Swede’s Photographs

https://universeodon.com/@Swede1952

Retired soldier, I spent about 30 years in the military (USMC/Army). Also recently retired computer systems engineer. So, I'm just plain retired. I need something to do so, I decided on photography and bird watching as a hobby. Unless otherwise stated, all photographs I post are my own.

I take pictures and want to share them with you, so please follow my blog.

#TheScienceofBirds
#birds #birdwatching #photography #photographer

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swede1952_at_universeodon.com@momostr.pink

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Last Notes

2026-08-07 13:57:08 UTC

Good morning. 🌴🐚🐬
7 August 2026
My wife and I are heading out for our annual immunizations today. Hmm… that really does sound like something only a senior citizen would say, doesn’t it. Still, it feels like an outing—an adventure, even. We have somewhere to go, something on the calendar, a mission.
I haven’t made it down to the senior center yet, though I’ve been thinking about sticking my head in. My wife went once and told me we should go together, but she’s never mentioned it again. Evidently the lady she went with had been banned from the center. I’m not sure what the official charge was, but my wife said it had something to do with her allegedly taking an artificial plant—and apparently she was a repeat offender. The police even showed up while my wife was there. I mean honestly, how do you get banned from a senior center?
I don’t think that woman is part of my wife’s gang, the Sew Crazy Quilters—the local quilting guild. They’re a wild bunch, but I haven’t heard of any of them getting kicked out of the senior center. I always picture them in denim vests with a quilted sewing machine on the back and a tiny embroidered “QG” in the corner. Naturally, “Sew Crazy” would be stitched in an arc over the top like a biker patch.
Every so often they go on what’s called a shop hop—a list of quilting shops scattered across the region, sometimes pretty far out. The goal is to visit each shop, collect a token, and sign in. I suppose it’s not entirely unlike a bar hop or a poker run that motorcyclists do, just with more fabric and fewer leather vests.
And so our day’s big mission comes to a gentle, well‑stitched close.
“You know you're getting old when you stoop to tie your shoelaces and wonder what else you could do while you're down there.” — George Burns
Old age is not so bad when you consider the alternative.” — Maurice Chevalier
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #morning #birds #quilters #seniorcitizens
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/117/054/407/451/974/899/original/74c3dcabb80ff399.jpg

2026-08-04 21:23:39 UTC

Blackbird Amongst Cypress Greens
I saw this female red-winged blackbird (Taxodium distichum) at Alligator Lake, a small local lake here in West Central Louisiana. I thought this photo of her perching on the branch of a bald cypress tree looked nice.
Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #redwingedblackbird
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/117/039/326/166/666/626/original/f3dad7b86d15419b.jpg

2026-07-30 13:58:25 UTC

Good morning. 🏗️🏗️🏗️
30 July 2026
When you look at this picture, does anyone else immediately think “Imperial Walkers?” The cranes have that same looming, mechanical posture — like they’re about to start marching.
Turning to Star Trek — back when I was still working, I had a coworker I’d tease, in the friendliest way possible, about being a Trekkie. He wasn’t one, but I kept nudging the joke along because it amused both of us. I don’t even remember how it started; it just became part of the daily rhythm.
At one point, I printed a Starfleet Academy diploma I found online, put his name on it, and hung it on his wall. It took him weeks to notice, but once he did, he kept it.
Eventually, I found the perfect way to finish the bit. I came across a Star Trek uniform shirt for sale, bought it, and had my wife embroider his name on it. Then I hung it above his desk like it was his official Starfleet assignment. Honestly, it’s probably still there.
Why go through all that trouble? Because that’s how you build camaraderie — the small, shared jokes that make people feel like they’re part of something together. I had other running gags with other folks, but this one was the clearest example. Not everyone enjoys a little ribbing or a harmless prank, but that’s life. The people who do? They remember it.
“The only way to have a friend is to be one.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.” - G.K. Chesterton
“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” - Henry Ford
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #morning #cranes #blackskimmers #starwars #startrek #camaraderie #blackskimmers #jokes
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/117/009/048/804/663/238/original/994bec19a6cc55ef.jpg

2026-07-22 15:01:03 UTC

Get Off My Lawn
I caught this brief dispute between a blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) and a northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). Usually a cardinal will make way when a blue jay shows up, but in this moment the cardinal stood its ground, beak wide open in a defiant warning for the jay to steer clear.
Discover nature's fleeting moments through my lens—visit my photo gallery to see more.
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #corvids #cardinals #bluejay #northerncardinal
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/964/188/219/227/735/original/b0c497d91b98adf9.jpg

2026-07-22 12:24:46 UTC

Whistler on the Roof
This is a pretty good photo of a female northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). Her crest is pretty striking.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/963/602/694/168/503/original/7274a45fb4425214.jpg

2026-07-16 21:31:58 UTC

Rain‑Soaked Visitor
I looked outside and saw a Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) under the bird feeder. I’d seen it before, but this time I got pictures. I gave it a little spook and let Charlie out; he caught up to the critter, but that was it. Opossums aren’t exactly built for speed.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/931/743/279/166/282/original/16b1796677eaae91.jpg

2026-07-05 21:46:30 UTC

The Bold and the Bushy
This Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) showed up one quiet morning with a single mission in mind — to plunder the bird feeders set out in the middle of the backyard. In this moment, the squirrel sits perched atop the fence, the forest rising behind it like a deep green curtain. Its body is tense with intention, tail curled high, eyes fixed on Charlie and me as if weighing whether we’re obstacles or merely part of the scenery. The scene captures a tiny outlaw of the woods caught in the act, sizing up its audience before making its next move.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/869/528/524/041/453/original/418ec200dee7b3a5.jpg

2026-06-21 13:46:15 UTC

Good morning. 🌅🌤️🌦️
21 June 2026
I hear the rain a‑coming again this morning, rolling in the same way it did yesterday and the day before. I haven’t seen a proper sunrise in so long it feels like something out of a Johnny Cash song — and yes, I borrowed a few words from Folsom Prison Blues, but the mood fits. Gray skies, steady rain, and that feeling of being stuck in the same weather loop.
We had plans to drive down to the Sabine Wildlife Refuge today, but the rain has other ideas. So that trip will have to wait for a clearer morning. In the meantime, I’ll just say “see ya later, alligator,” which is fitting enough since there are plenty of those down there. No crocodiles, though — Louisiana keeps things interesting, but not that interesting.
Speaking of crocs, I still don’t understand how those shoes became a fashion statement. I guess they’re no worse than flip‑flops, and people swear they’re comfortable. They do look convenient — slip in, shuffle out — but they seem like the kind of footwear you choose on a day when running is not on the agenda. Definitely not something you’d want to wear while wandering around a bayou.
And that brings me to the beach. One of the great things about going is the sand, and one of the worst things about going is… also the sand. Warm sand is wonderful to sink into, but it also finds its way into every pocket, shoe, and crevice you didn’t know you had. Flip‑flops are practically the uniform down there; I wore them myself back in the day. But once sand works its way between your toes and under that little strap, it becomes a slow, gritty torture device. Frequent rinsing becomes part of the journey if you’re walking any distance.
So here I am, listening to the rain, thinking about alligators, crocs, flip‑flops, and sand.
“I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try.” — J.B. Priestley
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #morning #crocs #flipflops #sunrise #ocean #ramble
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/788/205/366/099/947/original/1fe0ab0138c7a3a3.jpg

