I hope you do too.

More water lilies and ponds in the hopper to post, but I will leave that for another day. To all my new Facebook friends, Hello! and thanks for stopping by. To all the regulars, I thank you.

Best regards,
Mike Z

Betty's Pond, Another Night Shoot for the Pond Tour

2009-06-02T08:48:00.001-07:00

Betty and Ralph graciously allowed me to come photograph their pond this week. I have been working hard to get all the ponds photo'd so they could be put on the Austin Pond Society's website for the Pond Tour in July.

disappearing fountain by front door

twilight view w/ back yard

Betty works hard to keep the pond in good shape, and it shows. I enjoyed talking to Betty while she made small improvements to the pond as I took photos.

Betty and Ralph's Ragamuffin cat

As the light from sunset faded, the lighting that Betty and Ralph had installed to accent the pond at night really showed off the best features. I have never seen a lighted fan in an oak tree before. Very unique!

lighted fan in oak tree

Betty lit a row of candles on the patio table and I tried my hand at photographing them. Not bad for a first attempt, don't you think? The accents added to the calming sounds of the waterfall nearby. I could have just stayed a while and enjoyed!

candles

But the time came when all the shots had been taken, and it was time to go. I would highly recommend this pond to anyone who is doing the Night Tour on Saturday July 18th. It is a treasure.

More later,

Mike Z

Thunderclouds Over North Austin

2009-05-24T20:38:00.000-07:00

Driving back from Copperas Cove TX after seeing our daughter Amy play the role of Rose Blossom in the western comedy Deadwood Dick, we saw these huge thunderclouds seemingly looming directly in our path. It being one of the few times that I have had the camera ready to go, I pulled to the side of the road and took a couple of quick photos. I hope you can get a sense of the size of the thunderheads. They were pretty magnificent!

As we drove on home, I realized that the main storm was still east of our house, so all we saw from it were a few sprinkles on the windshield. We got a huge rainstorm with a little hail yesterday (nowhere near the amount of hail that we got on March 25th) so it was good that we were spared another deluge today. I like rain, but spaced out a little, not two days of downpours and then nothing for weeks. Unfortunately, no one consults with me on these matters!

Thanks for stopping by again. I hope you'll browse around some of the past entries and see what's here.

Best regards,

Mike Z

Chris O'Brien and Ellis Paul for Mother's Day!

2009-05-16T17:17:00.000-07:00

Chris O'Brien "Rosa"

Ellis Paul "Blacktop Train" video was removed by YouTube due to copyright restrictions. Sorry, it was pretty great! 6/28/2010

This is not strictly a photographic post, but is definitely a great memory. For Mother's Day this year our daughter Amy found out that one of Jan's favorite singers, Chris O'Brien, was going to play at University of Texas's Cactus Cafe on Mother's Day weekend. So she made sure that we would be available, and made the arrangements for us to attend the concert.

Cactus Cafe (reviews) is a very small intimate place located in one of the buildings at UT. I would say that if there were 100 people there, that would be an SRO performance. The fact that it was a non-smoking coffehouse-type bar made it a delight to be there.

It turned out that Chris was the lead-in act for another singer named Ellis Paul. We had not heard of Mr Paul, but we were sure that if his style was like Chris's, we'd enjoy his singing just as well. Turns out Chris only sang 6 songs, and Ellis played 2 full sets! We got to talk with Chris about 1/2 way through the evening, and he autographed a CD for Jan. He was very surprised that an "old codger" like me (not his words, but I could tell) knew about his music.

Ellis Paul was very unique. He played a lot of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger songs, and had an angry edge of protest in quite a few songs. But I will say, he could play and sing, and entertain an audience! Someone in the audience shouted a question, "Did you vote for Obama!" He smiled a quirky smile and said, "yeah,..twice" It was a great moment. BTW, the audience participation you hear in the video must be a regular thing with EP's concerts, because we participated on the Ooo-oo-oo-o-oo-oooh's too.

About 12:30am the night was getting on, so we left and headed home. I bought a live CD of Ellis Paul's (the cover of the CD is on his Home Page)and I enjoy it very much. The two videos are my favorites from the two performers' sets that night, but I like almost everything I heard, and highly recommend them both if you'd like to hear some new music. Ellis Paul will be back in Texas at the Kerrville Folk Festival on May 29th & 30th. Wish I could be there!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you like the music. I do apologize for the bad video on the Ellis Paul song, but it was the closest I could find on YouTube to what we heard at the Cactus. Come back often, I will try to have more stuff up soon.

