Monday, November 30, 2009

November's This and That Photographs...

Today, I thought I would post a few of the pictures that I have taken over the last few weeks that really didn't have a "theme" to them...they are just things that I found beautiful.




We have both male and female woodpeckers coming to our suet feeders all during the day.
This little girl's face was too cute to not take a picture of:
(I love how the suet is on top of her beak):






Here is the male companion. You can easily spot a male by the bright red spot on his head:




We have had several crystal clear, brisk days with sun on the lake:


Another one of the female at the suet feeder:






This was taken one early morning when the fog was still on the lake. The sun was burning it off, but it was a nice effect!:




The clear days bring wonderful reflections of the same exact shoreline.
I thought it might be neat for you to see the same exact location, only at a different time of day:

I know that within a few days we will be all white with the winter wonderland that arrives here with power....and stays here for months.
I know that this is just the "lull before the storm".
But I am so glad to have experienced it.
Nature is like that.
It never stays the same.
That's what makes it so interesting and beautiful.
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32 comments:

  1. TOM VAUGHAN & SANDY FEUTZNovember 30, 2009 at 8:33 AM

    Enjoyed the pictures of the lake, as well as of your pair of woodpeckers at the feeder. You'll have a good winter watching them!

    The lake pictures reminded me of scenes along the Wisconsin River in northern Wisconsin, a place not too different from da UP.

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  2. Brian MillerNovember 30, 2009 at 8:35 AM

    cant wait to see the white...guess i will probably live winter vicariously through you...these are remarkable...love the lake shots, i could feel teh chill breze coming off them...

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  3. DJanNovember 30, 2009 at 8:36 AM

    We have downy woodpeckers like these, easily recognized also for the tuft of fur above the beak, which I found is to keep the sawdust when they drill into a tree from getting in their eyes! Great pictures of them, and also your beautiful lake...

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  4. ashley folkemaNovember 30, 2009 at 8:43 AM

    Wowza! Your lake is crystal clear! Beautiful. And a Happy November to you as well :)

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  5. The Retired OneNovember 30, 2009 at 9:14 AM

    Ashley: Thanks! And now we are already heading into December and snow. It is all white here now! But I won't be able to post it for a while. We are driving south tomorrow for a two week trip to Florida.

    DJan: How cool~I didn't know that about the woodpeckers. Thanks for sharing that!

    Brian: You may have to wait a few weeks to see my winter shots of white. Although we just got snow here this weekend, we are driving south to Florida starting tomorrow morning for a two week vacation!

    Tom and Sandy: We have camped in Northern Wisconsin and tubed down one to a campsite...love it there too!

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  6. AnonymousNovember 30, 2009 at 9:34 AM

    Beautiful shots of the lake and the woodpeckers. I so want a new camera.

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  7. UnknownNovember 30, 2009 at 9:38 AM

    I LOVE your this and that!

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  8. Wanda.....November 30, 2009 at 10:10 AM

    Loved the "Sun Burning the Fog Off The Lake" photo!!!

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  9. Betsy Banks AdamsNovember 30, 2009 at 10:20 AM

    Hey There, I've missed your posts for a few days --but am trying to catch up this week. LOVE LOVE LOVE all of the pictures above.

    We have Downys at our suet feeders also. Aren't they just cute little guys???? I love the way they hang onto the feeders.

    The lake/reflection photos are fabulous --and could be award-winners...

    Thanks for sharing.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  10. JeanetteNovember 30, 2009 at 10:22 AM

    That is a gorgeous picture of the lake and fog!

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  11. LucyNovember 30, 2009 at 11:18 AM

    Hasn't the weather been divine for us this year? We've been so lucky to have so many warm days yet.

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  12. Catherine@AGardenerinProgressNovember 30, 2009 at 11:57 AM

    What beautiful pictures. It actually looks warm in some of the lake pictures. Great shots of the birds, I love seeing the little things in the pictures that we don't always see when we see the birds outside like the suet on the female's beak.

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  13. JientjeNovember 30, 2009 at 12:33 PM

    You're blessed to live in such a beautiful piece of our planet, but I don't think I'd want Winter lasting THAT long. Beautiful pictures!

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  14. BernieNovember 30, 2009 at 4:54 PM

    Another set of beautiful photo's my friend....I look forward to your post so very much and thank you again for your beautiful picture, oh I love it....:-) Hugs

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  15. CarolNovember 30, 2009 at 5:28 PM

    The lake is so beautiful you must be really blessed. I love the woodpecker, I bet he was a little cross eyed at first. Giggle

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  16. AnonymousNovember 30, 2009 at 6:09 PM

    I love the woodpeckers. I have them come to my yard this time of the year. When I lived in the country I used to have a huge red headed woodpecker that came every day to peck on a dead tree. Great photos.

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  17. L. D. November 30, 2009 at 6:35 PM

    What a great day for reflections. Your woodpeckers are fun to watch, I bet. Nice photos as usual. Have a great day.

