Review of Spring Flowers 2023

 I love photography and, in the springtime, flowers make particularly great subjects.  Each year I have been trying to post some of my favorite flowers from that year.  In this post I will highlight some of my favorites from 2023.  The photo above is of some daffodils in one of our city parks.  It was taken in early March when they were just starting to bloom and since it was a rather cloudy morning the blossoms were "bowing down" waiting to be warmed by the sun.

A Few Tips for Photographing Spring Flowers

• Cloudy days are great for showing off the colors in the flowers.

• Right after a rainstorm you can get some great photos including raindrops on the flowers.
• Be sure to get some closeups and some wider shots of a grouping of flowers.

• Look for unusual angles.
• Set your aperture to blur out the backgrounds.
  
  
  
• Don't forget to photograph the beautiful blossoms in trees as you see in the photo above and the one below.

• I like taking photos of the buds of a flower and then of the fully opened bloom.
  
  
  
  

Flowers around my Neighborhood

The great part about spring flowers for me is that I don't even have to travel far.  I can find lots of spring blooms in my own yard or on my neighborhood walks.

Enjoy the Beauty of Springtime!!

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National Bird Holidays and Awareness Days- 2nd Quarter

 

Male Cardinal

This review will introduce you to a few of the bird holidays and awareness days for the second quarter of the year.  I have found bird watching and bird photography to be a wonderful pastime.  In addition to sharing some of the second quarter bird days, I will share a few of my photographs in this review.  All photos were taken in my backyard.

April 8- Draw a Bird Day

Draw a bird day started in the UK in the 1940's.  A young girl wanted to cheer her uncle who was wounded in the war.  When she visited him in the hospital she asked him to draw a bird.  When he finished she laughed and told him that he wasn't a great artist but then she hung the drawing on the wall.  This cheered her uncle so much that she would have him draw a bird each time she visited him, and soon his walls were full of bird drawings.  The other soldiers and nurses in the hospital were all cheered by the bird drawings.  This was the start of the holiday.

You don't need to be a great artist to participate in "Draw a Bird Day", just sketch a simple bird and spread the joy.  

April 8th is "Draw a Bird Day".  To help you with 

this project you might want to order this book.

April 29th- National Go Birding Day

National Go Birding Day is a national holiday that is celebrated on the last Saturday in April.  It is a day to celebrate our feathered friends.  The Earth is home to over 10,000 different species of birds.

Some of the activities you might like to do to celebrate the day include:

• Take Photographs
• Visit a Nature Reserve or a Park
• Share your Photos and Videos on social media.

Sparrows on Deck Chair all Puffed up in Cold

May 4th- Bird Day

This holiday is the largest holiday in observance of our avian friends.  It is always held on May 4th and the US Library of Congress states that it was first observed on May 4, 1894.  This is a widely celebrated Bird Day and is often celebrated in conjunction with Arbor day.  Both days are focused on conservation and education.

Female Cardinal

To celebrate Bird Day you may want to learn more about birds.  There are lots of sites on the internet where you can learn facts about birds or you may want to look for a bird book on Amazon. Here is one for you to consider.

May 14-World Migratory Bird Day

This holiday is an international holiday that is celebrated on the 2nd Saturday in May.  It celebrates the many miles many of our feathered friends travel each spring and fall to avoid the cold and snowy weather.  They travel thousands of miles from their breeding grounds in North America to their winter homes in Central and South America.

I am always fascinated by the migration of birds as I see the skies full of them heading south in the fall and then both north in the spring.  The one bird that I find particularly fascinating is the hummingbird.  These very small birds travel from our area in mid Missouri down to Central America for the winter months.  In about April we see the first ones heading back to our area.  I always put my feeders out about the first of April to be ready for them.

Hummingbird on our feeder last year.

June 20-National American Eagle Day

National American Eagle Day is celebrated each year on June 20th.  That is the day that in 1782 the eagle was added to the official seal of the United States.

Here is some information I found on Eagle Day.