All the best,

Mike Z

Night shots of Wonderful Water Features

2009-05-13T20:51:00.000-07:00

As some of you might know, I am the photographer for the Austin Pond Society this year. It has been a wonderful experience so far. I got involved with the APS last year after making the rounds at the APS Annual Pond Tour, and taking some photos of the ponds we visited. (See Kathy and Rick). One of my projects is to take photos of prospective ponds for this year's tour, and report to the Board of Directors with the photos.

Disappearing Stream

A feature of this year's tour is Saturday evening/night pond tours. Several of the pond owners have ponds that are lit up and viewable at night as well as in the day. This particular pond owner even has water lilies that bloom at night to make the visit even more interesting.

The Large Pond and Patio

There are two water features at this home, and both are equally wonderful. The photo below is the second, smaller pond. Both have fish in them, and their dog really likes to stand at the edge of the pond and watch the fish. They seem to like the dog as well, because they gather in the water below him whenever he does.

Smaller pond

The photo below is an attempt to get a "long view" of the larger pond from the yard back to where I was taking the earlier photos from. As I took the photos, the sun set and the sky darkened to a rich purple and blue backdrop for the photo.

This is my first serious attempt at evening or night photography. I think the photos came out ok. The pond owners were kind enough to give me permission to publish these photos on the 'blog, and I hope I have made them proud.

Come back and visit again! I hope to have some more photos up soon.

All the best to you and yours,

Mike Z

I finally shot the heron! (photographically)

2009-04-27T06:34:00.000-07:00

The rains we've had (hail storms included) have done wonders for the grass and plants around the neighborhood. I set off Saturday afternoon, camera in hand, to search for the heron that I've seen many times before.

coneflower

The wildflowers were shooting up wherever the grass had not been cut. This particular flower I had not seen before. I had seen coneflowers with dark red petals (I think they're called sepals, but that's a whole other conversation) but not with yellow. It looked like it was struggling to grow faster than the grass around it.

I have passed this tree many times on walks, but I had never seen the "squirrel" in the tree till this time. I was watching along the canal on my left, and heard a noise on my right. When I turned, there it was! Interesting that if I moved a few steps either way, the illusion was gone. If you look carefully you can make yourself believe that you can see his ears.

As I crossed the bridge over the canal, I heard a loud noise and there was the heron! I must have startled it, but it flew back and returned to hunting for dinner. I zoomed in to the maximum, and tried to hold the camera still enough to get a good shot, but realized that I'd have to walk along the retaining wall in order to get a good one. I stalked him as carefully as I could, but this was as close as I could get. Suddenly, he took off!

My disapointment was great until I saw where he landed. In the branches of the tree on the other side of the waterway were two herons. The sunlight was bathing the one, and the other was in shadow. This is my favorite photo of the elusive herons.

I have looked on several bird identification sites, and cannot find a photo that looks exactly like these. The closest I have come is a Tri-colored heron, but I am not sure. I will keep looking and will update when I get better information.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mike Z

UPDATE 4/27: John Malloy of the Surfbirds Backyard Bird Identification website says this is a Yellow Crowned Night Heron. He has a wonderful close-up of the bird's head and beak here. The photo is almost at the bottom of the page. Research pays off!

UPDATE 4/28: Mary Ann was kind enough to write and confirm that they are in fact Yellow Crowned Night Herons. She sent me to Cornell's web page. Thanks, Mary Ann!

March 25 Hail Storm in Austin TX

2009-04-04T19:12:00.001-07:00

As I drove north on I-35 and reached Buda, I noticed that the weather in Austin was looking worse and worse. When I got to south Austin, Jan called me and told me that there was a huge hail storm happening right at that moment at our house. She said the hail was so thick on the street, it looked like snow!

I could hear the sounds of the hail hitting the roof and patio, and asked Jan to run get the camera and take some photos. She was a little intimidated by the rig, but I told her to set it to auto, turn it on, point and shoot.

I think she did a pretty great job of capturing the moment! She scooped up some of the larger hailstones and put them in a ziplock bag in the freezer for me to see. Some were half-dollar size in diameter. Pretty impressive.

That night on the news, KXAN I believe it was, the meteorologist told about the "strange coincidence" of hail storms on March 25th. He said that in the years 1993 and in 2001, similar large hailstorms had hit Austin, and caused large amounts of damage to autos and roof shingles each time. He showed videos of previous hail storms and hailstones from the video archives. Pretty cool, I thought.

More later, thanks for stopping by.

Mike Z

PS - in searching around Google and Yahoo! I found this post by Treye Rice with a great shot of the hailstones around the tree in his front yard. He also has some great photos of the same sunsets I tried to capture on another post.

