Can you spot the bug?

You may have to look close to spot the katydid. It is well hidden on the leaf to avoid predation. Nature's camouflage really works!

Curves, Bars, and Triangles

A negative of the grayscale image of the steel that is going up for Central High School's new auditorium.

My love of all things plaid

On a camping trip a few years ago, I was hamming it up, as I emerged from my camper in my plaid sleeping pants, plaid jacket, and plaid house-shoes. My friend Bonnie snapped this photo of me.

A bit scary, and it will make your eyes hurt if you stare at for long; but I finally realized today that my love of all things plaid was not the result of some lack of oxygen when I was still in the womb, or a sudden drop onto my head as a small child...although both of these possibilities have been brought up to explain quite a bit about me...but that is another story.

Instead, my attraction to plaid and tartans is genetic! And now, I have proof! I was digging through some old family photos and came across one of my maternal grandmother that was taken back in the late 1940's. As you can see, she was also on a camping trip back then, and also was decked out in plaid.

A chance occurrence? I think not.

Lubbers are Everywhere

For the past two or three years, I have noticed a steady increase in the number of Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers, Romalea microptera, in my yard. It started with one or two, then a dozen, and now there are scores of them. Their shiny black bodies are lined with bold yellow or red stripes. Although they are very colorful, they are also doing a number on some of my plants. They particularly seem to enjoy my tomatoes and onions.

The females seem to be larger with more yellow on them. The males are a little smaller and have more red on them. According to a webpage that I found, they are not good tasting to predators and the bright colors are a warning.


Here is how they are classified...for those who enjoy biology and such:

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)

Suborder Caelifera (Grasshoppers)

Family Romaleidae (Lubber Grasshoppers)

Genus Romalea (Lubber Grasshoppers)

Species microptera (Eastern Lubber Grasshopper)

Evening on the lake

This evening, I took a ride out to Lake Tobesofkee and ended up at the duck ponds on the western end of the lake. The duck ponds are narrow fingers of the lake that run along the area where Tobesofkee Creek enters the lake. Although I didn't see any ducks tonight, there were plenty of herons and egrets roosting in the trees.

Why to vote Republican?

I was skeptical about this title when I originally saw it, as that I tend to agree with Democrats more...but I was happily pleased when I watched it. I couldn't agree with it more. Click here to see this funny (in a scary and sad way) video.

...like moonlight through the pines.

This is a horrible photo, but I am posting it anyway...just because at the moment, it seems like the right thing to do. I was listening to "Georgia on my Mind" as I pulled into the driveway tonight, and was thinking about the second verse that says "...like moonlight through the pines." I looked up, and there was the full moon shining through the pines in my yard and I had to try to grab a photo. I didn't have my tripod handy...and it shows!

I also thought that I would post someone's YouTube recording of the song, for those who want to listen to this great American classic....plus, it is the state song of Georgia, my home state!

----------------
Now playing: Ray Charles - Georgia On My Mind
via FoxyTunes

A Fig Leaf

I was wandering around the backyard and snapped a few shots of the figs growing. They are about a week or two from being ripe. After looking at them, I decided that I liked the two pics of the leaves better than those of the fruit. And just for fun, I converted this one to black and white.

The Easy Life

You have to admire the life that my cat leads. Nap, eat, stretch, play, nap, play, eat, stretch, nap, play...and repeat.

----------------
Now playing: E.G. Kight - Trouble With a Capital "T"
via FoxyTunes

Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay

Along the banks of the Ocmulgee River in downtown Macon, there is a nice statue of Otis Redding...one of the legends of the music industry. Otis was a lifelong resident of the Macon area, and his wife still lives here. Macon's musical heritage includes not only Otis Redding, but also the Allman Brothers, Lena Horne, Little Richard, Robert McDuffie, and Capricorn Records. It is no wonder that the city is the home of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and has a special exhibit set up there honoring Otis!

The statue is called "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay", after the famous song that he recorded just three days before his death in an airplane accident. To give it a listen and see some more images of Otis, click here.

Like a Moth to a Flame

There is something magical about the "HOT NOW" sign at the Krispy Kreme store. I can be totally full, after a huge meal; and yet when I see that sign, I am drawn to it as if I had not eaten in a week.

The smell of the yeasty bread, the sickly sweet sugar glaze, and the warmth of the newly made doughnut is what got me through many-a-long night. The doughnuts literally melt in your mouth when they are freshly fried. The store conveniently lights up the neon "HOT NOW" sign when they are cooking the doughnuts, so you can grab one, or two....ok, I admit it, a dozen!

They do have a sign in the store that proudly says that they are Trans Fat Free. Who cares, when they taste so good? I'd eat them if they were fried in pure lard....which they probably were at one point or the other.

They are 200 of the best calories that you will ever eat! There was once speculation that the zero-carb diet sensation would kill off the home of "America's Favorite Doughnut", but I just don't buy into it. I think that they are here to stay!

My mouth is watering as I type this!

Ditto....

Ditto....the same old, same old.....yet again

At least next Tuesday is a little change, but not much.

I have just not been inspired to create my own photos too much recently. Hope to get back into it soon. Sorry folks!

Another nightscape

I tried again to capture a good nightscape scene. This time, I was hoping to get the lit up spire on top of Mercer's Law School silhouetted by the cedars on the sides and the Rose Hill gate and obelisk below, but missed the look that I was going for.

I still need to work on my technique quite a bit.

Redneck Games

Today, I went with Ron to the 13th annual Redneck Games in East Dublin. Over 8,000 self proclaimed rednecks were there! It was a blast. I snapped tons of photos and couldn't decide which to post, so I made a video of a selection of them and put it to some appropriate music. I hope you enjoy it. Click the triangle PLAY button under the video above to start the video. If you have any problems viewing it here, you can go to my YouTube page or directly to the video and watch it there (the video is also a little bigger if you go directly, but it may not work on all web browsers).

For a short time, you can also see and read more about the Redneck Games by clicking below:
Macon Telegraph and for a good video of the bride and groom jumping and a wide range of other redneck activities, go to the Fox 24 website (give it a second, the video will load and start on it's own in a few seconds).

And below is another video from WMAZ-13, just click the video below to start it after watching the other one above.

Macon Skyline

I went out for a few drinks with my friend Bonnie tonight. I just did not want to fight the traffic tring to get to Lake Tobesofkee, where they were shooting off fireworks tonight.

So instead, we wandered around downtown for First Friday partying. Then we went up to Rose Hill as the sunset. A few thunderstorms moved around us, and we tried to catch a lightning photo, without much success.

Here is a shot from the top of Rose Hill, overlooking the Macon skyline, and another with the arched gates to Rose Hill Cemetery.

Tomorrow, I am planning on being at the Redneck Games. It is sort of like the Olympics, with a ceremonial lighting of the grill, competitions such as the mudpit belly flop, toilet seat horseshoes, hubcap discus throw, and bobbing for pig's feet. Hopefully, I will grab a photo or two of the fun to share. These links are photos from their website.

more house pics

Progress continues on the house. Dad shot these photos yesterday...only 3 days after the ones in the post below were taken. You can now sort of see what the house will look like.