2026-06-18 00:28:20 UTC

Morning Light on Tufted Titmouse
#tuftedtitmoue
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/768/259/175/694/967/original/1f727c52f54789bc.jpg

2026-06-13 15:37:37 UTC

Grassland Catch
I was looking closely at this image of a western cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) that I photographed a while back when I noticed it had something clamped in its beak. It’s hard to tell exactly what the creature is, but it’s definitely too long to be a worm. The shape and length make it look more like a small snake.
Explore a curated collection of heron and egret images in my photo gallery. Take a look!
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #heron #egret #westerncattleegret
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/743/505/257/379/481/original/c8334465f1393549.jpg

2026-06-13 13:29:02 UTC

Good morning. 🐿️🐿️🐿️
13 June 2026
Back when George Reeves was Superman, I was absolutely convinced that the secret to flight was the cape. Not strength, not alien biology — just the cape. I believed in that hypothesis so completely that one day I fastened a towel around my neck with a safety pin, climbed to the top of the stairs in our two‑level apartment, and leapt.
It did not work.
What I did prove was that the human body is surprisingly durable — not Superman‑durable, mind you — but durable enough to survive a fall like that with only a sprained arm and a bruised ego.
I wouldn’t call it a failed experiment, because technically I gathered evidence disproving the “cape = flight” theory. But with only one sample, how sure could I really be? Not very. Still, the pain from that first trial was persuasive enough to shut down any plans for further research.
If Superman really flew because of his cape, then his cape must have been something special — and I was never going to get my hands on that particular model. So, C’est la vie.
I had a history of sprained arms as a kid, each with its own questionable origin story. One of the earliest came courtesy of an old washing machine — the kind with a roller wringer mounted on top. Modern washers use rapid rotation and centrifugal force to fling water out of fabric, but this machine relied on squeezing everything between two hard rubber rollers.
That idea fascinated me.
So I decided to feed a sock through the rollers.
I should have let go of the sock.
Instead, my arm followed it straight into the wringer — not good. Not good at all.
I can still remember the aftermath: the throbbing, the scolding, and the unmistakable smell of a potato poultice pressed against my arm. Childhood medicine had its own aroma, and that one stays with you.
“Play is the highest form of research.” — Albert Einstein
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #morning #squirrel #superman #childhood #experiments
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/742/769/089/160/601/original/f120cf3daa38fd92.jpg

2026-06-09 13:17:57 UTC

Good morning. 💤⏰☕
9 June 2026
My head’s coming together slowly this morning. I’ve got a doctor’s appointment in an hour and was going to skip the coffee, but let’s be honest — I need it if I’m going to get moving. It’s fine; the doc told me coffee before labs is okay. Still, I always feel like I’m trying to pass a test.
I finished my latest read last night. It’s a book I normally wouldn’t have picked up, but one of my granddaughters sent it to me, so I gave it a shot — and it turned out to be surprisingly good. The book is Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman, a New York Times bestseller.
The story feels like a cross between TRON, The Wizard of Oz, and War of the Worlds. It’s this wild blend of fantasy, science fiction, horror, and comedy. The main characters are a guy named Carl — as you might guess — and a talking show cat named Princess Doughnut.
One early morning after midnight, the two are thrown into chaos when aliens invade Earth. The survivors who manage to get underground are dropped into a kind of living video game the aliens call the Dungeon. Their goal is always the same: fight their way to the next level by battling monsters, earning tools, gold, skills, and whatever else might help them survive — if they can even find the way down.
I know, it sounds like a mess on the surface, something that shouldn’t work at all, but Dinniman somehow pulls it off. It’s a series, and I’m thinking about picking up the next book to see what happens next.
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” — Arthur Ashe
"Welcome to the Dungeon survival is optional" - Matt Dinniman
Dammit Doughnut - Carl
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #morning #book #DoctorsAppointmentDay
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/720/210/344/904/967/original/3f4306182663153f.jpg

2026-06-01 15:20:15 UTC

Perched with Purpose
This Carolina chickadee (scientific name) perches with an unusually straight posture and it sports an oddly punk haircut. Both the posture and the uneven head feathers are indicators that the bird is molting. Apparently, the more upright posture may help relieve the pressure from new emerging feathers.
Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #carolinachickadee
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/675/463/253/024/386/original/d8d0d89d02a298b3.jpg

2026-05-30 14:28:50 UTC

Good morning. ☕☕☕
30 May 2026
I remember when telephones with push‑buttons started showing up. They looked so modern, so futuristic, like something out of a science‑fiction movie. If you had one sitting on your desk, you must have been somebody — even though, at first, they didn’t really do anything the old rotary phones couldn’t do. I still wonder why we started with a dial instead of buttons in the first place. I don’t wonder long, though. It had to be whatever the technology of the time could manage.
When I was a small child living with my grandparents — my parents were off at the Great Lakes while my dad went through Navy training — I had to memorize their phone number. To this day, it still doesn’t make sense to me. It was “Sycamore 5‑2453.” Try dialing that into a phone today. There have been a few changes since then.
And isn’t it funny that after all these years, after all the technical leaps that led to the cell phones we carry in our back pockets, we still say we’re “dialing” a number? I’m sure plenty of young people don’t even know what that means. I’ve seen clips online where teenagers are handed an old rotary phone and look as confused as I’d be if someone handed me a crank‑and‑jar churn. I wouldn’t know its purpose, let alone how to use it.
Makes you wonder what the next fifty years will bring. I’m certain of one thing: nobody will be running down to the telegraph office. And someday, even cell phones will go the way of buggy whips.
“We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us.” — Marshall McLuhan
“Nostalgia is a file that removes the rough edges from the good old days.” — Doug Larson
“If you don’t like change, you’ll like irrelevance even less.” — General Eric Shinseki
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #morning #technology #telephones #dial
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/663/794/210/226/807/original/a74fdb0be0c116db.jpg

