Sharon's Week 34: They Were Clouds In My Coffee

I'm starting with a bonus photo just because I am excited to have gotten it.  Last Saturday morning as I was walking to the first boardwalk on Whitefish Island, I startled a great blue heron and later on my way back, I startled him again so there were no photo opportunities.  When I went back Sunday morning, I walked slowly and followed a trick I learned in a book that if you walk on the outsides of your feet, you don't make noise.  I looked ridiculous but I was all alone (it was 6:30) so it didn't matter.  Anyway, the heron was not in the same spot and I didn't see him at all during the two hours I wandered around waiting for the fog to blow off (which it did not).  Later that evening, Levi and I went for a walk (yes! he joined me) and we found the heron further into the park, but he was out in the water behind a bunch of grass and bushes and other stuff I can't identify.  I slowly negotiated my way into the bush, stepping carefully so I wouldn't suddenly fall into the marsh or step on a nest of something (I was, as always, in my sandals), trying not to get covered in thistles or to touch any giant hogweed and trying not to startle the bird (wow, photography can be hazardous).  I finally made it to a spot where I could stand on my tiptoes, lean over to the left (depending on how the wind was blowing the reeds) and clearly see my prey.  Here he (or she) is in all his (or her) glory.  I see that it has come over kind of blurry.  I don't know why that happens on this blog sometimes but believe me when I tell you that this photo is crystal clear and his eye is as sharp as a tack.

I realize now that I could have used this for my wild card but I already had a wild card picked out and this is what I thought to do.  Blame it on a long week at work (five days!  I actually had to work five days this week!).

All of my photos this week were taken last Sunday, either during my foggy morning trek or during my rare walk with Levi, both at, you guessed it, Whitefish Island.  I was so happy with my photos that when Pam and I walked there with Riya Monday evening, I didn't even bring my camera!

Here are the week's topics.  Play a game if you like...guess which were morning and which were evening (shouldn't be too difficult since I told you about the fog).

clouds

About my title this week...just as I was writing the word "clouds" right here, my phone was playing Carly Simon's You're So Vain and it got the the part where she sings that line.  Such a coincidence told me that I had to make it my title.

slow

These ducks seem to be a bit slow in the reproduction cycle.  Usually we see the babies in May.

looking up

Levi noticed these and thought that they were rather large for wild crabapples.

noisy

This flock of birds was doing some practice flights and let me tell you, they were advertising the fact.  I don't know how many birds were up there but they certainly were noisy.  I was mesmerized as I watched them fly one way then another, all together.  Levi told me the science behind how they do that but frankly, it was over my head.  I took about 50 photos until they finally flew a bit further away and I could make myself leave. I couldn't decide which photo to choose so here are two.

L

I had to turn this photo sideways but the L jumped out at me as I walked along a path.

crooked horizon

This is something that annoys me in photographs...if the horizon is crooked.  It really hurts my eyes.  I know that the horizon is not all that's important about the photo and the person who took it was probably excited about something else entirely but the slanted line at the back will distract me.  It takes all my effort to force my eyes away to look at the likely intent.  Anyway, there is a place for crooked horizons but they have to be done intentionally and at a great degree to work properly (in my opinion).  I put this topic in the list to challenge myself.  These drops were hanging at an angle on the boardwalk.  Because I tilted the camera to align the drops with the frame, the reflections in the drops all have tilted horizons!  Voila, I avoided challenging myself yet again.

wild card

I love the shape of Queen Anne's lace when it is past its prime.

That's it for this week.  A day early.  Happy weekend everyone.