Thursday Photos

Sophie went to the vet today for her annual shots and check-up, along with a bath and nail trim. I dropped her off at the vet’s on my way to school and picked her up on my way home. Lulu spent the first hour after we left howling–full basset hound howl with head thrown back and nose in the air. She missed her sister and let my husband know it! Sophie was happy when I picked her up and Lulu was happy when Sophie came in the door. Here’s Sophie outside today. Settings were f/7.1, 1/160, ISO 400.

We’re still having some rain related to Beryl. Settings were f/8, 1/200, ISO 400.

More Gloriosa Lilies are blooming out front. Settings were f/8, 1/500, ISO 400.

The Spiny-backed Orb Weaver was working on its web again–this seems to be a never-ending task. Settings were f/8, 1/500, ISO 400.

I saw the smaller of the two Brown Anoles that have been hanging around a section of fence. I’m not sure if this one is a male or a female. It bobbed its head at me today, a typical male behavior, but females do that too sometimes. The head shape looks a bit female, but it could just be a smaller, younger male. If I could get a good look at the pattern of markings on its back I could be more sure. Settings were f/7.1, 1/320, ISO 400.

I noticed a fly on the pool steps, but when I got close with the camera I saw that there were two flies mating. The flies look almost metallic to me, or like some sort of science fiction creatures. Settings were f/10, 1/60, ISO 640.

Wednesday Photos

One and a half more days of school! Teachers do have to go in next week for two days to finish up end-of-year tasks,  but the students finish around lunch time this Friday.

The weather was much nicer today as Tropical Storm Beryl moved on away from us. Here’s Sophie enjoying the sunshine. Settings were f/8, 1/320, ISO 100.

The Day Lily bud from yesterday was blooming today. Settings were f/7.1, 1/200, ISO 320.

The Spiny-backed Orbweaver has its new web mostly on the gate to the back yard. This photo shows off the design on the spider’s back. Settings were f/8, 1/500, ISO 320.

Still Rainy on Tuesday

Today it was just as wet and rainy as yesterday, but without the wind. There was a break in the rain after supper, so Sophie and I went on a quick walk around the yard for a few photos. The mystery tomato plant weathered the storm well and is full of tomatoes. Settings were f/7.1, 1/80, ISO 320.

Unfortunately the cherry tomato plants lost some branches(and the tomatoes on those branches), but the plants themselves are still fine. Settings were f/10, 1/30, ISO 500.

A branch from the big pine tree against the overcast sky. Settings were f/11, 1/250, ISO 200.

Over on the side of the house a new set of Day Lilies are about to bloom. Settings were f/6.3, 1/60, ISO 500.

Last for today is Sophie, alertly watching something that caught her eye. Settings were f/7.1, 1/250, ISO 500.

Now that today’s over, only 2 1/2 more days of school for us! I can’t wait for summer vacation.

Rainy Monday

Tropical Storm Beryl is mostly gone now. It’s been raining intermittently all day, with some wind at times. The main thing Beryl did in our yard was to blow over my blue lawn chair. Settings were f/6.3, 1/200, ISO 400.

Palm trees in the wind. Settings were f/5.6, 1/200, ISO 400.

The rain stopped for awhile every now and then and the sun even came out briefly a couple of times. Anoles like to dry off in the sun after it rains, so I watched the fence and saw two anoles. This one is the smaller Green Anole that’s been hanging around in that area. (Even though its color is currently brown, it is a Green Anole and it can turn a bright green.) Settings were f/7.1, 1/160, ISO 160.

The larger Brown Anole came out also, and as usual he quickly ran and hid when he saw me, looking out at me around the fence post. Settings were f/7.1, 1/200, ISO 160.

This Brown Anole is a good-sized male and more timid than most–usually the big males are at least brave enough to sit still on the fence if I approach quietly and take a few photos. I stayed near the fence and after awhile he began to bob his head and show his dewlap, a territorial display. I walked away, trying to reinforce his bolder behavior by leaving, and the anole seemed pretty pleased with himself. When I saw him a little later he was sitting on top of a fence post looking very much in charge of the fence, and he was somewhat more willing to have his picture taken. Settings were f/8, 1/250, ISO 250.

Out front more of the Gloriosa Lilies were blooming and wet from the rain. In this photo a lily can be seen upside down in the raindrops hanging from the plant. Settings were f/9, 1/125, ISO 320.

