"Lions 'n Tigers 'n Bears...Oh my!"

Finally! Pat and I were well enough to go on our first photo outing in weeks 'n weeks. We chose the zoo because we could sit in the shade as often as we needed. So, the lions were sleeping out of sight, but I did get the "Tigers 'n Bears" and the "oh my"s:

"Hey...you wouldn't be following me, now would you?":
"I don't care how sappy I look; I love this water on a hot day!": (This bear was behind smudgy glass)

"Ahhhhh!":

"Boy, did hat feel good!":

This baby gorilla was behind glass - phooey. He looks like he is reaching for help, but oh no! He could scamper like a pro clear to the top:

I call this, "Happy Anniversary!":

ICE PATTERNS ALL AROUND

During our recent quick-freeze, which included a White Christmas - yay! - the Old Mill Pond road was open for only a brief time, and I lucked out. This is my favorite reflection perspective, but ice was there instead. Not an exciting photo, but it was an exciting outing.




The refraction in this ice drop (the size of an infant's fingernail) is of some trees in our front yard and the mountain in the background:

This refraction shows our porch trellis and a spray of this same daphne bud. These are melting ice drops:

For this I wanted to use my macro lens, but didn't dare switch out because of the bitter cold and the floating ice chrystals. Do spiders stop construction when it freezes?

The ice was melting from a branch, but hadn't quite lost its grip:

This ice drop shows a tree still flocked in frozen snow and a little bit of our first blue sky; no macro lens here either:

During the most frigid of the winds, snow was blasted against our windows and stayed for days:

Snow enhances the design on a patio table:

A WHITE CHRISTMAS!

All snuggled warmly below our Christmas tree:

Snoqualmie Falls, just 2 miles from home, after the first frigid blast. The Falls are reduced to 1/3rd the width while miniature ice falls have formed on the borders. This was taken early in the morning with the sun barely sweeping across the top of the Falls:

Flanking the Falls, all things get an special coating from the icy mist:

I was there long enough that the atmosphere changed. Did the temperature dip even lower? An ice cloud form? I dunno', but everything turned a magical cold blue. I was not using a polarizer nor did I enhance the photos, this was the real (though other-wordly) color:

Feeling cold was well worth the experience!

THE LAST OF THE 'ANGLES' ASSIGNMENT

I think I have found most of my Angles by looking up!

Yep, because here I was standing inside the skeleton of a de-skinned teepee:

A very close angle on a bridge:

Looking up yet again; a campus library ceiling:

The ribs of an umbrella; I love the angles-on-angles:

POTD CHALLENGE: ANGLES

I guess this will be the last of my Angle shots because the week is over. I have had fun looking for angles! Here is a playground climbing rope:

Study in starkness with this bridge support overhead:

Another bridge overhead support, my favorite:

I love bridges! Here are angles in more detail on an old railroad bridge:

Looking up:

POTD CHALLENGE: ANGLES

I am having way too much fun with this category! I know I have used my piano for other categories, but this perspective highlights some angles:

Another interior shot; almost too many angles:

This features the new structure of our local ski area's snow/foot bridge:

Simplicity:

NEW CHALLENGE: ANGLES

Look what a doctor's appointment turned up! These were taken at the hospital parking lot today.