The Food Fight, Bird Style

When we expected snow, Jim filled up our bird feeder, but didn't set the weight limit to a squirrel's weight.  It's a beat up old bird feeder, but it still works.  By January 30th, the snow had melted, but the birds were still enjoying the seeds.  I think the big bird with a brown head and dark body is a cowbird and the small bird with the yellow beak and black stripe across the eye is a male house sparrow.  Best guess.  Any experts out there?  Watch what happened!  

Winning photos from January competition

I won two honors in this month's competition:

Third prize for my eagle pair photo in the advanced competition.

And honorable mention for the Theme competition called Sleep, for a photo of Santa sleeping.  Photographing animals and people sleeping is not a favorite subject for me because I usually like to see the eyes open, like the old saying, "the eyes are the windows to the soul."  I usually toss the photos with closed eyes.  

Sorry Santa, but I preferred this owl photo I entered.  It didn't win anything.  Owls have 3 eyelids, so it is not surprising to catch them with their eyes closed.

Our New Rescue Dog in a Cute Pet Photo Contest

I posted a picture of our new rescue toy poodle in a local cute dog contest by Well Pet clinic and Pepper's Pet Pantry.  If you think she is cute, vote for her at http://bit.ly/somdcpc (hint:  you have to register first, she is number 64 easily found using the gallery)

Unique chicken pets

A new church friend invited me to photograph her unique collection of pet chickens.  These were my favorite photos.  See my Calm Reflections Photography Facebook page for more.  I am guessing at their names.

      Hala, soft and fluffy

      Fifi, a curly girl

      Bochun, with hidden eyes

      Squeak on one foot

      Squeak

Signs of Life in Winter

I took a look around our church property for signs of the coming spring.  Here is what I saw when I looked closely.

        Pink Heather Flowers

      Buds

    Red Berries

Life goes in, even in cold weather!

Annie's Christmas Ornaments

I am still getting over my cold, so I haven't been taking lots of pictures.  I thought you might enjoy some photos I didn't post at Christmas.

On our way towards Philadelphia, we had a pleasant romantic dinner at Annie's Paramount Steak and Seafood Restaurant in Kent Narrows, MD.  We love their Christmas decorations.  The food is excellent, the service is good, and the price is justifiably high.

     Mermaid ornaments on a "Sea" tree

    Mermaid 

     Sleepytime

      Whimsical purple octopus

     Pink dragonfly

     Butterfly

     Sea star

      Pink hydrangea

Philadelphia Night Landscapes

I've been sick most of the week, but finally took the time to edit some sights from our holiday trip to Pennsylvania.  

I've been wanting to see Boathouse Row for years, so we fugured out where to photograph it.  The weather was much warmer than usual, so I wanted to take advantage of it.  Unfortunately, most of the lights were not working and there is now a giant net across the river to capture boaters before they reach the waterfalls.

     This building had the most interesting lights

I think the Art Museum at night was more impressive.  I just turned my camera in a different direction.

I took these pictures at twilight, right after sunset, when the  sky is deep blue.