Mid April Snow

Here it is the 19th of April, 2018 and this is what we woke up to. A scene such as these are what people, young and old, hope for on Christmas morning. Yes, it is beautiful, but untimely. At this time of the year farmers are usually out in their fields preparing for planting. That ain't happening. Gardeners are cleaning up their beds and gardens, preparing to plant their vegetables and flowers. Signs of spring should be popping up all over. You know, things like tulips, daffodils etc. None of these things are happening.

Instead we are have these late spring snows which while beautiful are causing huge problems. Not just with agriculture, but it is devastating the bird population. Migratory birds that depend on insects, worms and berries are starving because their aren't any. It is sad to see literally hundreds of robins in one place foraging for the limited food that may be available. People all over the area are doing everything they can to help with the situation.

Hopefully, this will be short lived. We are supposed to be entering into a warming trend the next several days. Soon, we will be seeing signs of spring popping up all over. By July and August the late snows of spring will be just a memory and many people, such as myself, will be complaining of the heat and humidity of late summer.

Sphinx moth caterpillar.

This morning I was going through some photos and came across this guy. My wife and I were attending a family reunion in Central Wisconsin when it was discovered. At the time no one could recall having ever seen one before, so it quickly became the hit of the day. Since then I've learned it is the caterpillar of a Sphinx moth. They can be found around grape vines and other types of vines such as Ivy etc.

As you can see this is not a small caterpillar. It was at least a couple of inches long. To me the striking thing is the face. It reminds me of a bulldog with a look of I'm friendly, but, don't mess with me or I will put you down.

I've not seen one since that day, but, next time I am around grape vines or Ivy plants, you can bet I will be on the look out.

Meet Kia

Meet Kia. Kia is one of our two cats. Kia and her sister Karma became part of our family when our daughter finally became convinced that someone with severe pet allergies shouldn't have cats. Now, I must admit, the last thing my wife and I wanted were a couple of cats. Our daughter was having a problem finding a home for them, so dad, being a pushover when it comes to his kids, agreed to take them.

This photo represents the first time I experimented with adding color to a black and white print. Just the addition of the color in the eyes, for me, really makes this photo stand out. It has also been appreciated on Viewbug. Viewbug is an online community of photographers. A place you can post your photos, join challenges, and enter contests. I really enjoy looking at others work and when I see a photo that really stands out, it causes me to start thinking of the mechanics behind the photo. If you would like to join in, you can check it out here.

https://www.viewbug.com/user/ready?ref=larryjelken

Don't think you need expensive camera equipment to become part of a group like this. I have seen some amazing photos taken with cell phones. In fact, one of the photos on my page  was taken with a cell phone, and it is one of the most appreciated photos I have posted so far.

One of my favorite photos

For those of you who live in South Central Wisconsin, you may recognize this as having been taken at Devils Lake State Park.

Devils Lake is probably the most often visited State Park in Wisconsin. Tens of thousands of people visit it every year to camp, hike, rock climb and picnic. The scenic beauty of the area is breath taking, especially in the fall. In the summer months this park is mobbed with people, especially on the weekends.

I like this photo for a couple of reasons. The color is quite vivid. I will admit I pumped up the color saturation a little, but, not that much. I also like it because of the absence of people, buildings or any other sign of civilization. It gives it a nice wilderness look. So, I hope you enjoy this photo as much as I do.