"Heavenly Clouds" - Damjan Mravunac 
Dixon Grain Elevator
Grain elevators to me are like old boats. They seem to develop their own unique look and character as they age and I don't think any two are the same.
So I purchased a new lens for my camera and I wanted to give a try. This grain elevator is roughly 20 miles from my home and I always wanted to explore the area and the elevator itself.
https://pixels.com/featured/dixon-grain-elevator-bill-gallagher.html
#DixonGrainElevator #BillGallagherPhotography #Dixon #GrainElevator #Sunrise #Morning #BuyIntoArt #AYearForArt
Good morning, friends. 
6 April 2025
It stormed throughout the night, and the electricity went out early yesterday evening. Thankfully, we're running on generator power, so we still have all our usual home amenities. However, there's no Estimated Time of Restoration (ETR) yet, which is frustrating since knowing it would help me decide whether to shut the generator down for maintenance. Can we expect power restoration sooner or later? Our area is part of a "grid pocket" of about 50 homes that seem to lose power frequently. That said, we really can't complain—this morning, I read about the devastating floods and tornadoes wreaking havoc just a little farther north. I can't help but wonder: does FEMA still work?
"The markets are like a weather; you may not like it but you have to bear it." - Rakesh Jhunjhunwala
![The photograph captures a tranquil kitchen scene featuring a black-and-white cat named Meme nestled on a wooden dining chair. The chair, adorned with a dark gray cushion secured by a black ribbon, sits beneath a rustic wooden table draped in a vibrant red-and-white checkered cloth trimmed with white lace. Natural light streams in from a nearby door, casting soft shadows and illuminating Meme’s sleek coat as it gazes calmly toward the right, its yellow-green eyes reflecting quiet curiosity. The tiled floor and traditional wooden furniture evoke a homely, inviting atmosphere, while Meme’s relaxed posture contrasts with the subtle tension of its alert expression, creating a snapshot of serene domestic life.
[pt-BR] A fotografia retrata uma cena tranquila em uma cozinha, com um gato preto e branco chamado Meme acomodado sobre uma cadeira de madeira escura. A cadeira, equipada com um assento acolchoado cinza escuro preso por um laço preto, está posicionada sob uma mesa rústica de madeira coberta por uma toalha xadrez vermelha e branca, bordada com renda branca. Luz natural entra pela porta próxima, criando sombras suaves e destacando o pêlo sedoso de Meme, que observa calmamente para a direita, seus olhos amarelados e verdes refletindo uma curiosidade serena. O piso de ladrilhos e os móveis de madeira tradicionais evocam uma atmosfera caseira e convidativa, enquanto a postura relaxada de Meme contrasta com a sutileza de sua expressão vigilante, capturando um momento de vida dom](https://metapixl.com/storage/m/_v2/602314164030286761/6ac28a0f2-92b4f8/Y47Pj14RGqrH/iyJlIH3RCgMTsKWYqrcUYDsh0MExJuUhrl88gAlt.jpg "The photograph captures a tranquil kitchen scene featuring a black-and-white cat named Meme nestled on a wooden dining chair. The chair, adorned with a dark gray cushion secured by a black ribbon, sits beneath a rustic wooden table draped in a vibrant red-and-white checkered cloth trimmed with white lace. Natural light streams in from a nearby door, casting soft shadows and illuminating Meme’s sleek coat as it gazes calmly toward the right, its yellow-green eyes reflecting quiet curiosity. The tiled floor and traditional wooden furniture evoke a homely, inviting atmosphere, while Meme’s relaxed posture contrasts with the subtle tension of its alert expression, creating a snapshot of serene domestic life.
