Category: Color Photography

Conversations With A Woodpecker

Color Photography, wildlife
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Decisions Decisions 12420” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The closing of January always brings at least a little snow to my mountain. The cold sleeping forest has very little forage for the birds and so I’ve set a buffet of suet and meal worms to compliment the main feeder of seeds. As I prepared my last supply run into town I heard the woodpeckers just inside the trees. I’m certain that if anyone happened by my yard they’d think I’d lost my ever loving mind but I talk back to the wildlife. The woodpecker makes his laugh and I stopped what was doing with my hands on my hips and look up into the mountain. At the top of my voice I replied “what do you want?”

The woodpecker laughs again.

“Woodpecker food!” I replied.

More calls from the woodpecker.

“Okay, but if I get you special food then you’ve got to pose for me. ”

At this point I have the mental image of my nearest neighbor overhearing this conversation with a woodpecker and questioning her recent move to West Virginia but I continue to talk to him. Later that same night I stepped out and had a conversation with the screech owl that was making my dog bark after midnight and I knew that she was questioning the move. Especially since I was outside making territorial calls in an effort to encourage the owl to give a Hoot about the property boundaries.

I’ve never been able to get a good photo of them but the woodpeckers on my place are at least a few Pileated Woodpeckers, common flickers, possibly a few red bellied woodpeckers and the one in tonight’s Feature Image is a Downy Woodpecker. All make distinctive calls and so it’s possible to know who’s who when they get vocal.

The downy woodpecker is the only one to accept the feeder so far. It spends most of the day just bouncing between feeders and then zooming off to store a little somewhere in the trees. I’m amazed at how fast it moves and was only able to catch the hop between feeders in burst mode.

Birding is a bit of a new hobby for me and so I’ve got a lot to learn when it comes to their behaviors. The large Pileated Woodpeckers are the ones I really want to capture in my lens but so far they really remain shy and illusive in spite of the calls they make while I’m outside. For now I’m just shooting the photos through my office window but hopefully I’ll be able to get a little closer soon. The chickadees have already started to be acclimated to me and the song sparrows occasionally land on the sill and peek in while I’m working.

That’s all I’ve got for now. Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement:

I am adding additional social media to my network. Eventually, I’ll be leaving Facebook behind for a multitude of reasons. Even though the Lloyd’s Lens Photography page is strictly non-political I have been restricted from interacting with followers with no explanation for why. But it’s not just that. For years now Facebook has throttled content providers in general. They encourage us to grow our audience and then want to sell us back the access to them. In addition, they collect and sell the data from our interaction. So Facebook has become an entanglement of thorns. In response I have created the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe. We can still interact directly on the blog but starting today I’ll be looking for more platforms that respect the privacy of my followers and don’t limit who gets to see the post.

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Click here to visithttps://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simply use the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.

Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251

Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographer

Thank you again for your support of my page!❤

Small Changes

Color Photography, wildlife
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “A Promise Of Life 11221” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

Cold winds gently disturb the tan colored reeds. Winter’s silent song fills the marsh as cattail down swirls in the sky. The warm heart of the red-winged black bird is painfully absent from the willow’s empty branches. Even though I know better than to expect them so early in the year I’m eager to hear the first melodic trills echo over the still waters in defiance of the gray sky. I breathe in the chilly air and step a little closer to the thick mud and look for the signs of changes. Thin and wispy the single twig is bowed as if humbly presenting a gift to the sleeping world. The catkins are beginning to ripen and with them the promise of life returning to the world. The changes in seasons are a small thing in the grand scheme of the universe. It’s inevitable as long as the history unfolds. But it’s the presence of the small signs of changes that brings me hope. And hope is the fuel that drives our lives.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement:

I am adding additional social media to my network. Eventually, I’ll be leaving Facebook behind for a multitude of reasons. Even though the Lloyd’s Lens Photography page is strictly non-political I have been restricted from interacting with followers with no explanation for why. But it’s not just that. For years now Facebook has throttled content providers in general. They encourage us to grow our audience and then want to sell us back the access to them. In addition, they collect and sell the data from our interaction. So Facebook has become an entanglement of thorns. In response I have created the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe. We can still interact directly on the blog but starting today I’ll be looking for more platforms that respect the privacy of my followers and don’t limit who gets to see the post.