Celebrating American Eagle Day

The first American Eagle Day was proclaimed by President Bill Clinton in 1995. Since then 41 American states have made the day an official observance. From 2007 onwards, the US Senate has also passed resolutions to mark June 20 of the year as American Eagle Day. The American Eagle Foundation is at the forefront of organizing and sponsoring events on this holiday.

American Eagle Day is an observance, which means that businesses, stores, and government offices are open.

On this day, conservation and educational organizations hold public outreach programs such as lectures, workshops, and informational sessions to raise awareness about the importance of preserving and protecting bald eagles and other wildlife.

The holiday is sometimes known as Bald Eagle Day or National Eagle Day.

Here is a link to the site where this information is located American-Eagle-Day

For a review on the bird holidays for the first quarter of the year, go to https://www.reviewthisreviews.com/2023/01/national-bird-holidays-and-awareness.html

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Fun with AI in Photography

 AI (Artificial Intelligence) has been in the news a lot lately. It is surrounded with controversary, but it can also be a lot of fun.  In this article I will discuss the fun ways to use AI both with your own photographs as a starting point and with descriptive words to create an image.  The image above was created by typing descriptive words into an AI generator.  This then produced several images.  

I am not an expert on this type of AI intelligence, but over the last several weeks I have explored several different sites where you can use AI to create images and to enhance photographs that you have taken.  In this post I will show you images I have created using 5 different websites.

Dream by Wombo

This site was introduced to me by a fellow photographer who loves to use it to create images.  I first tried it by typing in descriptive words such as "red bird in the snow" and "bluebirds in the yard" and seeing the different images it produced.  I needed a photo for a book review I was writing and none of my own photos seemed to fit so I entered a description of what I wanted.  I entered "girl with red hair looking out over the bay".  Here are two of the results I got.  I ended up using the last one for my review.  I found this to be a great tool to produce images for my reviews.

After a bit of playing around, I found there was a place I could upload my own photographs and then select different styles to apply to my photos.  Here are some of the results when I uploaded a photo of a Cardinal in the snow in my backyard. There are many filters to choose from and I used the expressionist filter for these photos.

Dream by Wombo

This is a free website that I used to create these images.

Starry.ai

The next ai art generator that I tried was https://dream.ai/create .  This was also a free generator that allowed me to use my own photo as a basis.  I typed a prompt of "crocus in the snow" , chose the fantasy style, and then uploaded a photo of crocus in my yard.  This produced four different styles as shown below.

Night Cafe

Night cafe can be found at https://creator.nightcafe.studio/studio .  It is one where you can type in a prompt and then it will create images for you.  I entered the prompt "Rocky mountainside with a lake at the base and a moose drinking water."  Here are my results.

It seems like there is a lot more features on the site, so it is one I will explore a bit more.

PicFinder

This site is the easiest I found to use, but from what I can find it only creates images through the use of a prompt you type.  I created several vases of flowers on this site including the one at the beginning of this review.  Here is one I created by typing in "Daisies on a vase".

Dream Studio

This site is in the beta version right now.  It does ask you to set up an account with your email and password (it is the only one that had me do that).  It has several features that the other sites did not feature(at least not in the free versions).  There were sliders on the right hand panel to allow you to choose various features such as size and how close you want the finished product to represent your prompt.  I can see this being a site I will return to as they refine their website.  Here is an image I got when I entered the prompt " couple walking on the beach on a moonlit night".

I hope you have enjoyed my adventures in AI images and perhaps you will want to experiment with one or more of the sites.  All of the ones that are listed in this article are free versions, although several have the option of upgrading to a "premium" version.

If you would like to learn more here is a book you can get from Amazon.

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National Bird Holidays and Awareness Days- First Quarter

 

Male Finch

Did you know that bird watching is enjoyed by over 73 million Americans?  It is no wonder than that there are many different bird days listed on special days lists.

I count myself as an ardent bird watcher and photographer and on this post, I will share with you some of the national bird days I found interesting.  This post will be part 1 of 4 so I will include bird days in the first quarter of the year.  I will also share photos of birds I have watched and photographed in my backyard. For more information on national bird days check out www.birdtipper.com. 