Bluebonnet time in Central Texas

2009-04-03T20:44:00.001-07:00

Man, it has sure been a long time since I have posted to the 'blog. I have been so busy that March went by in a flash! I have several posts to do this weekend to catch up, so I'll try to get them done over this weekend.

These photos were taken on one of my usual trips to Houston from Austin on Hwy 290. Even though the weather has been exceptionally dry, the wildflowers were blooming in pretty good numbers near Brenham. There were so many families along the side of the road taking photos of the kids in bluebonnets that I wondered if I could find a spot that hadn't been trampled or squashed to get this year's bluebonnet photos for the weblog.

This year there is lots of Indian Paintbrush among the bluebonnets. It really adds to the color of the roadside, and is one of my favorite wildflowers this time of year.

The sun was setting fast as I took the photos.

It was hard to pick the "best bunch" of bluebonnets for these photos. I did my best.

The next photos are of Coreopsis, I believe. I spent some time on the Wild About Texas Wildflowers website looking at each yellow variety, and Coreopsis looks closest to these flowers.

They really looked great among the bluebonnets.

The last photo is an attempt at an "arty" photo of the sunset with wildflowers.

Hope you like them. I will be posting our March 25th hailstorm pictures, and some photos of the Zilker Garden Festival soon. Till then, enjoy!

All the best,
Mike Z

Pink Sunsets at Our House

2009-03-02T20:50:00.000-08:00

Wow! I can't believe a whole month has gone by so fast. No matter that February is the shortest one, it really was a blur. But here I am with another small bit of life in Texas. I hope this message finds you in good health and spirits.

These first photos were taken Sunday evening around 6:30pm. The clouds were the most beautiful pink that I can remember seeing in a long time. Just over the roof of the house among the leafless branches (the elms haven't leafed out yet, but are starting to up the street) were colors that ranged from pink to salmon to almost orange.

Of course I ran in to get the camera and try to capture a little of the light show. I snapped off several images, and sent them to PicasaWeb for a quick edit.

The next images are from yesterday. I saw a little different "color scheme" leaning more to the yellows, golds and oranges. Still a little pink in there. I went down the street to get a little more of the sunset, and I think I got it pretty close to the best time.

I am not sure what is causing these colors in our sunsets. We are having lots of grassfires around Austin lately due to our exceptional drought that has been going on for several months now. I didn't know there was a category beyond extreme drought, but now I do.

I hope you enjoy the photos. I have some more that I will post from last month as soon as I get a chance. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll leave a note to say you've been here.

All the best,

Mike Z

Birds at Choke Canyon State Park

2009-02-07T13:29:00.000-08:00

Coming back from Corpus Christi TX to Austin, I passed a sign on the Interstate that beckoned me to Choke Canyon State Park. Truth be told, I was more interested in taking a break from driving than anything else, but I thought it would be good to see a canyon and take some photos. How naive! As has been done in Austin and many areas of Texas, the canyon is long gone. It has been dammed up and is now a lake! Lots of boating, and some camping, but no canyon.

I had just about given up hope that there would be anything interesting at this park, when I drove past this sign and decided to at least take the walk and see what there was along the Bird Trail.

As it turned out, the trail was very short, but did allow me to try my hand at photographing a couple of the local birds.

Might be a Great Kiskadee? Mikael B. thinks it is a Vermilion Flycatcher female.

This one is a bit of a mystery, mainly because the branch hides it for the most part. Best I could do. WhatBirds tells me it might be a Yellow-breasted Chat, but I am not convinced. I will go with Mikael's note that it's an Orange-crowned Warbler. There were several warblers on the list that I pulled up, so it makes sense to me!

At the end of the walk, I saw a bright red bird perched in the scrubby trees beside the reservoir. I was much too far away to get a close up, and as usual I had not brought the tripod, so I began to walk slowly closer, and got this image as he flew to the live oak tree beside the parking lot. My birding buddy Mikael Behrens, who writes about and photographs birds in his blog Birding on Broadmeade, helped me identify this good-looking guy as a Vermillion Flycatcher. After Mikael helped me with the names, I went back to WhatBird.com and had better success with the Expert mode. He has also recommended a birding book, and I will pick it up soon.

Vermilion Flycatcher

I kept moving closer to the bird, trying to go fast enough to get a decent photo, yet slow enough to keep him from becoming too nervous, and got a few shots like the one above. I had to crop a lot out of the photo to get this "close up," but I think you can see generally what he looked like.

