Week 38 - Flown the Nest

This year we had two nests under our balcony.  A Robin's nest in the joists and a Dark-Eyed Junco's nest on the ground in the plants that grow under our balcony.  Neither were in great places to take pictures of (too dark and too much in the way) but it was fun to watch for a little while until the birds all left.  Both nests hatched the same day as each other and both nests emptied the same day as each other.  I don't know how normal that is but it surprised me that two such different sized birds would grow up at the exact same rate.  In any event here are a few pictures taken over the last little while.

Dark-Eyed Junco Eggs

Baby Robin (there were 4 in the nest)

Baby Dark-Eyed Juncos

Dinner Time!

Week 37 - One Picture Challenge

Last week my wife challenged me to just take one picture rather than the dozens that digital shooting allows.  I must admit, I balked.  Not being able to chimp my photos and check histograms before believing I had captured the image I was aiming for was a little daunting.  It was like shooting with film again, when every frame on the roll is precious it's no more shoot first, ask questions later and all the thinking goes back to where it really belongs... before you click the shutter.

Week 36 - Oodles of Poodles

Last week we visited Intrigue Standard Poodles to pick out a brother for our Poodle Zoe.  Amid the seething mass of toe chewing puppies we picked out Eli. Zoe hasn't yet met this little fur ball that is about to change her life forever ((we don't get to pick him up until mid August or so) but we're hopeful that they'll get along.  Zoe gets along with everybody... (hopefully those aren't famous last words...)  Any way, the first picture is Eli, the rest of the pictures are his brothers, sisters, parents, cousins aunts and uncles.

Eli

Cooper - Eli's Papa

One of Eli's siblings

Izzie - Eli's Mama and siblings (and maybe Eli too, who could tell...)

Eli's only blond sibling.

Week 35 - Canada Day Fireworks

Okay, Canada Day was over a week ago but since it was a Friday, it didn't time correctly to be last week's post.  It was a nice night for fireworks but the air was a little too still letting the smoke build up.  I took these from as high and close a vantage point I could get in my car.  I like pictures of fireworks with something in the background instead of just against a black sky.  Next year I might try from higher up but I don't know about the idea of climbing down the mountain in the dark.

The Aftermath

Week 34 - Best of Project 365 - June

My favourite picture from June from my Project 365 is this one of a Pileated Woodpecker taken from my Mom's balcony.  He was making a pig of himself on the suet my Mom puts out but nicely paused long enough for me to take this picture.  It was another difficult choice this month.  Other candidates included the snail and the maple leaves that I changed the colour on so they look bronzed although there are a few others that could have just as easily been picked.

Pileated Woodpecker