Category: wildlife

Hunting Dragons

Color Photography, wildlife
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Red-winged blackbird in flight 62321” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The highland delta is alive with the scattered calls of the songbirds and buzzing of insects. A great blue Heron stalks the shallows unseen behind the tall reeds. I watch carefully for the flick of dragonfly wings. It’s just about the right time for them to come out and fill the air with their magic. The blackbird has a much sharper eye than I and what I failed to notice at twenty feet he noticed at twenty yards. The sharp eyed hunter springs from his perch among the reeds and closes the gap in mere seconds. He executed a ninety degree turn with grace and agility however the dragonfly is also a master of the sky. The insect can see in almost a complete circle and has the advantage of being able to maneuver between the sharp leaves and the blackbird is foiled. He perches on the reed that once held his prey and looked my direction as if it was my fault that his dinner got away. I can’t really blame him for being frustrated. After all, in spite of his sharp eyes and ability to fly he did no better to capture the dragonfly than I did today.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days!

Announcement 2.0

For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.

We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.

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

Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/embed/#?secret=GJGnIQEVHc

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.

WELCOME TO LLOYD’S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/embed/#?secret=ZBipPVJdZw

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=238248269630914251Lastly, 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 photographerThank you again for your support of my page!♥️

Forage Friday #113 Nannyberry

Color Photography, Forage Friday, wildlife
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Nannyberry 61621” 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.

Thunder rolls through the ridges and hollers of my Appalachian Mountains and the skies pour out their water in great sheets. The Spring shower lasts only a few minutes and soon the birds return from their shelters. By the time I take up the trail the landscape is mostly dry again. Near the edge of the small lake the bright white clusters of small flowers glistens in the bright afternoon sun. Though the nannyberry is nearly twenty feet tall the presence of multiple stems classifies it a shrub and not a tree. And this one is loaded with bloom. The umbel cluster of small flowers are reminiscent of elderberry and hydrangeas or maybe the silky dogwood. Like the silky dogwood nannyberry yields a cluster of dark colored fruit and red fall leaves in the fall.

The edible part of nannyberry is of course the fruit which is described as sweet and somewhat a mix between a prune and a banana. In fact one of the names given to nannyberry is “sweet viburnum”. Nannyberry of course being a type of viburnum. (⚠️ some types of viburnum are toxic. ) It’s generally recommended that the berries are crushed and the hard seeds processed out. The puree is then made into a variety of things like sauces and puddings and even cakes. The usefulness of nannyberry, attractive flowers and colorful fall leaves make nannyberry a great opportunity for those who practice edible landscaping.

Medicinal values include as an antispasmodic made from the bark. The leaves were made into an infusion for treating measles. And as a diuretic,

That’s it for tonight’s #foragefriday Friends.

Good night and be blessed throughout your days!

Announcement 2.0

For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.

We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.

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

Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/embed/#?secret=GJGnIQEVHc

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.

WELCOME TO LLOYD’S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/embed/#?secret=ZBipPVJdZw

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=238248269630914251Lastly, 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 photographerThank you again for your support of my page!♥️

One Busy Bee Indeed

Color Photography, wildlife
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Silky Dogwood And Bumblebee 62321a” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

Overcast skies bless the wilderness with soft light in the afternoon as I wander around the highland delta with an old friend. All around us the native silky dogwood blooms beckoning busy workers. Bumblebees are solitary creatures that live in colonies rather than hives. A honeybee might have an off day on the job and be okay but for the fury little Bumblebees every moment has to count. She and her brood counts on her efforts alone. She is in constant motion as she grooms the flowers and entices them to sweeten the nectar then moves to the next one only to come back and collect her prize. A good day’s effort for a good day’s pay. Pound for pound she will visit hundreds of more flowers and spread more pollen than a single honehbee. She’ll take some back to the hole in a muddy bank and store it away for her hungry brood. As the colony hatches she will stay behind and her children will care for her. But for now she is very busy indeed.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement 2.0

For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.

We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.

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

Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/embed/#?secret=GJGnIQEVHc

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.

WELCOME TO LLOYD’S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/embed/#?secret=ZBipPVJdZw

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=238248269630914251Lastly, 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 photographerThank you again for your support of my page!♥️

Behind The Vines

Color Photography, wildlife
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Canadian Moonseed 61621” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

Tread softly on the little path that leads to that spot where the outside world cannot go. Sit quietly among the vines and listen to the voices of the forest. The Jays will let you know if there’s anything amiss. The frogs will tell you if it’s about to rain. It’s all you need in the way of a news report. Downy fairyflies float by on gentle breezes and seem to glow magically as the golden sunbeams catch their wooly coats. The tiny wasps are smaller than gnats but are easily spotted in the light.

A soft scratching near the place where water seeps from painted sandstone and movement beneath the decaying leaves reveals a spotted salamander sheltering from the sun. He looks your way and seems to wink as he disappears into damp earth.

The woodpecker drums out his messages that echo throughout the whole forest and the sunbeams show only a flash of crimson feathers as he too vanishes behind the boughs.

The smell of the moss and abundant life finally fill the heart with peace and tranquility. One could spend all day in that little spot just behind the vines.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement 2.0

For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.

We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.

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

Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/embed/#?secret=GJGnIQEVHc

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.

WELCOME TO LLOYD’S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/embed/#?secret=ZBipPVJdZw

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=238248269630914251Lastly, 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 photographerThank you again for your support of my page!♥️

Made Of Gold

Color Photography, wildlife
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Dogbane Beetle 61621a” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The light of the summer sun cascades through the bushes that encase each side of the little creek. The backlit leaves catch the light for brief moment before falls onto a living gemstone. The tiny beetle glistens like metallic fire in the light of the sun. The scientific name Chrysochus Auratus roughly translates to “Made of Gold”. It may resemble the garden pest known as the Japanese Beetle but this little on is one hundred percent American made an feeds almost exclusively on Dogbane and Milkweed. It’s not likely to find your favorite flowers or vegetables. And because it feeds on these toxic plants it’s a very toxic little thing itself. Dogbane contains a glycoside that is toxic to the heart. The shiny Dogbane Beetle stores and concentrates the poison in special glands in its body. If a bird or other predator attempted to catch it then it does a thing called reflex bleeding. Little organs in its joints allow the blood to leak from the shell. The blood is so toxic that even this small amount can stop the heart of the predator. But enough with the dry science. Suffice it to say that this little Beetle that glistens like polished gold enjoys a life of peace and tranquility. It enjoys the place in the world which the Good Lord blessed it with. And that’s the goal of all life.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement 2.0

For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.

We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.

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

Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/embed/#?secret=GJGnIQEVHc

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.

WELCOME TO LLOYD’S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/embed/#?secret=ZBipPVJdZw

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=238248269630914251Lastly, 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 photographerThank you again for your support of my page!♥️