MPM exhibit and future job fears

This is yet another exhibit at our Milwaukee Public Museum. Call me overly concerned, but as soon as I saw this scene, my mind immediately went to what I imagine I'll be living like next year if I don't get a job out of grad school . . . !

Millipedes Rorschach

Upon visiting the Milwaukee Public Museum today with my son, I was disappointed to see that the bullet ants are no longer "alive" but have been replaced with replicas! Some nearby beetles were also fakes. Both of these exhibits used to be real and I have no idea why they have been changed. At least these millipedes were real. There are two of them having a cuddle - then a mirror image reflected off the side of their enclosure. Reminded me of one of those ink blot test patterns.

So, what do you see in the millipedes? Personally, I see an owl.

Colorful Dino-Bird

I didn't note what this actually was, but it is on display in the Milwaukee Public Museum near the butterfly exhibit. Looks like some friends of my children . . .

Fairy Tale Boots - Milwaukee Public Museum

In 1959, Hope Cooke, an American student, met Palden Thondup Namgyal, the Prince of Sikkim, at a hotel in India. They fell in love and in 1963 their fairy tale wedding enraptured the American public. The Prince was named Chogyal, or King, later that year, making Cooke the Gyalmo, or Queen of Sikkim, the first American Queen of a foreign land. In 1966, Her Highness donated the young men's leather boots from Sikkim to the Museum so there could be something from her adopted country on display.

This is a window display at the Milwaukee Public Museum, where my son and I went today. The boots are beautiful - intricate leather details.

Mossy Rock

While attending my niece's high school graduation a couple weeks ago (Go, Haley!), I took this shot of a nicely mossed rock under the water along the pier/walkway in Sheboygan.

Rock River Reflections

Reflection of a bridge over the Rock River in Beloit, Wisconsin

This is a reflection of a boat in the Rock River in Beloit. The sign said "Rent Me" and made a colorful design in the water.

This is a reflection in the Rock River of the Rock on the River restaurant where we had dinner last night after a hard day of library tours and studying. Say that three times fast!

How Far Will a Sock Get You?

Apparently, all the way to the Beloit Public Library children's section, for here is where we found Dobby, Lucius Malfoy's former house elf, yesterday afternoon after our biweekly wandering study session. He still doesn't have socks, but now that he's free, he probably doesn't need any. He posed nicely for us in front of a lively green wall on top of a bookshelf.

Betty Boop Waiting Tables in Delavan, WI

One More Zoo Reflection . . .

Had to include just one more reflection taken at the Zoo recently. You are seeing the pillars of a big covered pavilion-type place on the southwestern part of the grounds.

Do owls yawn? Why yes, they do!

The great horned owls have dispersed, but I am still working every now and then on photos I took earlier this spring. Here a tired Mom tries to get some shut-eye with her babies in the nest nearby and countless dogs and their owners tramping past below her.

Cedarburg on the Flip Side

I had lunch with a good friend in Cedarburg a few weeks ago and took this photo of buildings reflected in the river. This is a reflection that I turned upside-down. If you look closely, you can see my shadow in the water at the top of the frame. How cool is that?

Where?

Isn't this elegant? It could be anywhere, but it's the ceiling of the Chocolate Factory at Bayshore Mall where I met my niece and sister-in-law a couple weeks ago. Always bring your camera . . .

Unlikely Places

I had the camera, the D90, in the car with me on my way to a doctor's appointment. I didn't want to leave it in the vehicle, so I brought it in with me and took the stairs up instead of the elevator. I liked the look of all the angles in here.

UWM Biker

This was taken from the south-facing windows of the Kenwood Inn on the third floor of the UWM Student Union this past spring. It just made me think of all the students here who get around on their bikes.

Havenwoods Today

These are fallen willow branches under water off the western dock of the main pond at Havenwoods State Forest. They glowed like amber as the sun hit the water.

Hubby found this little toad in the woods. I only had the Canon Powershot with me, but it did an okay job showing his golden speckled eyes.

Hartford Avenue School

Hartford Avenue School on the city's east side has this wonderful tile mosaic wall with murals along the fence. I just happened to walk by one sunny day and had the little Canon Powershot with me.

Reflections in Another Zoo Pond

I have a great series of reflections taken recently, but I'm afraid if I post them all at once, they start to lose their potency. I'll have to spread them out a bit.

Rainbow

This rainbow formed at soccer practice a couple weeks ago. It was a double - you can see part of the second bow on the right side. Glad I had the camera. I stitched this image together in Photoshop Elements 6 using three separate shots.

Another Shot of the Siberian Tiger

Monkey Business

This little guy was so adorable. I got numerous shots of him, but through glass.

My kind of monkey - the triple fisted eater!

This guy must have been reading the newspaper or listening to the farm report on banana futures. Poor thing.

Preening

Elephant in Four Parts

Zoo

My youngest child and I visited the zoo on Sunday. Here are a few photos to start with, two typical shots and one not so typical. More will inevitably follow as I find time to work on them. This reflection was in the seal pool. A yellow feed bucket was standing near the edge of the pool, lending a nice color to the water.

Remember, as I told my son, the female lion does most of the hunting!

The true King of Beasts, tigers average about 250 pounds larger than lions.

Dog Park

I have long had a fascination with the intersection of Nature and Man. Here are a couple nice examples, taken at the dog park recently with the new camera.

More of the New Nikon

I took this out our bedroom window. I like the form of the moon echoed in the squirrels' nests in our neighbor's maple tree.

This is just silly, but what the heck!

New Camera, Domes Revisited

Hydrangeas. Such an impossible blue!

This is the outside of the tropical dome, seen in the reflecting pool outside the front door. Kinda windy day.

The new Nikon D90 has arrived and I am slogging up that learning curve, taking advantage of a few days before the next semester starts and I have loads of free time - NOT! But a solidly cloudy day yesterday was the perfect opportunity to join Dad at the Domes for a trial run. These two are my first to post from the new camera.

Whoo?

I had heard from friends that there was a pair of great horned owls nesting in the woods of the local dog park, so Mary took me out there yesterday and showed me where the tree is. The nest is really high up there and Mom and two babies were peeking out over the side down at us. Well, Mom was actually trying to sleep and one of the babies wouldn't look at us, but the middle one stared straight at us with his round yellow owley eyes. The babies are very downy looking and shaped kind of like cartoon penguins.

It was so nice outside yesterday and the sun was shining so the babies were pretty visible. I went back again today in much colder, grayer and windier weather and the babies were more huddled down below the brim of the nest. Mom (I am assuming it was Mom) was perched in a nearby tree, once again apparently trying to get some sleep as her eyes were closed tightly. These are some big, big birds. It's a real treat to get to see them and a good time of year as the trees haven't leafed out yet. I hope to go back at least a few more times before the trees fill in and/or those big fuzzy babies fledge.

More Ice

If you have to live up here in the sometimes gut-bustingly cold winters, at least you should get pretty stuff like this to look at every now and then.

Frank Lloyd Wrightly, I Don't Give a Damn

If you've ever read anything in this blog that references Frank Lloyd Wright, you will know that I don't like the guy and I don't appreciate his work, except maybe for those kinda nice stained glass window things. This photo is part of the lower roof section at the Greek Orthodox Church, one of Mr. Wright's designs here in town. I put it in Photoshop Elements and tried to make it look like it really did when I took the photo, but I have forgotten exactly what the light and colors really were. I just gave it two interpretations and am posting them here side by side. Who knows which is the truer representation? I'll have to go back.

Pike Lake

A beautiful day at Pike Lake State Park was a refreshing break and reminder that spring is only, what . . . another month or two away? It's snowing as I post this.