Category Archives: photography

November in New York

Amtrak, art, Authorship, humor, New York City, photography, train travel, trains, Travel, writing, , , , , , ,

After my recent trip to Spain, which you can read about here and here, you’d think I would have stayed home for a while. But no sooner had I unpacked my bag than I’d packed it again. I was headed to New York City, and I was traveling by train.

For the seven-hour trip from Rochester to New York, I reserved a “roomette” — not a sleeper, exactly, but a step up from coach. It was a small compartment that included two reclining seats, a sink, a toilet, and a curtain for privacy. The seats folded flat for napping, and the café car was right next door.

If you’re going to travel by Amtrak like I did, I highly recommend the roomette, although I have to admit it was weird having only a fabric curtain (with Velcro closures) between your toilet and the narrow aisle through which passengers could meander at will. What if they decided to meander past my roomette at a most inconvenient moment, I wondered, hoping it wouldn’t come to that.

Being in my own private train compartment made me feel like I was in a movie! I was hoping to witness some exciting locomotive drama — the kind they always include in train films like Stranger on a Train, Murder on the Orient Express, or The Before Trilogy. I wanted something to write home about. Perhaps a debonair spy or scraggly train robber would suddenly pounce into my roomette, with an FBI agent or western lawman in hot pursuit. (But not, I hoped, at one of my “most inconvenient moments.”)

Unfortunately, the only drama I encountered was when the café car attendant snapped at me.

“I’d like a small coffee and … um …” I began.

“Don’t order until you know everything you want!” he barked.

That backed me up in a hurry. But not for long; there weren’t too many snacks to choose from.

“I’ll-have-a-small-coffee-and-a-bag-of-chips,” I spat out as fast as I could, hoping I’d been specific enough about the chips. He smiled and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Back in my roomette, I leaned back in my reclining chair, propped my feet up on the opposite seat (I hoped the crabby attendant wasn’t also the Seat Police), opened my chips bag, and watched the scenery fly by. The ride was smooth and the situation was quite enjoyable, despite the lack of drama. Before I knew it, my train pulled in at Penn Station and my ride was over.

I’m supremely proud of what happened next: Not only did I find my way to the correct station exit, but when I reached 7th Avenue, I actually turned in the right direction, the one going downtown toward my hotel! Was I becoming a savvy New Yorker, or was it just dumb luck? Don’t answer that.

After swiftly walking the eight blocks to my hotel (with rolling luggage in tow), checking in, racing to my room, stashing my suitcase, and hailing a cab, I managed to make it to that evening’s destination (a play on the Lower East Side) five minutes before curtain time. Another proud moment! Finally, I was about to get my desired dose of drama.

The play (Sacred Monsters) was directed by my cousin Gina Bonati, who met me in the lobby and sat with me through the performance, causing me to feel (almost) famous. After Gina had shmoozed a bit with the actors, the two of us walked to a nearby bar she knew, where the owner served us each a drink and a plate of fantastic appetizers (hummus, dolmas, falafel, tahini, etc.). This was the interesting city I loved to visit, a treat for all the senses, and it sure didn’t disappoint.

During the rest of my few days there, I managed to squeeze in a Broadway play (Little Bear Ridge Road), a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a trip to Brooklyn, a walk through Central Park, and a meeting with someone essential to a children’s book I’m working on.

And did I mention the incredible pizza, just two blocks from my hotel?

Getting around New York City seemed easier than ever this time around (thanks to GPS, I have to admit). I’m looking forward more than ever to my next trip there, which will be in January for a writing conference and another meeting about my recent book project. Stay tuned!

Photos of this NYC adventure, as always, can be seen on my Photos page. And if you’re interested in train travel, I’ve written about some of my previous train adventures in a series called “Train Tracker.” You can read the first of several episodes here.

Thanks so much for reading my posts, which began here in 2016. Here’s wishing everyone only GOOD drama in 2026! Happy New Year!

