LIKE MY BLOG? Click below on "FOLLOW" and add yourself to the list of my followers!

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
All pictures (and blogposts) are copyrighted and may not be reproduced/used in any manner without my PRIOR approval. Thank you for respecting my hard work.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

A duck, A bug and A-mazing!

We have been trying to spend every nice day out on the lake or out and about our yard, as we know summer is slipping away too quickly.

So, today, I have gathered some pictures of some of the things I found fascinating for you.

First of all,
when we were out on the boat, we saw a small dot on the lake far, far away.
I thought it might be a duck, so I tried to use my zoom to capture it with no success.
It was way too far away.
So we continued fishing.
After a little while, I looked up and it was a duck still coming towards us.
She swam and swam and swam right up close to us, probably looking for a handout of food.
I felt so bad.
We had nothing to give her but a thankyou and this snapshot of her:


We were sitting on our porch one night, enjoying a balmy night.

My husband said: "Do you see that bug???"

Now, normally this makes me stand up, quick to make sure he doesn't mean ON me...

But he pointed to one of our porch logs and said: "Look! I have never seen one like THIS. Look at the length of his tail!"

When I summoned up enough courage to look at it, I ran for my camera. Because I had no idea what kind of bug is was either:



Here is a sideways view of him. Look how long his tail is!:



And, just to creep you out even MORE, here is a closeup of him:
Does anyone know what he is??? What his name is?
We got to talking and looked a while later and he had flown away!


How we didn't NOTICE him flying away, I will never know!



We often go down and sit on our pontoon boat, which overlooks our lake.
Just to relax.
We noticed something else floating on the water.
My husband said it was a mayfly hatching.
Last time I looked, it was AUGUST.
I think he was confused.
The perpetual LATE bloomer....

We didn't see any fish jumping up to the water to gobble him up, though.
He was just floating there.



We have been trying to go fishing every warm night too, after dinner.

It serves two purposes.
Yummy fish to eat
and
perhaps a sunset....
I wasn't disappointed again.
I have been lucky catching sunsets this year.


I never tire of them.
How about you?


At the start of one sunset, it lit up the clouds over the lake to a pretty pink:



And then, the sun got brighter for a while.
Some dark clouds were approaching and I was afraid it would ruin my photo opportunities.
I
was
very
wrong.
Because look at this!:


And
this:




The clouds looked
like
fire itself!:








This shot was taken while we were out in the boat on the lake.
It is the sun setting over the town where we live.

I loved that shot.


Hope you did, too.

31 comments:

Brian Miller said...

is that a really large stinger? ok, a bit creeped out. lol.

the clouds look like they are on fire..amazing.

Helen said...

I love your photos and just had to larf when you wrote about the bug not being on you. I think the worst thing about bugs on your being is having them in your hair! My daughter once had a cockroach on her back, crawling north. That was bad enough. She ran screaming around the garden - just like me when i see a snake. To cut a long story short, we get creeped out even looking at crawlers and slitherers, but still have some sick-type of curiosity to see them. As my sweet mam tells me 'Helen, if I can see them in advance, I'm all-right. It's when they suddenly move and you didn't know they were there!'

Barb said...

Glorious sunset captures! The sky looks as though it's imploding. I hope that is just a "tail" on the bug and not a STINGER!

The Retired One said...

Brian: they really did look like they were on fire in person, too!

Machinist's Wife: I know. I hate the feeling that something is crawling on you...eeee-ewwwww!

Insanitykim said...

That last shot is like buttah...

And that bug, that's like my life, it's always WHAT THE HECK!? And then I take a picture of it...

One thing I am not supposed to do with my fancy schmancy camera is point it at the sun, so I am, again, jealous of your pix...but, I have you for those to fill my need!! :)

rainfield61 said...

The bug looks interesting. It should be some kind of drangonfly, but I am not an expert. Haha...

Jenn Jilks said...

Beautiful shots.

