Musings

We got to the park and right away spotted this dudette/dude “pecking” along, searching for food, I thought…”looking for a lost contact,” the Guru said knowingly.

Muscovy duck view of a cactus on a monumental planter dating back to an exposition, I think in 1895.

Duck view, if in flight. I was atop the (six-story?) parking garage that drew all kinds of flack when it was proposed, under construction, and first built. Now, as promised, you pretty much can’t see it, even now when the leaves are off. And nobody complains that the parking pressure on the neighborhoods nearby dropped…for a time, although plenty of visitors still cruise the nearby streets for a free spot. C’est la vie. Or is it c’est la view?

Posted at 6:57 PM | Comments Off on Perspective(s)

From yesterday…beech leaves, still hanging on…

And turkey tail mushrooms, showing apparent growth rings…

Posted at 6:00 PM | Comments Off on …As they do

I’ve been a bit antsy for several days to get out of town, that is: OTP—outside the perimeter. No rain today, so we scooted. And headed to Russell Cave, owned by these United States, up in far northeast Alabama. This is the view from the cave, used by way-back peoples. Today it was a bit damp, and the creek below had water, but was not in flood.

We took what I thought was a short nature trail; I had it wrong. We went up and up, switchback after switchback. I kept thinking, “I’m glad it’s not wetter; this moss must get slippery!”

With the leaves off, we had some views of Doran’s Cove, the valley below.

And, as we left the cove, we saw a flock of wild turkeys. They were jumpy and headed for the woods when we stopped…only a few stragglers left. Pretty birds, these gals.

Physiographically, this area is Ridge-and-Valley. Here we are heading up the west flank of Lookout Mountain, working our way back toward the ATL. Sun’s out!

The Guru mentioned how great the light angle was, so we headed over to that big mound site just outside Cartersville on the bank of the Etowah (clue there!). The Guru was right; the light was fantastic, and there was some wind, but Droney got the shots. And video (not posted). That line of trees between the plowed field and the grass around the mounds is in a massive ditch—defensive, plus where the fill to build the mounds came from, no?

Posted at 9:32 PM | Comments Off on OTP Saturday

I don’t usually shoot through tree branches like this at a longer view. It matched the overcast feel, I thought.

Stopped by for another quick look at the gold Ford. Ex-cop car, it seems.

Not sure why I liked this partly in-the-building truck. The juxtaposition of the orange cone, perhaps?

Posted at 6:41 PM | Comments Off on Sun emerged later

Murky day, although I did walk to the park, do a limited circuit, and walk back. Dodging a few raindrops now and then.

On the return leg, I passed a landscaper trailer piled with sod. Strange stuff, sod. Where I come from, it was grown on sandy loam. This is on what looks like a clay mixture. Can’t figure out why, other than this part of this state has more clay soils than loamy soils.

Did I have a flash card with tenebrous on it when I was studying for the GREs? Sure don’t remember ever using that word in a sentence…and now in a headline? Sheesh. 😀

Posted at 6:25 PM | Comments Off on Tenebrous outing

Ignore the power lines. [I’m usually not attracted to greenish-yellows, but this array did not bother me, perhaps because of the golden tints?]

We’re amidst the coldest cold-snap of the season, meteorologists say. I’m welcoming the sun, that’s fo-sho.

Posted at 6:47 PM | Comments Off on Backlit world

Sunday stroll with The Guru: highlight…a rainbow. Human-made-not natural, but in my book: a rainbow is a rainbow is a lovely event.

For a colorful chronicle, see The Guru’s narrative.

Posted at 7:46 PM | Comments Off on All the colors

What a gorgeous dawn! Hate the neighbors’ McMansion dominates our early-day viewshed.

Hellebore buds. I understand that hellebore/lenten rose breeders have even developed dark shades.

I think of this as fringetree—wrong. It’s in the witch-hazel family, and is called Loropetalum. I certainly don’t scrutinize specimens closely enough to gauge botanical taxonomy.

Posted at 7:07 PM | Comments Off on Careful scrutiny

Have to start with the ultra-shiny gold Ford! Could NOT be shinier! Note: this is NOT a new model, and this is NOT the original paint.

I spotted it on my way to Old Fourth Ward Park. While the sun was out.

And the turtles gathered on this one rock. The one they can climb up on; the others are too steep-sided at the water level.

Coming back, this window was totally reflective to my eye, but my magic phone/camera did, I saw when I did the download….

Confession: I used two, count ’em two, wide-wide shots…must be a record??

Posted at 7:16 PM | Comments Off on Gold Ford!

Hey, bee! Come back! Your presence will make soooo improve this photo. Sigh.

Got no story with this one…beyond the blue, blue sky. Which is enough.

Posted at 6:11 PM | Comments Off on Story time