The Great Escape

The Great Escape, Böblingen, Germany, July 2012, Canon PowerShot S90, 
28mm, 1/250 sec @ f2, ISO 80, 0 EV, no flash © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Carol had been going through the garden on slug and snail patrol, and man, it was a bumper crop.  She put all the little critters into a large pail while she was checking out the other plants.

Well check out these felons.  They are making a get-a-way.  Can you see the one in the background, well on his way to freedom (and one of our garden plants).

Sorry to say I notice the escape while it was still in progress, so these criminals were (gently) relocated to some yummy vegetation on the other side of yard.

Sneaky buggars!

Sun-drenched

Sun-drenched, Böblingen, Germany, August 2012, Canon PowerShot S90, 
28mm, 1/1600 sec @ f2, ISO 80, 0 EV, no flash © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

We grew sunflowers in our yard here in Germany this year.  Not sure we'll do it again, but it was fun to see them finally bloom and really soak up the sun.  Not to mention the birds and the bees that liked visiting them as well.

They are sure eye-catching against a blue sky.  Love it.

Flowers with Wings

Flowers with Wings, Böblingen, Germany, July 2012, Canon PowerShot S90, 
105mm, 1/640 sec @ f8, ISO 100, 0 EV, no flash © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Butterflies have been in short supply for the past 3 years over here in Böblingen, Germany where we currently live.  So we were happy to spot this fella, which I believe is a Peacock butterfly (aka Inachis io, male), right here in our own patio garden.

We really love to watch the beauty and delicateness of these "flying flowers".  They are magnificent.

WotD: "Scrumptious"

Gone Fishin', Böblingen, Germany, May 2011,

Nikon D5000, 35mm focal length equiv. 300mm, exposure 1/320 sec @ 5.6 ISO 200, no flash 

 © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

OK, so maybe this isn't the best picture for a vegan to post, but hey, it's just nature.

And that is one happy-looking heron.

But this morning Carol picked this word as we dined on banana-nut waffles, covered with sliced nectarines and maple syrup.  Oh. My. God.

Even the day was a scrumptious one as well.  Carol was taking good care of me on Father's day, not that she doesn't every other day as well.

And the weather was equally scrumptious -- sunny but with periodic clouds to keep us cool, and a nice gentle breeze.

Yep, scrumptious indeed.  And yummy!

WotD: "Delightful"

Simply Delightful, Böblingen, Germany, May 2011,
Canon PowerShot S90, 35mm focal length equiv. 28mm, exposure 1/60 sec @ f4, ISO 80, no flash 

 © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

So it's been forever, and for that I am sorry.

It's time to re-engage with Reflections of Beauty, but I need to find an easy path back in.

So I've decided to try a Word of the Day (WotD).  And with that, a picture -- that may or may not have anything to do with that word.  We'll just have to see.

My wife Carol and I are deciding on what our WotD will be when we wake up in the morning.

So stay tuned.  At least you will get some pictures, and hopefully they will be "beautiful", even if they aren't accompanied by too many "reflections".  We'll see how things go.

Day 4: Follow your nose

Follow Your Nose, Böblingen, Germany, August 2010,

Panasonic DMC-ZS7, 35mm focal length equiv. 25mm, Exposure 1/30 sec @ f3.3, ISO 100, with flash

© Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

I have a habit of rising early in the morning, before anyone else is awake.  I like to spend some quiet time, by myself, reflecting and investigating.  Sometimes I just "follow my nose" and watch as my e-mail leads me to one web-site, and that to another, pursuing some thread of possible interest.

I will admit -- it can be a time waster.  But it can also take you places you would never have come across had you stayed within your typical patterns.  It's almost a multimedia "free association" process.  I'm sure Sigmund Freud could make lots of observations.

And to what end, this following of one's nose?  Well, like my buzzing buddy in the photo -- who knows?  Your nose never knows ;-)  You may just end up pollinating one friend or another with some of the ideas you learned about, and from that, who knows what flowers might blossom.

So follow your nose, and make some time for serendipity to happen.

• Donation:  Alzheimer's Association
  
• Exercise:  My first ever spin class (60 mins); boy, those guy (and gals) are certainly masochists ;-)