It might be a chad fly? Try google-imaging that and see!

I love the sun on the duck. WOW>

Jenn Jilks said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
L. D. said...

It did remind me of a mayfly. One never forgets the crunching sound of mayflies under your feet and stepping on them. You are being bless by the most wonderful sunsets. We are having great cloud formations from the rains. I like that duck, she did want something to eat. Nice blog.

Anonymous said...

Your sunsets make me feel like Jesus is coming!!

I thought your bug was a breed of may fly but I'm not sure. I came in the other night with a $%7^% CEDAR BUG on me. I HATE bugs and this was a BIG un!

Bernie said...

Joan, my friend.....I loved every one of these photo's even that ugly bug! You really got some good and clear pictures so I am sure one of your followers will know what it is.
The longer I follow you Joan the more I realize what a wonderful marriage you have and how you both work together, play together and support each other. I love knowing this almost as much as I love all your wonderful pictures. You two have a wonderful evening....Hugs

Unknown said...

Okay, just showed this to hubby and he says it is a "Fishfly", which is a general category for those type of critters fish love to eat.
I think our weird summer weather is keeping those Mayflys around.
And did you know why they are called Mayflys? Because they come out in swarms in May. Bet you didn't know that. Some humor from the husband.
The clouds have been perfect lately for gorgeous sunsets! You captured some awesome ones!

Shelley said...

Do you hear me screaming and running away from that bug??! LOL! I prefer your duck friend!

The Retired One said...

Barb: Thanks! I don't think his tail is a stinger..thank goodness!

Insanity: Don't you have the same camera as me? My owner's manual doesn't say anything about not pointing it at the sun...for goodness sake...how are you supposed to get a sunset?

Rainfield: His wings do look like a dragonfly, but I don't think he is one.

Jen: I will look up chad fly...I have never heard of one.

L.D.: Thanks. I love sunsets, as you can tell!

Cathy: what is a cedar bug? Is that like a woodtick?

Bernie: you are so sweet. Yes, my husband and I are true partners,and friends. He is a wonderful man and father.

DVM's Wife: a Fish fly? Someone else said a chad fly..so now I gotta go Google. ha

Shelley: It actually was so intriguing looking I wasn't afraid of it.

dreamwalker said...

Those "clouds on fire" make me think of Sarah McLachlan's song "World's on Fire." You really should consider putting your work together and publish them or something!

Far Side of Fifty said...

I hope you find out what it was! I had one in my hair the other day..and brought it in the house..nope the tail is not a stinger..but my guys tail was much shorter than yours. I took him back outside to photograph him.
Great sunset photos! :)

Unknown said...

Such glorious sunset pictures. You've captured them beautifully.

Sue said...

Your sunset photos are spectacular. As for the bug-it's an "icky bug" --LOL! Though you did make it look interesting!
By the way, yesterday hubby and I "stole" those hollyhock seeds from the empty house! I love a guy that will go "criminal" with me! You know you have a good one then! :D

Rick (Ratty) said...

I looked up chad fly, and it led me to shadfly, which looks very similar to your bug. I also looked up fishfly, which also looks very similar. They're both on the right path. Very interesting!

♥ Boomer ♥ said...

Fantastic! But the lake and sunset pictures ... just breathtaking. Thank you so much.

Wanda..... said...

Beautiful sunsets...it went from peacefully pretty...to a threatening look...to a glowing warmth...and ending with serene reflective rays.

Unknown said...

Some incredible sunset photos. Have no idea what that bug is called but he's got the longest tail in relation to his body I've ever seen.

Ashley said...

Ahhhhh! Amazing no I mean A-M-A-Z-I-N-G shots of the sunset. Just beautiful!

I think everything is just more beautiful up north. My husband and I hope to live up there sometime in the future.

The Retired One said...

Dreamwalker: What a nice compliment. I want to sell some of them someday maybe, I am going to approach some magazines first, maybe this winter. My readers have been so encouraging!

