Peace on Earth

Christmas Tree Lights Reflected Off Window Viewing West

Thanksgiving Day Color

 I'm thankful today for the beautiful fall foliage that we enjoy from our back patio.

Destruction in Palmyra Syria

Temple of Bel photographed by me on April 14, 2011

Temple of Bel on October 5, 2015 as photographed by ISIS

Thoughts on 9/11

From graffiti posted at Ground Zero almost five years after the attack.

Last Man Standing...

... at least the last American, maybe even the last Westerner, standing at the Temple of Bel in April, 2011. The Wall Street Journal reported today that Islamic State fighters had blown up at least portions of this 2,000 year old temple, one of the greatest sites of the ancient world.

Temple of Bel

Overview of the ruins of Palmyra

Ladies and Gentlemen...

...the Rolling Stones!

Mick and Charlie 

Ronnie and Keith

The most awesome performance I have ever seen!

On the Road to Palmyra

Photo taken April 12, 2011

Glad I wasn't on this road today!

Goodbye B. B. King

B.B. King performing at the Blues Music Festival in Dallas on August 22, 1992.

Moon Set

Icy New Year!

It is very cold this New Year's morning, so when it started raining, ice formed on all the trees.

On Giving Thanks...

Fall foliage yesterday from my back patio.

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving. - W.T. Purkiser

(Thanksgiving Day in the United States: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving)

Photo taken almost exactly ten years ago.

Children of Syria

Children posing for me near ancient fortress in Palmyra, Syria. Where are they now?

Day of the Hummingbirds

Silhouetted against a bright sky

I went out on the patio early this morning to see if September had brought us any cooler mornings. Unfortunately it was about 80 degrees and humid. Disappointed, I went back inside. Later I went out and discovered there was a lot of hummingbird activity for the first time this summer. I grabbed my camera and tried to get a few shots.

This one was far enough from the house that it was sun lit

Another one in the shade

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Fence sitter

Beak and feathers

Happy Fourth of July!

All  of these photos were taken from our back patio tonight.

Early Morning Lightning

Got up extra early this morning when I heard it storming. Sat on the back patio and watched many great bolts of lightning hit. Finally decided I needed to get the camera and see if I could get a good shot.

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

Yellow Cactus Flower

Flower on cactus in a neighbors yard.

Blue Dragonfly

Purple Flower

I believe this is a Prairie Winecup or a Polly Mallow. There are a few of these in my yard every spring. I've always had a hard time getting a good photograph of them. However, after looking for photographs  of it online, I'm pretty happy with my photo.