196/366 - "The Toad and The Hop Fly"

(F/4, 100mm, 1/50 sec, ISO 100, Canon 5D Mk II)

I went outside after lunch to clean up the mess from the trees, see Day 191.  During my raking, I stunned a rather large toad.  I actually thought I killed it since it did not move for over 15 minutes.  After I was done raking, I placed my rake over the toad trapping it so I could get my camera.  When I returned the toad was attempting to escape.  I was able to get a few shots before he hopped away.

I normally post Jim's guest posts separately.  Since these two photos go together I decided to make this one post.

Jim was taking pictures of his hops that are growing in his backyard when a fly landed on a leaf of the hop plant.

175/366 - "New River Gorge Bridge"

(F/8, 22mm, 3 Exposures, ISO 100, Canon 5D Mk II)

On the way home today I convinced Sue that we should take a stop at the overlook so we could all stretch our legs, hit the restrooms, and so I could take a photograph.  This is from the lowest section of the overlook.

173/366 - "Monarch Butterfly"

(F/4, 67mm, 1/250, ISO 100, Canon 5D Mk II)

Today we went to the Edventure Children's Museum in Columbia, SC.  They had an outdoor butterfly exhibit which for me was the highlight of the visit.

155/366 - "Hike"

(F/4, 80mm, 1/40 sec, ISO 400, Canon 5D Mk II)

This morning we went for a hike as a family, which was a first.  Usually, Jonah and I are in the woods without the girls.  The whole time Jonah was explaining to Harper all the stuff that I point out to him.  Every time I take Jonah to the woods I ask him if he would like his picture taken on a particular rock.  Without fail he always says no.  Today, he asked Harper if she would like to sit on the rock with him to have their picture taken.  I snapped a couple of quick shots so we could keep walking.  This is probably my favorite photograph of the two of them together.

154/366 - "Spider"

(F/4.5, 100mm, 1/125 sec, ISO 400, Canon 5D Mk II)

I was taking out the garbage this afternoon and spotted a spider web between two of our bushes.  I checked back later when I was grilling and the spider was back.  I grabbed my camera with the macro lens and took some shots.  I have no idea what kind of spider this is, so if you do let me know.

97/366 - "Ring-O-Round The Tree"

(F/4, 80mm, 1/125 sec, ISO 100, Canon 5D Mk II)

Today Jonah and I went for a hike in Dark Hollow Woods.  While we were hiking we stumbled upon this tree that had this cool ring around it.  Jonah and I talked about what could have possibly happened to this tree to cause this in the bark. 

83/366 - "ANTS!!!"

(F/7.1, 100mm, 1/200 sec, ISO 200, Canon 5D Mk II)

We have a colony of ants that hang out at the bottom of our driveway.  Jonah loves to torture them like any little boy should.  He sweeps them with his paint brushes, he stomps on them, and soon I will show him how to catch them on fire with a magnifying glass.

Tonight when we returned from the fish fry the ants were out in full force.  I grabbed my camera with a macro lens and took some shots.  These are our pet ants.

77/366 - "Bumblebee"

(F/16, 100mm, 1/30 sec, ISO 100, Canon 5D Mk II)

After I put the porch furniture out and took a little break, I grabbed my camera and tripod.  Our neighbors flower garden is already blooming all over the place.  I set up to take a macro of her flowers and took several shots, when a bee flew in to the frame.  I wish I wouldn't have gotten so excited.  I was so excited by the notion of actually getting an insect in a macro shot that the bee is a little out of focus.

75/366 - "Green Thumb?"

(F/4, 105mm, 1/400 sec, ISO 100, Canon 5D Mk II)

It is very well known that I do not have a green thumb.  Everything I plant dies.  Around our house this year I have seen these little white and purple flowers popping up in random places.  So does this mean I have a gren thumb?  Hardly.  Our neighbors both have these flowers planted all around their yards and obviously mother nature has helped seed our yard.  Hopefully they come back next year.  I added the purple flower to the bottom for your viewing pleasure as an added bonus.

58/366 - "Morning Sky"

(F/8, 24mm, 1/80 sec, ISO 200, Canon 7D)

While we were getting ready to head out this morning I looked out the back windows to checked out the sky.  It was a great sky with pinks, blues, and a nice golden color.  I grabbed my camera and snapped a couple photographs.  Luckily one of them turned out nicely.  Unfortunately the view from the street to the tree tops is ugly, littered with houses, telephone poles, and wires.  So I am forced to crop the bottom out of the photograph. 

57/366 - "Early Flowers"

(F/10, 100mm, 1/200 sec, ISO 100, Canon 7D)

We have had an extremely mild winter to date and I hope this continues.  Our neighbor has a green thumb and some of her flowers have already started to come up and bloom.  This is a photograph of some of these flowers, and I can promise you more photographs of her yard as the year moves along.

42/366 - "Plum Creek"

(F/8, 50mm, 1/80 sec, ISO 100, Canon 7D)

I had to run out and get a haircut this morning.  I decided to take my camera and drive around the neighborhood a little and find some potential snow photographs.  I was on my way home, when I spotted this scene.  This is a section of Plum Creek, that runs past a housing plan called Oakmont Commons.  The wind was blowing and it was still snowing, so I shot this from inside the car with the window down.