2026-05-19 21:10:11 UTC

Rosy Goldfinch
I think that when I took this photo, the American goldfinches (Spinus tristis) had mostly moved on, but here’s one from a few weeks earlier. I really like the soft, rosy background.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/603/275/443/060/403/original/b75492fe2dd6f452.jpg

2026-05-18 18:41:54 UTC

Light on Water
Here is a slightly over exposed image of a snowy egret (scientific name that is pleasantly easy on the eyes. I captured the image of this bird at Gulfport, Mississippi late November 2025.
Explore a curated collection of heron and egret images in my photo gallery. Take a look!
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #heron #egret #snowyegret
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/597/016/532/307/558/original/57983d4650502a78.jpg

2026-05-17 21:21:26 UTC

Forest Reflections
A serene woodland scene is captured with a quiet body of water reflecting the bare branches of trees. The dense growth of trees and underbrush is indicative of a wetland or marshy area, and the lighting suggests late afternoon or early evening.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/591/996/857/298/259/original/035402aaa5f3bc21.jpg

2026-05-17 01:17:25 UTC

Good evening. 🌄🌅🌇
16 May 2026
We just rolled back into the house after our trip. I brought two cameras — not counting my iPhone — and somehow managed to take zero bird photos. Not one. Apparently every bird in the Ozarks and Oklahoma entered the Witness Protection Program the moment I arrived.
Plenty of pictures of my granddaughter graduating from college, though. That part I nailed.
First thing I did when we got home was take a Zyrtec. Something started attacking my sinuses while we were away, and naturally I grabbed the wrong bottle before we left, so I spent the whole trip raw‑dogging allergy season. Oklahoma City didn’t help — the air quality there was so bad it felt like the atmosphere was trying to exfoliate my lungs.
The only thing wrong with the house right now is that Charlie isn’t in it. He’s still in boarding at the vet’s office, serving hard time. I can’t post bail until Monday morning. But Monday… we party.
The drive home was more chaotic than the drives to the Ozarks and OKC, mostly because I had to actually drive the car myself for most of it. The navigation system decided we needed a scenic tour of every country road between here and the state line. At one point, “Country Roads” by John Denver came on, which would’ve been charming if I hadn’t been white‑knuckling the steering wheel like a man trying to defuse a bomb.
Speaking of navigation systems: while we were doing 75 on the interstate leaving OKC, the voice calmly instructed me to “turn right at the next stop sign onto Industrial Road.” My wife and I both said “WHAT” in perfect harmony. I’m pretty sure the Industrial Road it meant was hundreds of miles away near our home. What cha gonna do?
“If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.” — Woody Allen
“Not all those who wander are lost.” — J.R.R. Tolkien
“Happiness is a warm puppy.” — Charles M. Schulz
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #travel #navigation #trip #allergies
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/587/104/470/587/970/original/d8ed28fbccdad98b.jpg

2026-05-12 14:08:27 UTC

Skyward Descent
This blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) was in the yard one morning, along with a couple of others. It’s the first time I’ve seen them come to the feeders since last fall.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/561/982/012/631/382/original/909eef4382f432ca.jpg

2026-05-10 12:28:58 UTC

Golden Reflections
I saw this greater yellowlegs in Albany, Georgia about a years ago.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/550/267/986/294/018/original/eeba4896c34af491.jpg

2026-05-07 13:33:31 UTC

Good morning. 🍵🍵🍵
7 May 2026
While feeding Charlie this morning, I discovered Roomba wedged under the breakfast table. It must have gotten stuck yesterday during its rounds, and I only just noticed — meaning it had been stranded for nearly twenty‑four hours. The suffering it must have endured is unimaginable. The thought of being pinned between a table leg and a chair for that long is simply horrid.
Naturally, I blame myself for being so unobservant that I didn’t hear its cries for help. It was neglect on my part, and I feel deep regret. In my defense, the moment I spotted Roomba lying lifeless under the table, I immediately extricated it and rushed it to its base station, where it is now receiving the resuscitating care it deserves.
As you can see, the excitement of mornings in this household knows no bounds. Mine begins with the sudden realization that I am, in fact, still here — awake, with ambient light filtering through the curtains. When I say I “discover” I’m still here, it’s because seconds earlier I was somewhere else entirely, in a world that exists only in my mind. Or does it.
I get up, stagger into the bathroom, and revive myself with a toothbrush after the night’s sleep. When I open the bedroom door and step into the rest of the house, Charlie is waiting. The moment he sees me, he turns and thunders toward the back door, fully confident that I will follow and let him out.
And now, somehow, I’m already out of space this morning, so I’ll have to end it here. That’s all the chaos my morning budget allows.
“Normality is a paved road: it’s comfortable to walk, but no flowers grow on it.” — Van Gogh
“The world is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” — Yeats
“The universe is full of things that are patiently waiting for us to notice them.” — Eden Phillpotts
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #morning #spanishmoss #roomba
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/533/352/408/438/491/original/ec1fa637efcd2f98.jpg

2026-05-05 20:53:50 UTC

The Silent Glide
This Red‑shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) was soaring high in the sky yesterday.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/523/928/261/826/855/original/e456876d2e7e93f4.jpg

2026-05-04 12:14:38 UTC

Golden Approach
Here’s another Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula). I caught this one in mid‑flight, wings spread wide. I was a little disappointed that it didn’t fit entirely in the frame, but I still think it makes for a striking image.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/516/210/728/265/756/original/ea6f9a65180ca819.jpg

2026-04-25 21:23:34 UTC

Backyard Visitor
Charlie and I sat outside taking in the birds when I noticed a rabbit sitting cautiously inside the fence, having slipped in through the famous hole beneath it. It lingered there for a moment, perfectly still, before realizing we were watching and vanished back under the fence.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/467/400/938/558/914/original/54249f2ae7d43b05.jpg

2026-04-15 15:01:57 UTC

Good morning. ☕☕☕
15 April 2026
My wife planted these Barbados lilies in two large pots outside our back door nearly twenty years ago, and they still come back every spring. It must be the perfect spot — just the right balance of sun and shade — because they return like clockwork.
Thinking about the lilies reminded me of the year a colony of yellow jackets decided to build a nest in one of those same pots. I’m usually a live‑and‑let‑live kind of guy when it comes to wildlife, but that was too close for comfort. They had to go — evicted without prejudice.
That brought back another backyard memory from the day I was pressure‑washing the fence. A mud dauber had built a nest on one of the boards, and when I blasted the water across it, the wasp took offense. It came straight at me and stung me on my right ear. After that, we had ourselves a little battle, and the wasp didn’t stand a chance against high‑pressure water. My ear, however, paid the price — swollen and oversized for days.
How would I describe the pain of a mud dauber sting? Sharp and hot, like a quick jab of electricity. It doesn’t last long, but the swelling certainly does.
I still have the pressure washer, but these days I hire someone else to handle the job. No more backyard duels for me.
That said, when I was doing the pressure‑washing myself, half the job was dragging the machine from one section of fence to the next. One guy I hired showed up with a washer and several lengths of hose hooked together. Genius. And for me, a big duh — why hadn’t I thought of that.
“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.” — Oscar Wilde
“If you can laugh at it, you can live with it.” — Erma Bombeck
“Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’” — Robin Williams
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #morning #flowers #lilies #wasps #pressurewashing
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/409/093/841/457/769/original/4668ddad641e4288.jpg

