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A Bee's Journey

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Tue, 01 May 2007 14:02:45 PDT

A bee's journey
Originally uploaded by
Polar Bear in a Snowstorm.

I ventured over to the Mercer Arboretum last Friday to work on some of my photography skills. The arboretum is quite a neat place and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves nature and the outdoors.

When I first got there, it was a little after they opened at 8:00 am and the first thing I walked by were these beautiful California Poppies. Quite a few of them were still wrapped tightly and covered with morning dew. I took some photos and then continued on my way.

As I was leaving, they were filled with bees, busy at work. I couldn't resist the urge to stop and take some more photos. Unknowingly, my ISO setting was still on 1600 as I just came out of a really shady area where I was not using a flash. This actually was probably my savior as it allowed the camera to have a fast shutter speed (1/2000 of a second) which made it possible to freeze the wings in flight.

This picture is a composite of four shots that I took while stopping on the way out. I hope you enjoy them.

Hanging Out

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 07:20:15 PDT

Hanging Out
Originally uploaded by Polar Bear in a Snowstorm.

I hate - o.k., hate is too strong a word - flying, stinging insects. They freak me out. Period. So, what do in this case? I pull out my 300mm macro lens and get as close as I can to this paper wasp munching on a bottle brush flower. I was about 18 inches from this fella when my finger clicked the shutter.

Truth be told, he probably saw me - I mean, how can he not with those eyes - but didn't really care about me and my camera. As long as I didn't mess with his desire to feed, he couldn't have cared less.

A Fungus Among Us

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 10:49:27 PDT

T
Originally uploaded by Polar Bear in a Snowstorm.

I was out in the backyard last night looking at the hibiscus I planted last year when I spotted a little piece of mulch with a wee little mushroom growing on it. The little sucker was just begging to be photographed, so I picked up the twig and set it down on the arm of one of our Adirondack chairs and clicked away.

This is one of the pictures that captured. The sun came out from behind a cloud and really lit up the fungus, showing off it's golden hue. The tiny little mushroom is about half the diameter of a dime and sits maybe ½ inch high on a twig about 3 inches long.

Looking for Love

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 11:12:26 PDT

Looking for Love
Originally uploaded by Polar Bear in a Snowstorm.

Every creature deserves a little love, don't they? This green anole sure hopes that he can catch the attention of a female. With his dewlap fully puffed out, this male sports a catchy red chest. What female wouldn't fall head over heels for this fine looking fella.

Pipevine Swallowtail

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 10:55:17 PST

Pipevine Swallowtail
Originally uploaded by zkywords.

We went over to Round Rock this past weekend to visit my brother-in-law's family and also to catch the Barenaked Ladies concert in Austin (Bee Cave to be exact) at the Backyard. The concert was superb! They're one of the best concerts out there. All of them are very gifted and talented on their instruments as well as vocally. As a group, simply put, they don't mess up. This is the second time I've seen them in concert and both times were equally as impressive. The only downside to the concert was that the temperatures were in the 50's when the concert began and only it got colder as time marched on.

That morning, when taking pictures of the kids in the backyard, my nephew spotted a butterfly on the branch of a Crepe Myrtle. This Pipevine Swallowtail (I looked it up - you think I knew what that was without doing so?) was just hanging out. Very lethargic, perhaps she was still sleeping. I thought maybe her energy was down since it was cooler, so I moved her to a plant in the sun. Surprisingly, she climbed on to my finger and stayed there until I placed her on to the new plant. We went back later to have another look at her, but she was gone. Guess she finally woke up - or a bird found breakfast.

Suspended

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 09:12:16 PDT

Suspended
Originally uploaded by zkywords.

On Saturday night of our Vegas trip, we went to see Tony & Tina's Wedding at the Rio Casino. It is an "interactive" play about the wedding and reception of a young couple from New York City where the audience plays an active role in the play. It was quite a humorous experience and you felt like you were a part of it all.

