Indoor Parking Ramp

All Parking Spaces Were Full

No Basket

No Basket

Glass Eagle

Glass eagle

He's Off

Off He Goes

Turbo Blue

I think this car has seen its last mile...

Somebody Is Jealous...

Hey There...

Looks like one of the cardinals is jealous...

Kitty Kat

Sad Eyes

Such sad eyes - I think (he) or (she) was disappointed that the birds were staying away - either that or his (her) butt was cold...!

Light My Fire

Light My Fire

I get excited when I see 1 maybe 2 cardinals at my bird feeder in Waterloo.  At my friends, Tom and Linda, in Burlington, there were literally dozens of cardinals.  It seemed that every where I looked there were cardinals - bluejays, woodpeckers, snow birds, cats, cows, and an eagle even flew by...

Female Cardinal

Eagles Everywhere

 My friends Tom and Linda have welcomed me with open arms, fed me, patched up a cut I managed to give myself, and Tom patiently waiting as I shot at least 600 Eagle photos.  I also have photos of cardinals and a variety of other fowl and architecture.

There was no way I could choose just one so I have put a few over on my Flickr account - http://www.flickr.com/photos/rallenhill/sets/72157625759564517/.  Enjoy the ones here, but take a minute to visit the other site.

I went to the "Eagle Weekend" in Keokuk, Iowa last weekend - evidently the Eagles didn't know it was Eagle Weekend because they have all been hanging out in Burlington.

End of Game Photo(s)

1.9 Seconds - In or Bounce?

Swish - End of Game 1.6 Seconds

I am in Burlington, Iowa this week staying with friends as I wait for my spouse to return from California (by train).  We went to a high school basketball game tonight where I kept busy taking photos... (hold that thought)...

I arrived in Burlington earlier this afternoon and stopped by the Mississippi to see if there were any eagles - and there were, swooping and fishing and I did get some excellent photos.  So, why you might ask is my picture of the day of a basketball game?  Look at the first photo - look at the second.  Mediapolis won at the buzzer.

Oil Painting Rendition of Eagle

Eagle In Flight

A Drift

It Wasn't All Eagles

Church Reflecting the Sunrise

Some Serious Lenses

Some Serious Lenses

Eagles

Great Detail On This One

They Weren't Playing Well Together

Basking In The Sun

Couldn't Resist The Sunrise

Majestic

His Majesty In Flight

Ok - this one might come close to Wow...

Going In For The Fish

Going In

Everything I've read about taking photographs of moving birds (Eagles) tells me that if you get 1 out of a couple of hundred you're doing good.

That being said... I shot about 300 photographs today - haven't gone through them all yet, but it appears that I perhaps have 4 or 5 that might be "ok" - nothing that screams "Wow!"

A Persistant Fisherman

Fishing

The first Eagle picture of the weekend.

We arrived at the train station in Fort Madison, Iowa (Helen, her sister, and their mother are riding a train to California) before the lobby was open so we drove around Fort Madison for a bit.  I stopped to take this guy's picture but he wasn't about to take flight.  It's a game of patience and my bladder gave in before he took off.

Everyone is safely on the train and riding the rails towards California - and I'm in Keokuk, Iowa for Eagle Appreciation Days.  Stay tuned - there will be more Eagle pictures!!

Gorgeous Day

The Maynard Avenue Corn Gang

The Head Squirrel

This guy is a member of the Maynard Avenue Corn Gang.  He was minding his own business and I intruded - he let me know by the glare he gave me... for a moment I was fearful and I looked around for the other member of the gang - he was across the street but was ready to come to the aid of his buddy.

About a month ago they lost a member of their gang - "tail-less"  - he challenged a car one too many times and was squished.  I scurried back into the house in the event they had revenge in mind...

Odd Pattern

Snow Circles?

An odd pattern in the snow - (click on the photo for a larger view.)  It appears that maybe it's a chipmunk under the snow trying to find his way?  Maybe a mole?  An alien?

It just looked weird so I went out and took a photo.

A SNowy Night

Yard Light

We're in the process of getting 7" of snow - thought I'd tr the star filter on the lamp post...interesting?

Noah

Noah

This young man is who deep in thought is our Priest's son.  Barely visible are some scratches and bruises on his forehead.  It seems he went with his Dad to a rodeo on Saturday might and went "mutton rid'n".   Let's just say the final score was "Mutton" 1 and Noah, well he came away with his pride bruised along with his face.  He's not quite old enough to wear his bruises like a badge of honor - but, someday he will.  I mean boys do get banged up growing up.  Some of us even jump off windmills....  I hear tell that his Dad had a scrape or two growing up as well....

Star Filter

I was poking around at Best Buy today and found a "Star" filter which when added to a lens puts a "star" around any light source.

I darned near missed the sun going down so I stuck my head (and camera) outside and took this photograph.  Kinda cool - I'll try it some other lights and see what I get.

Braille Menu?

Anybody ever wonder how the blind read a sign that is posted behind a piece of glass that tells them there are braille menus available??  They’re in luck if they go with someone who has a gluten allergy…

Don't Lose Them

We have a collection of marbles.  These marbles are the "special ones" and if the grandkids want to see them they must look at them while sitting at the table.  At one point we had 100s of marbles in a big container in the playroom - but, it seems over the years the supply has diminished (most into the vacuum cleaner) and under furniture in the basement.

Oh no - hope that doesn't mean we're losing our marbles?!?  Ok - that's pretty bad, but it's early morning.

Oofda

Oofda - it's what my dad  would say,  I had to step back - away from the monitor and take a breath.  It's not to bad - yet -  but this is the busy time of year for me - end of month, end of quarter, end of year, W2s, re-set spreadsheets.  Ok - back to work...

Warming His Feet

Ceramic Bird

Happy Member at the Credit Union

Happy Member

Fire In The Sky

Fire In The Sky

New Years Day 2011

Waterloo Eagle

As has been my custom the last couple of years on New Years Day I go out hunting for Photo Opportunities to record a photo for the beginning of a new year.  The sunrise - while colorful, was boring.  The sun was bright - the sun glistened - there were white clouds and steam in the air. It was a January morning - cold - blood freezing cold, 112 degrees below zero windchill cold.  Hanging onto a metal camera was freezing my hands....

I was about to call it quits when I decided to drive down by the Cedar River for one last look for a photograph.  Then an Eagle flew by...  Yes, an Eagle.  I gave chase and found him and a buddy sitting in a tree next to the river.  I took some photos and then sat there waiting for them to take flight.  They didn't - they seemed content to sit.  I imagine they took off as soon as I left and I went straight to Dick's Sporting Goods to buy better gloves!!

A good start to 2011...

Content To Sit

Hello 2011!!

Hello 2011!!

Greetings 2011!!  I've been doing a photo a day for 730 days - haven't missed one day.  There was a day in 2010 where I was so sick I took a photo of my feet with my phone - but, hey - I posted a photo that day.  And, another a couple of days I posted multiple photos 'cause I wimped out and couldn't pick just "one".

For 2011 my photographic goals are:

1. ...to shoot more and improved Eagle Photos.  In January I'm off to Keokuk, Iowa for Eagle Days and will hopefully get some action photos of Eagles.
2. ...I'm also going to take more people "Faces" photographs.  While I love birds, bees, bushes, berries and squirrels - I would like to capture more faces.
3. ...I plan to experiment with light - more light, less light and shadows.
4. ...to remember to try and show you the world in a way that you have not seen before.
5. ...to also remember that you are in the photograph with me.