Al Larson Photography

This little guy makes regular trips across the yard and up the hill to find pine cones. Sometimes it scampers back across the lawn, along the top of the board fence to its cache or fovorite dining place. This time it paused on a mound of snow by the woodshed to bite loose a couple of bracts from the pine cone searching for the hidden seeds within. This fellow is usually referred to as a “pine squirrel” or “chickory.” Like squirrels elsewhere they can be tamed by the lure of food to feed from your hand. However I have not practiced this for a long time.

After a light snowfall yesterday I ventured outside with the camera. One never knows what may get in front of the lens. We have five wild turkey toms that visit us nearly every day. They have found where I scatter seeds for the smaller birds. On this day just enough snow had fallen on the wet frozen ground to record the passing of various wildlife. The soft white snow gave way to the dark ground below giving contrast to the tracks of our passing toms.

We’ve had freezing weather for several months and snow is predicted this week. Even though Winter is only half gone I’m looking foreward to Spring. This photo of blue camas was taken in May of last year just a few miles north of Ola in Gem county. May is the ideal time to take a trip to Sagehen Reservoir to see birds and wildflowers. I have been on field trips to this area nearly every year for the last forty. I have never grown tired of Nature in full bloom.

No, I didn’t stop at a hippy joint!  I thought I’d post this abstract to show what can happen by accident. Inadvertantly I pressd the sutter button while sitting in my vehicle after dark. The car motor was running and the lights were on. The camera happened to be pointed at the dashboard. The camera settings were: 28 mm wide angle, shutter speed 2 sec., F-stop f/3.4, and ISO 800.  I don’t think I have enough camera savvy to ever duplicate this on purpose. An important reminder here: When using slow shutter speeds use a tripod or a bean bag, keep the camera steady.