Extremes of Focal Lengths

Today was an unusual day photographically. The morning began with me finding a Wolf’s Milk Slime Mold on one of our logs. I then photographed the orange mold in its entirety, much closer, and then very close to reveal its texture. For the ultra close view I shot the picture with my camera lens reversed - something I do not often do.

First Time Fungi Finds!

There are days when I am so very blessed by my observations in the wild. Some days are based on wildlife activities while other times the excitement comes from first time sightings. Today was a day of multiple first-time observations of the fungi form. Allow me to explain.

Not Much Today

Pardon my minimal photography efforts for today. We had good, quality family time that did not involve photography. The closest I was to wildlife excitement was this opossum I relocated for a lady friend. It was very much alive, but wanted me to believe otherwise.

Yesterday’s Perfection, Today’s Challenges

Yesterday’s weather was nearly perfect for early November. Since I did not share these images last night I thought I would post them today. It was just so nice!

Today’s clouds and rain were a different story. Instead of open scenery and reflections, I concentrated my efforts on macro studies. Take a look at these close-ups of fungi and lichen.

Late this afternoon I had two whitetail does being chased by a buck run in front of me. I stopped my truck to see if I could find any of the three deer in the woods watching me. Eventually I was able to see each of the deer that could have messed up my truck. See if you can find them.

Seven Words - “Embrace the Suck…”

Over the past weeks a health situation I have been working through since January 15 has begun having a negative impact on my attitude. Described simply, I am beginning to accept that a close to full recovery is not likely. If a complete return to “normal” does not happen, the activities I so enjoy - paddling, backpacking, even throwing a ball, are not likely in my future - at least not like I was used to. This has been difficult to accept and has been discouraging. So much so that my attitude has not always been as positive as it should be.

Today, before I went for a woodland hike, I noticed a gentleman in a camo-painted wheelchair with tracks. The guy was fishing from the special chair along the bank of a small lake. He seemed to be doing well - fishing and attitude. Meanwhile I was heading off on my hike - uncomfortable and disappointed.

My hike did not take me to any special wildlife or outdoor scenes. I did find a lone locust tree covered in thorns that I photographed (seen here). How fitting - to find a thorny tree for a thorny attitude.

As I was returning to my truck I felt it important to meet the fellow in the chair before I left the area. First I politely/respectfully asked if I could talk to him - and he agreed. Then I asked his story.

He lost the use of his legs while serving our country. His shoulder also causes him issues. As a result he moves in the tracked-wheel chair and participates in as many outdoor activities as he can. We discussed in detail his fly-fishing, the type of line he was using, and how his chair navigated obstacles - among other things.

As I was preparing to leave I thanked the fellow for putting my attitude in perspective. I explained my discomfort, my limitations, my overall disappointment and how my situation paled compared to his. He looked at me and gave me seven words of advise he learned as an infantryman. “Embrace the Suck… Acknowledge, Adapt, and Overcome” were the wisdom he shared. With that I thanked him and bid farewell.

The angler in the tracked-chair was right. It was time for me to accept and adapt. Yes, I am disappointed, but I have it so much better than many others. I will get beyond this and an improved attitude will help. Limitations may exist, but so will opportunities.

Thank you for your service Sir. Thank you for your inspiration!

Ironically, as I approached my truck I noticed this painted rock delivering an appropriate message… “Be Happy”

Multiple Views of a Common Theme

Once again my photographic efforts today were impacted by a strong desire to create images with an artistic style. To follow through on my idea required that I record suitable base images and then edit the files to alter reality. Or, I could manipulate what my sensor was seeing as the shutter was open - as was done…

Found Looking For Fungi

During a morning hike in a wet woodland, while looking for fungi thriving on the moist/humid conditions after inches of rain, I found a geocache. In past years Kristy and I used to hunt for geocaches all around the Midwest. For reasons unknown to me our geocache hunts have waned to near zero.

While slowly wandering in a timber searching for fungi I found a geocache hidden in a great spot. I did sign the book, but took nothing and left nothing.

My search for fungi was worthwhile as seen in the following pictures.

Meaningful For Me, Maybe Not Too Many Others

For many people red cedar trees are not a highly sought tree species. In fact, red cedars often grow as volunteer trees in ditches, waterways, prairies… just about anywhere a berry might be dropped. Often the cedars create work as people strive to remove them.

For me cedar trees are meaningful for at least a few reasons.

Reason 1 - We wanted to establish a windbreak on the edge of our yard. Knowing red cedars are easy to establish and hardy in our environment, I planted and maintained a couple rows of them. That I was able to find and photograph berries in two of the trees tells me the trees are doing well and our efforts to water them during the drought paid off.

Reason 2 - When I look for owls in the winter I often carefully study cedar trees - many times with success. I am hopeful that sometime in my lifetime we will have an owl or two in one of our cedar trees.

Reason 3 - Cedar bark on mature trees is thought-provoking. In time I hope to be able to study cedar bark in our yard like I now study the bark elsewhere.

Since we seem to be receiving a month’s worth of rain in a series of days, I had the option of staying inside or venturing out in the weather. During drizzle I did go out with my camera and found a few photogenic views I will share here.

How Do They Get Established

2024 has been a banner year for me for finding interesting fungi to photograph. The more I find, the more I wonder - how do they get established? Are there that many fungi spores floating around in the air? Why do some trees have fungi while others do not?

I guess I have my winter self-assignment decided - learn about fungi.

Unexpected Sightings

Rain and wind or not, there were still plenty of outdoor activities to observe today. The first surprise was seeing nearly fifty sandhill cranes prancing and jumping in a picked field not far from the road. The flock did increase the distance between me and them when I stopped my truck, but not by much. Notice how gray each bird is. That coloration is their natural color. When they are a rusty orange color, the birds are sporting stains from the water and much they inhabit.

