(Day 338) Bismarckia nobilis

"You learn something every day if you pay attention."  ~Ray LeBlond

There's a little piece of wisdom that I found is reinforced by doing a project 365 (ok, I didn't know that quote by heart - I looked it up - but I did find it very appropriate). And now you're wondering how I'm going to segue to today's photo. 

It started this afternoon while I was watering the palms we had planted a few weeks ago - they need daily watering for the first month after being transplanted - and I looked a little more closely at the Bismark palm. There are intricate patterns in its leaves, its stems, its trunk, its new fronds ... So, while the water was trickling down to its roots I got the camera and made a few photos. Later I got more information on this palm which is native to Madagascar - where it's now threatened - and has become extremely popular in southern Florida where it thrives due to similarities in climate. Here are a few views of this magnificent palm:

(10-22mm  f18  1/15 sec  ISO200)

stalks supporting the leaves can be 3m/10' long; trunk is underneath

(60mm  f14  1/40 sec  ISO800)

leaves are 1m/3' across

(10-22mm  f18  1/15 sec  ISO200)

here are 3 of the 4 new fronds on our tree that will unfurl into new leaves

 

(Day 337) 'T is the season

On my way home from my photo shoot by the pond last night, I drove through the neighbourhood briefly to see who had put a lot of effort into their outdoor Christmas decorations. I didn't have far to go. This evening after our regularly-scheduled after dinner walk, Sasha and I set out again with tripod and camera to get a few shots. The 'winning' home was on a fairly busy corner and a lot of cars slowed down as they passed by. I wasn't sure whether they were slowing down to see the scene or to look at someone standing behind a camera on a tripod with a white, very furry dog lying beside him. I have to admit that it's the first time I've seen palm trees festooned with Christmas lights, but 't is the season, even here.

(both shots made with a 18-55mm lens at f8, ISO200 and shutter speeds of 1 and 1.3 seconds)

click on photo to enlarge

(Day 336) Hanging out down at the pond

Remember a couple of weeks ago I told you about the unique landscaping being done around some of the malls here in the south (well, you probably don't so you can see the photo here). Tonight after dinner I set out to get a photo or two for my 365 project. I wasn't really sure where I would go - however, an opportunity always seems to come up, thank goodness. As I drove past that mall again something caught my eye so I got off the main road and headed back to the parking lot.

While everyone else walked towards the stores, Sasha and I headed off in the opposite direction, towards where I had made some photos before. The landscapers had also incorporated a large pond into the mall grounds - which I suspect serves as a rain runoff reservoir. We found a few fine-feathered friends there settling down for the night.

(both photos made with a 18-55mm lens at f9, 10 sec shutter speed, ISO200)

click on photo to enlarge

Oh, this is what caught my eye as I drove by initially.

(Day 335) A make-up day

No, don't worry, I won't be discussing or posting photos of mascara or rouge or whatever else it is that most of the fairer sex apply in an almost daily paint-by-number ritual - and I say that in a most complimentary way. I thought I should 'make up' for, or at least provide a counter balance to, yesterday's post, which showed an in-your-face closeup of a fairly ugly grub (I know, I know - beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that ...). So for some of you that may have had nightmares after seeing those shots, perhaps you'll have sweet dreams after seeing today's. Enjoy.

(both shots made with a 10-22mm lens at f13, 1/200 sec, ISO200)

click on photo to enlarge

(Day 334) Beauty and the beast

We've certainly discovered a lot of beauty here in the sub-tropics - plants, flowers, trees, animals. And we've only been here a short while and have lots to discover yet. Today, however, as my wife turned over a rock that she wanted me to move out of sight somewhere into the backyard, she discovered 'the beast'. I have no idea what this ferocious looking underground dweller is called but back home where we have some similar creatures I make short work of them. However, (and this is where 333 days of project 365 is starting to pay off) my wife told me to get the camera instead !

This one was 5 cm/2 in long. I'm glad these creatures of the underworld don't grow on a human-size scale.

(both photos made with a 60mm macro lens, at f5.6, shutter speed of 1/200 and 1/100 sec)