Merry Christmas to my friends at Flickr!

These are my favorite shots from several years of taking close-up and macro photos of frost, and I thought they worked as a virtual Christmas card. Thank you for your views, faves, and comments.

My 27th photo to make it to Explore; my second montage to do so, and my fifth photo of frost to do so (including one with a subtly frosted leaf, which is the only one of those previous Explore frost shots not to make it into this montage).

Links to individual photos follow.

Top row: 1. frost and Christmas colors, 2. frost on the car, 3. colorful frosted leaf, 4. details in ice (Explored), 5. frost flakes, 6. lace-edged grass, 7. frost on purple flower: New England aster.

Second row: 8. lace-edged green leaves, 9. bald cypress in frost, 10. frost and waterdrops, 11. frosted green leaves, 12. heavy April frost, 13. frosted teasel, 14. frost and snow.

Third row: 15. frost in blue (Explored), 16. imperfect coneflower in frost, 17. frosted web 3 against black, 18. frost on frost aster (Explored), 19. frosted leaf, 20. details of frost, 21. two frosted leaves.

Fourth row: 22. crystal details in ice patch, 23. frosted greenery, 24. geode? no, frost, 25. frosted berries, 26. glittering stars, 27. frost and snow: a garden of jewels, 28. minature frost cave 3.

Bottom row: 29. frost on the wildflowers, 30. frilly frost, 31. frosted beauty, 32. frost pillars, 33. frost designs, 34. frosted leaves, 35. frosted web against black.

Tags:   Merry Christmas Christmas 2021 Christmas greetings frost montage frosted flowers frost designs winter MosaicMontageMonday Best of 2021

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Day 154/365
Flickr Lounge: starts with the letter P (purple)

The only purple insect I know of, and I finally got shots of it I like! Damselfly photographed in southern Indiana.

Finally, one of my more interesting insects made Explore. Usually if they choose one of my insects, it's a butterfly, but I've photographed a range of insects through the years. This one was chosen for an Explore takeover for the color purple, and this insect seemed an obvious choice for the theme! Thank you for your views, faves, and comments.

Tags:   365: the 2023 edition 365:2023 Day 154/365 03-Jun-23 variable dancer damselfly insect Argia fumipennis

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The best sighting of a wonderful birding day . . . one that even included a lifer I have wanted to see since I was about twelve (the common loon).

I pulled into the parking lot of the dam--a dam that had lots of birds on my first visit, none on my second, and this was my third. A dozen or so geese were on the water, in some pretty formations, and I rolled down the car window to get some shots, intending to get out of the car to get a little closer after I'd done so.

But then, in a gap between fence railings, I saw what looked like two kingfishers in a tree, looked again, and left the geese alone! This pair (female at left) hung out together for several minutes, and then the male left to fish along the water edge and the female stayed a few minutes longer. The background is water. Kingfishers rarely allow humans close; a car or a blind is the best chance for a photo, and two in one shot a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Having a clear background was a nice bonus.

This photo and one very similar (same setting) was shown in two juried photo shows this fall; the framed print sold at one show, though my husband had already told me that if it didn't sell, he wanted to hang it in our home.

Thank you for your views, faves, and comments. (With two Explored under its belt--a regular Explore and a "Your Best Shot 2023" Explore via Flickr Social--this shot is now my most faved photo, more than 570, though not my most viewed. It ended up as #3 in views.)

Tags:   belted kingfishers kingfisher kingfisher pair birds at lake Lake Monroe Monroe Dam Indiana birds YBS23Nature

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Flickr Lounge: Everyday Beauty
Day 108/365

I never saw one of these last year. That means that this year, before April is over, I have already seen (and photographed) three species of butterflies I missed last year. Hopefully that means this will be a wonderful butterfly season!

I was putting my camera in the car, preparing to head for home, when this zebra flew by me and changed my mind. It landed near the creek and allowed me a few photos before it was off again.

This is my 50th photo to hit Explore. A montage of the other 49 is in the comments. Thank you for your views, faves, and comments!

Tags:   365: the 2023 edition 365:2023 Day 108/365 18-Apr-23 zebra swallowtail butterfly swallowtail

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Day 34/365
Flickr Lounge: Photographer's Choice
62/100 action shots; 6/10 birds in water

Notice here that the creek is bouncing reflections onto the bird as well as the bird reflecting in the creek. (My husband pointed out that even the eye catchlight managed to be reflected in the creek.) This is one of several eastern bluebirds that I thought were drinking but that were apparently hunting for prey. It was about 20 degrees Fahrenheit, so this would have been a cold activity, and I also didn't know bluebirds ever hunted in water. They seemed to be particularly looking at the leaves, much as they often do on the ground. Perhaps leaves with insects on them fell from the trees, or water insects seek the shelter of the leaves, or both. Whatever the scenario, I did photograph a few with prey.

Thank you for your views, faves, and comments!

Tags:   365: the 2023 edition 365:2023 Day 34/365 03-Feb-23 100 x: The 2023 Edition 100x:2023 Image 62/100

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