Schooled in Spain (Part 2)

photography, Spain, Travel, writing, , , , , , , ,

In my previous post, Schooled in Spain (Part 1), I wrote about the beginning of my 8-day trip to southern Spain. That post covered the minor trials and tribulations on day 1, the recovery on day 2, and the market, winery, and tour of Cómpeta on day 3.

Part 2 continues with days 4 through 8, and I’ve added many more photos of Spain to my Photos page.

Day 4: Granada and the Alhambra: Thanks to the advance reading list from Road Scholar, I’d read about the Alhambra, but nothing could have adequately prepared me for touring the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” Although we had a tour guide, his words just swirled around me like a fog while I tried to take everything in. There were imposing walls with minimal windows (to ensure privacy), diagonal entryways (again, for privacy), courtyards within buildings, carvings mimicking stalactites, gardens, a reflecting pool, and thousands, perhaps millions, of intricate patterns, texts, and other inscriptions that, in keeping with Islamic requirements, never depicted the human form. I stood in the very room where Christopher Columbus received verbal approval from Queen Isabella to forge ahead with his plan to sail to India (and we all know how that turned out).

I found Granada to be a fascinating city of contrasts, with its ornate ancient architecture alongside fashionable storefronts and glittery Christmas decorations. While there, we visited a huge market, the Cathedral of Granada, and the Royal Chapel (where Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand rest … perhaps not in peace ). I got to see the queen’s robe, crown, scepter, and mirror (!) as well as the king’s sword. Side note: Besides funding Columbus in 1492, the king and queen horribly banished all Jews from Spain that same year and forced Spanish Muslims to convert to Catholicism).

Day 5: Flamenco and Frigiliana: In the morning, we enjoyed a Flamenco demonstration, where I learned that the foot-stomping of the genre is an imitation of the sound of tools striking hot metal in forges where many Romani worked in the past. (It’s considered more correct nowadays to say “Romani” instead of “gypsy,” although our guide and even the Flamenco dancers themselves used the word “gypsy” repeatedly.) Fun fact I learned on this trip: The Romani people originally came from India.

After Flamenco, we had a free afternoon. My choice was to explore a picturesque little village nearby called Frigiliana, only 5 minutes away by taxi. Three of my new friends on the tour joined me, and we had quite an adventure, especially when it came time to return home and we had no idea how to call a cab for the return trip. We’d assumed we’d just call the driver who’d brought us there, until we discovered that Nerja cabs only make the trip one way (from Nerja to Frigiliana, but not the other way around). Luckily, I’d seen a tourist info office a few blocks away, and with their help we managed to make it back to our hotel. It wouldn’t have been so bad being stranded in Frigiliana, though, since the place was absolutely crawling with tapas bars! (It was quite touristy.)

Day 6: I’ve been quite wordy so far in this post, so I’ll cut right to the chase. We visited an olive oil factory, tasted several different olive oils, and were served a delicious lunch in a local home. I even got to practice my Spanish with our host. The scenery there and back was breathtaking, too. I’ve never seen so many olive trees in my life!

Day 7: Again, I’ll be brief. Málaga was interesting and beautiful, and the Picasso Museum was outstanding. Every single piece in the museum is from Picasso’s own personal collection in his home!

Day 8: On this day, I rose early (4:30 am) and shared a cab to the Málaga airport with someone who, like my daughter, loves Brandi Carlile. Over coffee and pastries, we had a long and enjoyable conversation about music while waiting for our gates to open. Then I managed to find my way through both the Málaga and Madrid airports by following signs, arrows, and the sometimes LOUD, even YELLING voices of people directing travelers here and there, mostly in Spanish. I guess they figured if they yelled loudly enough, they’d be understood by everyone. Luckily, I knew enough Spanish to get in the right lines and into my airplane seat on time.

I’m really glad I had the chance to visit southern Spain and to learn about its history and blend of cultures. Thanks for coming on this journey with me, and don’t forget to check out my Photos!

