While I was trying to figure out some settings for my camera to take the star streak picture, I came across a tutorial about taking static star pictures. I figured I'd give it a try. This is my picture of the Milky Way Galaxy from my house. A little grainy but, not bad for a first try. Expect to see more of these in the future. Camera Stats for anyone interested in trying: 6 sec exposure, F3.4, ISO 3200, noise reduction off, d-lighting off.

200!

I wanted to try something different for my 200th picture. This is my first attempt at star streaks and it did not go smoothly. I sat outside for 1 hr before I realized that the settings on my camera were wrong and it hadn't really been taking the picture. So I scaled back for this shot, which represents a 35 minute exposure instead.

Yes, I like thunderstorms. This one in particular is cool with the clear rotation or twisting look in the left side of this picture.

Every spring, right before they plant the years crops, the field around here are filled with these yellow flowered plants. I'm not sure if they're a weed or are planted to preserve the soil until they plow, but they make for some pleasant scenery. I've been wanting to take some pictures of them for 3 years, but find that I always wait just a little too long. It was almost the case this year, but after some thorough searching, I was able to find a couple fields still in bloom.

Lightning from the same storm. One bolt shattered a tree next to our house, but I didn't get it on film.

HOORAY! It's lightning season again! This picture was taken during a particularly electrical storm last weekend. Unfortunately, I didn't get a lot of good pictures because it was so intense, I was hunkered down trying to keep safe during the height of the storm.

I wanted to take some pictures of some of the fields around here. However, some thunderstorms moved through and didn't let me get out until later than I wanted. It allowed for me to get some cool shots of some of the clouds.

A panoramic view of the thunderstorm with the mammatus clouds. I tried to get the rainbow in it also, but it just didn't turn out.

Here's the full version of the rainbow the other day. Unfortunately there's a piece of farm equipment blocking some of the view on the lower left side. I hate when I don't notice those things when I'm taking the picture.

Mammatus clouds from the same storm system that produced the rainbow.

We had some thunderstorms come through yesterday and it gave me the opportunity to get a bunch of cool pictures. I'll post them over the next couple of days. This one of the many rainbow shots I took.

A mayfly hanging out around our porch light.

This spring I noticed that there were a bunch of bumblebee's holding territories around the house and fighting with each other. I probably took 20 pictures of this bumblebee and this is the only one that was in focus.

A cool shot of a Blue Racer eating a Northern Water Snake.

A picture of my dog Worf. He's looking really old.

Trying something a little different with the sun streaks in the water and my shadow.

I just happened to take this picture the other day as I was sitting outside enjoying the warm weather. Though it doesn't have any spectacular landscape or single interesting subject, I absolutely loved this picture. Something about the contrast between the deep green grass and buds forming on some of the trees and the old dead grass from last year and the still winter-like bare trees still waiting to begin spring. Whatever it is, a very appealing picture for me.

Flowers growing in the rock path that leads to my backyard.

Apple blossoms, too bad the bugs and deer will eat all the apples.

More springtime scenes from around my house.