Phoenix City

Phoenix City, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

I visited Phoenix City, China after the International Wood Culture Society symposium on Taxodiaceae. This is an ancient city, which was built from wood. Today, it is the "old town" section of a large city, and it is a huge tourist attraction in Hunan Province. It rained the day I was there.

Chinese cat

Chinese cat, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Cypress City, Hunan Province. We stopped for lunch in this town after visiting a forestry institute. This cat was on patrol through an open air shop.

Waterman Farm

Waterman Farm, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

A brisk walk at dawn on Waterman Farm is always a great way to start the day. Winter scenery makes the walk even more interesting.

Waterman Farm

Another beautiful sunrise at Waterman Farm. I made this photo November 29, 2013.

Easton Town Center

Easton Town Center, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.Last night, Steve and I joined a dozen photographers to participate in a nighttime photo walk at Easton. This was sponsored by Midwest Photo Exchange.

It was cold (VERY COLD!) last night, but I stayed pretty warm in all the various layers I was wearing (think Himalayan trek gear). Despite the cold temps, I made several photos I liked after a couple of hours of walking around in the snow.

Here's a selection of photos from the night:

Pickerington Ponds

Pickerington Ponds, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Snow + teasel = a lovely study for winter. We continue with our very cold snap with snow and ice making walking a bit of a hazard. The roads, at least the main ones, are clear, but sidewalks are neglected.

Geranium spp

Geranium spp, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Winter is showing itself today with snow and ice. I do enjoy winter, but I much prefer spring, I have to admit.

I made this photo last summer while I was in Idaho. I'm not sure what species of geranium it is, but it's a lovely little thing, I think.

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.