Canvasbacks

As I was moving along the path taking shots of the birds in the brush and trees, I kept hearing noises off to my right at the water's edge. Not having great luck with the tree birds, I moved toward the scrubby trees and bushes along the shore, and scared these three Canvasbacks out onto the water. There were many coots out there too, but these redheads were much more interesting.

There were several Turkey Vultures soaring overhead, so to make the day complete, I took several shots of them. I liked this one's wing markings. and he got closer than the others, so I include him here.

I am going to try my hand later at stitching together a panorama shot of the reservoir and boat launch area. I will add it to this post if it turns out ok. I hope you will come back and see if it's here. I am glad that you visited and promise to have more later.

Very best regards,

Mike Z

PS Thanks again Mikael, for your help identifying these birds. To all my buddies out there, please go by and check out Birding on Broadmeade. You won't be disappointed!

Oreo Cows in Brenham TX

2009-01-10T09:16:00.000-08:00

We have passed these cows many times as we drove from Austin to Houston, and had always called them "oreo cows." As I drove back to Austin, with my trusty travel camera aboard, I decided that now was the time to take some images of these unusual bovines, and report to you on what I found.

The cows were so interested in eating that I had some trouble getting any of them to look up. I yelled a couple of times -- no response. Finally thought to honk the horn (that's what gets the goats' attention at the ranch), and one lady did get curious enough about what I was doing to look half-heartedly in my general direction.

The sound of the horn did attract the attention of some other cows, who came over the hill to see what was going on.

In doing the research on this particular breed of cow, I can only say thank goodness for Google! I typed in "black and white oreo cows" and Voila! several dozen chats and websites about the Belted Galloway or Highland Cow came up. The most interesting website that I found was Aldermere Farms in Maine. Lots of the chatters were impressed with this site as well. Check it out if you'd like. Lots of good info about these classy cows. Click on "Belties" on the left column for information on the heritage of the cattle on this historic farm.

Well, that's what is happening with me these days. Hope you and yours are doing well. Till next time,

Mike Z

UPDATE 1/17/09: We saw more Belties just south of Waco yesterday on our way to Dallas. I will try to get some photos on our way back if it's not too dark.

MONDAY: Well, it was too dark when we drove by last night, so I will try to get some more photos when I am up that way again.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Thanks to John and Alice for commenting on the post and letting me know about their findings about Dutch Belt cattle. Thanks, that was great!

Baby Sea Turtles Heading to Sea, Cozumel Mexico

2008-12-25T07:53:00.000-08:00

A shot of the coastline of Cozumel from the bus.

We went on a tour of Cozumel island on our Cruise to Mexico. Along the way, our guide stopped the bus and asked if we could see the baby sea turtles head out to sea. The experience was breathtaking and grand. I hope you enjoy these slideshows. I made them in the new Picasa 3.

A view of the beach where the turtles were hatching.

Till next time,

Mike Z

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2008-12-24T12:26:00.001-08:00

Jan and I want to wish you and your family

the Merriest of Christmases

and the

Happiest of New Years!

We Toured the Mayan Ruins on our Mexico Cruise

2008-12-23T19:46:00.000-08:00

Our cruise to Mexico included a tour of the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, near the city of Progresso on the Yucatan penninsula. This was the most exciting part of the trip for me, and was a photographer's paradise. Everywhere we looked, there were more and more beautiful sights to see.

The photo above is the centerpiece of the exhibit. It is called El Castillo, and was the center of Mayan culture in it's day. At one time visitors were allowed to climb the very steep steps (all 91 of them) to the top of El Castillo, but we were not able to, due to some serious injuries in recent years.

The entrance to the exhibit. We took a pretty long bus ride from the coast, but our tour guide made it very interesting and fun. He told us a lot about the Mayan culture and the history of Chichen Itza, and gave us some idea of what to look for.

There were several tables with Mayan masks and symbols for sale as we walked onto the grounds. This table was the prettiest (and the busiest) of them all. We didn't pick up a souvenir, but I kind of wish we had now...

The entrance to the second-best known of the ruins of Chichen Itza. The fabled Ball Court, where men played ball in the presence of the royals for very high stakes.

The object of the game was to throw a ball through a hole carved in a round stone like the one above. There is a "goal" on both walls of the court.

A view of the Ball Court looking towards the King's temple.

This was a most interesting sculpture of what I believe is a half-man half-jaguar that looks down on the Ball Court from the observation tower at the opposite end from the King's temple.

Another view of the Ball Court. At the end of the game, the loser would present the winner to the King and behead him. Unbelievable as it sounds today, it was a very high honor to be beheaded, as the winner was assured a fast-track to Heaven, bypassing the steps that ordinary men had to go through to get there.