Far Side: You had one in your HAIR???? Now that would have probably freaked me out!

Keats: Thanks so much. It was nature that did all the work! ha

Sue: I LOVE it!!! Are your hollyhocks that ahead of us that they went to seed already? You should have seen me out there yesterday...I didn't want to forget which ones of mine were yellow, pink and pale yellow/white, so I cut ribbons and was outside in my garden tying ribbons on the stalks so that when they go to seed, I would be able to label the seeds correctly for you (and L.D.). The neighbors must have thought I was nuts! I can hear them now! "Look, she is tying RIBBONS on her hollyhocks, what's up with that?" :-} Now I will start a trend and see ribbons hanging on everyones'garden plants.

Ratty: I looked up chad fly and could not find anything. Then I looked up fish fly and they looked more like what we have always called fish flies which is smaller than a regular house fly but bite harder...so what sources did you find these that looked like my picture? I just went on Google?

Boomer: Thanks! You can thank Nature, they provided the incentive for the pictures. ha

Wanda: Wanna be my agent! A perfect description! ha

Gaston: thanks! Wasn't that tail something??? That is what my husband noticed and then had to show me...we were amazed!!

DJan said...

You are really on a sunset sonata lately! That last one here reminded me of the horsehead nebula, only closer! :-) You continue to teach me new and exciting things to take pictures of with a telephoto. I do find it interesting that I might think I had a good shot but when I get home and look at it, it's not, but another that I just happened to try out is incredible! Loved the journey, thanks.

The Retired One said...

Ashley: Thanks SO much. If you ever come up to upper Michigan, let us know! We can show you around. If you love nature, you'd love it here.

DJan: yes, I grab all the sunset pictures I can experience and capture. Photography, for me is also a continuous learning experience...it teaches me also to love nature even more and marvel at the wonder of it all. Even a "bad" picture is a fun experience, too. So glad you are following my blog and giving me such encouragement to continue my quest in photography.

Rick (Ratty) said...

Try looking up "shadfly". I checked further, and shadflies seem to be the very same as mayflies, just an alternate name. Some of the pictures I found look the same as your bug.

grannyann said...

Glorious sunsets. I got some duck pics today and will show them on my blog. I love to watch the ducks.

Jientje said...

I can't believe I almost missed that one!!! Not enough hours in a day for me, but I have a slight suspicion that counts for you too!
I truly enjoyed these! As always ...

The Retired One said...

Ratty: yes, I know the LAST photo was a Mayfly, but I was asking about the OTHER bug on the pole with the longggg tail?

Grannyann: Thanks. I love taking all the sunsets. And ducks are right up there on my list as some of my favorite photos to take too!

Jientje: Thanks so much! I love taking sunsets and ducks and almost all of nature.

Megan Dunn said...

The picture with the bug with the LONG tail, is accually a mayfly. Just another species of them, they only live for about 3 hours, spend 3 years in a larva inside the water. They are crazy insects, but kind of cool. Just found one here in Marshall, VA !! :)

REMINDER: All photographs on this blog are COPYRIGHTED.

REMINDER: All photographs on this blog are COPYRIGHTED.
Please do not copy any of my photographs (or narratives) without my permission! All pictures will be tracked for copyright violations.

Lijit Search

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin

About Me

My photo
I retired in June 2008 and started my blog in November 2008. I worked at several jobs as a Registered Nurse prior to retirement. I LOVE being retired! Blogging has offered me a whole new venue to start writing again and to share new hobbies such as gardening, birdwatching and sharing my nature photography. If you like my blog, PLEASE click on "follow this blog". Having a lot of followers reading my blog gives me incentive to continue to do photography and to continue to write. I also LOVE comments, so I encourage you to leave me a comment after you read my posts. Thanks everyone, for taking the time to read me!!

Blog Archive

ultimate translation selector

To get more traffic to your blog: