Part of Fred's family celebrated Easter in Houston/Kemah Texas and we didn't feel like making the 3 hr trip up there and then turn around and make another 3 hr trip home. It's rough when you have animals and can't travel but we honestly had a nice quiet Easter and loved it. Michael was able to enjoy what the Easter bunny brought him without being rushed and he loves staying home to boot. We went over to Mom and Dad's ranch for a little bit, mowing, watering plants, feeding the animals and checking on the cows...
I was interrupted by Michael while I was mowing...he had found a hurt butterfly and wanted to know if I could fix it...When I told him that it was not fixable and to let nature take it's course he asked for photos. As he was holding it the butterfly fluttered down to his shoe and hung on, Michael thought it was pretty cool...who knows a new fad possibly? Walking around with a butterfly on your shoe?
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When I was filling up the bird baths I noticed this moth, pretty pattern.
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We went to check on the cows. Why we waited for them to come up I noticed part of the field was covered in thistle...and it was absolutely covered in butterflies and hummingbirds. Of course today I decided to bring the 28-105mm lens. Not my lens of choice for this type of photography but I made do, it also didn't help having an impatient husband and son who wanted to go, ugh! Just no fair!
I'm hoping I can go back over there sometime this week. The cows finally came up but one was missing, the white cow this time. We were hoping they'd bring the new calves out by this time but no go...we did go look but didn't find them, sigh!
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Giant Sulphur butterfly.
They are Huge and Yellow and you can't miss them. They are also very skittish and I had a hard time getting a photo. I normally like to just find a spot, stand still and wait for the butterflies to come to me but Fred and Michael were hollering at me...so I had to hurry and snap, snap, snap...
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Can you say Purple, violet, lavender, whatever you want to call it, it was gorgeous!
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Pipevine swallowtail...
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This is an old Mansion by my In-laws ranch. I've taken lots of photos of it but love the one I got today. I'm hoping a friend maybe know someone who can give me some information on it.
It's got personality and I want to know more, yep call me nosey!
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Crescentspot butterfly
I had the sprinkler running after I mowed and the butterflies were coming to drink.
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Fred yelled! I guess him and Michael saw a snake while they were driving the Kubota out to check the little piggies. By the time I got there the snake had gone into some tall grass and I was not chasing it. Fred said it was big and black. I told him it was probably a Rat snake and he said No it was a water moccasin, sigh! Any snake Fred sees is a water moccasin, sheesh! I walked back and found part of a snake skin, cool! It's getting dry and they're looking for the critters that come for the water. If Mom has anything to say about it it will be a dead snake if her or Dad see it, gulp!
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The trail towards the River...
I did not walk it today, I had enough walking with the push mower, lol.
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Blue curl with a hair streak butterfly.
They're tiny butterflies but I love their color and the itty bitty tail. They have an eye spot on their tail to confuse predators...wish I had had my Macro lens too, sigh!
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Hoover fly on a some blue curl blooms
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Checkered Skipper
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I saw this hummingbird zipping around the Aloe bloom and I took a second look. It was a Berylline hummer but it had a yellow head...Hmmm then it dawned on me that must be pollen covering it's head. I wasn't able to get a very good photo but I had to show you the yellow headed Berylline hummer, silly bird!
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My Adventurous boy!!
I was laughing at this photo. As a kid I used to sit on the ground and study things. Down here sitting on the ground is a No No and you pretty much learn to balance on the balls or heels of your feet...No one likes fire ants that bite or caterpillars that burn your skin up their shorts, Ouch!
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Tickle Tickle Tickle
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I think they love each other...I know I love them!
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We had a great day and I hope you did too!
Not the greatest spot to land for a photo session. I so didn't want to move as I knew he'd fly off.
I moved and of course he fluttered off but then he landed a few feet away, a little better but he needs to turn my way just a wee bit...For years I've tried for a decent photo of these gorgeous yellow giants...Could you possibly open your wings and show us the pretty orange colors inside?
He didn't cooperate and open his wings for me but I did manage one shot with the sun backlighting him.
