Throw me something, mister!   

    Shore birds following the Galveston, TX ferry boat.

 A gaggle of swimmers ride a pink Flamingo raft out to the sunset at South Toledo Bend State Park in Louisiana

Dusk clouds feeling poetic

The clouds were in a poetic mood this Sunday as the sun was setting.

These three birds literally got a "birds-eye view."

I don't know if that qualifies as a pun, but it was definitely intended.

Cattail Marsh turtles

I was out at Cattail Marsh and caught this group of mud brothers trying to dry out with very little sun to share.

Cotton puff clouds highlight Ole Glory's waves

I was watching the sky today as we moved around the city on chores.  This shot was while I was at Kinsel Ford dropping off a Red Cross vehicle which needed repairs.  I was struck by the contrast between the cotton puff clouds in the  background and in the foreground the American flag flapping actively in the breezes brought in by a cool front.

Bright, streaked sunset is followup to Hurricane Harvey

This was taken in Beaumont about three weeks after Hurricane Harvey came through Southeast Texas.  The unusual upward streaks were eye-catching.

Ruddy shore bird turns into escape artist

We were down on Bolivar Peninsula checking out the pre-storm conditions (with Hurricane Harvey moving up through the Gulf of Mexico) when I shot this photo of a Rudy Turnstone.  Because of the bright conditions, I didn't notice at the time that this guy had gotten snagged in what looks like a remnant from a net.  I checked the photos I took after this and notice that he did finally get free from his bondage.

A golden sunset sneaks through a week of rain storms.

Even through the rain and storms, this golden sunset found a way to brighten a fading sky.

Sunset flowers play with sun's rays

Some cone flowers catching the sunset rays at Ford Park in Beaumont, TX.

Strong upper winds ripple cloudy sky.

A strong west to east jet stream pushed ripples into the clouds last week. I am tempted to call it "Cloud Rippled Sky." What do you think?

Planes plow holes in rippled sky

Planes dragging through the rippled clouds left these dark holes in the sky over Beaumont last weekend

Casual shot from road summons moody bio-melange

I was just practicing with the camera while I was riding shotgun.  The result was this melting, moody melange of the roadside bioshere.

Cloud catches ducking rays

A cloud rises up over the buildings catching the light pouring under of the sunset near Conroe, TX.

Riding home sky splash

Just riding home and the sky presented this view to me.

Into the heart of the sunset

Driving home into the heart of the sunset.

Stalking sunset leaves trail of color behind us.

 Another look at the sunset that was stalking us on the last leg of our trip back from Dallas.  This was on FM 105, I believe

Castle Climber

Our grandson, Sloan, looks down from his castle perch high in the sky at Tugboat Island in Port Neches. TX.

Dusk devil dares the dark as day wanes

As nightfall nudges this dark-daring dusk devil, it attempts one last tawny try to rev up a rainy rage.  Futilely.

Bluster and booms gives night frights, but no puddles

This line of storms came rushing toward us tonight, but as of yet it was all bark and no bite.

Mt. Rainier standing guard over Seattle

An airplane takes to the skies from Sea-Tac Airport against the backdrop of Mt. Rainier in Seattle.  Our son lives in West Seattle.  I had to walk to the end of the block to get this shot of the mountain which is about 45 miles away.  Mt. Rainier seems to stand guard over the city.

Sunset grabs attention

This was Thursday's sunset -- it kept drawing my attention while I was driving home. I finally had to pull off the Interstate and get my camera out. The sunset did not disappoint.  I just wish I had stopped earlier.

Cotton ball clouds warn of storm

These cotton-ball clouds seemed to be the advanced scouts for thunderstorm that mostly went just north of us in April.

Lone bird against puffy skies

A lone bird flies under puffy clouds in advance of a thunderstorm in Beaumont, TX.

Organized chaos: rain storm in the wild.

The was a rain storm yesterday afternoon to the west of Beaumont.  Notice how unruly and disorganized it appears.  On the other hand, there is a definite organization that carries water vapor high enough into the air that falls in the form of rain.  I guess it would be fair to call this organized chaos.

Sunset: Subdued brilliance

The sunset last night was somewhat subdued and brilliant at the same time.  There were few sharp edges since the clouds were so diffused.  The crepuscular rays were almost faded away when I pulled off the road to shoot this shot.

The day is done

Put a bright, colorful streak across the sky -- the day is done.

A sunset walk along the Lake Pontchartrain levy in New Orleans.

Daredevil pilot dares the sky

An aerial daredevil performs at a lakefront festival in Seattle Washingon.

Golden sunset fills your eyes

This golden sunset assaulted our eyes on our Alaska cruise this summer.