Schooled in Spain (Part 1)

Food, photography, Spain, Travel, writing, , , , , ,

I recently took an 8-day Road Scholar trip to Andalucía, a small slice of Spain on the Mediterranean coast. The area can be quite touristy, but in November, not so much. The trip was stimulating and relaxing … and educational, too.

For a glimpse of my activities during the trip, see my Photos page (with captions). I’ve included photos from days 1-3 today. My next post will include more.

For now, let me just say that what I saw of Spain was a feast for all the senses. From my first sight of Nerja, the beach town where I stayed, to the crowded food markets, to the whitewashed villages, tasty tapas, fiery flamenco dancers, historic buildings, and sublime sunsets, the trip was a delight–not to mention my wonderful tour guides and travel-mates,  none of whom I knew in advance.

Here’s my itinerary and highlights for the first 3 days (the other days will follow in Part 2, still to be written):

Days 1 and 2: Travel from home (Rochester, NY) to Nerja, Spain. Connecting flights: Charlotte, NC, Madrid, and Málaga, followed by an airport taxi from Málaga to Nerja. Total travel time: about 15 hours. Complications:

(1) How many people do you know who’ve checked their baggage and immediately realized they had to get it back? Well, now you know one, because, after checking my suitcase, I realized I’d left a spare camera battery in it! I immediately told someone at the desk, who called the baggage department. As I rushed to the baggage claim area to retrieve my battery, the woman smiled and commented, “A woman on a mission!” I had been slightly panicked thinking I might miss my flight because of this dumb mistake on my part, but her smile reassured me. As it turned out, retrieving the battery only took 10 minutes (possibly due to the fact that my new suitcase was easy to identify by its lovely spring green color); When I returned to my gate, I still had 30 minutes left before boarding time.

(2) We landed a full hour early in Madrid, and since Customs didn’t open until 5 am, we had to wait on the plane for almost an hour before disembarking.

(3) It then took another full hour to make my way to the next gate! It wasn’t real obvious how to get there. When I asked for directions (in Spanish) from the person at the information desk, his information wasn’t very informative: he just sort of pointed down a set of stairs. I took the stairs which ended at a train station with trains going only one way. Signs in Spanish and English were confusing. They seemed to say the trains went to several terminals, none of which were mine. However, I boarded the next train that came along, because everyone else was getting on it. Turns out it took me to the correct terminal and close to my departure gate. Whew!

After landing in Málaga, the rest was smooth sailing. My transport taxi was waiting for me with my name on a sign, just like in the movies. I felt sort of famous. (Not really. But I would have felt famous if I actually was famous for something!) One hour later, I arrived at my hotel with a serious case of jet lag. It was 10 am in Nerja, but 4 am back home, and I’d only slept an hour on the plane.

My hotel room wasn’t going to be ready until 12 noon. What was I going to do with myself for the next 2 hours? What would you do? Probably what I did …

I headed out to the pool area and ordered a bowl of olives and a Margarita. Then I settled myself down in a deck chair, sat back, and gazed out at the blue, blue Mediterranean Sea.

“It’s strong,” the bartender had warned me when she handed over my drink. After my long journey and lack of sleep, I must have looked like someone who couldn’t handle their alcohol.

And boy, was she right. It was super-strong, but I was careful to only take small sips. After drinking half of it, I chucked the other half and made my way to the lobby, where I fell into a stupor (not a drunken one! how dare you think that!). Actually, I fell asleep sitting up. Finally, at noon, my room was ready, and after freshening up, I ventured down to the buffet and then took a 2-hour nap. Feeling somewhat refreshed, I made it to my tour group orientation at 6 pm and met my wonderful tour guide and fellow travelers.

Day 3:

After an introductory lecture on the history of Andalucía (which included its Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and Romani influences), we visited a weekly market in Nerja, followed by a motorcoach trip to a winery nestled in the mountains, a tour of the winery, a gourmet lunch and wine tasting, and a walk through the cobblestone streets of Cómpeta.

And now, it’s time for me to edit more photos. See you next time for a summary of Days 4 and beyond!

