Day #244 Once In A Blue Moon

Went to Blackhills State Park to see if I could get a pic of the Blue Moon. Got a wonderful sunset on the lake while I waited. Couldn't see moon from lake so I headed home only to see it minutes later rising through some trees. Pulled over set up tripod and snapped a few shots before leaving the park.
The Blue Moon is to second full moon in a calendar month and it doesn't happen very often. The last time it occurred was New Years Eve 2009 and we won't see it happen again till July 31, 2015. My moon seems to have a face, can you see it?

Day #243 Soldiers Of The Light

With the day coming to a close and no pictures around the house that I was happy with I headed to volleyball a little early to get a sunset picture. This is the third time these power lines have made my project, each time with a little different point of view.

Day #242 High Wire Act

A day at the National Zoo in D.C. This is Batang the Orangutan and she's crossing the O Line. The O Line lets her and the other Orangutan travel up and over a part of the zoo to the two building they occupy. This was my third visit this summer and the first time I witnessed the crossing. It was pretty cool.  

Day #241 You Light Up My Life

Thirty six years ago today my married life began. What a wonderful journey it has been. It was luck that brought us together so long ago? Maybe but it takes more then luck to stay together, raise a family, and be more in love now than then.

Day #240 Orange You Happy

A trip back to Brookside Gardens Flight Of Fancy before it closes.

Day #239 The Spider And The Fly, Oh My

Yep, my Nikon is back and seems to be working great. It seemed so odd when I sent it off to not have a viewfinder to look through on my P&S. Now over a month later it was odd to have one again. Only took moments to feel back at home with it. A viewfinder is so must better outside in the sunlight than the screen on my P&S. Walking around the yard this tiny guy caught my eye.....

Day # 238 MOOseum

This is inside what was once a working dairy barn. In 1913 James King purchased a 350 acre farm in Montgomery County, Md. and turned it into a thriving dairy farm. This cement block dairy barn was built in 1930. A little after Mr. Kings death the farm was sold and ended up in the hands of The Maryland National Parks and Planning Commission. In 1999 with the help of corporate and individual supporters of youth soccer programs these acres were turned in soccer fields. This dairy barn is the only thing remaining of the farm and is surrounded by soccer fields. It has been preserved and now holds the history of dairy farms insides. They also do elementary school field trips here so children can experience and see how a dairy farm works, even bringing in a real cow to milk. It's so nice to see things preserved and not just demolished.

Day #237 The Standoff

Decided to go for a walk around Gunners Lake after lunch out with girlfriends. These two looked so funny standing on rocks just in the water . Did they have a fight and just can't look at each other. Didn't see the dragonfly till a loaded the pictures in the computer. Maybe he's the go between.....
There was some kind of water plant lining a good portion of the lake blooming with little yellow flowers. Seemed like dragonfly heaven....

Forty six days ago my Nikon stopped working and was spent to New York . Today I arrived home to a box on my porch. Nik is back home... HURRAY  hope he had a good vacation

Day # 236 Survives The Times

While visiting mom in Laurel today I decided to stop at the rail station on Main Street and get my POTD. This B&O rail station opened in 1884 and now serves the MARC trains that go to Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Monday through Friday. It was listed on the National Register of Historic places in 1973. Laurel grew and prospered because of this rail station. Although a fire guttered the interior and damaged the roof and bricks in 1992 it was restored to it's old time glory.... did I know all this before my picture ? No, another plus in my picture a day journey......

Day #235 I've been Tagged

Took a ride to the Catoctin Zoo after work today. Finally got a couple good shots of the captive wild life there on my third visit so no flower or pond picture this time.  Took the Safari tour and was able to get some really close up shots. No crop here, he was probably two feet from me waiting on some popcorn or english muffins that they provided us to feed them.

Day # 234 Rest Stop

Left work and thought maybe train tracks today. Got a couple shots and noticed this butterfly beside the tracks. He was very beautiful and kept returning to this bunch of weeds. I got some lovely shots of him and choose this one since it does have my tracks in it although a very different point of view then I imagined as I headed to the tracks. One thing I can always count on when I  head out to take a picture, I never know what will end up in your camera...

Day # 233 Fallen

Stayed home today and got the house straight . Noticed a few deer behind the house and grabbed the camera. Guess they didn't want their picture taken today as I watched them run off into the woods. My eye was drawn to the different light hitting this fallen tree that crosses the creek so here sits my POTD.

SOOC

Day # 232 Untamed

Overcast it's going to rain, go to the movies kind of day. Got a couple shots of darkening clouds since Bob was driving and I had him pull off the highway at the scenic view exit. Not a scenic view kind of day but you never know. Walked a little passed the mowed section into the wild flowers and over grown grass. Took a couple different shots and choose this one because I was pleasantly surprised to see a butterfly in it. Can you find him?

Day # 231 High Wheel Racing

Glanced at the Frederick Post before work this morning and on the front page was an article about a High Wheel Bike Race at 4:30. I saw one of these bikes in the Damascus parade in July and knew it would be fun. Streets were closed down and traffic was horrendous for those unaware of the event. The race was an hour long around and around and around about a four city block. The blocks were lined with spectators watching the fifteen or so cyclist. I walked around the whole block taking pictures. Bob followed never losing sight of me which was a good thing since I had no idea where he was and would never have found him in that crowd.

Day #230 Perfect Landing

Read in the local paper that Blackhills Park had a pontoon sunset ride on the lake tonight. Stopped by to see if there were still tickets and was told it was a misprint in the paper. Disappointed but did find out when the next one was so will try to go then. Walked to the butterfly gardens they have outside the visitors center and found this lovely Monarch having a great time gathering nectar.