We were seated at a table on the groom's side of the reception hall and were greeted by most members of the wedding party and the wedding planner. We ate, we drank, we laughed and we danced. A couple of the men from our party were on the dance floor when YMCA started playing. They were taken to the front of the dance floor and given costume hats of members of the Village People. One was the Indian and one was the Police Officer. The Indian even removed his shirt for the occasion.

My wildest moment came when the Conga line was making it's way around the dance floor. The priest, referred to as Father Lush (or something similar), jumped in the line right in front of me. He was an older fella (60's/70's?) who was quite short (maybe 5'2") and quite "drunk". As we made our way around the dance floor, I found myself constantly trying to keep the priest upright and in line in front of me... all why knowing that he was merely acting.

Fun was had by all.

The picture posted is from one of the chandeliers in the entrance to the Rio Casino. They are glass objects hanging from beaded chains.

Into the Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 05:53:17 PDT

Into the Heart
Originally uploaded by zkywords.

The Sunday of our trip to Vegas was Marty and Debbie's renewal of the vows ceremony. Their chapel of choice was The Little White Wedding Chapel, where Michael Jordan once got married as well as Joan Collins - but not to each other. It was a quaint little place, with a drive through lane for those who absolutely need to be married right then and there, in an older part of the strip between the Statosphere and downtown across the street from a stripper place.

Nothing says romance like strippers and nothng makes for a quick and easy bachelor party like the convenience of across the street, should your heart desire.

After the ceremony, we ventured outside to their gazebo for a photo shoot with the newly(re)weds. There were four or five of us that brought cameras, so while the others went around and got the traditional shots, I wandered off looking for the not so ordinary point of views. This shot is one of my favorites from the day. A nice heart on the fence railing with the couple positioned in the middle, using a technique called bokeh.

Cheers to the couple! May you have many more years of bliss!

Viva Paris

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 09:30:33 PDT

Paris Balloon
Originally uploaded by zkywords.

The Mrs. and I went to Vegas for a long weekend a couple of weeks ago and fun was had by all. We actually went with a group of 6 couples to celebrate the vow renewals of our good friends Marty and Debbie.

We got to town Friday afternoon and spent most of that first day walking up and down the strip, perusing the shops and checking out some of the free shows that are offered in each casino. Things like the moving statues in Caesar's Palace or the Bellagio fountains.

On our way back to our room at the New York New York Hotel and Casino, I got this shot of the balloon in front of the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. This is a pretty good representation of Vegas as the city of neon lights.

I also submitted this photo to JPG Magazine in hopes that it will be included in their next print issue. If you like it, please vote for it at this link.

Fun with Graphical Design

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 13:19:59 PDT

Baby Morph 8
Originally uploaded by PBD.

I came across a series of photos on flickr today. This guy had a picture of his son that he mocked up in to several different designs, including Shrek (pictured), a band member from Kiss, Michael Moore, Hitler and others. It was just such a fun series that I had to share it here.

"Tomkitten's" 'first poop' goes on display in New York

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 11:57:11 PDT

"Tomkitten's" 'first poop' goes on display in New York - Yahoo! News

What a crock of shit, and I use that phrase loosely! I'm not buying it. Come on now, this load of crap may win over some unsuspecting childless person, but all of us who have had children should know better. Show me a baby who's first poop looks like that and I'll show you a baby that was born walking and talking. I know my son's poop didn't start to resemble something solid for quite some time (months) after he was born. The only thing that came out of his ass at first was blue-green and like a runny oatmeal. Hungry?

The shit just keeps getting piled higher from these two.

Always Amazed

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 14:26:25 PDT

Riding in the car the other day a song ("Upside Down" by Jack Johnson) came on the radio. About halfway through the song, my 3 year old son says, "They're singing about George".

Amazingly enough he was right as the song is off the soundtrack for the Curious George movie that he saw when it came out back in February. That was the only time he had ever heard the song. Needless to say, I was impressed with his memory.

