Owl

This owl looked so soft. The variation of colors of its feathers is amazing. No wonder it blends in so well when sitting in a tree.

Spider Web

It amazes me how quickly a spider can create a web...and how beautifully simple it can be. This was taken many years ago in the early morning in Grand Marais after an evening rain. It seemed fitting for Halloween today.

Halloween Window Stars

The Halloween origami stars that I made are up on the windows now. These are in the family room. As the sun rises and there is more light, the window stars will become brighter. I like how nature and art coincide.

Spreading Milkweed Seeds

It is hard to believe that it has already been 15 years since I took this image of Sophia in the back part of our farm. We were spreading milkweed seeds with the hope that we would see more milkweed plants - and more monarchs - in future years.

By doing this each year that we have lived at our farm, we have many more milkweed plants now than we did in 1995 when we moved here. We are seeing a positive impact of our actions.

Waterfall

In Osceola, there is a waterfall at Standing Cedars Community Land Conservancy. It's a rather precarious walk to the waterfall with some places on the trail no wider than two feet. Once at the waterfall, in order to get a view of it, Olivia and I used a rope that someone had put there that was attached to a tree root. Without that rope, there would not have been a way to safely descend the cliff. 

As a side note, my long camera lens was in my pocket and fell out mid-descent. I watched it tumble down the cliff and land just at the edge of the waterfall - saved by a few rocks. Luckily, there was no damage to the lens.

Checking on the Land

During the winter we still walk the property to make sure that everything is okay. It's important as caretakers of these ten acres that animals are safe and not hurt anywhere on it. We enjoyed seeing all the activity wherever we walked - tracks, rubbings on trees, and "beds" that the animals made in the grass and weeds.

Early Sunset

 The sun is setting earlier now - at around 4:54 p.m.

St. Croix River

Olivia and I spent time photographing the St. Croix River today. This is a view looking south towards Bayport. 

 

Moon and Venus

Looking out at the backyard and to the south, the moon and Venus have been shining brightly in the sky.

Senior Photos - 3 More

Olivia loves nature - so spending time taking senior photos in the park and along the Mississippi River were perfect locations for her. 

Hiking at William O'Brien

It's hard to believe that it has been five years already since we took this camping and hiking trip to William O'Brien State Park. Although the park is only about five minutes away, we chose it because it is a good introduction to camping for those who haven't done so before. We introduced another 4-H family to camping and they had a great time. They want to go camping again with us and explore another state park.

Window Star Garland

I thought I would try something new with the window stars and create a garland with them. Normally, I put them on windows, but I thought it would be interesting to see what they looked like outside blowing in the wind and illuminated by the sun. 

Leaf Shadow

I created this image at William O'Brien State Park ten years ago, on May 16, 2008. Walking through a forested area on the trail near the St. Croix River, the shadow of this branch and leaves were on a large rock. When I look at images that I've made through photography, they bring me right back to the very moment when I took the photo. I like that.