9 Plus 9

This week's blog features 9 photographs from two different experiences.

The first nine shots are of an abandoned, dilapidated building in Altoona, PA.   Recently the residents of Altoona were complaining about graffitti around the city.  But the news story said nothing about dilapidated buildings that are left standing.  It's easier to bust a kid with a can of spray paint than it is to bust a businessman with a checkbook and lawyers.    Ironically, the graffiti is for a demolition, salvage business in another part of the city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For many years I've been a vendor at the Apple Cider Festival held at Muskrat Beach at Prince Gallitzin State Park.  This year I got to be a demonstrator and give visitors an opportunity to learn how to take the nature shots.   I was fortunate to be across from the Shaver's Creek Environmental Center display.   I often get questions about how I take the owl and hawk photographs.   I was able to demonstrate to visitors to this year's Apple Cider event how I take the shots and they were able to take some of their own. 

Female American Kestrel -- Falco sparverius

Barred Owl -- Strix varia

Barred owl - close-up

Barn Owl -- Trto alba

Barn Owl -- close-up

Broad-winged Hawk -- Buteo platypterus

Broad-winged Hawk -- close-up

Great Horned Owl -- Bubo virginianus

I just wonder what the bird in the background is thinking.

Road Sign America

This week's post presents a few of the billboards I shot along Route 70 on our travels West and back East, again.   These feature the historic and tourist-type sites that most folks just don't have the time to stop and vist.  By having the photographs and the accessibility of information on the Internet we can do a "virtual visit" at our leisure.  And, as you can see by the backgrounds of most of these shots, we were very glad to have these distractions to divert our attention as we drove across the plains!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to the Present

A Tobacco Hornworm Moth soaking up the early morning sun. 

While shopping in a military commissary I picked up this bottle of whiskey to use in making beef jerky.  Should have enough to marinate 15 pounds of beef.   3 pounds of beef = 1 pound of dried jerky

Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly on the last of the butterfly bush blossoms.

Buddha behind blooming sedum.

I don't know one mushroom from another but it looks pretty.

The results of playing with fire and PhotoShop.

Bee on a Goldenrod

Back and side views of 2 turkey buzzards that were feeding on a porcupine until I came upon their picnic.

American Classics
A flag and a white picket fence.

White-tailed deer also known as the Virginia deer keeping an eye on me as I keep an eye on it.

Three of about 6 white tailed deer I saw along a back road eating apples in an old farm orchard.

While waiting to be judged at the Harmony Grange Fair this goat checks out the competition.

After a bath and a hair cut a 4-H member gives her pet goat a pep talk prior to the judging.

New York Asters next to a fence on Route 219 South.

Go to the crossroads, turn to the left and Hastings is only 3 more miles to the NorthWest.