FAVORITES OF THE YEAR

 I’m grateful to all of you who visited my photography blogs in 2025.  After looking through the pictures I took, here are my ten favorites:  A Leelanau orchard in winter’s shadow.  A sandhill crane, its neck coiled for preening.  A lovely bouquet painted during the mural festival.  A cedar waxwing feasting on frozen crabapples.  A striking bearded iris.  Sailboats racing on West Bay.  Gracing chasing a ball in her new backyard.  The following three images are tied for my favorite picture of 2025.  I love the brilliant colors in this fall scene from Old Mission Peninsula. The next two are both from my many visits to Sleeping Bear Dunes.  The peachy sunset was taken at Platte Point, and the other is an early morning shot of the Mill Pond.  The white egret in the water was a bonus.  Do you have a favorite?

 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS, MY FRIENDS

 Enjoy your holiday in whatever ways make it special.  For me, taking pictures is always high on my list, with seasonal lights a favorite subject.  Thank you for being a constant visitor to my blog and Facebook page.  May you find peace, contentment, and good health now and in the new year.  

 

 

 

 

MERRY AND BRIGHT

 

 I love driving around at night to look at the holiday lights and decorations.  As I scouted out places to photograph, I discovered many signs of the season were just as lovely in the daytime.

 

 

LEAVING AND ARRIVING

I’m always sad when my favorite birds migrate south for the winter.  I have to remind myself how many Arctic birds migrate here from the North American tundra.  While I still await the snowy owls, last week the snow buntings arrived.  On the same sunny afternoon, I spotted this giant, rough-legged hawk on a seasonal road that happened to be plowed.  I crept slowly forward in my car with the window down, ready to shoot, when it took off.  It landed on the other side of the field in a stand of trees.  I got off another shot before it flew off again.  I decided to drive around the country block to see if it would return to the original tree.  It had, but took off even faster than before.  I was no match at playing tag with this striking hawk.

 

 

 

 

 

SNOW BUNTINGS ARRIVE

 They are such cute little birds that are fun to watch, but very difficult to photograph because they’re constantly moving.  They’re actually a type of sparrow.  The males are strikingly white with a black back, central tail, and wing tips.  Females have a reddish-brown coloring.  They’re also known as “snowflake” birds because the mostly white plumage of a bunting flock evokes the image of a snowstorm.  

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE

 For a photographer living in a gray, winter climate, a sunny day is cause for excitement.  Monday afternoon’s sunshine and bright haze made me drop everything and head outdoors.  For nearly three hours, I sucked in the shadows and colors of the wintry landscapes.  More to come.