2026-04-11 13:46:08 UTC

Good morning. 🌿🍂🍁
11 April 2026
I had an electrician come out and replace the light fixture in the small garage where I keep my motorcycle and mower. It cost a hefty sum to have a pro do it, but at least I know the job was done correctly. Sure, I could’ve done it myself for a lot cheaper, but I didn’t want to. Besides, it would’ve taken me hours to figure it all out and get‑’er‑done.
The electrician and his apprentice were in and out more‑ricky‑tic. They swapped my old fluorescent fixture for an LED unit that looks almost identical in size and shape, just a whole different technology under the hood.
You can’t always depend on the outside of something — or the name of something — to tell you what it really is or what it really does. My new light looks like a fluorescent, but it isn’t.
I sometimes think of the Roman dynasties the same way. Many emperors carried the name “Caesar,” starting with Julius Caesar, then Caesar Augustus, then Caesar Romero, and so on down the line.
Okay, you got me — Caesar Romero wasn’t next in line after Augustus. That was Caesar Tiberius. Romero was a Caesar, but only because it was his first name. He was a 20th‑century actor, famous for a lot of roles but especially the Joker on the old ’60s Batman series — not a 1st‑century Roman ruler. I know you knew that, especially if you were around in the ’60s. If not, and your Western Civ history is a little rusty, maybe he sounded like just another Caesar.
Let’s face it: there are folks out there who’d believe me if I said Caesar Romero was the first man to step out of the Orion spacecraft yesterday. We only know what we know — and we don’t know what we don’t know.
“All that glisters is not gold.” - Shakespeare
The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing. - Socrates
“Common sense is not so common.”
- Voltaire
photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #autumn #foliage #morning #electrician #caesar #history
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/386/171/780/027/608/original/4a8b423277516168.jpg

2026-04-09 14:58:27 UTC

Good morning. 🌹🌹🌹
9 April 2026
I just set out a sprinkler to start watering the lawn. We haven’t had many rainy days lately. I don’t have an irrigation system I can just switch on—I still have to do the whole hose‑drag routine. It’s a little exercise, at least. It takes me three days to cover my whole target area, which still isn’t the entire yard.
This morning I noticed that the years‑old hose on the east side of the house has a leak. My reaction was basically … eh. I had to laugh, because not so many years ago my self‑diagnosed OCD would’ve had me freaking out and scrambling for the truck to race to Lowe’s for a replacement. Now? I recognize that the earth isn’t going to stop spinning over a leaky hose. I’ll replace it, of course—just when I get around to it.
It’s funny how we tend to overthink our problems and make them seem bigger than they really are. I think that tendency worsens as we age—purely a layman’s opinion—but it is documented that episodes of anxiety increase over time. Some of that is probably chemistry, but I wonder how much comes from simply spending more time ruminating. It helps to compartmentalize, to tuck problems into a drawer until it’s actually time to deal with them, so we can live our lives without carrying them around all day.
I think we were better at that when we were young, when something like a traffic ticket barely even registered. We dealt with it and moved on.
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” — William James
“Rule number one: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Rule number two: It’s all small stuff.” — Richard Carlson
“Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.” — Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
#photo #photography #nature #morning #flower #rose #anxiety
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/375/167/312/391/698/original/ce41042c54eb42c5.jpg

2026-04-09 00:02:16 UTC

The Takeover
I thought you might enjoy this shot of chipping sparrows taking over the feeder. You’ve got to watch out for the street gangs in my backyard. 😉
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/371/786/822/199/633/original/9be9637bd34dc77e.jpg

2026-04-01 20:19:08 UTC

Young Woodpecker Rising
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/331/287/425/156/894/original/e4a404aecb5832b9.jpg

2026-03-23 17:03:32 UTC

Whispers of the Night
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/279/551/948/324/926/original/02fa436acf179549.jpg

2026-03-23 15:04:01 UTC

Cry of the Red-Shouldered Hawk
Here is a photo of a Red‑shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) that I took in the summer of 2023.
Check out breathtaking photos of magnificent birds of prey, visit my photo gallery here:
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #birdofprey #raptor #hawk #RedShoulderedHawk
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2026-03-22 21:46:19 UTC

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Thank you, Angelika!

2026-03-22 16:34:12 UTC

Warm‑Light Wanderers
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/273/776/595/161/621/original/c9a8b0fbe3fbc802.jpg

2026-03-22 16:16:59 UTC

Morning Cowbird
“This bird almost had me second‑guessing, because for a female Brown‑headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), its plumage is unusually light. It may well be a younger bird.
Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #blackbirds #brownheadedcowbird
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/273/635/657/814/823/original/2a6ac51f4095581b.jpg

2026-03-22 14:51:51 UTC

Good morning. ☕☕☕
22 March 2026
I woke up pretty wobbly this morning—one of those abrupt exits from a deep dream where you feel yourself slipping straight from one reality into another. Maybe dreams are the place where universes brush against each other, a little crossroads called the Twilight Zone. And when you tumble back into the so‑called real world, the best you can do is tuck and roll.
I put on coffee and stretched out in my recliner with my eyes closed until Charlie reminded me it was mealtime. Then I drifted off again until I heard my wife moving around in the kitchen, and now here I am, tapping away at a keyboard.
I can hear my granddaughter moving around too—she’s here for spring break. She’s a college sophomore, training to be a teacher, straight‑A student, and a basketball player to boot. Tomorrow my daughter—her mother—and another granddaughter will be here for a couple of days. That granddaughter is also in college, also studying to become a teacher. She’s a senior and will start her first real teaching job next year. And then there’s their older sister, already working as a college counselor. Three sisters, all in the education world.
Because the younger two are headed into teaching, I’ve learned a thing or two about how the pipeline works. In their final year, they essentially become full‑time student teachers—working in local schools, running classrooms, doing the real work. By the time they step up to the blackboard for pay, they’ve already been teaching for a year. It’s inspiring.
Although now that I think about it… do schools still use blackboards? I assume they do, but it is 2026—an Education Odyssey.
“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” - Albert Einstein
A teacher affects eternity; they can never tell where their influence stops.”
- Henry Adams
“Change is the end result of all true learning.” - Leo Buscaglia
#photo #photography #photographer #nature #morning #flower #blue #education #dream #teachers
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/273/156/888/072/145/original/67139ba68c69ea50.jpg

2026-03-22 02:24:26 UTC

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Yea. I took this picture a couple years ago. When I first identified it, I got it wrong. A little more experience with the made it easier. The black spot on its breast is a giveaway for males anyway, females are harder.

