Frog Pond and Cattails

Frog Pond

We've been having cold mornings and ice is starting to form.  The main pond down by the visitors center had only a little ice near the edges but the frog pond was a different story.  It is shallower, holding less heat.  It had ice starting to form all over.

I have read that it is always a good idea to turn around and look behind you when photographing something.  It is a good idea to see what the light is doing back there.  This shot is not from the same day but from the same time and location.

Cattails

I think that I like it because of the contrast of a background you would not expect for a shot of this plant.

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Fungi

False Turkeytail

I recently noticed these fungi growing on a log in the forest, a place I don't always visit except at this time of year.  The thing which intrigued me was the powder blue coloration.  I can't remember seeing that previously.  I like doing close-up shots so I went to work.

False Turkeytail

My lens of choice for this kind of shot is my Sigma 105 macro.  It is probably my sharpest lens and I love using it.  I was not thinking of it at the time but when I viewed it on the computer, I thought of a square-dance skirt.  This kind of shot is extremely difficult for me, physically, because of the short working distance of the lens.  I found it painful to walk when I finished this shoot.

False Turkeytail

False Turkeytail

Having been a skirt watcher for most if not all of my adult male life, I decided that the bottom was the most interesting part.  I tried to apply that concept in making this shot.  I tried a different lens for this shot. It was a Sigma 70 -300 mm macro.  It has a longer working distance which I hoped would help my back.  I used a Canon 500d close up filter get the coverage of the subject that I needed.  I still found it difficult for my back.

False Turkeytail

  I had another idea.  For this one I used my Sigma 50 - 500 mm lens with extension tubes.  The total for the extension was 36 mm and then I found that I needed to add my Sigma 1.4x teleconverter.  I did not like the sharpness of this arrangement but it was a little easier on my back.  It was an unwieldy looking setup!

Camera Setup

I am not sure that I am finished with this.  I wish that I could bring it to my workbench.  It would be a lot easier to shoot!

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Kell Hardware

Kell Hardware Store, Lexington

I was fixing something for my daughter-in-law the other day and needed a tool from the hardware store.  I happened to notice a sign in the window as I entered stating that they have been in business for 125 years.  Let's see, that would be about 4 generations.  It would go back to 1880's probably.   I don't know if they have been at that location for all those years.

I found that they have a web presence associated with the Lexington Business and Growth Association.  They still have the old wooden floors and bins and lots of "real" tools.  

I have noticed, over the years, that this kind of place is becoming less and less common   I have seen several close during my years in Mansfield.  I love this kind of store and used to just walk around and look at things.  I go somewhere like this when I am "creating"  something.  I like to see what is available for my "project" at the time.  It causes my juices to flow.

I found exactly what I needed that day.  I had a part for a toy which was cross threaded.  It turned out to be a metric size.  Not a problem at Kell's!  A knowledgeable person quickly determined the size and sold me the Tap, a tool to clean the threads, that I needed.  I don't find that at the big places.  Usually the person does not know about what I am talking.

I had the idea that my granddaughter, Lexie, who is studying Communications at OSU might like to interview the owner while I make a video.  It turns out that she is not into that area of study.  I still think that it would be interesting to learn the history.

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Fungi

Late Oyster

I think that the undersides of mushrooms are as or more beautiful than the top.  This image did not provide me with a good view to the top when I returned to the computer to make the ID.  I went back for another shot showing the top.  

Late Oyster

The coloration made me think that it might be Bitter Oyster.  The top and bottom seem to have the same color.  My only pause was that I did not think they were small enough.  The guide I use, Mushrooms by Kent and Vera McKnight, does not show a very large picture of the Bitter Oyster.  I am starting to think that that may in fact be what it is.  

I would observe that in photographing a mushroom one needs to show both the top and underside for ID purposes.  Sometimes one needs even more than that.  

I met a photographer at Gorman whose name is Mike Jarosick.  He recently sent me e-mail about some of his mushroom shots, specifically of the Dryad's Saddle.  I thought the he did a very competent job of capturing all angles and views.

My favorite of Mike's shots

You can see all of Mikes shots at his gallery.

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Channel not completely changed

Bridge Three

After the recent rains, I noticed that the "dug" channel on the right still carries some of the flow.  The primary channel has shifted to the left as you can see.

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Goldenrod Deformities

Goldenrod Stem

Previous to this fall, I was aware of only one type of deformity of the goldenrod.  This is the one.  I recently blogged about the new anomalies, to me, that I have found.  Steve McKee made me aware of Guide to Nature in Winter by Donald Stokes.  The book as Steve said is out of print.  I am sorry because it contains a wealth of information for me.  

This "gall" above is the ball gall.  It is caused by an insect, moth or fly, laying its eggs inside the young tender stem in the summer.  When the eggs hatch, the larvae use the the stem for food.  The plant grows this tumor in response to the chemicals secreted by the larvae.  They use it for food and often winter in it before burrowing out.

Goldenrod

I think these are two ball galls close together.

Goldenrod

  You can see where the insect larvae exited on this elliptical gall.

goldenrod

This is the third one called the Bunch Gall.  It caused the growth at the growing tip of the stem to cease.

goldenrod

 Sometimes, the stem will sprout mini flower stems from below the tip. 

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Panorama Planning

Gorman Nature Center

I have been looking for a good exciting panorama at Gorman.  This is one view that I have been considering.  It is looking East so I must watch when I shoot.  I made this one with a Sigma 10 - 20 mm lens.  I used f;/22 and shot five images of varying over and under exposure.  I used two stop steps.  I combined them in Photomatix Pro.  I liked the result of this technique much more than the single shot that I made of the scene.  I still have not shot the panorama.  I hope to get it shot when the weather and light cooperate.  

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