Two things lying on my walking route around the Capitol caught my attention. Solitary bits of flotsam, washed to the ground by the wind, that asked me to take notice, so I did.
This enormous oak leaf measures 10 inches from the petiole (gosh, I hope I used that term correctly) to the apex. I thought it was from a black oak but I am not sure. There are about 60 varieties of oaks in the U.S. and Canada and another 150 in Mexico, according to Encarta (which is going to be discontinued on October 30, 2009, so if you want to use it, use it. And if you don't want to use it, go to Wikipedia -- which is probably why Encarta is being discontinued.)
The yellow-shafted flicker feather was lying on an asphalt driveway. I took a picture and left the feather. Since it was in the same spot when I left for the day I picked it up. I wanted LohMan to ID it for me. I "posed" the feather in our garden, just as I posed the oak leaf, so that I could show both sides. Today is overcast and the yellow of the shaft shows up better than it did in my original picture.
Life in the digital age has made me a much more active participant in my corner of the world. Carrying my Canon everywhere I go, relying almost entirely on the Web for communication, listening to things on an MP3 player, these habits have made me more aware, more curious and more appreciative.
This enormous oak leaf measures 10 inches from the petiole (gosh, I hope I used that term correctly) to the apex. I thought it was from a black oak but I am not sure. There are about 60 varieties of oaks in the U.S. and Canada and another 150 in Mexico, according to Encarta (which is going to be discontinued on October 30, 2009, so if you want to use it, use it. And if you don't want to use it, go to Wikipedia -- which is probably why Encarta is being discontinued.)
The yellow-shafted flicker feather was lying on an asphalt driveway. I took a picture and left the feather. Since it was in the same spot when I left for the day I picked it up. I wanted LohMan to ID it for me. I "posed" the feather in our garden, just as I posed the oak leaf, so that I could show both sides. Today is overcast and the yellow of the shaft shows up better than it did in my original picture.
Life in the digital age has made me a much more active participant in my corner of the world. Carrying my Canon everywhere I go, relying almost entirely on the Web for communication, listening to things on an MP3 player, these habits have made me more aware, more curious and more appreciative.