2019
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HIDDEN
- ✧ - There’s a Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) in this photo... Can your eyes find it?! This particular rattler definitely had a clear opportunity to sink it’s venomous fangs into the flesh of a human leg as he/she was almost accidentally stepped on (because, spectacular camouflage!) ...but instead, the snake chose to protect itself by slithering away into the thorny underbrush, where it could intensely stare-down it’s perpetrator in shadowed safety... Rattlers are often perceived as vicious, aggressive creatures with malicious intent. Growing up in Jersey & studying the ocean, I was definitely guilty of holding this misunderstanding. But after a few years living in the Southwest and now Texas, I dare to differ. Now, I’m not saying we shouldn’t practice utmost mindfulness & caution around these creatures (I mean, they ARE a pit viper!), but more often than not, rattlesnakes have zero desire nor intention to harm a human. They actually want nothing to do with humans, and striking is a big expense of their energy...so if the option to escape is available, they will eagerly exercise that option (as was demonstrated in this specific encounter). I snapped a few photos and observed this unique reptile for a couple of minutes from a safe distance (thank goodness for a zoom lens). If I looked away then back, it took serious effort to see the snake again. He/she didn’t rattle or hiss, just lots of curious sniffs with the tongue. Mutual respect. I said goodbye to my new friend and moved along. A quick check back to this hide-out about 15 minutes later revealed the snake had moved along also... - ✧ - Posted on August 14, 2019
BoneFish TalesBF Tales2019StoryBlogWritingJournalRattlesnakeReptileWildlifeOutdoorsNatureCamouflageDiamondback Rattlesnake
MOON GRIN
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“Well! I’ve often seen a cat without a grin,” thought Alice; “but a grin without a cat!? It’s the most curious thing I ever saw in my life!”
It was a crisp November morning, and I stood literally just footsteps from my front door in Tennessee. The sun was moments away from breaking the horizon, casting her vibrant colors across the sky, as if celebrating another glorious rising. Birds dipped across the frost-bitten fields, broadcasting the renewal of daylight.
Just ten minutes ago I was snuggled in bed, warm & asleep. My body shivered now, I could see my breath. I rubbed my eyes, in hopes to accelerate the “waking up” process.
Directly overhead, seemingly watching this scene awaken, a thin sliver of moon glowed like a Cheshire Cat grin through the painted streaks of clouds.
I blinked a few more times to clear my vision, then lifted my camera to eye level, and proceeded to get lost in the beauty of the morning...
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Posted on December 8, 2018BoneFish TalesBF Tales2019StoryBlogWritingJournalOutdoorsNatureMoonSky
I SPY...
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I spy with my little eye...
...a Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) perched in a tree!
This was my first time seeing one of these enormous beauties in the wild, and dang, was I amazed! This guy or gal was obviously aware of my presence — like a jungle cat lurking in the trees above, watching my every move.
The sun had set twenty minutes prior, and a thick gray blanket of clouds hovered overhead, leaving very little natural light to work with for a photo. Stuck in the familiar “crap-quality-photo versus no-photo” mental debate, I found myself cranking the ISO button way up, in hopes of getting a shutter speed fast enough to capture my feathered subject.
The owl visited for about ten minutes, frequently swiveling it’s head around — scanning, watching, observing. The sky was getting darker — night was approaching quickly.
One final glance around, and both wings spread as the owl swooped down from the tree, flying out of sight into the night.
For a few moments, I stood in awe, staring at the now empty space on that branch... "Wow!"
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Posted on March 14, 2019BoneFish TalesBF Tales2019StoryBlogWritingJournalWildlifeOutdoorsNatureCamouflageBirdOwlGreat Horned OwlTree
SPRING FIRE
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Still dwelling on Texas' many rounds of springtime blooms... it was difficult to keep count as the palette seemed to constantly change.
As if the preceding Bluebonnet bloom wasn't enough of a show, the final discharge of Firewheels set the Texas landscape aflame, sure to leave spectators in awe!
Photo captures a crowded field of Firewheel flowers (Gaillardia pulchella) dancing in the warm sunlight of a May afternoon.
All the same, but all unique. Some taller, some shorter. Some in bloom, some expired, and some have yet to begin.
Individual differences, collective beauty.
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Posted on July 10, 2019BoneFish TalesBF Tales2019StoryBlogWritingJournalOutdoorsNatureFloraFlowersFirewheelBeauty