365pix

Its our favorite, and it’ll be bare soon… I just wish I could find an angle that didn’t include either the house or the street.

8 of them! Dori and I went for a walk with our local bird club this morning to Mason Farm, and this was right at the start. Just prior to this we saw a pair (!) of red-shouldered hawks sunning themselves. They flew off just as we got out of the car.

Dori went out for a run this morning and saw this guy on the way back. I got myself together quickly and ran out, hoping to catch it still there. Twice now she’s spotted it in the same area, perhaps there is a nest…

There’s still plenty on the trees, but we’re definitely past the peak. The weekend ought to be warm, so maybe the leaves will hang on long enough for my folks to see them next week.

Another dreary day around here meant I didn’t get out for much shooting today.

I had several ideas tonight, most of which failed, and this is where I landed. Somehow I thought while taking the shot that the little chocolate crumbs would add character, but now I am not so sure.

Dori and I took a day trip out to Grandfather Mountain today, and experienced some of the toughest hiking we’ve ever done. The start of the trail was rocky with moderate inclines, boulders, and moderate amounts of trees and shrubbery. As we climbed higher we found smooth slabs of rock 10-20 feet tall with rope lines to aid the traversal. Higher still, the rope lines were replaced with ladders. Ladders met other ladders, separated in parts by 4-inch-wide ledges offering no room for error. The mountain in the foreground is Grandfather Mountain with the Mile-High bridge visible at its peak.