Cowboys Branding

      On a foggy day, cowboys rode into the pasture, found the cows, herded them into the pens, and branded them. They also inoculated them and sprayed bug repellent on the cattle's fur before releasing them back into the pasture.

  

  

   

 

   

Volunteer Sunflower

       Sunflower grows without any attention from me, except to water and to photograph. 

Lushness for Cows to Lick and to Eat

      North Texas looks lush these days after an unusually moist spring. Our friend, a cattle rancher, said to his son, "Git cher camera out here 'cause you ain't gonna see anything like this again in yer lifetime." The flowers push through other plants, and the wheat grow up to the bellies of the cattle. Naturally, I had my camera. I picture below some of the cows and wheat fields we visited.

      I watched the cows as they exercised their curiosity. As we parked the truck, they ambled over to investigate. In addition to seeing and sniffing, cows "felt" the truck with their tongues: Hard, warm surface. And I imagine they tasted it too: Pollen from oak and pecan trees, dust, road dirt, diesel fumes, highway pollutants. Gasp. On the sides of the truck they left their licks. I think of it as cow art.

Canola and Oil

Through quickly blooming mesquite plants and trees, 

canola crops enhance the view that surrounds oil fields. 

Pumping units pump oil in the canola fields. 

India Mustard covers a fire hydrant.

Prickly Pear cacti and milk-vetch flowers.

I Came Upon Someone's Commentary

         If the glove pictured below, placed just so, reflects someone's commentary on power lines stomping across their backyard, I tend to agree with the message.

Portside the Pollinator

Portside, my Dachsund, along with the bees, helps pollinate the flowers, the ones low to the ground. 

It's a great collaboration in more ways than one.

Garden Surprises

      Fig leaves, a few figs, and cherry blossoms with a wisteria background exemplify to me the sensitive beauty of spring.

Fig leaves. Nikon D7000, f5.6, 1/100, 280mm and post processed for color contrast in the digital darkroom.

Blossoms in the garden, the first time I see, and that captivated me, particularly with the wisteria flowers  as a background.
Nikon D7000, f5.6, 1/125, 300mm, cropped for effect and then post processed for color contrast in the digital darkroom.

Along a Street in Patan

Street to market.

Waiting in line to fill their water  jugs.

On a corner.

Papayas, peas, and cauliflower for sale.

Beautiful People Going about their Business

In Nepal . . .

One of Five Species of Bluebonnet

We have started to see more bluebonnets now, specifically the Lupinus texensis. Read an interesting account about why Texas has five state flowers at the Aggie Horticultural Web site.

Nikon V 1, ISO 100, 30mm, f4, 1/250, post-processed in the digital darkroom for color vibrancy.

Butterflies in Fort Worth

Fort Worth Botanic Garden.

Blue Morph.

Owl Butterfly.

Tiger Longwing covered in pollen.

Squirrel Antics

Cat and Dog

I awoke them from their nap just for this picture, after which, yawning, they fell back asleep. Such a life!

Ante Meridian, Post Meridian

Sow Thistle in the morning.

And Sow Thistle in the afternoon.

Counting Birds: 2 March

       Today's quick jaunt through the North Texas farmlands gave me an equally quick look at some of the birdlife. Spotted: A gadwall Aythya valisineria all by herself, Loggerhead Shrikes (2), two flocks of Cedar Waxwings consisting of approximately sixty birds each, flocks of blackbirds with the greatest estimated number of two hundred, a pair of Northern Shovelers, meadowlarks in small flocks of five or six, a Northern Harrier, three jackrabbits, and eight Prairie Dogs.

Gadwall. ISO 400, 400mm, f5.6, 1/2500. Nikon D700, 80-400mm.