Simple Pleasures of Life (Don't Forget to Look UP)

Still rereading pieces of my past as I continue cleaning out my virtual mailboxes.

This is extracted from an email dated November 2014 shared with a friend, and it was snapped with a Samsung SSG S4 I had then.

Isn't it amazing, but Nature has all these gorgeous sights for us to enjoy, if only we would look UP.

Just a reminder (for me too) to look at your surroundings, and to enjoy the simple pleasures of Life

"Almost straight from my Samsung Galaxy S4 is this wondrous colorful image I snapped by some side of the road while lost somewhere in Sonoma County, as I stopped each and everytime I saw autumn colors. I am always amazed by what my S4 sees and captures so well"

Freezing temperatures BUT wonderful winter scenes

The weather was dreadfully cold, very gusty windy and snowing all the while, but WE got out and about yesterday! Traffic was very light as everyone was encouraged to stay home, and especially on a weekend when windchill temperatures drop to 10°f/-25°c!!

When the temps are this low, the Niagara River freezes in various parts of its course through the area. These are snapshots of the lovely textures created by the waters of the Niagara, and how the ice also covers bushes and plant-life near the water also! 

Just love seeing these in the Niagara

Even twigs and branches take on another soul and appearance

This bush by the water was transformed into a huge ice monster

No need for ice cubes or swords here!

Yesterday we spent a good half hour shoveling the snow which was about a foot deep, with accumulations reaching two feet and higher. I love these sights though, and how Nature will blow and sculpt a little mountain out of sand at a beach, or in this case, out of snow around a dwelling!

A view near Goat Island. It was a very grey day, then the sun smiled!

We went hoping to see frosty trees at the Falls as in previous winters, but instead it was just the usual naked trees with light snow on the top of branches. We were disappointed but still, it's quite lovely how Nature paints a snowy winter landscape for our eyes and minds to enjoy for those brave enough to wander out.

I was delighted to see visitors at the Falls too. The weather can change and who knows what can happen between the time when travel arrangements are made, and what is really there upon arrival and while wandering around? I think those who visit from faraway lands, actually luck out because many see the Falls in summer or Autumn, but to see it in Winter is really a special treat!

After our little chilly outdoor jaunt, we return home to another "joy" of winter. The outside screen door was frozen shut and couldn't be opened! We also have discovered in previous winters that same screen door freezes during the night and we can't get out!

Now Monday, the temps are really low at 3° with a wind chill of -17°, BUT the clouds are few and a lot of blue sky can be seen, but the wind is blowing in excess of 16mph. But the best part of it is the bright warming sunlight everywhere! Yesterday while we were out the gusty winds bit through our outer wear and chilled us a lot, but we have been out in more extreme temperatures and conditions.

​Yesterday's scene at the Falls as the sky broke through. You can't see the snow
falling but it was wonderful! Snapped with my SSG S5 in pano mode ~ really!

Sunday night brought reminders from many near and from far, to not forget to look for the Wolf Eclipse! I kept thinking "see what?" since it was forecast to snow practically all day.....  but before the day ended, I put on my shoes for the last time to go out and shoot that Wolf Moon just before 11pm! I knew there was something wrong with the moon since it was due to be a full moon, and all I could see a little more than a half of the moon! It was frigid cold but I got the shot.

Not bloody red nor blue, but I saw the Wolf Moon!

It didn't turn red, but I couldn't stay
outside to see; it was freezing cold!

Remember you can click any image in any post of my blog to see it larger and beautifully displayed to enjoy!

Wildlife and Keeping it WiLD

Sheila and I are so excited! We have discovered what appears to be an adult female Snowy Owl that has its territory just a few miles from where we live! To us it's the same as seeing a big white cat with black specks on her "fur", but this bird has perhaps continued coming to the area as others have seen us in our quest with eyes up, and mentioned they think this is the same snowy of years past. It's strange that since I have been here, in the field where we first sighted this lovely visitor, we have looked each winter, and hadn't seen anything ever but hawks!

Great picture, eh? Snapped with a Nikon P900.
These two images were captured where the possibly closest
owls (above) were 500ft, while others were more likely farther,
with the tops being at the Buffalo harbor looking to the
breakwater 2200ft away!!

Slightly better with my usual monster lens
on a EOS 70D with a possible distance of about 200ft

Of course it's only here when the climate turns frigid and it's just a tad difficult in trying to see it, but still, after seeing it once in a field (or anywhere else for that matter), it'll help for future sightings!