2026-03-21 18:18:38 UTC

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By sound I can’t pick them out without the help of Merlin. I can usually recognize the cardinals’ song as well as blue jays, red bellied woodpeckers, mourning doves, and of course rock doves.

2026-03-21 15:06:34 UTC

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I think that the bird song identification function is more accurate. It identifies birds that I see and some that I just hope to see but stay hidden among the trees. Sometimes though, the trickster mimics like mockingbirds and blue jays may throw it a curve ball.

2026-03-21 15:00:59 UTC

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It can be but usually it will get it right and if not it may provide a starting point to search. I keep a couple of field guides around to search through. As happens, this is an old image, when I first posted it, I got it wrong. Since then I’ve learned to easily spot house sparrows especially the males.

2026-03-21 13:51:23 UTC

Sparrow Rest
Identifying a sparrow among sparrows isn’t always easy. Merlin leans toward Bachman’s Sparrow for this image, but it’s actually a House Sparrow (Passer domesticus). Merlin also suggests Field Sparrow and Brewer’s Sparrow, though Brewer’s is easy to rule out since it’s out of range. When I use Merlin for audio IDs, it often picks up Bachman’s Sparrow and Song Sparrow too. The dark patch on this bird’s chest is especially interesting.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/267/443/509/646/274/original/42f1e44e170c8c1c.jpg

2026-03-21 13:25:34 UTC

Flag and Feathers
I took this photo of hundreds of black skimmers sweeping past a prominent building near the docks in Gulfport, Mississippi. I played with the light to create a sky washed in deep orange, leaving the birds and the building softly pale against it.
The photographs I share here don’t appear as vivid as they do in my Pixel’s gallery. To make them load more easily, I reduce their size and slightly lower their quality. Take a look:
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #blackskimmers #Gulfport #shorebirds
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/267/357/793/501/251/original/367075595561a291.jpg

2026-03-21 12:55:40 UTC

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Tufted titmouse in the open - cool.

2026-03-21 12:53:49 UTC

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😊👍

2026-03-20 17:25:38 UTC

Chickadee’s Treasure
The peanut looks enormous clamped in the beak of this little Carolina chickadee (Poecile carolinensis).
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/262/649/054/707/834/original/6da578f73af6b4a7.jpg

2026-03-20 17:07:53 UTC

Blur of Determination
Here’s a tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) I managed to catch darting into the upper‑right corner of the frame. The focus slipped a bit as he plunged through the air, but the moment still feels electric. It’s as if he’s charging straight toward the lens with heroic enthusiasm—here he comes to save the day, a tiny tufted titmouse on its way.
Tufted titmice are a favorite among a select group of bird enthusiasts. To celebrate these charming creatures, I’ve curated a special collection dedicated entirely to them in my photo gallery. Take a look!
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #tuftedtitmouse
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/262/570/377/346/662/original/c7205ef2dac224a2.jpg

2026-03-20 13:58:28 UTC

Good morning. 🌺🌸🪻
20 March 2026
Today’s date feels familiar, like it’s supposed to mean something. Oh—right. It’s the Spring Equinox. Well… if I’m being completely honest, it didn’t just occur to me. I had that nagging sense that the date should matter, so I looked it up online. It carried that odd feeling of familiarity, like something I ought to know already—not completely unlike déjà vu. But the equinox doesn’t always fall on March 20, so maybe it’s just a bit of seasonal memory kicking in.
Speaking of déjà vu, did you know people tend to experience it more often as they get older? You can probably chalk that up to having more memories to sort through. The longer you’re around, the more patterns your brain has stored. Déjà vu is a bit like your mind recognizing a familiar shape or rhythm but failing to pull the original memory fully into focus.
Of course, if you prefer the supernatural explanations, there’s a whole menu of them: your past life overlapping, a glimpse of a future memory, spirits nudging you, brushing up against a parallel universe, meeting someone your soul remembers, or receiving a divine message. These ideas can be vivid, imaginative, and for some people, deeply believable.
Personally, I lean toward the rational side when it comes to feelings and strange moments. If something seems unusual and I can’t explain it, I look to the people who study these things for a living.
What do you believe.
“Spring adds new life and new beauty to all that is.” — Jessica Harrelson
“You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry. Don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.” — Walter C. Hagen
“Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat.” — Laura Ingalls
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #morning #purple #flowers #spring #dejanvu
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/261/617/783/292/753/original/4052ad0c7f899377.jpg

2026-03-20 12:45:11 UTC

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😊👍

2026-03-19 19:00:39 UTC

Sunny Notes
My dog Charlie and I were outside one morning watching the birds. As you know, Charlie has a way of making bird‑watching interesting, though he usually settles beside my chair, and with a little patience the birds start coming around. This morning, I noticed there were no goldfinches — maybe they’ve moved on for the season, or maybe they’ll show up later. This photo is of an American Goldfinch I photographed some time before.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/257/359/101/138/793/original/fc639b0ad5932cfe.jpg

2026-03-19 18:20:43 UTC

Bronze Breasted Arboreal Beauty
This female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) has been around for a while — she probably still is. They show up regularly, usually early in the morning or again around dusk, though I spot them at other times as well.
If you’re captivated by northern cardinals and other members of the Cardinalidae family—better known as the cardinal family—step into my photo gallery for a visual feast. Come take a look:
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #northerncardinal
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/257/149/548/350/481/original/fc22b771a1056201.jpg

2026-03-19 01:20:30 UTC

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You’re right, it’s a laughing gull playing wete’s Waldo.