Apples, Autumn, and Angles

art, Challenges, environment, inspiration, nature, photography, writing, , , , , , ,

My photography group assignment for September was “Composition.” We were told to photograph a small object in at least 10 different ways, experimenting with angle, distance, etc., and then to choose the 2 to 4 we liked best, which would be presented to the group and critiqued at our next meeting.

We could define “small” in any way we wished. We had to keep the object in a consistent environment, but we could alter its appearance by doing things like spraying it with water, immersing it in water, or cutting it in half. I’m sure that last suggestion applied only to inanimate objects!

Aside from trying to decide how I’d alter the poor object, the hard part for me (and for many of the rest of us, I’ve heard) was settling on a subject to photograph. I wanted to choose something interesting or unique. But then it dawned on me that I was in the group to learn, not to try and impress anyone. And the best way for me to learn composition, I figured, was to keep it simple. I chose an apple as my model.

After selecting the prettiest apple in my fruit bin, I hauled out my camera, two lenses, a tripod, a shiny background, a scarf, a lamp, and a flashlight. I piled everything on my bed and proceeded to set up various scenes using the apple as the star of my production.

I set the apple on a white board. I placed a black box behind it. I nestled it in a colorful scarf. I experimented with various shutter speeds and apertures. I waved the scarf behind it. I sprayed the apple with water and coated it in olive oil. I spent at least 4 hours taking photos of the damned apple.

Then I spent another hour or so editing my photos. But after all of that, I was unsatisfied. I felt like I hadn’t done a very good job on the assignment, and I was embarrassed to show my photos to the group. Even worse, I hadn’t learned anything about composition.

Then yesterday I went for a walk, and what did I see? Hundreds of small, rain-splashed autumn leaves glittering in the sun. Some had landed on top of a sewer cover. There was a strange beauty in all of that. Unfortunately, all I had with me was my iPhone, and there was someone walking behind me. Nervous about stopping, squatting down, and taking pictures with someone watching, I kept walking.

But after they passed me, I turned around. Sure, traffic was zooming by, and I’d be noticed by everyone in their cars as I crouched down, held that position for far too long, and then struggled to get up again (that did happen!), but so what? If a good picture is worth 1,000 words, it’s also worth a little embarrassment and creaky knees. I got to work.

After about 5 minutes, I had 30 pictures of leaves! And my knees survived! I couldn’t wait to get home and edit the pictures. I hadn’t used any fancy equipment. I didn’t have special lighting or backgrounds to play with. But instead, I decided to do what our mentor had said … notice something, stop, walk around it, and take pictures from different angles.

What do you think of the results? Which photos do you like best?

Did I learn something? Yes. I learned that beautiful objects can be found anywhere, even at the most unexpected times and in the most unexpected places … and that it pays to consider all the “angles.”

Capturing Summer

environment, inspiration, nature, photography, writing, , ,

It’s the last day of August – but even without looking at the calendar I already know that summer’s end is fast approaching. The days are shorter, the nights cooler, and hundreds of sad, brown leaves have suddenly appeared on lawns and sidewalks in my neighborhood. I try not to notice them, but they lay there, taunting me. Some even have the audacity to crunch.

My sandals must be feeling neglected. Cool, damp mornings have sent me scrambling for my socks and sneakers – which is probably a good thing, since my summer pedicure (raspberry red polish this year) has seen better days.

My grandsons have gotten their back-to-school haircuts, too: another sure sign that the lazy, hazy, long-haired days of summer are over. You can see the boys’ smiling end-of-summer faces and new haircuts on my Photos page.

I used to dread this time of year, partly because I worked for a school district and had summers off, but mainly because I love summer and hate to see it come to an end. As someone with a June birthday, I like to imagine that my first impression of the world was a sunny and glorious one, filled with birds singing, kids splashing, and tons of ice cream. Yes, my love affair with June, July, and August goes way back.

