Sunday, August 25, 2013

Nature Week

We've been enjoying an incredibly mild summer, even in August! Last Monday, we took a short ride to one of the state parks, just to get out of town for a couple hours and bask in the pleasant weather.
 

I did not know dragonflys were different colors and sizes. Several varieties were flying along the swampy edge of the lake. The blues were gorgeous!


There were some large ones with dark blue & white wings, but they wouldn't stay still long enough to be photographed. I was able to sneak up on this soft blue guy above.


This little guy was infatuated with our car antenna. He hung on for about a quarter mile, then broke off the affair.
 

Last summer, I was chasing sunsets. This summer it's moonrises. Last week's "Blue Moon" caught me by surprise. It was amazing the first night. So the second night, I went out to the ridge again hoping to see the same thing.


Alas, it was not as big and the sky was cloudy. But I do think the clouds made for an interesting picture.


I don't have a big enough lens to get a proper shot and I confess, I was too lazy to mess with the tripod & correct exposure settings.



Friday night, I made up my mind to get up early Saturday and try for a sunrise shot at the ridge.


The fog hanging over the valley was ethereally beautiful.


The sun came up between these trees from the spot where it was clear enough for me to stand. (I have an aversion to chiggers, having experienced them once out here on the prairie, so I don't venture too far into untamed lawnage).


I found this cool app that lets you pinpoint an area on a map, then shows you from which direction the sun & moon will rise and set. I've already checked ahead and mid-October the sun will rise over the part of the valley unobstructed by trees (as in the fog shot above).


This last shot is from a different part of the area as we were leaving. It looks more like a sunset.
 

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)




1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Connie...as always, loved and enjoyed your pictures and commentary. Also, Ecclesiastes 3:11 has become a favorite verse of mine. It was featured in a book I read recently called "God Space" by Doug Pollock. Take care!
Debbie Dukes Henceroth