Pickerington Ponds

Pickerington Ponds, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Teasel makes an interesting winter study, given the way it accumulates snow around the spines of the fruiting head.

We went to Pickerington Ponds on Saturday, to photograph the sunrise scenery. It had snowed Friday night, and we wanted to do some landscape photography with pristine snow.

The sunrise wasn't spectacular, but the way the sun lit some of the features was interesting.

Flickr members are very angry about the changes...

Flickr members are very angry about the changes..., a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Bar-throated apalis. I do believe that "Angry Birds" was designed from this little guy.

Given the "black sunday" protests for today, there are obviously a lot of Flickr members who do not want to see the beta version implemented. Some of the concerns are that features we like to use are not yet available. From what I've read, it's just a matter of time for some, or all, of those to be added back into the mix. The bigger concern is the change in layout. There was quite a negative response when the current version was rolled out. I actually like the current version better than the old one, but I'm not crazy about what I've seen for the beta version that is being developed. I hope all my Flickr friends who are posting the black images are also contacting Flickr to let them know what features the want to make sure are rolled out with the new version, and to be specific in their feedback about what is not desirable...

Bar-throated Apalis

Bar-throated Apalis, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

DeHoop Nature Reserve, South Africa.

I'm wondering if the Angry Birds characters were modeled after this diminutive bird. The eyes and beak configuration sure reminds me of the angry birds logo....

I enjoyed photographing this bird - it was so active and fun to watch.

Sand pattern

Sand pattern, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Sand dunes at DeHoop Nature Reserve in South Africa are swept by winds, which leave lovely patterns in the sand.

I've been going to South Africa to study parasitic plants endemic to the region since 1996 - about 14 months after the end of apartheid. I've watched the country blossom from a fear-laden paranoia (the whites were scared about the future) to a country where young people are not too concerned about the color of one's skin. Yes, there are still challenges to address in South Africa, and the future is not entirely secure. However, I have great hope that South Africa will continue to prosper and become a leading icon for the rest of the continent on how to overcome the legacy of colonialism, white minority rule, and corruption.

The pattern for prosperity and success is the legacy of Nelson Mandela, who served as such a strong leader, setting in place a new paradigm of peace, forgiveness, and unity. He will be sorely missed, but I hope his example will continue to give the rest of the world great hope for the future.

Hyobanche

Hyobanche, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Hyobanche is a small genus of holoparasitic plants (plants that can't make their own food and depend on another plant for all their nutrition), native to southern Africa. I've been studying this interesting genus for quite a long time, and it is the motivation for my field seasons in South Africa.

After working on the biology and systematics of this genus for so long, I've come to appreciate it more each field season. This collection site was at DeHoop Nature Reserve, along the southern coast of South Africa. It's nestled in with some restios, but the host is most likely to be Metalasia.

Roses

Roses, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

I made this photo last June, but I need a reminder of lovely colors and sunshine as we head into winter.

Sand pattern

Sand pattern, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

DeHoop Nature Reserve, South Africa - 12 September 2013.

The sand dunes at DeHoop are subject to wind and rain sculpturing, making lovely abstract patterns. This dune was at Koppie Alleen - a wonderful whale watching spot in the reserve.

Gigi

Gigi, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

DeHoop Nature Reserve in South Africa: September 12, 2013. Camping at this reserve is a real treat for botanical exploration, birding, and for lovely scenery. The headquarters area has a restaurant and gift shop - both are welcome respites from roughing it.

This photo is of the lawn area in front of HQ. There's a Morton Bay Fig there. Near sunset, the gate was in a golden glow, and the air was calm, the birds were active, and it was a magical moment.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre Dame Cathedral, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

During a visit to Paris in May, for a photography workshop with Peter Turnley, I had a couple of opportunities to visit Notre Dame. Arrive early to beat the tour bus crowds. If you do so, you'll have a sense of the peaceful majesty of this place.

As a place of worship, it is awe-inspiring. As an architectural monument, it is truly awesome. To hear the music reverberating through this space, one can imagine the purposefulness of its design.

Autumn gold

Autumn gold, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Another spectacular view of Chestnut Ridge Metro Park in its autumn splendor. We visited the park just a day or so after I returned from China. The refreshing and clear air was such a welcome respite from the persistent smog I experienced during my trip. It makes me ever so thankful for the Clean Air Act that was passed in the 1970's in the USA. China could learn a thing or two about government regulation for environmental pollution control....

Autumn at Chestnut Ridge

Autumn at Chestnut Ridge, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Central Ohio has many lovely metro parks - areas set aside for preserving some of Ohio's biodiversity, and for giving city dwellers a chance to get out and experience nature.

This photo is from Chestnut Ridge Metro Park - about an hour's drive from Columbus, but with a view of the distant skyline. We had not visited the park before this excursion, and we were pleasantly surprised by the the beech forest here. The maples and beeches were a nice combination for an autumn landscape.

Vervet Monkey

Vervet Monkey, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends....

This little critter is not invited to dinner. However, vervet monkeys make themselves quite at home at campsites in the Richtersveld, and this one was no exception. The previous campers had left some corn trash - a boon for hungry monkeys.

Euphorbia virosa

Euphorbia virosa, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

The Richtersveld is an arid region in the extreme northwest corner of South Africa and southwest corner of Namibia. There is a transnational park flanking the Orange River.

I visited in September, 2013, while doing my field work in South Africa to search for species of Hyobanche. There were a couple of sightings of Hyobanche from the Richtersveld, so this was a prospecting trip for the area.

The side benefit for me was the opportunity to experience this amazing landscape. The aridity of the region is mind-boggling. The geology is laid bare to the eye since there is such a sparse covering of plants that can survive here. One of those that does well is Euphorbia virosa. Superficially, this resembles a North American cactus, but, cut a slice from a stem and you'll find a very sticky white sap.

I made this photo while doing a climb up into a kloof (ravine) that had a bit of moisture. I was hoping to find Hyobanche glabrata. No luck with that, but I did end up with a souvenir which still shows a scar today. I had a run-in with gravity and collided with a dead branch of a gnarled shrub. Huge contusion, huge abrasion and slice in my thigh. Not a pretty image to think about, but it's one of the things I will remember about the Richtersveld. Of course, I remember so many other wonderful things about this area - the night sky, the birds, the geology, the plants, etc. I would love to visit again....

A Reminder of Spring

A Reminder of Spring, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

We're still nearly a month away from the start of winter, but we are definitely having winter weather this week. The temperatures have been well below freezing and we have snow on the ground. I don't mind winter weather, but this year I'm not mentally prepared for it. That's what happens when one spends August and September in the southern hemisphere - two springs in one year spoils the mind for facing gray and dreary days. So, here's my reminder that spring will return - say about April here in Ohio....

Penstemon payettensis

Penstemon payettensis, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

A gem from this past summer, as I attended the American Penstemon Society meeting in Boise, Idaho. The day before the meeting started, Paul Blischak (one of my graduate students) and I did a short field trip up into the Boise Mountains. There we found four species of Penstemon in just a short while, including this lovely species.

For more information about it, check out the blog post I wrote: http://wolfelab.wordpress.com/2013/07/17/penstemon-payettensis-todays-featured-beardtongue/