But this year, rather than getting downhearted about the changing seasons, I’m trying to focus on the positive. I DID have a good summer. A pretty great one, in fact. The weather was good, especially for cloudy Rochester. I gardened. I walked. I mowed my lawn. I wrote and sang and played and took pictures. I visited family and friends. Family and friends visited me. And if all of that isn’t great, I don’t know what is.

Yes, the world is a mess right now. Some days I wonder how I can find joy in my surroundings when there are so many terrible things happening, but then I somehow manage to separate out the good from the bad. Getting outside in summer helps me with that. I go out and drink in the sunshine, and breathe in the warm air. I look around at all the living, thriving things, like trees, flowers, animals. I try and capture light and hold on to it for as long as I can.

Here is some light that I captured this summer, little moments that I enjoyed while being out and about with my camera. I’ll probably look at them again through the winter. I think that will be a little bit like sitting outside with the sun on my shoulders.

For more pictures of my summer (with captions so you’ll know what you’re looking at), visit my Photos page.

How was YOUR summer?

Brant Lake, Adirondacks, New York. I’ve always wanted to own a cabin there. I think I’ll have to settle for just driving around the lake and taking pictures.

Hopkins Sunflower Farm, Pittsford, New York.

Cardinal (male), Wild Wings walking trail, Honeoye Falls, New York. Wild Wings is a not-for-profit educational group that cares for permanently injured birds and has walking trails surrounding its facilities.

Don’t forget to check out my other photos, comment, and follow this blog (if you haven’t already) by hitting the Subscribe button! Thanks!

A Tale of Three Cities?

nature, photography, Rochester, upstate NY, writing

My hometown of Rochester, New York has been given a variety of nicknames over the years. Before 1850, it was known as “Flour City” due to the more than 20 flour mills situated along the Genesee River. In fact, at the time, Rochester was the largest flour producer in the world. 

Later, it was dubbed “Flower City,” since the world’s largest seed company, Ellwanger & Barry Nursery, was located here. The name “Flower City” continued to be a good fit after the inception of Rochester’s Lilac Festival (an annual May event). For more about the Lilac Festival and wonderful Highland Park, where it’s held, be sure to read my post, Lucky To Live in the ROC (Part 2).

Another of Rochester’s monikers over the years has been “Image City.” That’s because, not only were Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch & Lomb founded here, but George Eastman’s estate at 900 East Avenue is the world’s oldest photography museum, housing over a million objects in its photography and cinematography collections. And, like its city, this site also has three names: the George Eastman Museum, the George Eastman House, and the International Museum of Photography and Film.

As you might have guessed, Rochester is teeming with photographers, professional and amateur alike. I’m sure that’s part of what’s behind my interest in photography today.

I recently visited some of Rochester’s parks with my camera, and I’ll be posting photos here and on my Photos page. Here’s a little sample:

So, whether you call it Flour City, Flower City, or Image City, this city of mine is a pretty good place to be in spring, especially if you’re a visual person like me.

Don’t forget: Please click on “Photos” in my menu to see more scenes from my hometown, and let me know if you have a burning desire to purchase a download or print. 

Sweet Tweets

animals, birds, humor, nature, photography, writing

I’m trying to write another blog post – really, I am – but some noisy birds outside my window keep interrupting me. Quiet down! I’m trying to think!

Just kidding. I love birds. In fact, I just moved out to the sunporch so I can hear them better. I’m hoping for some avian inspiration.

Nothing’s coming to me, though. Oh well, no pressure. It’s not like it’s been 100 days since my last blog post or anything. Or … has it? Uh-oh. I guess it’s time to do what every self-respecting blogger has had to resort to at some point in their career: copy and paste someone else’s tweets! 

[The following is a full transcript of what I heard next.]

Cardinal: “Hi, Robbie. Glad you told us about this place. The food here at International House of Birdseed is primo!”

Robin: “You’ve got that right, Red. But by food, don’t you mean ‘grub’?”

Cardinal: “Right. I forgot you prefer those creepy crawlers. Oh look, here comes Jay!”

Blue jay: “Ah-ha! I knew I’d find you two characters here. And who’s this coming in for a landing? Could it be … Rose?”