Jan 5 - National Bird Day

National Bird Day is celebrated on January 5th.  Here is some information that I found on the website nationaldaystoday.com/national-bird-day.

• According to the US Census more American bird watchers (73 million) than baseball and football players.
• Birders fund the economy, including feed, supplies, traveling and donations by spending $40 billion a year on their hobby.
• Worldwide there are 9800 species of birds; 850 are in the U.S.
• The National Bird Day takes place after an annual survey that tracks American wild birds to get an accurate bird population count at the three weeks long December count.
• According to Born Free USA, nearly 12% of the world's bird population is threatened with extinction.

Here are just a few of the birds I photographed in my backyard.

Jan 20- Penguin Awareness Day

Penguins are an interesting bird that we all love.  In my part of the world, we have to go to the zoo to see Penguins, but my sister recently traveled to Antartica where she was delighted to see hundreds of Penguins.  Here is a photo she took.

In researching Penguin Day, I found the following interesting Penguin facts.

1. They kidnap chicks

   When a female emperor penguin's baby dies, she will often "kidnap" an unrelated chick.

2. They're down south

   There are 17 species of penguins and all of them live in the Southern Hemisphere.

3. Macaroni penguins rule

   The penguin species with the highest population is the macaroni penguin with 11 million pairs.

4. The fastest penguin

   The gentoo Penguin is the fastest swimmer — reaching speeds up to 22 mph.

5. They're all wet (usually)

   An average penguin might spend up to 75 percent of its life in the water — where it also hunts for prey.

Feb- National Wild Bird Feeding Month

I love feeding birds and feed them in my backyard all year long.  In 1994 congressman John Porter announced that February would be National Wild Bird Feeding Month.  This month is one of the hardest for birds to obtain food and the emphasis on this special month encourages people to feed birds and put out water for them.  I encourage you to celebrate this month by helping to feed our wild birds.  They will reward you with many hours of birdwatching and if you are like me, some great models for your photography.   Here are a couple of birdfeeders that I thought look interesting.

Feb 17-20, 2023, Great Backyard Bird Count

Each year in February, bird watchers throughout the world take time to count birds.  Here is a few thoughts on what is involved.

Spend time in your favorite places watching birds–then tell us about them! In as little as 15 minutes notice the birds around you. Identify them, count them, and submit them to help scientists better understand and protect birds around the world.

If you have a few minutes to spare, plan on participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count.

March 20th- World Sparrow Day

Sparrows are everywhere and yet sometimes we fail to appreciate these delightful little birds.  A day was set up to appreciate sparrows and it is celebrated worldwide on March 20th each year.  The Bird Tipper website gives the following tips to celebrate Sparrow Day.

How to Celebrate World Sparrow Day

The best way to celebrate World Sparrow Day is by taking action to help these birds.

One of the biggest threats to sparrow populations is loss of habitat, so consider planting native trees and shrubs in your yard or community garden. You can also put up a birdhouse or two; tree cavities are perfect homes for nesting sparrows.

Also, be sure to keep your cat indoors—birds of all kinds, including sparrows, are killed each year by outdoor cats.

Finally, fill your bird feeder with seeds that sparrows love, such as sunflower seeds and millet, and sit back and enjoy watching these busy little birds at work!

On World Sparrow Day, take a moment to think about one of the most common birds in the world: the humble sparrow. This holiday is a chance for us to learn more about these fascinating birds and take action to help them thrive!

Here are some photos I have taken of sparrows in my backyard. They are all Eurasian Tree Sparrows.

These are but a few of the specified bird days in the first quarter of the year.  You can find a larger list online at www.birdtipper.com.  Stay tuned for future posts on bird days for the rest of the year.  Happy Birding!!

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Review of Nativity Scenes

Nativity Scene within a Cross

 Nativity sets and scenes are a wonderful part of my Christmas decorating.  They point us to the true meaning of Christmas.  I think they are a wonderful item to pass down to future generations.  In my house I have several nativity sets: one from my grandparents, one that my mother made and another that my daughter purchased on a trip to Bethlehem.  I also have a nativity scene within a cross that I believe is a wonderful reminder of the purpose of Christmas. It shows the Jesus is the reason for the celebration. That cross is depicted in the beginning photo of this article.

