BeautYful Textures of Nature

We took a walk today in a not-near favorite park today. Having the new phone along for the ride, I was snapping in hires mode for a few minutes, now surprised some of the images were as big as some of my image files recorded with my full-size digital camera. Right now with an initial two days of having a new phone, I'd like to think the older Galaxy a50  was better. I trigger the a50's camera to shoot by using voice commands, which I like doing not only because it's easier, but also due to the unnecessary action of touching the screen, which can cause motion and of course, results in a blurry image. 

The Bison GT2 doesn't seem to recognize my voice commands which I am so accustomed of speaking to my decades of Galaxy phones when snapping pixs! Thank goodness it's not summer and a few bystanders may be staring at me talking to my phone!

It's always a pain getting accustomed to a new phone, but I'm hoping with more time, I'll find the UMIDIGI Bison GT2 will be just as nice as my Galaxy a50, and maybe just a wee bit better!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stay with Me

We just love seeing wildlife in its different species and colors, and at a spot close to the Niagara River, we had seen these ducks swimming against the current and wind. Turned out to be a Mother with her ducklings, and how cute these were! 

Loving the Beauty of Trees

WHO wouldn't love admiring the Beauty of our lovely Trees that surround us everyday and just about everywhere we venture? All I know is that we get out when we can, and whenever we are out to snap something else, our cameras always eventually turn to see Nature's textures! How can we NOT be awed by Trees and always end up snapping the Trees we love seeing!

 

The Beauty of Trees

WHO in their right mind who wouldn't or won't love the Beauty of Trees? Whenever we are out to enjoy Nature's textures, we are in awe by the Trees that we see and end up snapping those Trees!

Lightning Strikes

Last night was a light show of sorts, and the very best type: Nature put on this show just for me (okay, not just for me but it felt like it since it seemed I was the only fool outside for an hour in the hail, wind, rain and coolness!).

I have tried almost all my life behind a viewfinder, trying to capture two subjects: meteors and lightning. In 2016 I succeeded in getting the meteors and now surprisingly, I catch them easily!

Lightning on the other hand, has been elusive still, till a night ago when a long line of severe thunderstorms began moving into western new York. We were watching the 11pm news as usual, and then began the weather forecast, and it was then when I thought it would be the best time ever for a lucky night of lightning! I hurried to dress, grabbed the camera and a bag to cover it with, and walked quickly to the riverside to set up and try my luck once again!

I've known since the last century that the wind picks up once rain falls somewhere. That started up as soon as I stepped outside. It hailed for a while, then continued on and off of pouring rain while I was busy exposing my virtual film!

There were also quite a few times I'd be blinded by a white flash! I figure a strong lightning had just hit somewhere, and sure enuff, when I looked at the images later, I had quite a few frames that were close to, or completely white! So sign of a bolt on film but I know it's probably in there hidden in the whiteness somewhere!

BUT my life-long goal in capturing one of those lightning flashes has finally succeeded, as I ended up with a few lucky images!

But I also enjoyed my time out in the darkness, as there wasn't a second when the sky was NOT lit up with bright flashes hidden by thick clouds, and later as the clouds seemed to thin out, I could finally see the fabulous lightning lighting up my sky for some time that night!

What a splendid light show!!!! Did you see it in your area?

Stay safe and masked on this Day 106 of the New York state pandemic!!

Looking west toward Grand Island, New York

The flashes of lightning was without end but gorgeous!

Always great to see Nature at work!!

Thoughts on an Icy Chilling Day

Weeks ago we were hit with yet another wind storm that lasted days. Though this time we didn't see any downed trees in our immediate area, it wasn't the same for most of western New York (WNY). To give you an idea of how strong these winds were, there is a favorite spot we like hiking in the summer. This riverwalk goes under the Buffalo Peace Bridge leading to Canada and I have posted pictures previously somewhere of the fabulous views from this walkway, which consists of cement blocks placed together to form the foundation and walking surface of this riverwalk. Well, portions of this trail has been closed for some months due to a very strong wind storm that blew through the area last year during the winter, blowing and pushing huge blocks of ice over the walkway, and that action displacing many of the cement blocks, making the trail unusable. Well, it's happened again and now those blocks of cement that make up the riverwalk has been literally torn apart by Nature and the forces of the wind even before the repair work could be completed! 