Golden sunsets fill your eyes .. Alaska

On our Alaskan cruise this summer, this was a favorite pastime out over the open waters -- watching the sun have its golden way with the clouds and water before it pulled it's dark blanket over it all and went to sleep.

Skyshaker

This booming thunder cloud came right up to us. It sounded like a war zone -- the difference being that it seemed to be shaking the sky more than us.

Dancing skies

Sitting on the back porch of my daughter's house, I noticed the dancing skies.

Sky-fire sunset overwhelms camera phone

I was taking my dog out for a walk in the crisp air the other night, when this last bit of sunset exploded overhead.  My phone camera could barely contain itself with excitement  -- not that he knew what to do with color this bright and bold swashbuckled across the sky.

Sun settles,but Bolivar bay stays awake

The Gulf sun slips slowly into the bay behind Bolivar Peninsula as a boater silently slides his craft into the dock.  The salty smell of the breeze and its icy effect on our skins gave a sense that the sun had run its daily course, but the bay was not ready to sleep.

The glittering Bolivar sunset

Linda and I took a drive down to the Bolivar Peninsula the other day and just drove along the beach to enjoy the cool, breezy sunset.   The beach did not disappoint.  I donned its most glittering, glistening outfit for the occasion.

Sky fire

This is another view from that fiery sunset the other day as we were driving home. The sun's rays were skimming the bottoms of the cloud puffs -- just one last show of power by Sir Helios.

Stretching time

Stretching out that last hour of daylight driving, travelers push in to the heart of the sunset down I-10 near Lake Charles, LA.

Cloud-spangled sky

Nighttime and daytime often just pass the torch with a slow shift of color. However, sometimes, like this night, daytime lingers a while longer and makes one last cloud-spangled splash across the sky.

Do clouds play when the sun allows?

Is it possible that clouds, when the winds are right and sun is in a playful mood, invent games to fill the sky with spins and traces?

These are the kind of cool, yet sun-laced, days when it just doesn't feel adequate to be mere puffy cotton balls.

Do they play together, lightly laying air-light filaments over each other's nuanced sketches? Slowly, layer upon layer, do they trace these hints of gossamer threads sewn into weightless linens?

In the end, some emotion, some feeling, not before known, whispers its new, worldly beginnings.

We can watch, I suppose, but never really know the brio these venturers brush upon the sky. Unless, we let go the cares which ground us, and become volants ourselves -- time-free and earth- unbound.

Red lights suspend sunset chase

Driving into the heart of the sunset down the I-10, held up only by red lights.

Sharp. Distance, Sunset

How does that Yes! song go?  "Sail on, into the heart of the sunrise... Sharp. Distance." This is the I-10 version of that, sunset-style.

Live sundown stage

The Beaumont, TX,  downtown skyline appears as dark stage props against the glowing sunset. "...all the world's a stage."

Cold front greets us

From my cell phone, this shot is heading west toward Lake Charles on I-10 on Sunday.  We were just passing through the cold front passing the area.
Blustery winds and driving rains were just coming upon us.

Muscular crepuscular rays

Crepuscular rays leap over the clouds to add depth to the sky show.  They are called crepuscular because they are more often scene in the crepuscular hours -- near dawn and dusk.  According to the Wikipedia entry, they appear to diverge but it is only an optical illusion.

Clouds capped by jeweled prism

The low-lying sun, roar up the back of this cloud bank and spilled over the top, creating this prism. It was an aha! moment for me when I downloaded the photo.  In the deep attic of my mind, I suddenly had a great appreciation for the term "out of gamut."  The bejeweled greens that sparkled through saucer like laser lit emeralds just are nowhere to be seen here.  They are out of gamut -- in a color range that the camera cannot capture.

Cloud play

You know that old child's game where you grab the bat with one hand and then you and the other teams' leader keep swapping turns as you alternately put your grip above the other's grip.

You both work your way up the bat until one of you get to the top and someone caps the bat.  They win the first at-bat.

I am convinced the clouds on this day were playing a game like that, each one covering the one below until a winner emerges on top.

Night for herons

The sky is rusting and its brilliance is tarnishing fast as these herons feather in for a night together in their secure tree-top motel.

Hotter than hell and lighter than air

At the Hot Air Balloon festival in Gonzales, LA, a pilot pumps a flaming plume into his eagle-shape airship to give it lift into a lightless sky.  The event, at the Lamar Dixon arena was a great hit for kids and us older kids.  It was my first time to see the Moon Glow of hot air balloons

Egrets fight for landing rights

This shot from Lacassine, Louisiana, reminds me that crowded skies are not just a human problem. The herons (Cattle Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets, Blue Herons and more) come to this spot each night for some camaraderie. They start showing up about an hour and a half before sunset and quickly the supply of available branches approaches zero. This incoming feather ball seems to be saying, "clear the way for landing or we all end up on the ground!"