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Click here to visithttps://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simply use the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.

Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251

Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographer

Thank you again for your support of my page!❤

Turning A Page On My Natural Calendar

Color Photography, wildlife
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “American Goldfinch 12421a” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The snow falls softly on my mountain today. Old Man Winter is feeling generous as January comes to a rest. As I look up from my desk I see that my feathered friends are celebrating their good fortune around my feeder. The party started with just 2 chickadees a few months ago and now includes 3 blue jays, 2 song sparrows a Carolina wren, a mated pair of Cardinals, a downy woodpecker and about 6 or 8 Goldfinch. Last month I posted a photo of a Goldfinch at my feeder and noted that they don’t get their color until they come into the breeding season.

Image Titled “Breakfast With Friends 122320” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

It’s very subtle but I can see a difference in the color between the 2 images. In fact I expect that by the end of March that we will have a dramatic difference in the color of the Goldfinch. I have also added this change to my natural calendar. Every day I notice little minute changes to the world around me. A sprig of green here a color change there and a slight shift in the direction of the breeze. All of these things add up to keep me encouraged as winter passes. A friend and were discussing the length of the day and how it feels like a renewal when the days are noticeably longer. I’ve been mentally keeping track of when the automatic lights come on for weeks now. Every day we gain a few extra minutes. Before we know it I’ll be posting pictures of the beautiful Dogwood bloom and the redbud in season. It was recently said that we were in for a long dark winter but the natural calendar says otherwise. It says that in just 6 short weeks we’ll have the official start of spring and with it will come a glorious daybreak.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement:

I am adding additional social media to my network. Eventually, I’ll be leaving Facebook behind for a multitude of reasons. Even though the Lloyd’s Lens Photography page is strictly non-political I have been restricted from interacting with followers with no explanation for why. But it’s not just that. For years now Facebook has throttled content providers in general. They encourage us to grow our audience and then want to sell us back the access to them. In addition, they collect and sell the data from our interaction. So Facebook has become an entanglement of thorns. In response I have created the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe. We can still interact directly on the blog but starting today I’ll be looking for more platforms that respect the privacy of my followers and don’t limit who gets to see the post.

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Click here to visithttps://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simply use the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.

Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251

Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographer

Thank you again for your support of my page!❤

The Old Climbing Tree

Color Photography, Landscapes
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “The Old Climbing Tree 11221” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

A cold breeze disturbs the sleeping reeds and unkept weeds near old route 19. This old snag has drawn my attention ever since I was a child. In fact I think it’s been standing there dead for most of my life. But at one time it must have been the favorite haunt of adventurous kids for decades. The unusually large lower branches are the size of full grown trees. The way they form a latter to the crown denotes a tree that loves to host climbers. Of course today the wood is unstable and it shouldn’t be risked but not too long ago that tree would have drawn every kid in the area. I have no idea what kind of tree it is but it had to be virgin timber. It’s hard to tell from the distant perspective but the tree is not just tall but thick. I imagine that the local hawks frequently roost in what’s left of it as they keep their sharp eyes out for the stray snake that lives in the marsh across the road. Even in death this tree serves its purpose as part of the forest.

Perhaps many years ago when the nation was young this old tree saw the meeting of natives and settlers. This old tree could have been a marker for a trading spot. The surrounding marsh would have been rich in furs and such. I’ve been told that not far from this spot there have been Paleolithic artifacts found. Such a find means that this place has been productive for a long time. So the descendants of those people would have also exploited the same resources.

Some years later the tree would have witnessed the land after the Civil War as a nation rebuilds itself.

It would have seen the birth of the industrial age with it’s blessings and challenges.

Sons may have spent time beneath it’s branches when they came home from 2 world wars and the Asian conflicts that arose afterwards.