Nativity Cross on Amazon

I found a nativity cross similar to mine on Amazon.  I think it would be a great gift for grandchildren.

Nativity Sets Passed Down to Me

My Grandparents Nativity Set

The photo above depicts the nativity set that was my grandparents.  They would have it under their tree each Christmas. When they passed away it was given to me, the oldest grandchild. 

Mom's Nativity Set

This is a nativity set that my mother made in ceramics class.  She displayed it in her house each year and when she died, I got it.  It now is on my fireplace mantle each Christmas.  It is very special to me since Mom made it.

Right above my fireplace mantle is a window with a shelf, on it I display angel figurines that have been given to me over the years.  I think they make a good addition to the nativity display with the angels all above the manager scene.  

My Bethlehem Nativity Scene

When my daughter was 10 years old my parents took her on a trip to the Holy Land.  When they were in Bethlehem, she bought us a nativity scene. It is very special to us and we display it each year.  

Nativity Sets on Amazon

If you are looking for a special gift for a grandchild or godchild or a special person in your life, you may want to consider a nativity set.  Here are a couple I found on Amazon that I thought would make great gifts.

The set above was made in Bethlehem from Olive wood.  It is a modestly priced set that is still very nice.  There are many other sets from Bethlehem that are listed on Amazon in a variety of sizes and price ranges.

The set above is a beautiful traditional set that comes with a stable and 10 figurines.  It is just one of the many to choose from on Amazon.

May you and your Family have a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

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Review of Favorite Christmas Decoration

 I love decorating for Christmas and after over 50 years of marriage, needless to say, I certainly have more than enough Christmas decorations.  I have gotten to the point where I rotate some of my decorations, so I don't end up with too many for our house.  But still, I enjoy getting a new decoration or two each year.  Last year some friends gave us the delightful snow globe lantern pictured in the photo above.  It can be used with batteries or plugged into any USB port, so I have it sitting on my desk in our family room plugged into my computer.  I love the silver snowflakes shimmering around the Santa, snowman and tree. When it is turned on the light catches the snowflakes, and they glisten as they twirl around inside the lantern.

A Variety of Christmas Lanterns Available

I enjoy my lantern so much that I have purchased several for gifts this year.  They can be found in a variety of styles and different features.

In searching Amazon, I found ones with angels, Santas, trees, snowman, trains, toy and a wide variety of Christmas subjects and scenes.  Here is one similar to mine.

Here is one with snowmen around a tree.  It is a different shape and also plays music.

I love birds so this one with a bright red Cardinal looking through a window is really appealing to me.

Features of Christmas Snow Globes

Some of the features of the snow globes that I find appealing are:

• Runs on either battery or USB plug in
• A timer that lets you set the snow globe to be on for 6 hours and off for 18 hours
• Music that can be turned on or off.  These usually include 8-12 different Christmas themed tunes.
• A subject or Christmas scene available for every taste.

Because of these great features there is some type of snow globe available for most everyone on your Christmas list.

Enjoy!  Merry Christmas!

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Thanksgiving Greetings

Thank you, God, for all the Beauty in Nature.

Today, November 24 is the day that we in the USA celebrate Thanksgiving.  It is a day when Americans take time out of their daily lives to be thankful for all that has been given to us.  

For this Thanksgiving Day review, I would like to share with you, through my photographs some of the beauty in our world for which I am truly thankful.

The Moon

I love photographing the moon.  Here is a shot I captured back in September of the full moon.

 Special Times with Family and Friends

I am very thankful for my family and friends and the special times we spend together.  We recently all got together for a bonfire at my brother's.

Birds

As any of you know that follow my reviews, I love to watch and photograph birds.  Here are a couple of my recent bird photos.

Flowers

I am always amazed by the intricacies of the many varieties of flowers God has placed on this earth.  

Photo Walks

I love to take walks just to capture the beauty around me on my camera.  Here are some of my latest photos from these adventures.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!  May you be blessed with a thankful heart.

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