Chilly Half Marathon - March 1, 2009

Chilly Half Marathon - March 1, 2009
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

Fleur-Ange (aka Églantine) took this at about the 18 km point. Only 3 km to go but it felt like a lot more. I was down to more walking than running but finished ahead of the ambulance again and still on my feet.

It was a chilly day. The wind chill temperatures ranged from - 11 to -14 with the wind from the north. The saving grace was that the sun was out and almost all of the ice and snow was off the streets so it was dry pavement running 99.9% of the way.

Skunk Cabbage - February 27, 2009

Skunk Cabbage - February 27, 2009
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

This is our first native new flowering species for the year. (I am not counting all the flowers that keep blooming all year long.) For more information and views of where it grows, have a look at my earlier Flickr photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ontario_wanderer/3315594393/in/photostream/

For lots more information look at this site:
http://www.natureinstitute.org/pub/ic/ic4/skunkcabbage.htm

Kansas Barnyard Memories

Barnyard Memories
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

I spent many an hour half under a cow with a bucket and tired, sore fingers trying to coax out milk for the family and the cats in this old barn. I was never too good at hand milking and didn't like being there but I was there to the finish, or else. This photo was taken long after I left home and the barn was no longer in use. Now the barn, most of the family, all the cats and all the cows are gone and there are only memories and most of them are mine and fading.

Mystery Micro Macro

Mystery Micro Macro
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

This one is a mystery to me too. It is a lichen and growing on a Black Walnut tree. If anyone knows their lichens and can give a name, I would be grateful. Meanwhile, I will have a look through my lichen book and see if I can find a name. I've not had much luck identifying lichens so far.

2 1/2 hour "Quick" Sketch

2 1/2 hour "Quick" Sketch
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

We were to do a "quick sketch" for a painting class on Wednesday. 2 1/2 hours later I was still struggling with something I did not like much. Everyone else seemed to like it a lot more than I. I really need to work more on portraits I guess. I feel much better drawing plants and flowers.