One of my favorite subjects: Trail Fungus

Hopefully you are not getting too tired of my fungus photo's. Because here are more!

 

 

 

 

 

Monarch Butterflies

A couple of weeks ago I started to notice a few Monarch Butterflies in the area. Then while on my normal weekend hike I saw these. At one point I had four in one frame. But that photo did not come out very well. I was a using a 200mm non-autofocus lens's due to the distance. I still have trouble getting this lens focused well. The light was low so I had to use a wider/slower aperture but the butterflies were moving a lot so they were blurring. It is difficult to balance low light and moving subjects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even more fungi

This is something I just came across this weekend. This is the largest bloom of this orange fungi that I have ever seen yet. I saw a much smaller bloom in this spot several years ago (15 - 20 hears ago?). I Just had a point and a shoot camera and no tripod at that time. Those photo's did not come out at all.

I am glad I have had this opportunity to try again.

This is fungus is called Chicken Of The Woods. It is supposed to be edible. No to sure it would try it my self without some more knowledgable verifying it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flora and Fauna of Storm Water Park

A friend from work posted some photo's from a Storm Water Park. It was very near where I live so I decided to walk over and take a look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shades State Park: The ravines

I decided to try a different state park besides Turkey Run. I visited Shades State Park. It is very near Turkey Run. They are about ten miles apart. A person could go to one during the Golden Hour in the morning, hike a few hours, then vistit the other park in the evening Golden Hour. Sounds like a plan to me! Throw in some camping and have the perfect weekend.

I hiked there about 6 - 7 hours and still missed almost half the park. So I will need to go back soon to try the other trails. The trails I followed went up and down some ravines. Most of the ravine floor was loose flat rocks that also had water running down them to varraing degrees. Most of the trails were rated "Rugged". I probably should have been wearing my boots to support my ankles. But no, I wasn't. I was wearing my sandles. It turned out OK this time. I have been avoiding wearing my boots. They are in very bad shape. I will need to replace them before winter.

Anyway, I took enough photo's that will need share them over multiple posts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sun Beams

These were shot on a cool hazy morning.