Well, I am very glad to be "back in the saddle again" with this weblog. I have been too too long in putting up these pictures. There is much more to post about our Mexico trip, as well as other things that have happened. I promise I won't be this long in posting more photos.

There are many more photos of Chichen Itza on my Flickr page, just click and view the slideshow. Or copy and paste this URL into your browser and enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/96112343@N00/sets/72157611325682360/

Very soon I will be posting the photos of the baby turtles we witnessed heading out to sea in Cozumel. What a sight! I never thought I would be able to see that up close and personal.

Till then, Thanks for stopping by.

Mike Z

Peek-a-Boo, the bumblebee and the wildflower

2008-10-09T12:46:00.000-07:00

Another short post from my walk last weekend around Town & Country park. I had just finished talking to a wonderful lady named Deanna about Mikael Behrens and his Birding on Broadmeade weblog, and was continuing down the trail, when I saw a large bumblebee land behind a large yellow wildflower.

I got the camera ready, and slowly crept up to the flower as close as I could get without scaring the insect away, and waited for it to come around to the face of the flower. It took a few minutes for the bee to move around to the front, but eventually it did, and I have the photo to prove it!

This weekend I will get some photos of the Texas Wildlife Expo up. I hope you will enjoy them.

Best regards,
Mike Z

The Fire Within -- Morning Glories on my Walk

2008-10-05T20:04:00.001-07:00

As I walked around the neighborhood yesterday, I passed a mailbox with morning glory vines climbing and blooming all around it. I just had to try a few shots to see what kinds of shots I could get. These two beauties were the best of the lot.

After looking at lots of photos on Flickr Group sites like Flower Pictures (No Limits) and others, I wanted to try my hand at producing some abstract images from the original photos. I really admire some of the macro and close-up shots that I have seen in the groups. I hope that you will enjoy these attempts at "photo art."

UPDATE 10/9/08: In the April 2008 Outdoor Photography magazine on page 54 there is a macro photo of a morning glory by John Isaac, a famous United Nations and nature-wildlife photographer, that is very similar to my image above . His colors are darker than mine, and there is a well placed shadow in the yellow center area of the flower, but essentially it's the same photo! I guess I was channeling Mr. Isaac when I cropped the shot, or maybe great minds just think alike!

This arbor in the image below was not the place I got the macro images. It was in someone's back yard. I would not have noticed it except that one of their fence boards had come loose (they have a dog, that might be the reason), and I could get the lens in between the boards for the shot. The fence itself made a good support for the camera.

I know this one's short, but I want you to know I will have more posts up in coming days. More photos of flowers and bumblebees, and some of our outing yesterday to Texas Wildlife Expo in South Austin. Very interesting, and the kids had a good time! Also pretty crowded. I am glad they have it now instead of August!

Best regards,
Mike Z

The Mural Behind Taco Villa in Midland TX

2008-09-25T19:25:00.000-07:00

We were traveling around west Texas a couple of weeks ago--me doing my sales thing, Jan reading and taking in the sights of Midland and Odessa, and between calls we made a stop at a McDonald's for a break. While I waited in the car for Jan, I looked over some trees and noticed a very life-like scene of a mountain and a Spanish monastery just past one of the trees in the parking lot of the Taco Villa restaurant next door. The colors were very bright, and the perspective was near perfect--it looked real for a second! We drove across the street and parked the car to investigate.

The mural was painted on a stucco or concrete structure that had been built on the building behind the Taco Villa. I think it was a fruit or produce warehouse, but it was seemingly empty. The effect of the mural, however, was to place the Taco Villa in the middle of a small South American town. The detail and colors were magnificent, and I just couldn't resist trying to capture some of that in the camera.

A couple of things I truly admire about the artist who painted the mural, Debbie Blakely (you can see her signature in the pot in the image below), are the way she made the artificial structures of the building (the drainpipe in the photo above, for instance) blend in with the mural, and her use of painted shadows to enhance the 3-dimensional quality of the painting. Check out the shadow of the ladder in the image below to see what I mean.

The architect on the mural, Kent Taft, also added to the 3-dimensional quality of the mural by making the houses stand out from the streets and background. Real plants mingled in with drawn plants also add to that effect. The stones in the walls, however, are drawn.

I have many favorite areas in this mural, but the image above would be my "most favorite" if I had to make a choice of only one. The way the shadows are drawn fools my eye at least into believing that the lantern really is hanging off the wall. The cat, too, looks like it's sitting half a foot away from the "wall." I also really like the way the door is painted. I had to go up and touch it to make sure it really wasn't old rugged boards instead of paint on concrete.

