ninja ewe

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

Sheep in the Tall Grass

 

I know that right about now, all of you are wondering why I have posted a picture of tall green grass. I mean, what could be so special about a field of grass? Well, if you squint your eyes and tilt your head just a little to the right, you might be able to make out the outline of a sheep hiding in the grass. If you can't see the sheep at first, try shaking your head vigorously and then take another peek.

If you spot her, congratulations, you have seen Myra Whitsocks, the worlds first (and to my knowledge only) ninja sheep. Once you see her, don't take your eyes off of her or she might slink away and in pure ninja style, pounce on another unsuspecting member of the pasture community. Who knows, it could be you.

You just might find yourself walking along whistling to yourself when suddenly you hear her blood curdling war cry! Baaaaaa! Too late, she jumps out of the tall grass and tags you. Before you know what is happening, Myra disappears into the tall grass, leaving you bewildered.

So take a good look at the picture again my friends. You may never have this opportunity to see Myra, the ninja sheep again.

 

 

mother and child reunion

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

Mother and Child Reunion

 

Lilly and her mother Sue are inseparable. Find one in the pasture and the other will be nearby. I can often coax Lilly over to give her a scratch behind the ears but, she will soon return to her mom. When I first arrive at the farm, I often go straight to find these two. Nothing gets my visit off to a better start than to see this pair enjoying each other's company.

 

wild artichoke thistle (it isn’t!)

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

What is it?

 

I found this dried plant on a walk through the prairie at Buck Creek state park. At the time that I captured the image, I did not know what it was. However, subsequently, my good friend and bpf Renee has informed me that this is Wild Artichoke Thistle. I trust her learned opinion on this matter without question. Renee is the worlds foremost expert in coming up with answers to things that I do not know.

You would be lucky to have such a person in your life.

 

Update: Oh, how we were wrong. I have since been told and it has been confirmed that our poor misidentified plant is in all actuality  a variety of Teasels.

 

 

poppy bud

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

Poppy Bud

 

Soon, this bud will explode into a brilliant red bloom. I like poppies. To me, they represent history on a grand scale. From Afgani poppy fields to old paraplegic men selling paper poppies on memorial day, the poppy has witnessed and participated in much of our past & even more of our future. However, it's those men and their sacrifices that haunt my thoughts when I see poppies. I always have time and pocket change enough for those men selling paper poppies.

 

evening reflections

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

Reid Park Reflection 2

 

I have a weakness for good silhouettes and good reflections. Combine them together and I am one happy photographer. In this image, I like the way the colors go from subtle pinks on the left to vivid blues on the right. However, never one to leave good enough alone, I also wondered if the image would make a good black and white. Is this an image about interesting colors or is this an image about light and luminance?

 

Reid Park Reflection 2a

 

The good news is that the switch from color to B&W is something that can be done in moments. Better yet, the conversion does not have to be permanent and you can just as easily switch back. When faced by curiosity, let yourself go. Even if you prefer the previous image (as I do here), try it out. You have nothing to loose and you might find that your instincts were right.

 

 

the double duck dare

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

The Dare

 

We don't know why Dooley and Mac agreed to the dare. Fifteen minutes in the middle of the road was a lot of time not to flinch. If they did flinch, the time would start all over again. They huddled together, watching the oncoming cars with their roaring engines and belching tail pipes.

Their friends cheered them on from the side of the road and razzed them the one time they flinched four minutes into their first try. On the second try, they were victorious and were led around the pond in a loud procession of quacking and honking.

When Dooley got home, the ducks playing on the pond could hear his mother yelling.. "If all of the other ducks jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?" Dooley didn't care, his mother could quack all day. After all, this is how legends began.

 

 

milkweed

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

Milkweed

 

Very few plants bring back childhood memories for me. This one does. Milkweed. As a kid, we would break off the green stems and have mock fights with them. The McMurdo, Karr, and McCarthy kids were hellions & whacking each other with milkweed and dried cat o nine tails was right up our alley. The sticky white sap from the milkweed would get all over us and the silky seeds from the cat tails would fly everywhere.

I could share a lot of stories of the trouble that we collectively generated as kids but, those stories should be savored at another time. Let's just say that it is a good thing that the local police sergeant was a family friend.