MattPenning's photostream  

I like how the tree was leaning out, over the lake, towards the sunset.

It was that magic "golden hour" light at the end of a day, and it was cold. I was taking advantage of the time to myself, watching the setting sun. The changing light was turning everything into shades of gold. Shadows were lengthening as if the coming dark of night was slowly spilling out across the landscape.

The cold was seeping into my bones, making me put alternate hands into my coat pockets, in an effort to keep my fingers from freezing. Aside from my hands, not much else was complaining of the encroaching freeze.

The sky and the sun were enough to keep me rooted. I was just warm enough. Thankfully the wind was nearly calm.

It was a good day to be cold.

I get so many cat photos, as they are fitting subjects for me, when I am changing lenses or settings on my camera and want to test.

Here, Sissy, the more subdued of the two felines that allow us to inhabit their home, turned to me as I was testing out the camera. I made a clicking noise with my mouth to get her to turn her attention to me. It seemed to work out well. That slightly cocked head gives this portrait of her just the right amount of inquisitiveness that make up a cat's nature.

Even thought this was "just" a test picture, I have learned to keep all but the most unusable frames that I take. Someday, I'll see something that I didn't see before, and bring out a suitable photograph from the pile that make up my catalogs.

There's hidden gold in them thar hills.

This circle of birdhouses was something new to see for me.

In Southwind Park, in Springfield, Illinois, there's many different installations to interest visitors. An accessible tree house is one, bocce ball and horse shoe pits are another. This circle of colorfully painted birdhouses around a large and equally colorfully painted representation of Abraham Lincoln's top hat is a surprise.

I wonder what type of birds they are built to attract? Not Purple Martins, that much I know. We had Purple Martin condo-style birdhouses in the fruit tree orchard we maintained where I was grew up. There, the idea was to attract the mosquito eating birds, to cut down on the bites.I'll inquire with the Park District to see if there's an answer to my question.

Here, it was another fine foreground subject for that spectacular sky. We've had some doozies lately.

Lucky me.

It's a whole lot of flat land around here.

A few bluffs and the occasional hill can be found, where the Sangamon river or some other of nature's toolbox pushed the earth up to the sky.

That's one reason why I find rocks so wonderful.

As a lad, we used to explore the limestone hill that was across the creek on our place. We'd play pirates, cave explorers, and rock hunters, as we would dig into the side of the hill into the rock. We'd play king of the hill, explore for arrow-heads or other artifacts, and have a ton of fun.

So, rocks are something I enjoy.

This pile of limestone (at least I think it's limestone) is part of a series of piles that are part of the wetland restoration area in Southwind Park. It was the first thing I went to when I got out of my car that day.

The sky was a great counterpoint to the rock edges and faces. Nice blue and soft, feathery clouds.

Anyone want to go digging for hidden gems?

Out for a walk on one of our local trails, I was passed by many runners and a few folks on bikes.

It was a beautiful day for being outside. The sky was clear of clouds, showing it's full blue mantle. The temperature had risen to a comfortable 40F and the winds, while gusty and brisk, were moderated by the trees on the trail.

I took off in the mid afternoon. It was my first time on this trail even though it's been there for decades. I ease into new things.

After this runner passed me, I thought, what a perfect opportunity for a picture. A couple quick shutter presses later and here you are.

I was lucky.

I caught her in mid-stride. Both feet in the air, a nicely defined shadow underneath. That the trail was curving just ahead is a nice bonus.