Bright Sunrise

This is a picture I took a while ago, but forgot to post. Every once in a while you get the right kind of clouds that show up at just the right time and the sunrise (or sunset) sets the sky on fire. I'm usually not up for the sunrises, but I'm glad I was in this case.

Partridge Pea

This is a type of flower that is very prevalent in the field net to our house. I finally figured out that it was partridge pea, a native flower common to prairies in Illinois.

Reflection

My attempt at taking a cool reflection picture.

Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar

I was visiting the ponds where I work and noticed a bunch of these caterpillars on one of the milkweed plants. I had never seen caterpillars like it before, so of course I had to snap a picture. One of my daughters adopted one as a pet and it has now pupated and we are waiting to see what the adult looks like.

Deer

There is a lot of wildlife around our house that I wish I could take pictures of, but most don't let you get close enough. Hopefully one day I'll be able to afford a telephoto lens. For now, this is the best I can do. Still I like how the deer is framed in a break in the trees.

July storm 5

This will be the last picture from this storm. It's also the last picture I took before I decided things were getting a little too crazy and it was time to head for shelter. This picture also reminds me that there are way too many electric lines around here. It's hard to find a place where they won't show up in the picture.

July Storm 4

Ok, this one isn't quite as good as the others, but there are several bolts so I've included it.

July Storm 3

Another picture from the same storm. Like I said, very active.

July Storm (2)

Some more lightning pictures from the same storm. Before the storm got too close, it was ideal conditions for taking lightning pictures; virtually no wind, little rain and lots of lots of lightning.

Big July Storm

The next several posts will be getting back to my favorite photographic subject. These pictures were all from a very active storm in late July. It was so active, I eventually had to pack things up and head for safety. It was making me a little too nervous.

Flying Bee

Another picture from my visit to the flower patch. This time a flying bee. No flower picture collection is complete without one.

UPDATE: It took me awhile, but I think I finally figured out that this plant is not an invasive, but rather it is called Prairie Blazingstar (Liatris pycnostachya).

Butterflies

Two pictures this time, because I took a ton of this butterfly and couldn't decide on one. Every year this flowering plant blooms in large numbers in late summer. Someone told me it was an invasive species, but the insects sure love it, whatever it is.

Summer Flowers

Continuing on a theme away from lightning pictures, here are some macro shots of some flowers taken on the same day as the dragonfly picture.

Dragonfly

I'm not sure what kind of dragonfly this is, but there are lots of them around here. I used them as an opportunity to try some macro shots with my new camera. This one turned out pretty good, but most did not. I think this is a good excuse to by a macro lens.

The Arch

Something a little different than what I have been posting. This is obviously a picture of the Arch in St. Louis. We were getting some food at the 4th of July festival there and I liked this perspective of the arch.

Fireworks

We went to St. Louis this 4th of July and we set out our spot for fireworks watching early so that I could take pictures of fireworks through the Arch. I think it would have turned out great had the wind not been blowing towards us, pushing smoke in front of our view.

Separate June Storm

This is another June storm that developed just to the east of my house. Better yet, no mosquitoes eating me alive this time..

More Lightning

This is the last picture from this particular storm. I really like the shadows and texture on the top part of this cloud that is illuminated by the lightning.

June Lightning

This is another picture from the same storm. Great stuff.

Lightning Pictures

Yep, more lightning pictures. What can I say, they are my favorite thing to photograph and this has been one hell of a good start to the season. These next few are from a storm that gave off one of the most impressive lightning displays I've ever seen. I think the pictures would have been better too, but I didn't bring my tripod (because I hadn't intended to shoot lightning originally) and I was being eaten alive by mosquitoes while trying to hold the camera steady.