luciwest:
Never too many butterflies, right? Here's a Kohlweissling (Cabbage White Butterfly) on a lavender plant that features heavily in a video I shot recently for a new project that I'm working on in semi-secret for @Happier_Place
luciwest:
Sometimes it's the most simple thing that delights the heart and lifts the spirit. Maybe as simple as sunlight filtering through linden tree leaves and creating natural patterns of light and shadow. #noedits #nofilter - not even any cropping :) It may eve
luciwest:
While back in Haselau for a few weeks this summer, I took lots of pictures of this tree from different angles and during all kinds of different lighting. THIS picture seems to resemble best how everyone seems to feel this summer. YOU decided which way the
luciwest:
Forget it. I'm not gonna rub your bellies. (Horses in Holstein - but are they Holsteiner Horses? Photographed between Kreuzdeich and Pinnau-Sperrwerk during one more quick bike ride behind the Deich.)
luciwest:
Tagpfauenauge (aka European Peacock Butterfly) on one of the multitude of plants in my parents' yard. Unfortunately, now I can't remember what the plant is called and I'm not in Germany anymore to ask my mom. Will have to write to find out... unless YOU k
luciwest:
Goose: Why would you take a picture of a building when you could take a picture of a bird? Point taken, Graugans.
luciwest:
Before I leave Germany in the morning, a classic from #Berlin (even though I'm currently in Mainz which has the coolest angles and bends): der #Fernsehturm und der #Kirchturm. Can anyone identify which steeple this is? The one in Victoria Park? Took this
luciwest:
For the last day at my parents' home before I fly back stateside, a photo of a Graugans (greylag goose) flying off. Wild geese have been a recurring theme during this stay - their honking and v-shaped flight patterns ringing in the long summer evenings. I
luciwest:
Wegwarte (nicht Kornblume) - Common chicory (not cornflower) growing among other wildflowers on a Berlin field where once Allied planes dropped food packages. Different varieties of this plant are grown for edible leaves (endives) or roots (coffee substit
luciwest:
The Buckmoon or Bockmond or most fittingly the Heumond (hay moon) since the hay had been harvested on the field in front of that stand of trees.
luciwest:
Because I wouldn't want you to think that on this Germany trip I'm spending all my time out in the countryside - or that I don't take bird pictures anymore: here's a Berlin crow chilling atop a tagged dumpster on the former Airport Tempelhof (now the *it*
luciwest:
Another day, another trail... out of the heath and into the woods. For size reference I'll post a picture of me standing near the fern in the background. And I thought "they grow stuff big" in Florida. Hah! #happierplace #lüneburgerheide #wanderweg #hikin
luciwest:
Two paths diverged in the heath - and I couldn't tell which one was less traveled. So I took the one on the left. And I still don't know if it made a difference. (Well, it got us back to Erik's car, so at least we know it wasn't the wrong one.)
luciwest:
Nice try to blend in, little lizard. Another great find at Hillsborough River State Park. Last from that series here. You can see more and read all about it in my latest #HappierPlace blog post: https://ift.tt/3xAvTDV
luciwest:
Gator just chillin' in the Hillsborough River. Always fascinating to get a glimpse of what is going on below the surface: alligators always turn out to be much larger than the little bit of their head revealed above water.
luciwest:
Traveling back in time: Tree Reflection in Hillsborough River State Park outside of Tampa. If you want to know and see more, you can check out my latest blog post on the @happier_place website: https://ift.tt/3xAvTDV #flstateparks #roamflorida #floridaexp
luciwest:
Das Rotkehlchen, European red robin, of the flycatcher family + not related to American red robin (a thrush). Never stop learning. Also learned: some signs in Germany are made from wood. If only I had gotten the shot from the other side to reveal the natu
luciwest:
Some black sheep are bigger than others. #moo Went for a walk in Klövensteen Forest yday w/ a friend of 45 years. She voted against the fenced-in wildlife (deer, boar...) area. I applaud her choice b/c the farm cows, goats, ponies we saw were just as exot
luciwest:
Für Jochen. Chamomile thriving among the cracked earth = abundant native wildflowers along a field of tended farm crops. Fun fact: the heavy soil of the North German Marsch (former wetlands) is exceptionally fertile and while it appears to suffer through
luciwest:
To avoid giving you the wrong idea about all creatures in Germany just being cute + delightful: this appears to be an oversized mosquito (Mücke) waiting on a stalk of wheat around sunset - getting ready to suck some Westphal blood.
luciwest:
Turns out I didn't know the German birds of my childhood as well as I thought. This Schafstelze (Western Yellow Wagtail) singing during another long and very colorful Golden hour was the 1st of many native birds that took me by surprise with their songs +
luciwest:
Where the day before hares frolicked among the tall grass, now the storks (+ seagulls!) follow the tractor, mowing the hay, to find their feast. My feast for the eyes + soul was to see storks from my parents' yard again. The migrating bird had been extinc
luciwest:
On the field behind my parents' home, not just little bunnies, but the real deal European Hare. The long ears, the big eyes, the quick disappearing act. Luckily, the wind stood just right, I had a long lens, + and took the time for the silent approach to
luciwest:
So glad I decided to turn part of our yard into a "re-wilding yard" by just planting native plants and letting nature do its thing mostly unrestricted. This morning, I took this photo of the Partridge Pea, which has grown to 5x its size and is host plant
luciwest:
Things have been a little intense lately; not bad, just a lot going on. Something that sustains + re-energizes me: morning visits by different parrots. These blue-crowned parakeets pop by close to 9ish, the black-headed nandays show up before 8 and compla
luciwest:
Continuing with the mockingbird theme + possibly same mockingbird: After the failed unsecured nest-building attempt in citrus tree by the mockingbird stopping-over on my metal bird, I discovered this nest below eye-level (!) right next to sidewalk. Must b
luciwest:
Mockingbird landed on my #MetalbirdUSA mockingbird! Truly, the only thing that could have made Scott's awesome present any better. If you live in #HistoricKenwood, have you spotted my bird? It's visible from the sidewalk... #mymetalbird #birdnerd #mocking
luciwest:
While I keep collecting photos of the array of blooms in our #HistoricKenwood neighborhood for a future photo series and blog post + waiting for our own pink plumerias (gifted to us by neighbor Robin) to bloom, here's a little tease from the house I have