As I mentioned, the mural was behind the Taco Villa, and Taco Villa sponsored the artists who made it. I think it is interesting that T.V. gets two "plugs" in the mural. The first and most obvious is on one of the pots in front of the woman tending the plant in one of the images above. The not-so-obvious plug, and a pretty humorous one, is in the image just above these notes. Look at the elderly couple walking along the market, and notice the woman's handbag. (You may have to click on the image to see a larger version to really see it.) I thought it was truly ingenious. and it made me smile.

Last image is of the Taco Villa itself. I thought it was fitting that the restaurant should be included in this little essay. I am sorry to say that we did not eat there. And after the events of this week with my job, it looks as though we might not be back that way for a while. The company effected a Reduction in Force (read that as mass firing) and I was a casualty. But have no fear, I will continue to take photos of things and places that interest me (and hopefully you). They just might be a little closer to home for a while.

Till next time, all the best,
Mike Z

DinoLand at Zilker Park

2008-09-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

The big buzz around Austin these days is DinoLand, a touring exhibit of dinosaurs in "natural" settings, with information and educational opportunities for kids of all ages. Jan and I thought it would be a good idea to bring the boys, Sentry and Roland Thomas, to the Dinoland exhibit to see the lifelike replicas of some dino's they had seen in books and on videos.

We got there about mid-day, with the sun shining brightly and Warmly! down on us, and got our tickets at the entrance to the Zilker Botanical Gardens. There was plenty of parking, though it was across the street and a fair walk to get to the Gardens.

Jan's favorite were the bird-like dinos nesting in the tree.

Sentry's favorite was the "egg thief" dinosaur.

Mine was the Daspletosaur (cousin to the T-Rex). We never found out what RT's favorite was.

We saw all the dinosaurs, as well as some parts of the other great exhibits, the rose garden and the Japanese garden. But boy it was HOT! The little guys got cross and the adults (me) got a little aggravated, so we decided not to spend a great amount of time there. We headed home to the comfort of air conditioning. The boys slept very well that night.

Now that the weather has cooled off (low to mid 80's vs high 90's when we went) the exhibit is a good one to take children 4 and up to see. I think you can see from the images that the dinosaurs are pretty lifelike. I was very impressed with the authenticity. There are even some Compies like the ones in Jurassic Park! If your young ones are the least bit interested in dinosaurs, go see it in the cooler weather. It probably won't last! The exhibit is on through November 30, so there is still lots of time.

Till next time,

Mike Z

PS Speaking of Jurassic Park, I still smile when I think of that classic line from the movie, "Unix! I know Unix!"

Sandhills State Park, Monahans TX

2008-09-06T18:40:00.000-07:00

Jan and I traveled together to far West Texas this past week, out to Midland and Odessa. These two towns sit pretty much in the heart of the Permian Basin, one of the first "big hits" in the oil boom of the past millennium. There are still oil wells pumping steadily scattered all about the open fields, though most are not pumping any more. Driving back from Pecos, TX (the subject of a previous post), we drove by the Monahans Sandhills State Park. I had driven by several times, but somehow I was called to stop and see what the big deal was. It might have been because I am re-reading Dune, or it might have been because I have been so involved with water and flowers and needed a change. Either way, we were in for a real treat!

I guess you figured out that I couldn't pass up a flower without trying to shoot a photo of it. The sunflower I recognize, but the second one is a "mystery flower." I have never seen it before, and will have to find out what it is. Thank goodness the rains had come while we were here, 'cause I don't think they'd have been out otherwise.

UPDATE: I sent the photo of the "mystery flower" to several wildlife and conservation websites to help me identify it. First to respond was Kirk Anderson of LivingDesert.org, who pointed me in the direction of Mentzelia species. Then Nan Hampton (aka Ask Mr Smarty Plants) at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center wrote and said that their resident expert Joe Marcus had identified it as Mentzelia strictissima, or grassland blazingstar. I love that name! Joe said it was a rare find. I am amazed at all the directions this photography hobby has taken me.

As we walked along, Jan got ahead of me due to my constant search for good photos of the sand hills. We walked carefully in the loose sand at the bottom of the hills, but had an easier time of it at the tops. The rain had packed the sand there, and it made the most interesting patterns where the drops fell.

The photo above shows the pattern that the rain made in the sand, overlaid on the wave pattern that the wind had made before. I was very intrigued by the variety and beauty of the sand. It certainly was not all the same! There were so many variations between the troughs and peaks of the dunes, and I wound up short of breath from the exertion from time to time.