This above pix snapped in very low light so the
colors are off, but these two pixs are still much better
than ALL of our previous snowy pictures!

There have been times my eagle-eyed Sheila while driving around, and my eyes are busy looking over the passing landscape. I'll hear her say there's something over there, BUT it's probably nothing. Once I get my eyes on it to verify, it's usually something, and a Snowy Owl or an eagle/hawk! It's happened to me too, when I sight something that could be, but I think probably not, and Sheila confirms it is one of our feathered friends!

These snowys can be seen anywhere:
on top of signs, telephone posts, atop buildings and homes,
and in fields of every and any type!

I think that all creatures are basically critters of habit, and if they find a place for a few months, we can hopefully count on seeing this beauty again next winter in that one spot. 

Please remember if you do SEE a Snowy Owl:

Don't go too near. If you flush the bird (making it fly before it needs to), you could be unknowingly harming the bird. It has been said that many snowys found dead were probably flushed. In its hurry to get away, it probably flew right in front of a passing vehicle. Other causes of flushing could cause it to use up valuable energy to fly away from a human, rather than using that same energy to find prey.

Don't spend too much time "chasing" the snowy. If it spends more time looking at YOU instead of patiently waiting and looking for prey, then you have been standing either too close, or for too long. 

These birds are very patience and can sit for hours. Ask me how I know!

After you get those great images, be sure to share your fabulous snowy pictures online or with your friends! Though you may not think you have one of those winning top wildlife pictures, there are still many who have NOT seen a snowy at all!! I never even heard of these owls till I began living in WNY!!

You'll never know what their next move may be!!!

So, this is the New Year (not impressed)

Well, not the New Year's I thought we might have, but we are still alive at least (for now). We thought Michigan was grey, windy and full of dread..... Leading up to the final day of 2018, it was quite cold and grey also in western New York (WNY), but we survived. We were able to catch a few "sunsets" but color was lacking, as known by those residing in upper attitudes during the winter. 

It's snowed a few times already, and even today/tonight it's snowed, though it seems to be little ice pellets, probably due to the high winds. Tonight the winds from the south could reach even up to 55 mph!! 

Street under the car turned white with the tiny ice pellets.
Any higher winds and we'd have golf balls instead!

Detailed snap of those ice pellets. A very nice crunchy
surface but just as slippery

We had decided to catch the double fireworks show on the final night of the old year, but cloudiness, combined with a late hour, together with a rainy chilling day in general dashed those plans. We can hear the fireworks going off even though we are just over six miles from the Falls (as the mad Hatter flies), and though it did go off on time, the midnight edition was MUCH shorter than it should have been, and I wondered if rain had a factor in making it so short-lived?

These past few days I have been going through my archives as I do every year-end, ready to close out the current main temporary storage before moving on to a new 2019 temporary spot for future image files. Considering the fireworks, I thought: what happens if we can't go to both (as happened) on the final day of the year? So, for an hour, I searched through almost all my fireworks image files for about the last two years, and made a "few" selected favorites, then readied my laptop to display on the much-bigger television flat-screen screen. As a result, we watched for about 20 minutes as my fireworks exploded upon the screen in various locations like San Francisco and various locations in WNY. 

We were both smiling, happy, warm and dry, and we didn't have to worry about the weather or the chilling temperatures outside. Plus, it was a fabulous fireworks show!!! 

Don't believe me? Look for yourself!
Click here to see First Friday 2019 fireworks over the Falls

Actually, the image link points to a picture that was taken a few days later. The winds had finally died down enough, plus no sign of rain. Actually, we were quite happy with the cool temps (in the low 20s) and lack of wind kept the cold from freezing our old bones. Here's a quick snapshot of some of the other images from that day of fire over the Falls. You can easily see the holiday decorations and trees. The tower is the Skylon Tower, which offers a fabulous view if we could ever save enough to get up into the tower for a few pictures of the view!

Click on this pix to see the image in its entirety 

Sheila and I also had a chance to see a Snowy Owl that is very close to where we live. Talking with others, it may even be one of the snowys that has been returning to the Falls area for some years now. We had the most amazing moments with this snowy, and got the most incredible images also (finally!).

These lovely birds have the most amazing eyes!

