Nikki's Photography

Excerpt from “Heaven’s Here On Earth” by Tracy Chapman from her CD, “New Beginnings”:
…Heaven’s here on earth    In our faith in humankind    In our respect for what is earthly    In our unfaltering belief in peace and love and understanding     I’ve seen and met angels wearing the disguise of ordinary people leading ordinary lives    Filled with love compassion forgiveness and sacrifice     Heaven’s in our hearts…

The changing seasons in Texas are not as dramatic as in the North. There’s more time to appreciate the cooler weather and enjoy the colors of lingering leaves. Autumn here is all about extremes though; AC on during the day and furnaces on at night. Petals in the wind blowing off the remaining white Crepe Myrtle flowers remind me of the snow already flying up north. It’s so beautiful today.

Propane tank made in the USA.
Anole made in the USA. Valve may be imported.

Garlic Chives seed-head

Insect munch marks and shadows on avocado leaves, Lewisville, Texas garden – B/W photos

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While tidying the garden today I picked this up, and for a split second I wondered how a dead leaf could be so soft and powdery…and fluttering! If my camera would cooperate I could have taken a great macro because the moth let me get as close as I wanted. So pretty!

My old Canon AE1 would snap pictures no matter how close I got to something, but even on ‘manual’ the Canon EOS 20D will only allow me to get about 4 inches away before the shutter refuses to close. I miss my old fashioned (1980) Canon sometimes, and even the new Canon AE1s cannot compare to it. I don’t miss developing though, and the other restrictions.

This is the most glorious tree in our neighborhood. It’s across our back alley and has been a favorite subject for many years because the silhouette is so beautiful against any sky during any season or time of day. The photo was taken nine days ago during the almost full moon on September 12th.

We were away for two weeks and forgot to turn the sprinkler system on before leaving, so I thought the Green Anoles might have moved to greener pastures. Fortunately they are still thriving; here one is staying cool and safe inside a large Canna Lily leaf, a leaf that I nearly cut off while clearing out dead and dying plants.

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Awesome Sunflower seed-head, 12 inch diameter, and healthy Cantaloupe, Lewisville TX

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Scarlet Runner bean vines overtake this abandoned barn in Denton Texas

It’s amazing that doves have survived to evolve as far as they have. For one thing, their nests are flimsy. They are also more comfortable nesting openly near humans than any other wild bird, at least here in Dallas.

Today this chick and it’s parent were sitting on the curb beside a very busy street. When I came too close the mother tried to fly across the road, and tried to appear injured as if to fool me. Uhh, better to create a less exposed, less vulnerable nest in the first place, Mama!!! Judging from the experience of doves nesting in the wreath at our back door last year, this chick is not ready to fly yet either. Perhaps they both fell from a nest in the tree. I wonder what their chances are for survival with all the cats, dogs, people and vehicles in the vicinity?

A little Wren chirps, perched on our fence every afternoon. Soft pink Myrtle trees bloom in the background.