A second surprise were the fungi I found. Even though temperatures have been below freezing, the fungi still reacted with growth to our 40 and 50-degree temps and rain.

A third surprise was to see water flowing out of a vertical tile line. After experiencing months of drought conditions, I did not expect so much water moving through the soil already. This was nice to see as we go into winter.

Deer Crossing (The Story Behind the Image)

Over the decades I have been blessed more than I deserve with interesting wildlife and scenic outdoor observations. Yesterday a very brief interaction occurred that I will remember for a long time.

As I was driving to a training, fog was rising over the fields and river steam was lifting above the Cedar River. Such conditions are…

DSLR vs Compact Camera Challenge

In my never-ending quest to push technology to its limit as I attempt to reduce the equipment or the weight of the equipment I carry in the field, today I completed a comparison test of capabilities between my DSLR and a compact camera. When I found worthy compositions during my hike I shot photos using both cameras. At home I then edited both in a similar manner. My goal was to see if I could produce comparable images with the compact camera that I can with the DSLR. That was many words to say I compared camera outputs.

As expected, the compact camera image quality did not quite measure up to the DSLR. However, if I would not have had the DSLR images to compare to, the files produced by the compact camera would have been…

Not the Red Oak Leaf

This morning a friend of mine showed me a picture of perfect, vivid red oak leaf she found and photographed at Cedar Bend Park. She had other pics too, but the oak leaf was really pretty and proved to be an inspiration for my own hike today before it rained.

My expectations did not include a nice oak leaf, but I would have…

Artistic Autumn Color While Standing in the River

Without intent I made three pictures that, with a bit of artistic editing, appear less like photos and more as paintings. An interesting detail about this process was that my efforts were just to “play” with a little point and shoot camera. I was standing in the river, in chest waders, and decided to experiment with compositions. The experimenting continued as I edited the files. The results follow.

Is That A Bird in Your Pocket?

Today was another day with hours spent at the healing spot to the north. While a family member was undergoing tests, I had about 45-minutes to occupy my time. I could have parked myself in a chair and watched people go in and out, or I could prance my way downstairs and out in the small flower garden area to look at what blossoms remain. Prance downstairs and out was what I did.

As I studied the various blossoms still looking quite vibrant (how do they do that after frost?), movement to my left caught my eye. At first I thought a mouse had made a run for it, but no, a small bird in the sparrow family was out bouncing around in the limited area patio.

You guessed it… my attention switched from blossoms to chasing the bird with my camera (not literally). Since I was testing out a “new to me” point and shoot camera, I was not quite as successful with images as I might have been with my big Nikon lens and camera body. Still, I did manage to record an image or three (maybe more).

I was not able to discern if this field sparrow was injured - likely from a window strike - or was it just very comfortable with people being in close proximity. That answer I do not know and never will. What I do know is I was ready to pick it up to evaluate it if it came close enough to catch.

When I explained this to my family member they asked “What were you going to do with it?” I suppose, had the bird been injured, I would have kept it in my pocket to take to a rehabber since I had nowhere else for it.

Imagine me walking around Mayo Clinic with a bird in my pocket. What if it cheeped? What if it got out of my pocket? Perhaps Mayo can do miracles for humans, but birds… maybe not.

This incident did remind me of the time I found and caught a smooth green snake and kept it in my pocket during lunch. That is a story for another time.

Things That Impressed Me Today

During my wandering today I found a couple of things that impressed me enough for photos.

Impression 1 - Segment A of Sweet Marsh is full of water. There isn’t any water running out of Segment A, but the pool is full. Without much rain filling the various segments of the marsh has taken some time, but it is happening. I will check on Marten’s Lake when time allows. Maybe that too is full.

Impression 2 - The swamp and red oak leaves are brilliant right now. Their color is so vivid that I had to stop to document it (to share here).

Another Look After the Peak of Fall Colors

For several hours today I invested time in photographing some of the last of fall fungi in the timber along the Wapsipinicon River. My memory card contained a variety of fungi species - some familiar and some maybe not. As I drove away from the trailhead, the attractive white bark of quaking aspen - a few still carrying leaves fluttering in the wind - caught my attention. My post for today switched from fungi to aspen aerial images.

Initially I composed many views looking nearly straight down from one hundred feet or so in the air. The images recorded from this vantage point were acceptable and did capture a different look at what remains of fall colors.

Mini Flash Mob - Emotions and Tears Flowing - How Great Thou Art!

Today at the healing place to the north a family member and I experienced a miniature flash mob with a powerful impact. The experience was amazing. Allow me to explain.

The two of us were sitting in a lounge area near the cafeteria when I heard the piano being played in the main lobby on the Subway Level…

Nature Therapy Along the Wapsipinicon River

Each day I try to spend at least a few minutes in the outdoors. Frequent “nature therapy” has been relaxing, rejuvenating… just healing for my soul.

When I am out in the timber or on the river I almost always have a camera with me, as was the case today when my destination was the Wapsipinicon River in Bremer County.

The most interesting observation for the outing occurred when I spotted a whitetail doe bedded down along the edge of the river. As I slowly approached, she did not jump up to bound away. Eventually I noticed a second doe that had seen me and was standing on alert. My photos of her featured that doe peaking at me through the woodland brush.

Even after the standing doe ran off with her tail flashing, the bedded doe remained on the ground. Many long seconds passed - maybe a half a minute or more - before the bedded doe looked around and spotted me. Up she went and soon she was running away to her place of safety.

Color at Hartman Reserve/Hartman Bluff State Preserve

The autumn colors were very vibrant this morning at Hartman Reserve/Hartman Bluff State Preserve. Time did not allow me to wander too long, but I was there long enough to shoot some photos.