Now in the modern eara of the 21st century the old tree no longer grows but instead stands as a natural monument to the lives of the people. Their voices are embedded into the very wood as an echo of those who brought us this far. They tell us that the only consistency in our lives is change. Be at peace they say. We come from strong peoples and they have faith in our ability to do good when bad things happen.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement:

I am adding additional social media to my network. Eventually, I’ll be leaving Facebook behind for a multitude of reasons. Even though the Lloyd’s Lens Photography page is strictly non-political I have been restricted from interacting with followers with no explanation for why. But it’s not just that. For years now Facebook has throttled content providers in general. They encourage us to grow our audience and then want to sell us back the access to them. In addition, they collect and sell the data from our interaction. So Facebook has become an entanglement of thorns. In response I have created the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe. We can still interact directly on the blog but starting today I’ll be looking for more platforms that respect the privacy of my followers and don’t limit who gets to see the post.

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Click here to visithttps://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simply use the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.

Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251

Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographer

Thank you again for your support of my page!❤

Forage Friday #91 Blue Cohosh

Color Photography, Forage Friday, Uncategorized
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Blue Cohosh 32420” and was taken specifically for Forage Friday. All photos found on my website are my original work unless otherwise specified and are available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

Please remember that Forage Friday is presented as trivia and not to be mistaken for medical advice.

Blue Cohosh is one of our native cash crops in the Appalachian Mountains. It’s long history among Midwives goes back deep into the history of the Native Americans. They used it to cause flow of delayed menstrual cycles and to cause miscarriages. It’s also said to have been used for muscle spasms including hiccups. Some online sources say it was once used to treat epilepsy. The action of the would appear to be that it has a relaxing effect on parasympathetic nerves. Modern science has concluded that it contains glycocides and alkaloids are toxic to the myocardium ( muscles of the heart ). Obviously it shouldn’t be used lightly by anyone but especially heart patients.

It is a member of the buttercup family which has a lot of toxic plants. So we shouldn’t be surprised to find out that blue Cohosh is one of the plants that should be reserved for those who have reached a certain level of expertise ( which I am not one of them having never been in need of it’s main purpose). In spite of all the hazards, blue cohosh is available over the counter and I’ve not really heard anything about people reporting bad experiences.

As stated earlier it is a cash crop for landowners who make the time to go out and collect it. It’s kinda like taking a hike in the mountains and finding money just lying around all over. Currently it seems to go for about $11.00/pound and the last time I sold it ( more than 20 years ago) the buyers bought it washed and wet. This means that the diggers would soak it in a bucket overnight to increase the weight. The buyers knew that and adjusted their offering price accordingly. As best as I can remember we dug it in late summer and it’s actually considered endangered in some places. (Check your local regulations before harvest. Some plants have a legal season.)

As far as food value goes I am aware that the roasted seeds can be used as a coffee substitute but there’s also more plentiful plants like dandelion and chicory that can be used for coffee that it’s never been worth pursuing for me.

That’s really all I have for tonight. The growing season here hasn’t really started yet so there’s not much foraging available.

Oh and before I sign off. Please consider joining the MeWe discussion group. ( Announcement below). I’ll be addressing this in further details as a bonus post in the near future that will not be posted to Facebook except for the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Facebook page and my personal page.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement:

I am adding additional social media to my network. Eventually, I’ll be leaving Facebook behind for a multitude of reasons. Even though the Lloyd’s Lens Photography page is strictly non-political I have been restricted from interacting with followers with no explanation for why. But it’s not just that. For years now Facebook has throttled content providers in general. They encourage us to grow our audience and then want to sell us back the access to them. In addition, they collect and sell the data from our interaction. So Facebook has become an entanglement of thorns. In response I have created the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe. We can still interact directly on the blog but starting today I’ll be looking for more platforms that respect the privacy of my followers and don’t limit who gets to see the post.

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Click here to visithttps://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simply use the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.

Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251

Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographer

Thank you again for your support of my page!❤