Random Backyard Find

Few things I found today on my walk around my backyard.

Do you know why Hugh Hefner cancelled his wedding?

One thing for sure, I had nothing to do with it..... no nothing....

I am being sooooo tourist in this picture...

Weeding or Clicking

I have been enjoying gardening this summer. I have put in borders with bricks from our old fire place, transplanted some plants from the back yard to hopefully a better sunnier location, and lots of trimming, and weeding. But today while I was taking a wheel barrel full of weeds to our compost pile, I saw a beautiful butterfly fluttering in our bushes. As soon as I saw it, my photographer side took over. I ran into the house, got my camera, fixed the settings and started shooting away. Just as I thought I had taken enough photographs, another butterfly, this time black and blue showed up, and of course I had to stay and click away. What do you think? If anyone knows the name of these butterflies please let me know....

Very early Sunday morning myself and another budding photographer started our drive to Starved Rock State Park in Utica, Il about 1 1/2 hrs away. But our heads must of been still in a fuzz because we missed the turn off onto I-80. We did eventually make it to the state park, but with the recent rain the Illinois River has flooded the parking lot of the visitor center and the whole area was closed. So our plan to ask which is the best trail to take photographs of wild flowers failed..... Of course we had other plans ... just go on any trail that was open, and this is where we ended up.. St. Louis Canyon ..... Beautiful isn't it?

Got kissed by the fishes

It has been a while since I have last blogged, but I have been very busy with my family life and traveling. One of the place I traveled recently was Cozumel. It is an island off of Cancun Mexico in a Caribbean Sea and it is known for its great scuba dive spots. I do not scuba dive, but was rewarded with many colorful fishes just off the docks and beaches. I wanted to photograph these friendly fishes and I was throwing bread to gather them near me. I thought it would it be great to capture them feeding out of my hand. Great idea, but when the fish started biting my fingers trying to get to the bread, not so good idea. One actually bit down hard enough that I started bleeding in open water. I realized that it could be potentially dangerous as there are sharks that are known to swim in these waters.

The painful bite from a fish came out like it had kissed me, but don't be fooled by it, it really hurt....

Daffodil yellow colored tree

Among the old bare oak trees this daffodil yellow colored tree stood.  I did not know how or why it was there...but since it was Easter I almost expected Easter bunnies with pastel colored bows to be dancing about....

Spring wildflower -- Terrarium

When this wildflower Terrarium emerges in my back yard, I know that it is spring. Right now it is still very small, but it will grow to be about 8 inches tall and it will cover most of my back yard. Every year I fight with my hubby to make sure that he does not mow them down before they are totally done flowering. My hubby always loses.

Carpet of Daffodiles

Spring is nearly here and that we can expect to see the Daffodiles blooming soon. This photographed just received a Honorable Mention at the Mayslake Photography competition. Last year this image recieved 2nd place at the Union League of Chicago photography competition as well..... I do have a confession to make, this image was photographed using my Canon G9, small camera, not my Nikon DSLR. That just goes to show you that it does not matter what equipment you use, but the composition and the light of the day that makes the image...

spring time cherry blossom

Cherry blossoms in Japan are famous for their beauty, and to the Japanese people it symbolizes the beginning. With the recent tragedies I hope that the cherry blossoms will once again bring joy and beauty back to the country that is suffering greatly.


Morton Arboretum, Illinois
April 2009

Munchy Delight Adventure

Munchy Delight Adventure is a new blog that I have started to post things related to food. Mostly new recipes that I am trying out to stay healthy, and hopefully to loose some unwanted weight. I hope you will come and check it out.
Photo adventure will continue and I will post many of the photographs from my trips on a weekly basis. I hope you will continue to support this blog as well...
Noriko

kalyns kitchen

I am so excited to come across Kalyns Kitchen blog that I am seriously thinking about going back on the "South Beach Diet". Several years ago I lost 25 pounds in three months (since then I have gained back 10 pounds) and have remained within my safe weight zone, but with several special occasions coming up, I thought maybe it is time to loose few pounds. One thing that kept me from going back to this diet was that, I used all of the recipe in the book, and needed to find newer, more exciting recipe to follow.. Kalyns Kitchen seems to have some great recipes, and I can not wait to try few of them... Starting with the Egg Muffins....

I will let you know in a few days how this turns out....

N....

Life support Japan

http://elizabethavedon.blogspot.com/2011/03/life-support-japan-auction.html

Squirrel in the snow

When the blizzard stopped, and the sun came out yesterday, squirrels came out one by one to find some food. Yes, I do feed them during the winter... I know, I know, but it keeps my cat "Karamel" very happy seeing her friends show up at our back door.

SNOWMAGEDDON 2011

9 AM Feb 1st, 2011



4 pm Feb 1st, 2011. Start of the storm.



9 PM Feb 1st, 2011. Smack in the middle of the storm 60MPH wind, Thundersnow.



7 AM Feb 2, 2011. 19 inches of snow, snow drift up to 6feet.



10 AM Feb 2, 2011. 20.5 inches of snow total. Third highest in the recorded history of Chicago.

I am so done with being in this cold weather. I want to escape to some place warm and take a nice long stroll on the sandy beach. Or just sit under an umbrella with a cold drink and listening to the surf.... just few more days..........

photo from "the wave" series Isla Mujeres 2009

I love my "DUCKS"

Pep Rally in Arizona, the night before the game



I am so excited that Oregon will play tonight in the BCS championship. Good Luck "Ducks"

Closed Door

For the last couple of months that my son has been home, it was a habit of mine to check to see if his bedroom door was closed in the morning. But today, I realized that I don't have to do that anymore, at least not until he comes home from college in May....

photo Bo-Kaap, South Africa 2010

"From the Ordinary to the Extra-Ordinary"

Bloomingdale Park District Museum has Juried photo exhibition every year. I always try to enter and this year I have three photographs accepted (Maximum allowed) so I am really excited... I hope you can stop by and see many of the wonderful photographs. We won't know until the night of the reception that who's work has won an award... good luck to everyone....

A horse and a kitty love

Every once in a while you come across a photograph that says "Ahhh....." this is one of them. I love that the horse has he's eye closed, and you can practically hear the kitty's purrrrr...... Credit goes to "Paula"

The Year of the Rabbit - 2011

The year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese calender does not start until Feb.3rd, but in Japan it starts with the calender year of Jan. 1st. So even though some of you may not recognize it I would like to honor my heritage and will start the new year with the bunny. It is said that people born in the Year of the Rabbit are reasonably friendly individuals who enjoy the company of a group of good friends. They are good teachers, counselors and communicators, but also need their own space. My grandmother on my fathers side was born in the year of the Rabbit and she was very friendly and well liked by many. She was also a poet, who wrote many short poems that were published in her later years. But she was not one of those grandmothers who doted over her grandchildren. She was always running around doing her own thing.