Smiling Pirate

My son, during our recent visit to ZooAtlanta.
© 2007 Mexipickle

Did Someone Call Me?

Beluga whale at the Georgia Aquarium. Highly recommended to residents and visitors alike!
© 2007 Mexipickle

Huh? Whut...?

The big fish at the aquarium are cool. The sharks were also swimming around in this tank. Pretty cool. I didn't get any good shots of the sharks. I'll have to go back.
© 2007 Mexipickle

Hearing A Noise, Liz Looked Around

Many people feel their skin crawl when looking at spiders, snakes, and lizards. I like 'em...I think they are fascinating. The circle of life on this planet is nothing short of astounding and amazing and mind boggling.

Y'all don't mind me....I'm trying to catch up on posting photos, so I'm fudging on the dates. Please browse through to see the most recent shots.
© 2007 Mexipickle

Piranha Bait

My son, curled up in a viewing window at the piranha tank at the Georgia Aquarium. All those fish in the background are piranha, just waiting for someone to reach in the tank, I'm sure!
© 2007 Mexipickle

57 Channels and There's Nothing On

More from the reptile house at ZooAtlanta. This guy didn't move a whole lot...reminded me of me sitting in my recliner, staring at the TV wishing something was on!

If you're a Springsteen fan, you might remember this song. Hear it and see the video here at YouTube.
© 2007 Mexipickle

Nettle Some

Another shot of the Sea Nettles at the Georgia Aquarium. I think that's a great name for the jelly fish, as anyone who has been stung by one (different than these, I'm sure) can attest.

nettlesome: causing irritation, vexation, or annoyance

But they are beautiful and mesmerizing to watch.
© 2007 Mexipickle

I've Got My Eyes On You!

It's been an animal kind of week--aquarium on Thursday, zoo on Friday. At the zoo, there were about 100 school buses with kids on field trips. Still, we got to see the pandas, including baby Mai Lan (just her back though; she was sleeping). This guy was hiding out at the reptile house.
© 2007 Mexipickle

"Welcome to Atlanta, Y'all!"

That's what it looks like Nico is saying as he swims around his pool in the Georgia Aquarium. These creatures are pretty amazing and mesmerizing to watch. Read up on them here.
© 2007 Mexipickle

"Celebration"

A small part of the sculpture by this name in the Decatur square. I'm sure many other folks in the area have taken better shots of this young lady, but this is my contribution. The inscription on the sculpture reads like this:

"Imagine a world without limits, without boundaries, without prejudice and blame. Imagine an existence full of self-confidence, self-esteem and not only tolerance but love for others regardless of color, socio-economic or any other standing. To me that is what the future holds. That is what children represent and that is the type of world I would like to help others imagine can come to pass."

You can read more about it here.
© 2007 Mexipickle

Pointing Out the Obvious

Today was my first trip to the Georgia Aquarium. I learned a lot about taking pictures of the residents....you know, you learn a lot through failure! I took something like a billion pictures and ended up with about 15 that I liked. I learned I have to crank the ISO higher than the 500 I used, or I need faster lenses. Cranking the ISO is much cheaper!

I'll be posting some of them over the next few days. This shot I kinda like....taken looking down the length of one of the tanks, showing off the crowd and the curved tank overhead. BTW, the tanks are acrylic and are a minimum of six inches thick, thicker at other tanks.
© 2007 Mexipickle

The Young 'Uns

We take a family portrait every Easter Sunday. This year, we took it in the living room 'cuz we couldn't find a good spot by the azaleas. Afterward, the kids were messing around and I was able to grab this shot.

These are my kids..what you see is what they are!

© 2007 Mexipickle

Spaghetti Junction

I think everyone that goes to the Georgia Aquarium takes a picture like this. I'm no exception; I've got several. These beings are quite fascinating. I got several shots in succession that I might try to put into a gif, showing the motion as they move.

For those of you not from Atlanta, "Spaghetti Junction" is the intersection of Interstates 85 and 285, full of high and curving bridges and probably 20 lanes of freeway going every which way.
© 2007 Mexipickle

A Little More Pink

One more macro of the flowers in the backyard. Hope you don't mind!
© 2007 Mexipickle

Bridge Blur

A great, old stone bridge with a quick-flowing stream in the mountains of western South Carolina, near the North Carolina border. A nice day for a small hike and an hour of hiding from the cell phone.
© 2007 Mexipickle

Mountain Brook

I love the mountains. They give me such a sense of peace inside me.

I got to go to the NC/SC mountains and back on a quick business trip. I absolutely loved it! I stole a few minutes on the drive back to shoot at this little stream and bridge. You'll see more in the next days.

I hope I can live in the mountains, on a lake, when I get to retire. aaaahhhhh!
© 2007 Mexipickle

Red Brick Window

After church today, we tried a new dining establishment, one I heard about on Flickr. We went to the Red Brick Store Pub in Decatur. While we didn't partake of the great beer offerings, I did read the list and whet my appetite for a future visit.

Of course, in keeping with how I learned of the place, I took my camera in with me. This is the view from my seat, looking past the kids (there were shots of them, too). I was digging the wrought iron/brick combo, and the little white window just made it for me.

So, yea, another place I embarrassed the family by taking photos. I even broke out the Fong tupperware to make sure everyone noticed I was shooting!
© 2007 Mexipickle

Only God

...could create something so delicate and beautiful and functional and strong.

I spent maybe 30 minutes taking macros of the azaleas in my yard. I was awestruck by the system used to create flowers...from the pollen to the parts of the flower to the bees, all of it.

Of course, our protracted system of caring for and nurturing the plants in our yard has a lot to do with it, I'm sure. In case you want to follow our practice, here's what you have to do:

Pretend like you don't have any bushes.

We don't water, fertilize, aerate, spray, feed, or do anything else to nurture the plants in the yard (sometimes the grass). Yet, they hang on and thrive and give us beauty like this every year. Thus, the title of this shot!
© 2007 Mexipickle

Azalea

From my backyard.
© 2007 Mexipickle