Good People Today was a very long day, but a day filled with good people and good people doing good things. First we had RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) that passed through Janesville. Team planning resulted in a smooth operation as 16,000-20,000 bicyclists passed through the community. From city officials to …
Why So Difficult Why is photographing lightning, with any degree of quality so difficult? Could it be that the photographer must align lightning with an acceptable foreground and background, achieve focus, guess exposure on varying scenes, and have the shutter open at the exact split second in time when the lightning bolt is visible? …
Invasive Photo Bomber Each year it seems like our Japanese beetle invasion is getting worse. My trees, our roses, even wild milkweed – nothing green seems to be avoided by Japanese beetles. The bad news with them is they can quickly decimate the foliage where they are eating. The good news is the damage …
A Mix of Images Over the Past Three Days Kristy and I spent the past days camping with family and friends. We were busy from early in the morning through late at night, but not much of the activities involved a Nikon. Still, I did manage to shoot a few pictures of interest. This …
Wise Up or Else Early this morning, before the “dog days of summer” sun rose too high, I conducted a quick assessment of the status of the Wapsipinicon River and Sweet Marsh. Fog hung heavy in the air with a smell of corn and a stagnant aroma. Combined with the haze from wildfires thousands …
The Cure is Worse than the Disease Today was one of those days we all have, sooner or later. Uncertainty fills the hours as we drive north toward Rochester. What will be done? Will we or won’t we receive treatment? What follows…what is next…. please, no surprises. As we traveled the road to Minnesota …
Becoming a Citizen Arborists Kristy and I are making decisions as we attempt to establish a much needed windbreak. Which trees grow fast? What type of soil conditions do we have and what is needed? Of the possible trees, how many are drought resistant? Which species are pest resistant? And are any native trees …
Avian Iowa What can better illustrate the blending of wild and Iowa than a dickcissel perched on a corn tassel shortly after sunrise? When I saw this warm, rising sun setting, I had to capture my version of “Avian Iowa” for an early July morning.
Trade a Big Beaver for a Loon? While paddling my canoe tonight on the Wapsipinicon River my cousin sent me a picture of him on water near loons. Instantly I became curious about where he was and learned he and his wife were with friends at a cabin on a lake in Minnesota. As …
Help is on the Way Recently the City of Tripoli and Bremer County were honored with the titles of “Bird Friendly Community” and “Bird Friendly County.” The recognition is certainly warranted based on the high number of bird species documented and the excellent habitat that seems to draw so many avian species to the …