Music | Movies | Curious George

Just a Good Ole Boy

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 11:18:03 PDT

On the bus, across the aisle, I spotted an unassuming looking man. Then, I saw the confederate flag draped across the back of the seat in front of him. Clearly a deliberate act, I paused to wonder why he felt the need to place it there. Is he using it as an attempt to let everyone know he is a racist (yes, I know that the rebel flag once stood for much more, and that slavery was only a small part of the Civil War, but the flag has grown to become a representation of a hatred for non-white) and that he desires for no African-American to sit next to him?

Secretly, I hoped that an African-American would make that seat choice, but it never came. Of course, that would not have been the best thing to happen, and him being left to himself was probably the best thing that could happen.

Then, my thoughts turned to myself, and I became thankful that I have an appreciation for all people, regardless of age, gender, skin color, sexual orientation. I believe that one of the greatest joys you can feel is the wonderful acceptance of others.

So, I quitely sat there, put my thoughts on paper, and prayed that this man might someday too experience that joy that I, and many others feel.

People | Society

Hibiscus - 2 Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 16:33:44 PDT

It's now been two weeks since I planted the Hibiscus syriacus 'Blue Satin' and it is really looking good. Since last week, it's gotten over another inch of new vertical growth and is also fuller than before. Here's an updated picture from this afternoon.

Gardening | Landscaping | Hibiscus

Come On Little Fella

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Mon, 19 Jun 2006 07:12:18 PDT

Batter Up

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 11:39:10 PDT

I decided to dust off my cleats, get a new mitt and sign up for Summer league softball with my church. It's been several years (about 6) since I last had an at bat, and I'm quite looking forward to it.

I have never been a natural at any sport other than swimming, and most often would have been classified as clumsy and awkward. This meant being relegated to "B" teams in the fraternity intramural days, and the only way I ever made it to the "A" team was because I learned how to do something nobody else wanted to do, pitch.

The last time I played though, it had been quite a while since I had pitched, and let's just say I lost the touch I once had. I couldn't hit the strike zone to save my life and the opposing team caught on to this fact and took walk after walk after walk, which only added to the problem, because my head was now messing with me. So when the season came to a close, I hung it up.

Time heals all wounds, and now I'm back on the field, this time, avoiding the pitching mound at all costs. Hopefully I'll be in the outfield, where less damage can be caused. Ground balls don't agree with me, but that can be saved for another story.

Softball

Must We Breast-Feed?

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 10:52:57 PDT

Senator Tom Harkin, Democrat of Iowa, wants cans of infant formula and advertisements for such cans to have warning labels on them. The warning would state something to the effect of the Department of Health and Human services has determined that "breast-feeding is the ideal method of feeding and nurturing infants" or that "breast milk is more beneficial to infants than infant formula."

Nothing like telling everyone "hey, I'm a bad mother (or father)" when a parent purchases a can of formula. I've got two words for the Dept of Health and Human Services. Piss Off! If only it were that easy for every mother to breast-feed. And what the hell kind of right does a man have to sit there and tell a woman what the best thing is for them to do. Maybe if his penis was the vehicle for the kid to get proper nutrition he might change his tune. And yes, I am a man saying this, a man married to a woman who had an excruciating time with breast-feeding. So, maybe I am a bit biased towards the other side of the debate, who cares.

It was bad enough that my wife felt quilty for not being able to breast-feed. She didn't need to be reminded of that fact every time she picked up a can of formula. Afterall, she wasn't stuffing a cigarette in my son's mouth. She was merely trying to give him a good meal that couldn't be supplied otherwise.

We heard all the advice about breast-feeding when we she was pregnant. Breast-fed children will get sick less often. They'll have fewer ear infections. They'll be smarter. The other kids at school will think they're the coolest around. Bullshit! If it were only that simple. We have a good sampling of friends with children, some who strickly breast-fed, some who breast-fed for a while and then used formula, and some that used formula from the get go. None are healthier than the others and none are sicker than the others. Several of those that got breast-fed have had recurring ear infections and all kinds of allergies.

