Squirrel Club

Lulu and her friends are obsessed with squirrels. Apparently there's an official squirrel club at school. She and three friends started it at lunch one day, while they were watching squirrels.

We're planning on having meetings and stuff, she tells me. The first one will be in January at our house.
Today I let her work on the computer for a little bit since she finished all her homework early. She told me she needed to collect information about squirrels for their squirrel club.
I can hear her squealing as she's looking at pictures. Oh they're so cute, she's exclaiming over and over again.

What's wrong with you? Sam keeps asking.
I'm thinking the same thing.

Momma, come look at this she says.
What I say.
This picture.
They don't know if it's a squirrel or a rat.
What? I say.
Take a look she says.

Where did you find that? I say.
I did a search on squirrel pictures.
Lu, that's not real. they're just being silly.

Chipmunks says Sam.
I don't want pictures of chipmunks, I want squirrels she says.

Chipmunks and squirrels are cousins he says.
I don't care, I only want squirrels.
This is a squirrel club.
Whatever. I'm just trying to help he says.
Your obsession with squirrels is weird he says.
I don't care what you think, she says.
Where did you get this weird music from anyway?
It's squirrel music she says.
They have squirrel music?
Yeah, i found it on the Internet.
Too much banjo he says.
I don't get it he says.

You're not supposed to. It's squirrel music.

It's twangy country music that she found on scarysquirrel.org. A little app is open on the mac and little squirrels are playing banjos and guitars and singing.

Squirrel club meetings in the tree house.
Squirrel fabric
Squirrel club pictures.
Squirrel club note pad.
White board to hang in the den for the squirrel meetings.
Large envelopes for keeping all the squirrel pictures and facts together.
That's the Christmas list I got from her.
Aren't they suposed to like horses at this age?

Snowy Edinburgh

Well, what else can I call it? The view is from Blackford Hill, north towards the Castle. Photo courtesy of my daughter, who was on a sledging outing with friends on Monday when her school was closed. Tuesday was another snow day, but with studying done at home (the year of Highers exams), and it was back to school on Wednesday once the ground staff had cleared enough pathways round the campus. The problem is that the snow keeps falling. Edinburgh airport is closed, the Forth Road Bridge is closed, trains are cancelled or delayed. The city is quiet, muffled.
But for some there's a bright side. Capitalising on our huge dump of snow, my daughter's school has hastily introduced a 'house snowman' competition for tomorrow, to go with all the other house competitions that happen throughout the year.

Winter sun rays over the Susie Islands

I made this image on my way to work a few days ago. This view is from a highway overlook that looks down on Wauswaugoning Bay and the Susie Islands. I'm very lucky to be able to drive past this view on my way to and from work each day! It has provided for a spectacular photo opportunity more times than I can remember!

Mt. Rushmore at Night

Last night I finished the day with a visit to Mt. Rushmore. Wanted to try more night shots. After all, I finally thought I had figured out the Rebel after 5 years!).
Used the new camera. Shot some really good shots. The one here is an example. A couple from California was watching me. and asked if I could tell them how they can take photos like the one I did. Explained to them about the settings and using a tri-pod and shutter release. Then mounted their camera on my tri-pod and let them take some photo. Think I made their day. And, I felt good about helping them taking a great shot that they wanted.

California Rainforest

California Rainforest, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

When the rainy season comes to California, the hills certainly do get lush and green.
I found this fern grotto off-trail in Diablo Foothills Regional Park. The ferns cascaded down a steep wall and over boulders, covering a height of at least 30 feet. With rain dripping from the trees overhead and mist filling the air, the mood was straight out of prehistory.
Interestingly enough, only a few hundred yards away was a large swath of rocky chaparral...quite the contrast to the verdant ferns.

Into the Ice Cave

Here is one of my favorite ice shots from this weekend. This "ice cave" was actually the hole in Hollow Rock, at Hollow Rock Resort in Grand Portage, MN. The hole was absolutely FULL of icicles, and was fascinating to photograph.

The Block That Pete Cokinos Built

Instagram Fever

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but I've only been posting, at the most, once a week. I was thinking about this and wondering why, and it dawned on me; I've joined Instagram! It's my new obsession. Does anyone reading this post on Instagram? I'll tell you, it's addicting. It's like a mini-Facebook only way more fun.
You take a photo with your smartphone and then post it to the Instagram app. You may write a descriptive sentence if you'd like. People who are following you can see your photo, like it, or make a comment. It's just another way to connect with people in cyberspace. I'm only following a handful of people, because I don't want to be consumed with looking at everyone's new posts all day long. Mostly it's friends and friends of friends that I follow, although I am following a few unknown photographers just to see their beautiful photos. They inspire me.
What's your favorite social media on the internet? For now, mine is definitely Instagram.