Stella in the Sun

Stella enjoying a raw hide bone on a sunny patch of carpet.

American Robin 2

This American Robin was searching for breakfast in my backyard when I took this photograph.  My mother always used to tell me robins were the first sign of spring.  This photo was taken in early February.  Granted I live 100 miles south of my childhood home but I am still always surprised when I see robins in the winter months.

Ravages of Time

The old brick and concrete bridge piers stand across the James River as a testimony to the ravages of time.  They once provided safe and easy passage across the river and now serve merely as roosts for water fowl and baron outcroppings for pioneering vegetation.

Colorful Fungus on Log

This fallen log, in Pocahontas State Park, near Richmond, Virginia, forms the basis for quite an ecosystem of colorful fungus and lichen.

Dark-Eyed Junco 2

This dark-eyed junco was busy searching for food among the leaves when I took this picture of it.

Frozen Blue Jay Feather

I was up early one winter morning and discovered this blue jay feather laying on a frosty bed of moss.  Click on the image to see the larger, more detailed photo.

Spacious

I caught this image at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art, quite unexpectedly.  I was photographing the Blue Ridge Chandelier, on the right side of the image, when the girl moved to look out an enormous window off the left side of the photograph.  I was immediately drawn to the spaciousness of this image.

 

Lichen Bloom

Sometimes it’s the little things in nature that really catch my eye.  This lichen was growing on the side of a very large pine tree.  I approached the tree to get a closer look at something else when I noticed the tiny, bright red blooms on the lichen.  Who knew that lichen actually bloomed?

Rooster

This proud rooster briefly paused to see what I was doing.

Melt Off

As I hiked past this puddle of melting snow I stopped to look at the reflections in it.  Snow was falling off the trees in clumps and caused ripples in the puddle.