[pt-BR] A fotografia retrata uma cena tranquila em uma cozinha, com um gato preto e branco chamado Meme acomodado sobre uma cadeira de madeira escura. A cadeira, equipada com um assento acolchoado cinza escuro preso por um laço preto, está posicionada sob uma mesa rústica de madeira coberta por uma toalha xadrez vermelha e branca, bordada com renda branca. Luz natural entra pela porta próxima, criando sombras suaves e destacando o pêlo sedoso de Meme, que observa calmamente para a direita, seus olhos amarelados e verdes refletindo uma curiosidade serena. O piso de ladrilhos e os móveis de madeira tradicionais evocam uma atmosfera caseira e convidativa, enquanto a postura relaxada de Meme contrasta com a sutileza de sua expressão vigilante, capturando um momento de vida dom")
Good morning. 
5 April 2025
A couple of days ago, I spotted a coal skink (Plestiodon anthracinus) slithering around in my office. It darted under and between the books piled beside my bookcase, prompting me to search behind the books, a small chest, and my shredder to locate the intruder. I managed to grab it with my right hand, but it escaped by slipping through my grip and likely took refuge behind the bookcase. With two heavy desks and the bookcase in my office, I wasn't willing to rearrange everything just to chase down a small lizard. I would have gladly taken it outside, where its survival prospects would be far better than in my cluttered office. On the bright side, the encounter motivated me to organize my bookcase, turning the pile of books next to it into a neatly arranged collection.
"Back off or the lizard gets it!" - Ryan Stiles
Good morning. 
4 April 2025
Yesterday, we spent time working in the backyard. I repaired a hinge on the back gate and mowed the lawn for the first time this year. I also trimmed around the fence until the battery on my trimmer died—I had forgotten to recharge it after its last use. In that moment, I couldn’t help but think, 'What a wonderful feature: built-in breaks! 
' It turned out to be the perfect excuse to call it a day. Meanwhile, my wife was busy in the raised garden, planting something new. I noticed several little seed packets in the kitchen, hinting at her plans. This is the first time in years that something other than weeds will grow in the garden. I can't help but wonder what’s gotten into us—where did this burst of energy come from? Must be biorhythms at work.
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them—that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality.” - Lao Tzu
"Country" - Empire of the Sun 
Good afternoon Federati! It was a grey and windy morning here near the Bay.
#morning #sunrise #windy #floody #Chesapeake #dogs #gundogdayafternoon
Good morning. 
3 April 2025
I have a framed picture above my desk, a simple print in a cheap frame that was given to me by my former employer. I've been thinking about replacing it with one of my own photographs—some of which I’ve had printed and framed by Pixels. Over the years, I’ve accumulated a collection of old framed items and mementos, mostly from my Army days. I’m not sure what to do with them. I can’t bring myself to throw them away, but I don’t have anywhere to display them, and even if I did, who would see them? They once adorned the "I Love Me" wall in my office. Now, they’ve become one of those dilemmas you tuck away in a box, promising to deal with later. What do you do with these kinds of keepsakes when you’re ready to move on from them?
"Sometimes I would see them not as mementos of the blissful hours but as the tangible precious debris of the storm raging in my soul." - Orhan Pamuk
Air NZ flight emergency at Auckland Airport after ‘mist’ spills from engine during take-off https://www.byteseu.com/888056/ #after #air #airport #AT #auckland #coming #during #emergency #engine #flight #from #Mist #morning #NewZealand #NZ #Scrambled #services #spills #spotted #takeoff #this #zealand
Good morning Federati! Just a bit of a grey and windy day here near the Bay.
#sunrise #morning #clouds #windy #Chesapeake #Dogs #GundogMorning
Good morning. 
2 April 2025
And then there's Charlie. He has this habit of wandering in whenever he pleases, placing his front paws on my left leg, and staring at me intently. He’s an incredibly needy dog. Sometimes, I wonder if he’s afraid we might send him off to live among the strays we often pass during our walks through the neighborhood or along the road. I think he just wants to check and make sure I’m still here. Here he is again—this time, he’s decided to curl up on the left side of my chair and keep me company. Ben? Ben is older and more independent, though he has his clingy moments too. He doesn’t like being alone and will often bark insistently until I join him in the family room to keep him company.
“Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them and filling an emptiness we didn’t ever know we had.” - Thom Jones
photo #photography #photographer #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #morning #pigeons #doves #dogs
2018-05-23