The Spiny-backed Orb Weaver was out building a new web after the worst of the storm was over. It was attaching the web to the gate to the back yard, which will be fine for a couple of days until we need to unlock and open the gate! Settings were f/9, 1/640, ISO 320.

Beryl on Sunday

Tropical Storm Beryl, that is. It’s windy and rainy tonight and we’ve already had a couple of very brief power outages, so I’m going to go ahead and quickly post the photos I have ready now,  in case the lights go out again. I’ll come back and add a couple more if the weather permits. First, a couple of pre-storm tomato photos. Here are a few on the mystery plant. Settings were f/7.1, 1/160, ISO 200.

And here is part of today’s harvest from the Sweet 100′s plants. Settings were f/7.1, 1/800, ISO 100.

First sign of the approaching storm: a pair of Mourning Doves up in a tree, feathers ruffled in the wind as the clouds move in. Settings were f/13, 1/800, ISO 100.

And back to add a few more pictures. A Robin was around this afternoon, posing on the fence. Settings were f/6.3, 1/500, ISO 200.

The same Robin on the wire out front. Settings were f/7.1, 1/200, ISO 200.

Tropical Storm Beryl hasn’t actually done much yet here, just some off-and-on rain and some moderate wind gusts, with those few power outages that only lasted a minute or so. Here are palm fronds at the top of the palm tree against the cloudy sky this evening. The ISO went up pretty high because of the low light. Settings were f/5.6, 1/250, ISO 1250.

 

Tomatoes and the Moon on Saturday

Today we ate the first two tomatoes to ripen on the mystery plant, and they were wonderful–deep red and flavorful. I’m looking forward to more tomatoes from this plant! Right now there are over 40 tomatoes of various sizes on the plant, but none of them are showing any color yet. Here are a pair of these tomatoes–they seem to grow mostly in pairs. Settings were f/9, 1/100, ISO 160.

This evening I was too late to catch the sunset, but I did take a few photos of the crescent moon. I tried a few different combinations of settings, and this photo was the one I liked best.  Settings were f/8, 1/80, ISO 500.

 

Finally Friday

It’s been a long and busy week, and I’m so glad it’s Friday and that we have a 3-day weekend–Monday is Memorial Day. Sophie and I took a quick walk around the back yard late this afternoon. The cherry tomatoes are flourishing and I’m picking about a cup a day now, plus the tomatoes I pick and eat on the spot. A fresh-picked, sun-warmed Sweet 100 tomato is wonderful. Settings were f/5.6, 1/500, ISO 250.

The plants are still flowering. Settings were f/5.6, 1/640, ISO 250.

And tiny new tomatoes are still forming. Settings were f/10, 1/320, ISO 250.

We have some basil growing by the back door that hasn’t been looking good, but after I cut it back it’s looking better. Settings were f/5.6, 1/50, ISO 250.

The grass is long because I didn’t cut it when I should have, but I’ll get that taken care of tomorrow. Settings were f/9, 1/50, ISO 250.

Sweet Sophie. Settings were f/5.6, 1/160, ISO 250.

Two for Thursday

Still recovering from graduation as well as keeping my classroom of students at work during our last couple of weeks of school. Everyone is feeling summer coming! I took just a couple of photos after school this afternoon. Another Gloriosa Lily opened today. Settings were f/7.1, 1/800, ISO 250.

This one is the result of the squirrels busily burying acorns in the back yard last fall. This tiny oak sapling sprouted from an acorn that had been hidden under the palm trees. Settings were f/5.6, 1/500, ISO 160.

 

One for Wednesday

Tonight was graduation night for our high school. At our school the faculty wears robes, walks in the processional ahead of the seniors, and sits near the seniors during the ceremony. I had one boy from my class graduating and I enjoyed seeing him proudly walk across the stage to receive his diploma.

So I got home late, but I went outside to take a photo for tonight: a sliver of moon as the last light faded from the sky. Settings were f/5.6, 1/50, ISO 250.

Two for Tuesday

We had our class graduation party today for our one student who’s graduating this year, so it was a fun but busy and hectic day! I took just a few photos when I finally got home from work. Here are some ripening cherry tomatoes in the setting sun. Settings were f/6.3, 1/80, ISO 200.

And here’s Lulu lying in the grass. Settings were f/6.3, 1/60, ISO 200.