2026-03-19 01:18:44 UTC

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Thanks

2026-03-18 19:29:41 UTC

Rust and Feather
There’s something innately familiar about seeing an Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) perched on an old strand of barbed wire. This particular bluebird is a female
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/251/808/826/982/757/original/1d31b09b75a28ca8.jpg

2026-03-18 16:53:12 UTC

Urban Pause
While walking through Savannah, Georgia a few months ago, I spotted this lone rock pigeon perched on a weathered pipe running along a stone wall.
If you're a fan of stunning dove imagery, be sure to explore my photo gallery for a collection of beautiful snapshots that capture their elegance and charm.
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #dove #pigeon #rockpigeon #rockdove
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/251/151/877/053/389/original/9a54d74b62d4f33d.jpg

2026-03-18 16:19:59 UTC

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👍

2026-03-18 13:12:37 UTC

Good morning. 🌊🐚☕
18 March 2026
I think I’ll let Charlie take me for a walk this morning so we can breathe some fresh air and get a little exercise. We’ll wait a couple of hours and let the outside warm up first. The temperature usually rises through the day until two or three o’clock, then it drifts back down again like a gentle wave. Usually is the key word — when the temperature starts falling in the middle of the day, something is happening in the atmosphere. Most likely a cold front rolling in from the north.
I used to understand these things a bit better, thanks to a few college classes, but that was a long, long time ago. Still, I remember enough to know that a cold front coming from the south would be a bad omen, especially since I live about eighty miles north of the Gulf of Mexico. That’s where the warm waters feeding the Gulf Stream begin their journey up the eastern coast of the United States and Canada. On the other side of the country, the California Current runs south from British Columbia, carrying much colder water. If you’ve ever dipped your hands in both oceans, you know the difference immediately — the Atlantic feels almost warm compared to the chill of the Pacific.
Those currents do a lot to shape our weather. I wish I could recall more of the details of the country’s physical geography, but the simple truth is this: disrupting those currents would be a very bad thing.
Hmm… another morning where my mind wanders wherever it pleases, even if it leads me into waters deeper than I can swim.
“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” — John Muir
“We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.” — Thomas Fuller
“I am still learning.” — Michelangelo, at age 87
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #morning #weather #beach #gulfstream #terns #walk
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/250/145/751/687/877/original/a48384ee9b6fdd26.jpg

2026-03-18 00:21:35 UTC

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😊

2026-03-17 20:23:00 UTC

Whispers on the Breeze
Often I find that photos which aren’t perfectly sharp can be more beautiful than the ones that are. That’s true of this image I took in Georgia, USA, of a great egret (Ardea alba) standing alone in a pond. The slight softness gives it a timeless, almost bygone elegance.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/246/362/872/667/509/original/6bd995b386cafc53.jpg

2026-03-17 12:45:49 UTC

Dreaming in Silhouette
This looks like a tree pulled straight from a dream: dark silhouettes threaded with yellow blossoms, and a squirrel racing up a branch. The background shifts from deep black to rich blue, then into a bright, almost white center of light that highlights the squirrel as it climbs.
Discover nature's fleeting moments through my lens—visit my photo gallery to see more.
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #abstract #silhouettes #squirrel #blue #surreal
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/244/552/932/046/977/original/8c32f0faad73c149.jpg

2026-03-16 16:18:36 UTC

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😂👍

2026-03-16 16:08:27 UTC

Food Raider
I wanted a title for this image that parodies Tomb Raider, but Food Raider was the best I could come up with for this acrobatic little eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) poised on a hook holding a bird feeder.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/239/672/080/388/147/original/4ef415e909e1fc38.jpg

2026-03-16 15:45:29 UTC

Ruby on a Branch
I haven’t seen any hummingbirds yet this season, but I expect they’ll be along soon. I’ve already put out my first feeder to welcome them. Here’s an image of a ruby‑throated hummingbird I captured in a previous year.
Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #rubythroatedhummingbird
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/239/597/744/852/727/original/ac9e8dd1ead7150b.jpg

2026-03-16 13:21:09 UTC

Good morning. 📚📖☕
16 March 2026
Yesterday, Charlie and I made a Goodwill run, which means it’s time to start filling the box again. By “box,” I mean the large cardboard catch‑all in the laundry room where we toss things we no longer use but someone else might. I also drop in those little trinket gifts charities send. I never use them. Mailing labels are the lone exception — those I’ll keep.
While I was at it, I pulled a couple of old technical books off my bookcase and tossed them in the back of the truck. This morning, I want to tackle the bookcase itself and finally fit the novels that have been lounging around the house back into it. I keep telling myself I should take a break from buying new books and reread some of the ones I already own. But how does one resist a new release from a favorite author? C’est la vie. Maybe what I really need is a bigger bookcase.
I do wonder if keeping books counts as hoarding. It would certainly explain the little piles that keep appearing in my office. I mean, what do you do with a book you’ve just finished? You put it on the bookcase — or, if there’s no room, you put it next to the bookcase. Then the next one joins it, and the next, and so on. Eventually you look at the growing stack and think, Well, I really need to do something about that. And so it becomes out with the old and in with the new.
My library has been slowly shifting from books of knowledge to books that entertain. After all, I’m done with all that going‑to‑work business. Life isn’t about what I need to know anymore — it’s about what I want to know.
“Reading books is good. Rereading good books is better.” — Lawrence Clark Powell
“A room without books is like a body without a soul.” — Cicero
“One glance at a book and you hear the voice of another person… To read is to voyage through time.” — Carl Sagan
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #plants #books #library #life
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/238/830/295/779/492/original/9eebd4da4c2b5f65.jpg

2026-03-15 21:12:27 UTC

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Thanks for your insights, Frank. Sparrows are fascinating to watch, and it’s always fun when their little behaviors get caught on camera.

2026-03-15 18:07:24 UTC

Follow Me ...
Here are some Chipping Sparrows (Spizella passerina) I caught just as they were leaving a small tree—one leading, another close behind, and two more perched above, looking ready to follow.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/234/498/958/090/503/original/87213d1f2a6454f2.jpg

2026-03-15 17:40:49 UTC

Feathered Punk Woodpecker with Attitude
A woodpecker clings to the side of an oak tree, its head turned as it works at the bark. The bird’s crisp black‑and‑white plumage and the bright red on its crown stand out against the pale sky.
Downy Woodpeckers (Dryobates pubescens) were coming closer the year I captured this image than in the years before. This one was in the oak tree in our backyard. Even though a branch partially obscures him, the side view of his little crest is worth sharing.
Explore more chic woodpecker photos by visiting my photo gallery.
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #woodpeckers #downywoodpecker
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/234/385/048/733/103/original/04c940957c4933ab.jpg

2026-03-15 01:17:57 UTC

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Thanks for your insight!