The photo above, although a little stark, is one I particularly like because of the tracks in the sand going over the dunes. We did not make those tracks, but we followed them up to the top of the dune to get a view of as much of the area as we could. When we got to the highest one, I turned and took the photo below. Until I did, I hadn't realized how far up we had come.

I trailed behind Jan for most of the trek, and shot the photo below as she waited patiently for me to catch up.

Last photo is my favorite of the hike. As I walked along admiring the pattern that the rain had made in the sand, I almost walked over these tiny footprints made by a much younger visitor to the Sandhills. They made me think of the grandkids and how much we'd like to bring them out here to run and play in the sand. One day soon we will.

I hope you have found this interesting. I am glad we decided to stop and see the Monahans Sandhills. Sometimes the spur-of-the-moment decisions are the best! It certainly worked out that way this week. Next post will probably be the mural behind the Taco Villa, I know you won't want to miss that.

Best regards,
Mike Z

Zilker Park Japanese Garden

2008-08-31T21:14:00.001-07:00

(Click on the photo to see my Flickr slideshow)

Yesterday I went back to Zilker Park Botanical Gardens in central Austin and took some photos of the Japanese Garden there. I had walked through just before the Austin Pond Society meeting a few weeks back, and wanted to come spend some time and see what could be seen.

I took a lot of photos and talked to some very friendly and talented fellow photographers along the path. But, I have run out of time this evening and have to travel most of this week. I will update and add to this post when I return.

To all who stop by regularly, I can't say enough how much your visits and comments mean to me. Thanks a million times. To first time visitors, please come back again. Photos and stories pop up here pretty regularly.

More when I return,
Mike Z

Norma Geddy - San Angelo Water Lily Display 2008

2008-08-25T05:26:00.000-07:00

Click on the photo to see more flowers on Flickr

I am compiling my "Best of Water Flowers" photos for the Austin Pond Society 2009 calendar, and so far, this one is my favorite. We re-visited the City of San Angelo International Waterlily Collection on the trip back to Texas from Washington State. It was just as magical as when we had visited previously. The main difference I saw, other than some new lily varieties, was that the large red-rimmed lily pads (Victoria amazonica) that so impressed us last year were not to be seen. I don't know if it was the time of year, or for some other reason, but I missed them.

The other difference I noticed was the number of bees that were busy on the flowers had increased greatly this year. Again, it may be the time of year, but since honey bees are supposed to be disappearing from Texas, I was glad to see them out in force!

Hope this post finds everyone well and in good spirits. I will do my best to get some more photos and stories up soon.

UPDATE: I put some more water lily photos on Flickr with the set title San Angelo Water Lily Display 2008. Please go by and if you'd like, vote on which you think should be submitted for the Pond Society calendar. I would really appreciate your vote!

More later,
Mike Z

PS - Today one of my photos won an award on Flickr! With over 16,000 members in the group, and over 216,000 photos on the site, I am especially proud that someone would take the time to give a photo of mine an award. Thanks, Maisse!

PPS - Yesterday I entered 3 photos in the Austin Pond Society's Annual Calendar Competition, and the photo above won 3rd place in the "animals" category! The photo in the Zilker Japanese Garden post won Honorable Mention in the "ponds and water" category. They will be in the calendar for 2009! I am very pleased that I had these photos chosen for the calendar. There was some very formidable competition! I appreciate all the votes my photos received.

Thanks Annie - The Cat Stevens Song

2008-08-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

Annie reminded me that my favorite "banjo song", If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out, by Cat Stevens is on YouTube. So I went and listened, and liked it so much that I put it up here on the 'blog for you. I first heard the song played on the banjo during the movie Harold and Maude, a black comedy by Hal Ashby from the 1970's. Man, there was some black humor and before-its-time themes in that movie! It remains one of the Top 10 movies of all time for me.

If you get to the actual YouTube page with the video and comments, I think you'll see a wide variety of opinions on the song, on Cat Stevens, his religion, middle east relations, and that's just on the first page! That was soooo interesting to me.

I also saw on YouTube where there is a "trailer" for Harold and Maude which has some key scenes and pertinent dialog, so I added that one above. Bud Cort was in only one other movie as far as I know (and I can't remember the name of it), but Ruth Gordon went on to make other movies (Rosemary's Baby, the Any Which Way but Loose movies too I think) and was a real gem of an actress. Interesting note: "They Did a Bad, Bad Thing" is the music behind the "trailer," which I remember from another weird movie, Eyes Wide Shut. Now there's a whole 'nuther blog topic! :-)

Anyway, I still can't get over how outrageous that movie was. Brings out the "old hippie" in me! And the soundtrack by Cat makes it just about perfect. Trouble is another favorite song from the movie. If you can find it, give it a spin. But be warned, I don't accept any responsibility for any hurt feelings or offenses the movie gives you. But, like many movies today, it takes a few pokes on our warlike nature, and has feminist and right to life issues thrown in as well.