I wasn't ready for its jump, but seconds after this snap,
it flew about 15 feet right over me!!

You can view Sheila's fabulous snap of the same snowy at her foto website:
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/what-was-that-sheila-lee.html


So, how was your year-end holidays?

Now, if only there were an available flight to Spain!! As of 12 January, there are none

Back in western New York

It was a loooong drive back home, but we made it back safely. After 88 days in western Michigan, not including the week we drove to WNY to get new tires and have the car in for its annual inspection, etc; we only spent one night on the road to sleep but otherwise enjoyed a nice drive. It's over 500 miles on the roads south of the lower Great lakes, but this time we were delighted to have missed the worst of the rush hour on departure, and enjoying fairly good weather along the way. 

We saw only one bad accident that had westbound traffic backed up for several miles, but this is what can be expected when states set their interstate and highway speeds to 70 (or higher) miles per hour! When the speed limit is so high, I do not believe vehicles are able to stop within a safe distance. Only by encouraging people to drive so fast, is just asking for a massive loss of life and for future accidents of a major type to be the norm instead of the exception. 

You'll remember months ago WE were stuck in a major accident just miles from our Michigan destination, and traffic was at a standstill for over five hours! As you can guess, I am against high speeds for any roadway anywhere. Just because you can drive at a high rate of speed doesn't mean you have to....  and Michigan is a state where cars come up to your back bumper and ride along for some time, hoping you'll be frightened enough to move over so they can finally pass. How close is that "back-bumper" riding? You cannot see their license plates ~ THAT is how close they get! Add to that, the typical Michigan driver who pass you even when the lane has a double-solid yellow line(s), and on curves, and not even use their turn signals, thus building dangerous situations!

We enjoyed being with Sheila's grandchildren, the two twin boys who are more like rockets than little three year old boys. Add to that an adorable little girl who has a gorgeous smile and has now learned to crawl in a forward motion, and when we departed, is now standing on her own and taking exploratory little first steps, and it's a grand occasion to laugh and cry at the same time! 

What's most important - as always - is Family, and being there for each other. 

We enjoyed being able to see a tiny bit of Michigan's lake shores and lighthouses, and a getaway Thanksgiving weekend to the north staying in an old victorian house restored as a bed and breakfast. The Inn at Ludington was built in 1889, and is a delightful flashback to an long-gone era, but the breakfast was tremendous and delicious! According to their website, the morning meal consists of quiche, sausage potato egg bake, bacon, saute mushrooms, oatmeal, cereal, fresh bread, cinnamon rolls or muffins, fresh cut fruit, yogurt and, offering alternatives, such as vegetarian options and choices in meats. That sausage potato egg bake was fantastic, and I had two helpings of that, enjoying it immensely!! After breakfast, we stayed at the dining table and chit-chatted with several other guests for quite some time!

Talking of food, we ate fish and chips at a few places while in Michigan. While it was good, the quantity and appearance really lacked to what we get typically in WNY. One cannot beat the price and quality while in western New York for a Friday Fish Day, or any day of the week for that matter! We continue to get our Fish Fry at a certain TOPS supermarket store near us. You just cannot beat the taste, size and price!

Now THIS is a real Fish Fry!!

We also had time to search for, and photograph a Snowy Owl near Muskegon. As you know, we always attempt to responsibly seek out wildlife without scaring or flushing them, nor do we believe in baiting them in order to get a good picture. We were finally able to photograph one, but as usual, it was so far away that even with our long lenses, it was no larger than a tiny dot for us and the world to see! We've also seen quite a few Bald Eagles while in Michigan, and even along the route while driving to and from WNY and Michigan!

The Niagara Falls weather has been good too; during the past few weeks while in western Michigan, temperatures had been at, or just below freezing, and not improving, and that was without the chill factor considered. Grey overcast skies also do not make for good sunrises or sunsets either, but today Sheila dashed out to snap a sunrise, her first in four months!! You can also see the image at her website, and comment on her fantastic sunrise, as well as other lovely images she has posted! 

Sheila's fabulous sunrise on the Niagara River 
days after returning from Michigan

Work still continues within our humble tiny home, with great expectations for the future ~ so please stay tuned for exciting news. Once someone tells us of the excitement, we'll be sure to share it with you!

Here's another picture link of tonight's sunset from a different perspective  
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/golden-dark-reflections-tony-lee.html