I have nothing wrong with the encouragement and education of breast-feeding, afterall, it is the natural method. I just don't want the education levels to come to this type of system.

Breast-Feed or Else - New York Times

Hibiscus - 1 Week

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:59:54 PDT

It's been one week since I planted my Hibiscus syriacus 'Blue Satin' and it looks to be taking hold. In just that one week, it's already got over an inch of new growth. Here's an updated picture from this afternoon.

Gardening | Landscaping

Hibiscus Arrives

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 05:40:31 PDT

The Hibiscus that I ordered off of the internet from Park Seed arrived last Tuesday. It was packaged nicely with straw and packaging peanuts protecting the plant and although it took 5 days to arrive, the soil was still moist.

I knew it was going to be small (it was advertised as a pint) but I was not prepared for what I saw when I opened it. Man was it small! In the container, it measured just over 7 inches tall. The plant itself measures a mere 3.5 inches and was barely showing any green from it's leaves.

However, it's doing nicely so far. It continues to show new growth and appears to be taking to it's spot. I applied some root stimulator the day I planted it and give it a nice dose of water each day. Yesterday, I was finally able to get to the store and replinish my supply of Osmocote, which I'm sure it will enjoy as well.

I'll aim to post a new photo about once a week through the summer to chart it's growth. Keep your fingers crossed that I actually do it.

Gardening | Landscaping

Mentos and Coke

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 13:42:11 PDT

These guys did an amazing job of replicating the Bellagio fountains with Mentos and Diet Coke. That's right... Mentos and Diet Coke. Watch the video

Videos | Mentos and Coke

Galveston, oh Galveston

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 20:56:57 PDT

The three of us loaded up and headed to Galveston after I got off of work on Friday, to have a nice little weekend getaway sponsored by the time share company Escapes. All we had to do was sit through a 90 minute presentation on Sunday morning and we would get two nights lodging in return.

We got to Galveston around 6 PM on Friday, and after we checked in and unloaded the car, we immediately went across the street to take in the beach. Once there, we found a small pool of water that was cut off from the Gulf. We thought it would make for a good place to do some exploring.

The little man took to shoveling and the Mrs. and I waded through the pond. It wasn't too long before we something caught our eyes... hermit crabs.

There were dozens of them, in all shapes and sizes. Most were about the size of the ones hiding out in the picture above. Although, there were some the size of the ones in the next picture - and even some smaller than that.

And that wasn't the only thing we spotted laying on the sand. There were a handful of small jelly fish that had been brought in by the tide. They were about 2 inches in diameter and virtually transparent. If wasn't for their shimmer, we would have missed them. They were hard to photograph, and don't really look like much in a picture, but it was neat to watch them flare up when we touched their backs with a shovel.

Before we left, we decided to put the hermit crabs back where they came from, so we were scooping them up with the little plastic shovels to transport them back to the pool of water. The little man would encourace them in to the shovel, going "come on little fella, come on" hoping that his words of encouragement would do the trick.

On Saturday, we went to the Aquarium Pyramid at Moody Gardens in the morning, lunch at the Rainforest Cafe and then to the pool and back to the beach in the afternoon and evening. The aquarium was very cool, and it alone consumed nearly 3 hours of our time. Of course we were in awe with the Penquins and watched them for quite a while. I especially loved the Rockhopper Penquins, who looked a lot like some ultra cool Jamaican reggae band. Come to find out, they were all named after famous rock musicians, including Bob Marley. Below is my favorite shot from the day at Moody Gardens, a Clown Fish.

