Dog Daze

Tristan brought Jake over for Father’s Day. Jake is a five year-old Great Pyrenees/Golden Retriever cross. Jake is very well behaved, but all the cats are totally traumatized that we let a DOG!!!, can YOU BELIEVE IT? A DOG!!!, ¡¡¡Un PERRO!!!, UN CHIEN!!!, UN CANE!!!, come inside the house. I tried to get a photo of Spunk’s despising look, but Jake was being too rambunctious and Spunk ran for cover before I could get a photo. We took Jake to The Beach, and he got into the river for the first time, all recorded in the video below.

Jake is giving Spunk a serious run for the money in the modeling department.

Ready to go to The Beach

White Duck Daze

Some one’s white duck was in the irrigation ditch tonight.

I spotted a Beaver on the other side of the river.

He slithered into the water.

Swam toward me like Jaws.

He made a right turn,

Then a left turn.

Then Splashed me after I was yelling at him to splash for quite some time.

Daddy Owl

Is there a dragon in the clouds?

The Sandias with a soft pink.

Thirty-Nine Wild Skies

Thirty-nine wild skies. One for each year Laurie and I have been married. Be sure to click on the gallery to view a slide show of the photos.

All of the clouds to the north at sunset tonight were contrails.

The owlets were lined up tonight in their order of age. Major Tom Peepers on the highest branch in front. Mona Lisa in the middle, and Sleepy mostly hidden farthest back.

My New Lens Is A Phone

I was going to buy a ultra-wide-angle lens for my Fuji XE-1 that I used to use as a carry camera. But the 10-24mm zoom lens is quite large, which makes it not as desirable to carry when I’m also carrying the Bazooka on a 7D Mark II body, and the 70-200mm zoom lens a 5Ds body. I have been using my iPhone XE for all street photography and wide-angle photos, stitching together panoramas for ultra-wide-angle shots. I finally decided that since an iPhone 12 Mini was the same price as a Fuji 10-24mm lens, I might as well upgrade my iPhone to the iPhone 12 Mini. The 12 Mini is the same form factor as the old iPhone 5, which is my favorite style of iPhone case, and the camera has wide-angle and super-wide-angle. The iPhone 12 Pro has telephoto, also, but I have the Bazooka and the iPhone 12 is bigger than I like.

What’s really nice with the iPhone 12 Mini is the “Portrait” setting works for any abject or critter as you can see in the photos of the kitties and the America Rose above. The “Portrait” setting on my iPhone SE only worked on human faces. When I tried using it on the cats, or anything else, it said “No faces recognized” and would not take a photo. I’m really happy with the camera on the iPhone 12 Mini.

All photos below were shot with the Bazooka 400mm lens on a Canon 7D Mark II body.

Tiny butterfly.

Find The Owls Again

Can you find the Owlets in this photo? The above photo is a full-sized so when you click on it, you should be a able to see a little better.

Hint: Major Tom Peepers was in a pretty distinctive spot in the tree tonight.

I wonder which Owlet is Sleepy? This photo might give you a clue about where Sleepy and Mona Lisa were.

Western Tanager? Blue Grosbeak and Mystery yellow-bellied bird across the river at Beaver Point.

More Iris blooming.

Down by the river

How many faces can you find?

Lots of clouds. Lots of brush strokes. Not as much reds and oranges as I was hoping for.

Dog Paddle

Fido blowing in the wind in Saturn on the Rio Grande.

We got lots of rain today as promised by the forecast.

A slight break in the weather about 30 minutes after I got all wet carrying groceries from the store to the car and then from the car into the house in the pouring rain. Les choses sont contre nous!

¡Un Dos Tres¡ Pink Moon… NOT! Again!

One Owlet. Major Tom Peepers.

Two Owlets. Mona Lisa and Major Tom Peepers

Three Owlets. Mona Lisa, Major Tom Peepers and ????

How about Sleepy for the third Owlet?

Actually Major Tom Peepers ran out of steam, also.

Sweet dreams Major Tom Peepers.

Mona Lisa and Major Tom Peepers thought it was a little bright out as you can see them squinting in the next two photos.


Another year. Another no show for the Pink Moon. Marina had clicked on my Pink Moon post from last year and reminded me that tonight is April’s full moon (maybe April’s fool moon) known as the Pink Moon.

Cloud cover thwarted me again. The Pink Moon would have risen near the towers.

The extent of the pink southeast of the Sandias.

We got a slight big of clearing to the west.

Fuzzette

Under crystal clear, blue skies I made a very interesting discovery.

Fuzzette, Fuzzy, and Nora Owl

Fuzzy has a big sister, Fuzzette, who Nora Owl finally allowed to come out into the world so we can admire her beauty and cuteness.

Ducks in a row.

Fuzzette

Sucker

Fuzzy

Fish

Osric Owl napping in his outpost about 200 feet from Fuzzette, Fuzzy, and Nora Owl.

Bucky Bullfrog

Fuzzette

Marina’s Incognito Pear Tree looking rather pear-shaped.

Nora Owl napping with her ear tufts blowing in the wind.

And you thought Unicorns were equestrians!

Fuzzette is rather intense.

Tulip tortured by the heat and sun.

Fuzzy wide-eyed and presumably bushy tailed.

Lady Banks

Fuzzette has expressive eyes.

Tulip with a slight blush of pink.

Osric Owl doing ear tuft semaphore.

A sunny bunny.

¡Adios muchachos, muchachas!

Eye Eye Eye

Cary Kingfisher: “Eye see you Paparazzo!”

Finnegan Finch: “Eye see you Paparazzo!”

Terrance Turkey Vulture: “Eye see you Paparazzo!”

Mama Owl: “¿Qué pasa Paparazzo? ¿Te gustan las plumas de mi cola?”

Cary Kingfisher who happens to be a Belted Kingfisher: “I’m outta here! ¡Sta luego Ese!”