2026-03-14 16:57:50 UTC

The Little Sunbird
This is a Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia). I almost mistook it for a Pine Warbler—those show up around here now and then—but the bright yellow and fine bill make it unmistakably a Yellow.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/228/563/166/635/056/original/bb0ad205d6128667.jpg

2026-03-14 16:41:19 UTC

On Watch
This American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) seemed to be on predator watch. A Red‑shouldered Hawk had passed through earlier, and the neighborhood crows were on alert. They’re usually nearby, trading casual caws back and forth, but when a predator is around their calls link together into a sharp, urgent chain of sound.
By order of the Galactic Empire, your presence is commanded at my photo gallery:
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #AmericanCrow
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/228/481/043/486/626/original/32bc7767aaa3c134.jpg

2026-03-14 14:01:29 UTC

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It sounds like you got some images of some really cool birds. 👍

2026-03-14 13:59:04 UTC

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Thanks Robert

2026-03-14 13:43:43 UTC

Good morning. 🌍🕑🌺
14 March 2026
Oh, gee — it’s Saturday. Once upon a time, Saturday meant something. Back then I spent too many Saturday mornings sleeping in because I’d stayed up until the wee hours doing what passed for fun. 🍺 Saturdays often came with the familiar thought: let’s not do that again. 😩
I probably didn’t waste any more time then than I do now — the difference is that these days I waste it with a clear head. Even so, I still managed to get more done in those years. I bounced back fast and had energy to spare. Now it feels like time itself is shrinking. There’s less of it in each day.
It’s not because the Earth is spinning faster or whipping around the Sun like it’s trying to set a new record. That’s not actually happening — though science does show that some days are a hair shorter than others, but only by milliseconds. The real culprit is perception. There are so many things I want to do in a day, and some of those things involve simply sitting still and watching the world turn.
Me and Charlie on the porch, watching the wind move through the trees, birds cutting across the yard, the occasional car rolling past the house. Feeling the cool air settle around us. I could be doing something productive, but eh … what’s the worst that can happen.
I suppose I should have reached a point by now, other than this: the days, weeks, and months seem to slip by faster than they used to.
“Time moves in one direction, memory in another.” — William Gibson
“It’s not that we have little time, but more that we waste a good deal of it.” — Seneca
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” — Albert Einstein
“You don’t stop laughing when you grow old, you grow old when you stop laughing.” — George Bernard Shaw
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #plant #flower #time #perception #aging #saturday
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/227/621/677/656/574/original/fcb1127ee00016ea.jpg

2026-03-13 20:09:51 UTC

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😊👍

2026-03-13 17:55:04 UTC

Golden Canopy
I hope you don’t tire of the sunsets from my house—I never do. Each one is different, here for only a moment before it slips away.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/223/132/648/278/277/original/9227b3ce21dbfa1c.jpg

2026-03-13 17:27:55 UTC

Muted Majesty
Here is an eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis). The photo isn’t perfect, but there’s something appealing about its softness—I had to take it through my storm door at an angle. Still, it’s the first bluebird I’ve ever seen in my backyard. He’s perched on top of a seed feeder, with another feeder nearby stocked with mealworms … yum.
Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #easternbluebird
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/223/012/057/050/155/original/2bbf2f0ef9901751.jpg

2026-03-13 17:05:37 UTC

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😊

2026-03-12 15:59:47 UTC

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Thanks, Roy!

2026-03-12 15:03:28 UTC

Ancient Light
I actually took this moon image on 1 March 2026. I just never got around to downloading it from my camera.
March 1
Waxing Gibbous
96%
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/216/792/708/405/515/original/ff7217af2d0e5604.jpg

2026-03-12 14:36:08 UTC

The Red Blur
Here we have an unintended moment when a northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) darted in front of my lens. The focus didn’t quite catch up with him, but the image still has its own kind of beauty.
If you’re captivated by northern cardinals and other members of the Cardinalidae family—better known as the cardinal family—step into my photo gallery for a visual feast. Come take a look:
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #northerncarindal
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/216/674/924/174/383/original/7a0c8107b60265ac.jpg

2026-03-12 13:28:21 UTC

Good morning. ☕☕☕
12 March 2026
Yesterday morning, Charlie and I got our walk in, but once we came home, the motivation evaporated. I didn’t feel like doing anything else, so I didn’t. I spent most of the day in my chair getting my “recline workout,” which is a routine I’ve been trying to curb because I can think of plenty of things that actually need doing. But it was a rainy afternoon—thunder, lightning, and all the accoutrements—so the chair won that round.
I did manage to mop the kitchen floor, which should count for something… although “mop” might be generous. I dropped the Braava Jet in the middle of the room, pressed the clean button, and returned to my chair. It’s not a miracle worker, but it did wipe up Charlie’s muddy paw prints.
When Charlie comes in from the rain, I usually tell him to get in his bed so he can blot off the wet before roaming the house. Yesterday, though, he decided he had more pressing business at his food station. I wasn’t in the mood for a showdown, so I let him have his way.
Today I actually have to leave the house, which is probably for the best. It forces me out among the masses and reminds me that other humans exist. I don’t think my car has moved since our trip to Arkansas a couple of weeks ago. It’s not that I don’t want to go anywhere—I just can’t think of anywhere I need to go. Modern delivery services have spoiled me; if I need something, I just have it brought to the door.
I do need to make a Goodwill run. There’s a large box in the laundry room where we toss things we no longer use, and it’s full. The problem is getting it to the truck. The box is unwieldy, so I’ll have to break it down into manageable loads. But the recliner usually gets in the way of that plan.
“The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.” — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #morning #rainyday #dogs
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/216/222/911/452/935/original/716ee7ac4ed758b3.jpg

2026-03-11 20:05:26 UTC

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👍

2026-03-11 16:07:07 UTC

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Yea, I can see where it might be a challenging puzzle.

2026-03-11 13:41:46 UTC

Pelican Ballet in Azure Skies
Here is a small flock of white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) flying over the Calcasieu Ship Channel in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, not far from the Gulf of Mexico.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/210/804/037/326/008/original/2f396ac0d0692161.jpg

2026-03-11 13:18:14 UTC

Tangled Reflections
This is a snapshot of the far shore of a small pond down the road. My dog, Charlie, and I walked over to see if any birds were around—my app picked up an American Coot, and I thought maybe… well, maybe I’d get lucky. Instead, the scene was just a dense tangle of trees and shrubs lining the opposite bank, starting about halfway up the frame. The entire lower half is water, perfectly still, holding an upside‑down reflection of that same tangle of branches and brush.
If you love flowers—or just enjoy discovering their beauty and names like I do—come explore my gallery of blooms captured in moments of wonder and curiosity.
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #landscape #pond #reflections #forest
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/210/703/058/685/905/original/3cfc6589e379f379.jpg

2026-03-10 15:32:14 UTC

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😂

2026-03-10 15:30:40 UTC

Tailfeather Display
American Goldfinches (Spinus tristis) gather here by the hundreds in winter, but they head north in late spring. As I write this, they’ve all departed. I chose this image this morning because the goldfinch is showing off its tailfeathers.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/205/567/986/640/563/original/b2168b81553a343f.jpg