Day #229 GOT MILK

A day at the fair. Was one of those real hard days to choose just one picture. Spent six hours roaming the barns, rides, and of course food stands. This pretty mom had her baby at the fair a couple days ago. Look at the happy smile on her face. Montgomery County, Maryland had 200+ dairy farms at one time but is now down to only 5.

Day # 228 Riding On The Path

With the weather only in the 80's decided to take a bike ride on the path before dinner. Tomorrow a day at the county fair.

Day #227 Petals

Walked over to see what my neighbors rose bushes looked like and they didn't let me down. She has a guy that keeps her roses healthy and looking their best when they bloom. I liked the way the trees were adding little shadows to this rose. After four full days at the beach and an early full day at work today I'm just glad I had to energy to walk next door and get a few shots.... cross day 227 off the calendar

Day #226 I See Red

Stopped at a farmers produce stand on the way home from the beach. My sister in law got peaches and corn and I got red sunflower pictures. They had a few long rows of flowers growing beside the stand so that's where I headed. Mixed in with the yellow sunflowers was a large group of red ones.

Day # 225 A Sea Of Green

Out on an early morning bike ride on the path behind my brothers beach house this morning.It's a lovely trail through the woods,fields,and over marshes. As I'm riding I start hearing honk,honk,honk. Looking to find where the noise is coming from I spy a field of soybean and Oh my goodness geese but you only see their neck and heads. Parked the bike and went through a little bit of woods to be at the field and try to capture what I was seeing. This is definitely one of my favorite pictures I have taken so far in my journey. Now off I go to capture today's sunset. Heading home tomorrow, boy the weekend flew by.

Day # 224 Empty

Another full day at the beach. Got up at five and headed to the boardwalk for a sunrise picture. So cloudy there was only small slivers of the rise happening. Walking the near empty boardwalk the benches that line it caught my eye and became my picture. This was definitely a different picture fourteen hours later with people sitting on all the benches and the boardwalk packed. Rained on and off all day but was still a great day at the beach! 

Day #223 Watching

Headed to brothers place at the  beach after picking up mom, sister in law and niece. Made the four hour drive before the heavens opened up with rain. By five the rain had stopped and we headed out to the last day of the White Marlin Tournament. The boats would be arriving to weigh in their fish. Should make for a great picture of a really big fish. We waited over two hours and no boats. It was a ruff day out at sea and no boats came in with fishes. I guess just like my journey some days are better then others but I always get some kind of fish (picture). Working with my IPad and using the PhotoWizard App I made my seagull picture a little more interesting I think.

Day # 222 Early Morning Mist

A day off and up early :( . Poured some cereal and made tea to start the day. Look outside and boy is it foggy. Well that could make a POTD if I can capture the fog. Quickly down my cereal, abandon my tea and throw some clothes on. Maybe the path behind the house will have the fog. BINGO got some pretty good pictures and mom and baby deer almost knocked my fog picture off the page. Guess waking up early wasn't so bad after all. :)

Day # 221 Colors

The hanging baskets I bought a couple weeks ago are blooming again. Hard to believe all the colors in these blossoms. While I need to water them just about every day in this heat the view is well worth the effort.

Day # 220 Hurry

Saw a picture just like this and since I work at the grocery store I knew I'd like to try it. Not real happy with the results but you get the idea. Will take this again but don't plan on taking anymore pictures today so here it sits in my photo journey. My thirty two years at the Giant Food have just flown by just like these aisles. Technology has really changed things at the store but the look of the aisles, not so much.

Day # 219 Playing In The Puddle

Spent the day at the house with no picture or plan in mind. Late afternoon took a trip to the grocery store because Rain Bran cereal was on sale and I had coupons. Nothing on the short trip there . Coming home the cows must have been let out in the pasture because they weren't there twenty minutes ago. Pulled into the church and hopped out to get my picture. I crossed the street and was standing right beside the fence. It rained last night and filled their little puddle up. By the time I left there were five cows in the water.

Day # 218 Spa Day At The Fair

Had a great time at the Howard County Fair. Let's see rabbits, sheep, cows, horses, 4H kids, rides, food, pig and duck races just to name a few. Lasted four hours but the temps in the high 90's finally wore me out. Got some great shots today.

Day #215 This Shark's Got Air

Took a ride to Silver Spring to see Chompie The Shark. Walked all the way around the building plus onto a metro platform, thanks goodness had my smart card on me. Spent a good hour an a half shooting him from all angles and distances. Wish I could have gotten head to tail in the shot but think I need to be in a plane or helicopter. Some facts about Chompie :

446 feet  nose to tail

200 feet tip to tip side fins

11,720 yards of fabric and 36.7 miles of thread

6,400 of man-hours to makeMade for the Discovery Communications Building by Ann Wawer to promote Shark Week this is his third appearance since 2007 and my first trip to see him.

Day #214 Lovely Lacey Weed

                                                       First spotted this growing abundantly in the median on the way to work. Do I pull over and try to get some shots before the mowers come ? Been thinking this all week .... Not really wanting to be the talk by the water cooler "You won't believe what I saw on my way to work" I haven't stopped. Found some today by the path that I walk and got my POTD. I now know the name of this lovely weed.  Queen Anne's Lace

Day #215 Lovely View

Did a little running around Frederick today and thought I'd stop by Baker Park to find my POTD. While it took me awhile to find the park since I wasn't starting where I usually do and I have no sense of direction I finally found street parking and had a wonderful walk.

Day #214 Girlfriends

It's a full table of friends and fondue.