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  18. The Retired OneNovember 30, 2009 at 8:25 PM

    L.D. Thanks. I have to get over to your blog...I have been behind in reading everyone's blog due to family being here during TG and now we are leaving for Florida tomorrow. But I will take my laptop with me and hope to read you soon. Am anxious to see how your interior job went!

    SouthernLady: I bet you had a pileated woodpecker...they dig HUGE holes in trees and I love them. I hope to capture one on camera some day, it is on my wish list.

    Carol: Thanks. I always love watching them at the suet. They are getting more tame and let me come pretty close outside without being scared away.

    Bernie: You got it! YAY! I am so happy you like it. You are welcome my friend!

    Jientje: yes, our winters are very long. That is why I am driving to Florida for a few weeks..we are leaving tomorrow. ha

    Catherine: I loved that suet sitting on its beak too. Thanks!

    Lucy and Dick: yes, we have lucked out..but it snowed here the last three days, so I am afraid winter is here now to last...but we are leaving for a trip to Florida tomorrow morning so I get a little more sun before I stay here and have the rest of winter. ha

    Jeanette: Thanks so much. We had snow now so all is white!

    Betsy: I am also way behind in reading others' blogs...I had family here for TG and tomorrow we are leaving to drive down to Florida for a few weeks. But I am taking my laptop on the road, so will try and read here and there.

    Wanda: Thanks, it was really pretty out there that day. Now we have snow!

    Gaston: I am so glad you do!

    RainGardener: You gotta ask Santa. ha

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  19. Maniacal MommyNovember 30, 2009 at 9:26 PM

    Wonderful pics! My Grams is bemoaning the bluejays chasing away the woodpeckers from her suet. It is a joy to wash dishes at her house and see all the birds.

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  20. Joanna JenkinsDecember 1, 2009 at 12:50 AM

    WOW, just WOW. Those are gorgeous!
    Thanks for sharing.
    xo

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  21. SharkbytesDecember 1, 2009 at 1:48 AM

    Love your little friends, of course, and I like that reflection with the white line - like a ruler - across the middle.

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  22. SquirrelQueenDecember 1, 2009 at 2:49 AM

    The woodpeckers are so pretty, the little female is adorable. The lake photos, especially the fog burning off, are fantastic.

    Have a great time in sunny Florida.

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  23. LoreeDecember 1, 2009 at 4:48 AM

    I love the photos with the reflections in the water.

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  24. SueDecember 1, 2009 at 5:36 AM

    I'm a little disappointed that the snow has held off so long....
    Beautiful pictures. I love the peaceful reflections!

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  25. Rick (Ratty)December 1, 2009 at 5:54 AM

    I love woodpeckers. They were the first smaller bird that I was able to tell the difference between male and female. Lake scenery is always heaven.

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  26. lotusleafDecember 1, 2009 at 8:03 AM

    Lovely pictures of the lake-mirror. Such a dramatic change. Thanks for sharing.

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  27. KearsieDecember 1, 2009 at 10:10 AM

    Water reflection pictures are my absolute faaaaavorite.

    Have you ever seen a Bev Doolittle print? We used to have a coffee table art book of hers and she has this water reflection scene in there...it was awesome. For a drawing, anyways. Real life water reflection scenes are pretty amazing.

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  28. GinnymoDecember 1, 2009 at 11:18 AM

    I don't know the difference between male and female woodpeckers. I'm glad you told me.. I have one that comes to the seed bell every day. Great photos ,as usual Joan!!!

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  29. The Retired OneDecember 1, 2009 at 7:56 PM

    Ginnymo: I love their faces, don't you?

    Kearsie: I have not seen any of the prints...but I love reflections, so I would probably love them, too.

    Lotusleaf: You are welcome! Thanks for stopping and leaving your great comments too.

    Ratty: I too like lake photos and birds and most animal shots, as you know!

    Sue: It snowed at our house already, it is white. But we left today for Florida. I am downstate Michigan (about 40 miles north of Ohio)and there is no snow here tonight.

    Loree: Thanks, so do I...I love reflections even when the trees are bare.

    SquirrelQueen: Thanks so much! I love fog photos too.

    Sharkbytes: Thanks so much...that horizon is hard to get even, isn't it? Thank goodness for the Picasa program where I can straighten them if I take them crooked. ha

    Joanna: Thanks! I can't wait to get to Florida to take some tropical pictures...should be there on Friday night.

    Maniacal: We have a bunch of BlueJays too...but they leave the woodpeckers alone. ha

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  30. grannyannDecember 1, 2009 at 8:10 PM

    Oh great retired one was it you who recommended the copper bird feeder? We found them at Lowes this last weekend and they were on sale for only $7 and change! Boy did my daughter and I grab one. I need to get filled and hung.

    Love the pics. sure pretty birds.

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  31. The Retired OneDecember 2, 2009 at 7:15 PM

    Grannyann: It wasn't me, but I love the copper feeders too!

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  32. Far Side of FiftyDecember 4, 2009 at 2:20 AM

    Wonderful Lake photos..I really enjoyed the same views at a different time of day..:)

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