2026-03-10 15:15:15 UTC

Quiet Watcher
Here is a sharp image of a Great Egret (Ardea alba) that I spotted just hanging out atop a wooden structure in Texas.
Explore a curated collection of heron and egret images in my photo gallery. Take a look!
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #heron #egret #greategret
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/205/509/725/330/262/original/47d3f713898f6cd5.jpg

2026-03-10 14:10:37 UTC

Good morning. 📔📖📕
10 March 2026
I finished my latest read last night—Pendergast: The Beginning, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. It’s part of the long‑running Pendergast series, and if you’re a fan, you’ll definitely want to pick this one up.
If you’re new to the series, it follows a peculiar FBI agent named Aloysius Xingu Leng Pendergast, often shortened to A.X.L. Pendergast. Most people simply call him Pendergast; only his closest friends dare use Aloysius. He’s described as tall and pale, with blond, almost white hair and icy, pale blue eyes. He dresses in a black suit regardless of the weather. His manner is formal, even odd, and his skill as a special agent is an almost preternatural blend of forensic brilliance, psychological insight, and unshakable calm—qualities that make him one of the FBI’s most formidable investigators. His cases nearly always carry a faint supernatural edge.
This book takes you back to his early days in the Bureau and his very first case, where he’s paired with senior agent SA Chambers, whom Pendergast later calls his FBI mentor. Together, they go a bit rogue as they try to solve a string of strange murders in the swamps just across the Louisiana border in Mississippi.
The story eventually lands in familiar territory, borrowing a chapter from the very first Pendergast novel, Relic, which was adapted into a movie. Oddly enough, the film left out the main character—Pendergast himself. Strange choice, isn’t it? Perhaps they simply couldn’t figure out how to cast him.
“Condemnation without investigation is the height of ignorance.” — Albert Einstein
“The truth is often hidden in plain sight, waiting for the right eyes to see it.” — C. Auguste
“The question that haunted every investigation was ‘why.’” — Louise Penny
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #morning #flowers #book #pendergast
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/205/104/522/164/011/original/424e6dcd874d2618.jpg

2026-03-10 12:53:18 UTC

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Thanks

2026-03-09 14:34:14 UTC

Peek into a Tree
I’m not sure what this Carolina chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) is doing, but my guess is that it has a sunflower seed pinned to that branch and is working on opening it.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/199/687/261/460/580/original/45b446683c12fa2c.jpg

2026-03-09 14:13:01 UTC

Two Finches, One Direction
Here are two male house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) who were around one spring.
Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #finches #housefinches
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/199/596/696/509/925/original/97512f4035b39c32.jpg

2026-03-09 12:43:50 UTC

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I use AI to write my alt text — it does a wonderful job, and it does in seconds what used to take me several minutes. I still give it some input to keep things accurate, and I review and edit when needed. I’m glad I could make you laugh.

2026-03-08 16:37:50 UTC

Ducks at Ease
This pair of black‑bellied whistling ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis) were part of a large flock I saw on a lake in Texas. From the right angle, the white ring around their eyes gives them a slightly goggle‑eyed look, which never fails to make me smile.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/194/499/886/574/404/original/e06587676b6a8c53.jpg

2026-03-08 16:17:40 UTC

Treetop Flare
This isn’t a great image, and the composition is a little clumsy, but it captures something rare for me — a male summer tanager (Piranga rubra) flittering through a treetop.
If you enjoy wildlife and nature photography, check out my photo gallery here:
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #SummerTanager
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/194/424/469/409/854/original/6045ec47285a7713.jpg

2026-03-08 14:28:58 UTC

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This is a beautiful image.

2026-03-08 14:16:51 UTC

Good morning. 🌸🌸🌸
8 March 2026
I just spent about fifteen minutes debating with a computer program — an AI — over the species of this flower. The AI insisted it was one thing, but when I ran it through another identification app, it came back as something entirely different. We both laid out our evidence like two botanists at a picnic table. How cool is that? Welcome to the future.
In the end, I went with my own conclusion. After all, I can actually see the image and compare it to others. The AI, for reasons known only to its circuits, decided the flower had five petals when there are clearly four. Danger, Will Robinson. If you’re curious, you can find the species in the alt text.
Do you remember, as a small child, being spanked while being told to stop crying? I don’t recall that happening to me specifically, but I have this vague memory of the idea — whether it was mine or someone else’s, I’m not sure. Either way, it’s a strange thing to say to a child in the middle of disciplining them. I assume kids still get spanked. Maybe I’m out of touch.
Have you ever been out in public when a mother has to discipline her child? It gets uncomfortable, doesn’t it. But not nearly as uncomfortable as watching a child run amok — amok, amok, amok — while no one lifts a finger to rein in the little monster. You start thinking, Lady, please do something. But more often than not, the young mother already has her hands full. Motherhood is challenging, I suppose, so we all just give her a break.
Discipline — we all need it, even our pets. Charlie and I were out walking last week when we passed a fenced yard with three dogs. As we walked by, one of them climbed the chain‑link fence, ready to hop out and come “greet” us. What he didn’t know was that his owner was sitting in a parked truck nearby. The woman jumped out and yelled, “You better get back in that yard!” Caught red‑pawed. I couldn’t help but laugh.
#photo #photography #morning #flower #discipline #artificalIntellegence
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/193/666/091/283/538/original/aa41f0dac2796711.jpg

2026-03-07 14:24:55 UTC

Tubular Sunshine
This is a close-up of a small cluster of yellow, tubular Carolina jessamine flowers (Gelsemium sempervirens). Here in Louisiana, these blooms are everywhere, threading their way through the forest and climbing whatever they can reach. Since they’re a vine, it’s not unusual to see them peeking out from the tops of trees, bright flashes of yellow against the canopy.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/188/321/774/123/457/original/8e232957ca1ff4a0.jpg

2026-03-07 13:57:40 UTC

Don't Get Your Feathers Ruffled
I’ve been studying this photo of a sanderling (Calidris alba), trying to make sense of what’s happening with the feathers along its back. One possibility is that a gust of wind lifted them, giving the bird that tousled look. Another is behavioral: the sanderling may be fluffing its feathers intentionally, either to shake out sand and moisture or to make itself appear larger in response to a territorial challenge.
Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #shorebirds #sanderling
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/188/216/954/796/713/original/d9c36861db8eb0ca.jpg

2026-03-07 13:24:54 UTC

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Yea, we still have Charlie. Maybe you'll enjoy the change of housing. Fingers crossed.

2026-03-07 13:21:45 UTC

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Me too.

2026-03-06 17:45:12 UTC

Greater Yellowlegs Drift
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/116/183/460/111/759/705/original/55bda69773193105.jpg