eskildoodle1

Spring Within

It may, in fact, be ok to rush spring a little, as long as it’s done indoors. #amaryllis #spring #indoors

In the late afternoon, just before sunset, rays of light peeked through the window to enlighten my fingers as I played ukulele. I was practicing finger picking the melody lines for various tunes, which is really fun and a nice skill to develop. Curiously enough, the tune I was working on when this enlightenment occurredContinue reading “Enlightenment”

Kidney Stone

Long, long ago, hot water percolated through sediments and deposited iron oxide minerals in the form of hematite, a type of iron ore. The hematite above came from Minnesota’s Cuyuna Mountain Range, and I purchased it for my collection from a rock shop in Colorado when I was a child. The mineral ranges in colorContinue reading “Kidney Stone”

Slick?

“Oil Slick” brings to mind a variety of images. I had to wonder if the license plate referred to a petrochemical cleanup worker, a retired maritime tanker captain, a mechanic, or a former submariner; probably not. Maybe it was a commentary on certain hair care products popular many years ago. Regardless, a real oil slickContinue reading “Slick?”

In the Moo-d

This grinning Holstein banner caught our attention at a neighbor’s house. They were happy to grant permission to photograph the bemused bovine and let me use it in the post. Both Fairy and I grew up on farms and were around dairy cattle. This brings back happy memories for both of us, and seemingly forContinue reading “In the Moo-d”

Backside of Thunder

We knew we were pressing the envelope when we went for a walk ahead of rain predicted for later in the morning. Before long we noticed streamers across the sky mingling with the chaotic mottling of clouds seen in the photo. We pondered the cause of the rumpled clouds, and then low, rumbling thunder gaveContinue reading “Backside of Thunder”

Winging It

“It’s a bird, it’s a plane…” Actually it’s both and more; a bird can be seen winging its way just above the airplane in the photo, and two more are flitting by on the lower right of the photo. The plane and the birds follow courses that parallel the contrail, but in opposite directions. WhileContinue reading “Winging It”

Petro-what?

While living in Wyoming, I frequently explored the surrounding desert, mountains, and canyons looking for rocks, petroglyphs, and wildlife. On one of those expeditions, I found this rock with artistic etchings in the dark desert varnish on its surface. I like to imagine a young native person centuries ago trying to imitate nearby petroglyphs by practicingContinue reading “Petro-what?”

January Autumn

Florida winters seem like a combination of fall and winter with a touch of spring soon to come. This tree has finally realized its time to drop its leaves as has the maple in our front yard. Beneath the trees, blossoming azaleas are even more colorful in the chilly morning air. Soon the live oaksContinue reading “January Autumn”

First Fossils

At an abandoned gravel pit along the Platte River, I once searched through the pile of large rocks that had been filtered from the gravel. They were of no commercial use and had been discarded by the gravel pit operator. However, they were a treasure trove to young rockhounds like me, and there I foundContinue reading “First Fossils”