Rose-breasted grosbeak: “Guys! This place is really hoppin’!”

Robin: “Yeah, and we’re all so diverse. Blue, yellow, red, black, white …”

House sparrow: “And brown! Don’t forget about us!”

Squirrel: “Yeah! That’s right!”

Grackle: “Move over, Squeaky … you’re on my patch of grass.”

Squirrel: “Oops, sorry big fella. Okay, enough with the small talk. Let’s eat. The food here is SO good.”

Cardinal: “And it’s all natural!”

Red-bellied woodpecker: “Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! You can say that again! The lady here doesn’t allow those nasty chemicals anywhere near the place. I can tell because there are SO MANY bugs up here in the trees.”

Chickadee: “That’s right, Woody. And dandelions, too. I can see them from here. There must be a million of them.”

Grackle: “Yeah, Dee. Not like next door. The lawn over there looks like a golf course, but don’t ever try and eat it. Eww!”

Blue jay: “I came across an interesting article about pesticides the other day while gazing down at someone’s iPhone.”

Rose-breasted grosbeak: “You can read?”

Blue jay: “Sure! We corvids are quite intelligent. Just go to birds.com if you don’t believe me. Anyway, according to the Audubon Society’s website, ‘It is estimated  that approximately 7 million wild birds are killed each year due to the aesthetic use of pesticides by homeowners.’ ”

Chickadee: “Yikes! I’ll stick to this lady’s yard for sure!”

Robin: “All I know is, the worms taste much better over here at this establishment. And speaking of the lady – is that her in the window? I think she’s on to us. Quick! Switch back to bird talk!”

Squirrel: “What about me?”

Robin: “Just keep your mouth shut until she leaves. Can you do that?”

Squirrel: “I’ll try!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unfortunately, I couldn’t understand anything they said after they’d spotted me. I’ll have to be more clandestine in the future. So for now, I still don’t have anything to write about. But I did manage to snap a couple of photos!

Bye Bye Birdie

News, photography, politics, Social Media, , ,

Elon Musk has just announced that he’s going to reactivate Donald Trump’s Twitter account. He said he used a “poll” and let the people decide.

I call B.S. I mean, how can anything on Twitter, which is rife with fake accounts and bots, be considered a valid poll. It just shows me how naive, or how scheming, Elon Musk is.

I haven’t been a big user of Twitter. My following, if it can be called that, is miniscule. But although I am small, I do have power, because there’s power in numbers. And if everyone who is as appalled as I am about Elon Musk’s recent actions were to dump their Twitter accounts, we’d have a voice.

So tonight I’m dumping Twitter.

Here, let me tell you what I really think: I have no desire to accidentally see Trump’s face or read his stupid tweets. If I do, I may get ill, and I’ll certainly feel sullied.

In my opinion, he’s a lying, dangerous man who’s forfeited his right to free speech on Twitter, especially while running for President again.

If you need other reasons to question Musk’s judgment and trustworthiness to run a site of this magnitude and influence, consider this article by Vanity Fair, that lists 21 “terrible things Elon Musk has said and done.”

A Reminder of Just Some of the Terrible Things Elon Musk Has Said and Done

No, I don’t want a person like that to get a penny from me for any ad revenue that my being a Twitter subscriber might generate for him.

Many people are ditching Twitter and going to a site called Mastodon.

Tonight I found an article about Mastodon, and more recent nefarious actions of Elon Musk. You can read it here:

Mastodon, the Social Media Platform Everyone Is Leaving Twitter For

I don’t wish to be a silent partner to this billionaire.

Bye bye, birdie. This bird has flown.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This is post #19 of the month-long challenge known as #NaBloPoMo or #NanoPoblano. To follow my blog, please click below where it says “Follow loristory.”

And, to read more of the NanoPoblano posts written by the supportive blogging group “Cheer Peppers,” click the image below.

Photo (mastodon) by Lori Bonati

Featured photo (person at computer) by ijmaki @ pixabay.com

Bugfest at 10 p.m.

