Porte Photos: April 20, 2022

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Todays photo is a Roseate Spoonbill. Birds at Busch Gardens are all safely stored away as the wild birds migrate to prevent the spread of bird flu. This one was seen through the screens of the bird house. I’m not certain if it’s daring us to come in or trying to look pretty. Roseate Spoonbills are native to Florida. Maybe this one just wants out to fly free again.

Speaking of flying free, today is 420 Day. A day supporting the use of marijuana. Maybe if more of the world leaders would take a daily puff they would also want peace not war.

Did someone want to send some to Russia? The continued bombing of Ukraine and pictures of civilians left homeless or tortured and dead flood the news.

Betty White Quotes: 100 + 21 Days

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My mother and dad were big animal lovers, too. I just don’t know how I would have lived without animals around me. I’m fascinated by them – both domestic pets and the wild community. They just are the most interesting things in the world to me, and it’s made such a difference in my lifetime.

~ Betty White
American – Actress / January 17, 1922 – December 31, 2021

Daily Quote: Monday, February 7, 2022

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If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.

~ Charles Dickens
English – Novelist / February 7, 1812 – June 9, 1870

Holidays and Celebrations:

Porte Musings:

Only 1 week to the commercial holiday of Valentines Day and we start with the ramp up. Today is Rose Day, buy a rose and give it to your loved one. By doing this one week a head of Valentine’s Day you’ll beat the rush. I’ll celebrate the day by posting a Roseate Spoonbill with the Daily Quote. This is the first time I saw one at Zephyr Park, Zephyrhills Florida.

Be nice today and celebrate Wave all All Your Fingers at Your Neighbors Day. Give them a proper wave and not a one finger salute. Give them an honest wave, a genuine greeting.

When my husband was on his low potassium diet, we added white sauce to our pasta instead of my favorite spicy tomato sauces. Today is designated as National Fettuccine Alfredo Day. I need a jar to paint with in my temporary “studio”. So I think I’ll pick-up some Alfredo Sauce and celebrate the day with pasta. 😉

Daily Quote: February 5, 2022

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Faith makes all things possible…
love makes all things easy.

~ Dwight L. Moody
American – Clergyman / February 5, 1837 – December 22, 1899

Holidays and Celebrations:

Porte Musings:

It’s uncertain why Disaster Day is remembered on February 5th, but today we remember the world’s major disasters and work to prevent or improve our response to disasters.

Any day is a perfect day to take your child to the Library, but today, Saturday is a perfect day to celebrate Take Your Child to the Library Day. The libraries are open and the books are free with a membership. What could be better?

The perfect way to start the weekend as you celebrate Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. Fruit, ice cream a little sprinkle of granola or bran and you have a perfect breakfast. 😉

Daily Quote: February 20, 2020

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A true photograph need not be explained,
nor can it be contained in words.
~ Ansel Adams (American – Photographer / February 20, 1902 – April 22, 1984)

Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day

Love Your Pet Day

Still mourning the fact that my Nikon D750 isn’t repaired yet.  I’m trying to do my best with the used, obsolete Nikon CoolPix L340,  With only 1 frame per second I really need to watch, wait and anticipate a good shot (and be lucky enough).  Since I can’t take pictures in RAW, I also need to make sure the settings are close.  I used the “pet” preset and underexposed for the light pink bird.

I’m really glad for the advise to underexpose light coloured birds and overexpose dark coloured birds (from the birding photography workshop at Estero Llano Grande.)  Underexposing light coloured birds gives more definition to the feathers.  The small camera moves around too easily, so I’ve been using a mono-pod to help steady the camera.  Sometimes it’s not a bad idea to slowdown and wait for the right shot.

Using the screen instead of a view finder is also a bit difficult.  Glare on the screen in the field on a sunny day doesn’t let you know what the shot will actually look like when you’re taking a picture.

This photograph of a bathing Roseate Spoonbill, was edited using Black and white choices in Fotor (free editing software package) .  Fotor is my favorite editing software to add text and save my large format photographs in a smaller size suitable for posting on my blog site.

Ansel Adams was an environmentalist and photographer, best known for his Black and White Landscape Photographs of the American West.