No pixs of the riverwalk BUT here's wind-pushed snowballs!!

Nature may be beautiful, but it is also powerful, and all that which is taken from Nature, will surely be taken back by Nature eventually!

A walkway near Dunkirk, located hours away from us, and with a waterfront walkway also constructed of huge heavy blocks of cement was also blown apart. No one can ever doubt the force of winds in this area! 

The forementioned snows have already melted away, but not to worry: there's more snow coming our way early next week and will fill the streets and more for three days. Because of traffic, snows and freezing rains, we didn't venture out and do not have any pictures of the wrecked walkways described here, but were able to get snaps of other scenes closer to home!

So little but these icicles are pointy and frozen hard!

Last year this tiny creek was top and bottom frozen!

Flash-forward to today and gorgeous clouds, and NO snow! 

In many locations along the Niagara River, we have seen trunks, branches and more of downed trees, pushed many feet up and away off the Niagara due to high winds weeks ago!

In some cases, the debris has been pushed up to past 40feet away and over the waterline!

Frosted trees are a favorite for any camera!!

Leaves mix with green grasses in the melting snow and ice

We saw blue skies today, and a nice cloudy sunset!

Never doubt Nature or her powerful force!!!

New York State Autumn Colors

We just returned from yet another trip in our eternal search for Autumn colors. Luckily, we can happily report we not only found those colors but had a heck of a good time photographing those colors, although someone was soon complaining that hiking while carrying a heavy tripod and cameras, was getting to be hard work! 

But seriously, I would like to know whoever said photography was easy?

Watkins Glen State Park is located almost two hours away from us, but is a nice drive. Ninety percent of the images displayed here are snapped with my little dysfunctional samsung dumbphone. As you can imagine with my recent complaints, I was not at all relieved of the many problems associated with using my phone to snap some pixs while in the Watkins Glen gorge, which is an area that is constantly moist if not outright damp, and with little bright sunlight, even during the summer! Nevertheless, I did use my dumbphone during the visit and surprisingly it did quite well, though I had to restart it almost every time it came out of my pocket as usual, since otherwise so many error messages pop up, making my using it a miserable experience. I cannot wait till I get a new phone, and it will not be a samsung!  

All images that below not displaying my copyright on the image directly, was snapped with my samsung dumbphone.

First Sunset of February 2019

Ice on the Niagara River is an awesome thing to see.

A flaming red sunset is also really gorgeous.

Together, it's an incredible scene that stays in your mind and heart forever.....

This morning's sunrise was also a flamer and very red. Did you see it?

ahhhhhhh

ooooooooooh!!

More pictures at http://www.fototaker.net

and 

http://sheilak-lee.pixels.com

Again it's all White!

We woke this morning to a white wonderland again. It had snowed through the night, and all the remaining tiny streaks of whiteness still seen after two days after the rainfall, were all again repainted in white again. I know for many who live or have lived in those areas seeing regular snowfall, it may be a bit tiring to be lost in the white, but I have lived so few times in the snow that it still transforms me to a running crazy kid every time I see that stuff falling. As an adult, I know the complexities of snow and its origin, but still, it's better just to not think and just enjoy snow as one of Life's simple pleasures.

Yesterday we went searching once again for the Snowy Owl, but it wasn't around. We saw instead a few Bald Eagles and hawks, but no owls.

This immature Bald Eagle flew right over us!!

Then we saw what seemed to be a Merlin (falcon) perching on a tree branch holding with one claw a caught prey. Poor bird but it will make that Merlin very happy!

This female Merlin waits for dinner to be served
while hanging out with its guest

Framed!!

Just wanted to share this image snapped with my Samsung S5 just a few minutes ago. It's amazing how far phones in general, and smartphones have progressed. Who needs a camera these days when one is carried in your purse or pocket practically every minute?

This is looking out a panel of a window, showing the Fall colors still very apparent in my little area of SW Michigan, though we have had two snowfalls within the past three days, and temps are in the 30s and lower during the night!!

Naturally framed by the window frame
and roof overhang, those yellows really pop out!