Arizona, nature, photography, Tucson, writing, , , , , ,

Time for another set of photos inspired by my camera. Yesterday was a slugfest. Today is a bugfest. But don’t worry. They’re only pictures!

First up is a pine white butterfly (Neophasia menapia), as seen at Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia. This lovely creature, also known as the pine butterfly, feeds on the needles of pine and certain fir trees when it is a caterpillar, and on nectar as an adult. This butterfly is sampling some butterfly milkweed nectar at the moment.

Next, we have another butterfly, photographed in a quiet park in Tucson, Arizona on a bright, sunny day. This one has a long name: Ministryomon janevicroy. It’s perched on an upright prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera, or Mexican hat). The Ministryomon janevicroy gets its name from the spouse (Jane Vicroy Scott) of its discoverer, Jeffrey Glassberg. I think this is my favorite butterfly because it’s so powdery white, with thin, orange, wavy lines. Its most unique feature is its OLIVE GREEN EYES. If you zoom in, you can probably see them.

Working our way from pretty to a little bit scary, we have this little bee. Or is it a wasp? I’m not sure. It’s feeding on an Echinacea flower, which is in the daisy family. You can just scroll right past it if you have a fear of bees.

And you might want to scroll past the next one, too. In fact, I recommend it. It’s a horse lubber grasshopper (Taeniopoda eques). Believe it or not, I was able to take this photo up close without getting (too) grossed out. There were four or five of these big lugs, or should I say lubbers, hopping around on my fairy duster plant one day (again, in Tucson), so I did what every dedicated photographer does when they see a huge, disgusting insect: grab their camera and snap away. Then they yell “Ewww” and run screaming into the house. At least that’s what I did.

I enjoy taking pictures of butterflies and then identifying them via Google. It’s not that hard. You just have to be persistent. It’s not like identifying birds, which are hard to photograph in the first place, and then have so many variations within species. At least that’s been my experience.

On the other hand, I’m not wild about staring at pictures of insects for very long, but that’s just me.

The above pictures were taken some years back. Now, with my newer camera and a bit more free time, I’m hoping to capture better butterfly pictures in the future (and probably no more insects, if I can help it, except maybe a dragonfly … or a caterpillar … but no more horse lubbers, I promise!). All of that will have to wait, though. It’s currently 33 degrees out where I live now, and snow is in the forecast.

I think I’ll stick to indoor photography for the next three or four months. Then maybe I’ll start bugging people with pictures of bugs again.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This is post #17 of the month-long challenge known as #NaBloPoMo or #NanoPoblano. To follow my blog, please click below where it says “Follow loristory.”

And, to read more of the NanoPoblano posts written by the supportive blogging group “Cheer Peppers,” click the image below.

Featured image by ArtsyBee @ pixabay.com

Slugfest at Midnight

animals, Challenges, Daily Post, humor, inspiration, nature, photography, writing, , , ,

As midnight approaches on the 16th day of National Blog Posting Month, I find I’m at a loss for words. I’m likely to do something wild and unpredictable.

Well, this blog is supposed to be inspired by my camera, and I do have a photo or two in my collection. Let’s see what I can come up with.

(Pause while I pull up my photo app …)

Ahh. Okay. Fortunately, I’ve found something: a portrait in vibrant purples and golds. It shimmers. It moves. It practically jumps off the page! The model reminds me of a graceful Flamenco dancer. Her dress is as soft as a petal.

Unfortunately for you, the model is a slug. A literal slug.

Introducing: Señorita Iris Maria Ariana Slug! (I.M.A. Slug, for short)!

I told you I was likely to do something wild and unpredictable. And I did!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This is post #16 of the month-long challenge known as #NaBloPoMo or #NanoPoblano. To follow my blog, please click below where it says “Follow loristory.”

And, to read more of the NanoPoblano posts written by the supportive blogging group “Cheer Peppers,” click the image below.

Cover photo (clock) by JESHOOTS-com @ pixabay.com