At the Rainforest Cafe, where I must say we ate too much, thanks to desert, the little man loved the atmosphere. There was a person walking around in a monkey suit, and the little man thought he was sooooo cool. The monkey stopped by for a visit, and the little man gave him a high five and all that jive before the monkey went on. However, the monkey was still close by, and the little man, while eating his lunch, kept looking at him and saying... "monkey, I'm over here... here I am monkey!"

Sunday was a low key day. We went on our tour of the time share, informed them we weren't interested in buying one, and went on our way. We stopped at Kemah on the way home and the little man took in the fountains after lunch. We'll leave you with our parting shot from there.

Vacations

Blue Bell

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 10:52:46 PDT

I've lived in the Houston area for 8 and ½ years now and fell in love with Blue Bell ice cream the first time I ate it. It's nearly the only brand I'll eat, but I do admit that I stray from the herd occasionally. However, I have still not made it over to Brenham to visit their creamery. After reading this fine article in the NY Times, I really need to get over there and check it out. The family is sure to love the tour and the prize at the end of the tunnel. Making Texas Cows Proud - New York Times

Internet Plant Shopping

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Wed, 31 May 2006 06:12:01 PDT

Yesterday, I did something I never thought I would do... I bought a plant for my yard off of the internet. I have a spot in my back yard that I feel is perfect for a hibiscus as it faces south and sits in the sun all day long. I didn't want just any Hibiscus though, I wanted a blue or lavender hibiscus, to go along with the color scheme I already have in the back yard.So, I hit the internet and started my research.

Unsure of if there was even a Hibiscus of such a color, I didn't know what I would find. However, I quickly came across the Hibiscus 'Blue Satin', a relatively new variety of the Rose of Sharon Hibiscus. It is featured on Proven Winners and was noted as the 2005 Top Pick from the Dallas Arboretum.

Jennifer Schultz from the Macon County unit of the University of Illinois extension had this to say about her experience with one of the plants she bought from a catalog:

I gave the little Blue Satin the best spot in the Illini garden–full sun, good soil, plenty of room to grow. Then I pretty much forgot about it, figuring I wouldn't see blooms until maybe next year if I was lucky. Lo and behold I noticed buds on this tiny plant sometime in July. They revealed gorgeous blue flowers with magenta throats and white centers at least three inches in diameter.

I called several local garden shops, and being so late in the year already, none of them had the plant in stock. I then came across Park Seed, who had some quart sized (yeah, that's tiny) containers of the plant available for about $15 delivered. After much thought, I decided to pull the trigger and order one and give it a try. I know it's practically summer, and being in Houston, the temps are already in the 90's, but with my sprinkler system and also watering by hand, I think I can get this little guy growing. Here's a shot of what the blooms look like:

Gardening | Internet Shopping

Black Swallowtail

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 06:41:21 PDT

Black Swallowtail
Originally uploaded by zkywords.

I was looking through the window at my back yard and noticed a fluttering around the verbena. Looking further, it was a black butterfly so I got my camera and hoped to get a few good shots.

I knew it was a swallow tail, but I didn't know exactly what species it belonged to, so I went to the US Geological Survey's web page on Butterflies of Texas to find out more. After looking through all of them, I'm left to believe it is a Black Swallowtail.

Bruce Willis Shocker

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Mon, 15 May 2006 08:24:42 PDT

Spotted during game 3 of the NBA Playoffs matchup between the LA Clippers and Phoenix Suns was Bruce Willis sporting a long sleeve Wichita State University shirt. Being a long time New Jersey resident and having attended Montclair State University one has to wonder why the love for the Shockers? The only logical conclusion I can think of is that he has a good friendship with Wichita native Kirstie Alley, with whom he acted with in Look Who's Talking and Look Who's Talking Too. No matter why, it's good publicity for WSU.

Wichita State University | Shockers | Celebrities | Bruce Willis

Lanscape Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Clark) — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 09:01:20 PDT

A photo from my landscaping in the back yard...

Verbena Tapien 'Powder Blue'

Landscape | Flowers