Photog2U's photostream

The Wild Swans of Coole

The trees are in their autumn beauty,
The woodland paths are dry,
Under the October twilight the water
Mirrors a still sky;
Upon the brimming water among the stones
Are nine and fifty swans.

The nineteenth autumn has come upon me
Since I first made my count;
I saw before I well had finished,
All suddenly mount
And scatter wheeling in great broken rings
Upon their clamouring wings.

I have looked upon those brilliant creatures,
and now my heart is sore.
All's changed since I, hearing at twilight,
The first time on this shore,
The bell-beat of their wings above my head,
Trod with a lighter tread.

Unwearied still, lover by lover,
They paddle in the cold
Companionable streams or climb the air;
Their hearts have not grown old;
Passion or conquest, wander where they will,
Attend upon them still.

But now they drift on the still water,
Mysterious, beautiful;
Among what rushes will they build,
By what lake's edge or pool
Delight men's eyes when I awake some day
To find they have flown away?

William Butler Yeats

This is my favorite swan shot from this Winter. Hope you like it. I shot this in the Vallejo Tidal Marsh area - Bird Sanctuary in Northern California (Bay Area).

This vine seemed dead when I moved in and I was about to dig it up when I noticed a little green on one small part of the vine this Spring. Then it burst into life and it has grown under the fence to another yard too. The guy next door said it has never bloomed until this year. Maybe its because I started watering it and fed it some plant food!?

Anyway, the vine from South American reminded Spanish explorers / missionaries of the Trinity and the Christ. That's how it got its name.

Isn't it ironic the passion flower vine seemed dead, but is now alive (as if it had risen on the third day or something?) Seems to be part of a string of blessings related to this new house!

This wasn't put through a filter or altered in Photoshop. The long exposure picked up the light fron the moon off the clouds. This one is a little dark , but I shot it after midnight!

She walks in beauty like the night;
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best and dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which Heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven's tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart who's love is innocent!

George Gordon, Lord Byron

I took this long exposure in my back yard. I just risked my life trimming these trees and wanted something to show for it! What do you think?

This is my new pet. He has a girlfriend and they live in my yard. I built a rock garden for them to hide in. Here's a link to the large size: farm2.static.flickr.com/1049/4721881796_eabccf4fb7_b.jpg