Enjoy! More later,

Mike Z

PS I changed the YouTube video on Trouble because it has shots from the movie (not that I didn't like Cat's face young and older over and over, but I thought this more appropriate to the topic)

35th Wedding Anniversay Part 1 - Inn at Pearl Street

2008-08-20T16:22:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, you're all wondering, where's the Grand Canyon? Where's the Meteor Crater? Where's Billy the Kid? (hint: he's dead) Why all this about their 35th Anniversary? Well, the answer is that nothing quite this grand and wonderful has happened to Jan and me since, well, when we got married! We had two action-packed weekends of gifts and surprises and love, and it will take a few posts to tell about all of it.

But we'll start with the Austin Inn at Pearl Street. This was the place our daughter Amy and her new husband Chad spent their first married night together after their wedding and reception. Jan and I hired a horse and carriage to take them on a tour of Austin, and bring them to the Inn for the weekend before they left on their honeymoon. Little did we know at the time, that they'd be giving us the same gift for our anniversary! We couldn't have been more excited.

Our stay was on our anniversary, a Sunday night, and there were very few other visitors, so we had the place to ourselves to relax, look around, and admire the hundreds of antiques and treasures that are placed all around the house. With high open ceilings, and beautiful antiques and paintings, it took a while just to view all the rooms. Our room for the night was the Library. The Library is the only sleeping room on the first floor of the original building, and was right across the hall from the living room and dining room.

The entrance to our room

Behind our room was the sitting room, an open airy room with lots of windows looking out over the patio and the other buildings in the complex.

Upstairs there were four rooms, the French Room, the Gothic Suite, the European Room, and the Far East Room. Some photos of the Gothic Suite are below. The Gothic had a second floor patio that provided a great view. Amy and Chad had stayed there when he returned from his first deployment in Iraq, so we were especially interested in that room.

We got our casual clothes and walking shoes on, and went on a walking tour of the Judge's Hill area of Austin, a very old and stately subdivision behind the Inn.

When we returned, we sat out on the patio and watched the sun turn the leaves yellow, and the birds and squirrels play in the trees.

We went back inside to get more photos while the light was still good, then just read about the Inn and relaxed. I was particularly impressed with the sculptures, paintings, and the Tiffany lamp in the foyer by our door. We have some Tiffany lamps in our living room, and I liked seeing the similarities and differences between our lamps and theirs.

As the sky darkened, we retired to the Library and broke out the sparkling wine and chocolates, another gift from the children. We spent a long while toasting the events of our 35 years of marriage (we made a pact that we would only toast the positive ones!) and by the time the bottle was empty, we were feeing the warmth and the love, and knew again why we had stayed friends and lovers for so long.

In the morning we woke early, turned on the coffee, and ate a great breakfast of cereal, fruits, and juices while we enjoyed the dining room by ourselves. The staff might have been ghosts, they were truly invisible to us. But we knew they were there because things got "tidied up" seemingly all by themselves.

our table

We enjoyed our stay at the Inn at Pearl Street very much. For a calm, quiet atmosphere and relaxation at it's finest, I highly recommend the Inn if you are ever in Austin and feel the need to get away from it all. Jill Bickford, the owner, has created an oasis of beauty and quiet that is hard to beat.

Part 2 of our Anniversary Odyssey will be up soon; waiting for some photos to arrive.

More later,
Mike Z

Austin Pond Update - Annie's Pond Song

2008-08-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

Oh, the good things just keep on comin'! I was searching the Austin Pond Society's web pages for the time and place for their monthly meeting (Jan and I joined last month after taking the Pond Tour), and I ran across a link to The Transplantable Rose weblog by Annie in Austin, who has been taking photos and movies, and writing songs about many things for lots longer than I have had my weblog up.

This year Annie and Philo went on the tour, but the camera broke midway through, and so Annie wrote The Pond Song and made a YouTube video for her Pond Tour post this year. The idea is one I would not have thought of, and the song/photos/videos are so beautiful. There are some videos of Kathy and Rick's pond/stream in there, too. Watch for those.

I am so glad I found this weblog, and will definitely check back often to see what's going on with Annie! I hope that you'll check back often too. There is a lot to see.

Thanks again Annie,
Mike Z