WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN LATELY ??

NATIONAL ZOO 2009 ~ PART 1

2009-07-23T19:58:00.001-07:00

Well DaveKay has made the annual trip to National Zoo and is sharing the trip with all. First stop, (one of DaveKay's favs) is our boy Tai Shan.

Ever notice that no matter how expensive the gift is, kids really like the boxes, lol.

Then off to see those beautiful flamingos

Snack time

OK, I admit it, I can't find the email that was sent after the photos so I have no idea what birds these are but they are cute.

I do know what this one is though. (Seems to me I got real up close and personal with one once, lol)

Images courtesy of DaveKay.

Thanks DaveKay for sharing all your exciting trips with one and all. I, for one and I'm sure I'm not the only one, will more then likely never get the chance to visit these places and your sharing your trips enables me to 'see' many more places.

Looking forward to our next 'trip'. SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE !!

EAGLE TRAIN 2009 PART 2

2009-07-21T06:09:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are the other photos from this year's Eagle Train. We were really treated to a good show this year, and I was so glad the first-timers got a good dose of those fabulous birds! We were so excited, we are probably going to go on the Fall Foliage trip in October! The eagles will still be flying high!

This is a new shot of the Kuykendall House - looks about the same as last year, but we noticed there was furniture in it this year

This is the eave stone on the house. It reads, "1789 ISAAc Kuykendall", with a bad job of spacing!

When these ruins were a home, you can see what a magnificent view the residents had!

Various shots of the birds in flight

These are the shots that I was telling you about - the "UFO" that I picked up on them If you have the capability to magnify these three shots, you will see the small white object that appears in the distance. Heaven knows what it is, but it just seemed a little weird to see that
(I've done some magnification so you can see what showed up)

O.K., so that does it for this year's Eagle trip - all in all, a very nice day well-spent with new friends as well as old acquaintances! And of course it was a real joy to see those magnificent birds showing off for all of us!

Next trip - the National Zoo in July! Really looking forward to that! And you KNOW I'll have some pics for you then!

Enjoy! DaveKay

Images and captions courtesy of DaveKay

I've got 1 or 2 things to say, first sorry it took so long to get these up and second THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for sharing your trips with all of us. I have a feeling DaveKay that this years trips will very special to you with those new eyes.
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Looking forward to out next 'trip'. SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE !!

EAGLE TRAIN 2009 ~ PART 1

2009-06-08T08:01:00.000-07:00

Those magnificent birds really gave us a show this year! They constantly ran the river all day, and rode high on the thermals. As far as we could make out, it looked like there were three fledglings in the nests. If they turn out to fledge O.K., that will be a great boost for the population! The pictures didn't turn out too badly, considering I was shooting from a moving train through moving trees on the train side of the mountains, plus shooting against a pure tree-green backdrop on the other side! It's a good thing those guys have white head- and tail-feathers! They sure look great this year!

This deer thought he could give the train a good run!

The conductor
said they do it all time!

One of several shots of the nest that I got. This one shows the "residents" the best.

Different takes of the birds as they flew up and down the river.

This is a killdeer that had her eggs right next to the tracks on a parking lot in Petersburg! These birds are not nest dwellers, and lay their eggs in open areas such as this! Silly birds! They manage to exist most of the time!

All I can say is WOW ! ! ! You have some awesome shots there my friend. Thank you for sharing them. Looking forward to the next bunch. As for the 'something' you captured, I love a good mystery

Images and captions courtesy of DaveKay

Looking forward to our next 'trip'.

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE ! !

MORE FROM CRC

2008-11-29T18:28:00.001-08:00

These are a few more shots of the CRC in Front Royal, just to give you an idea of how large and beautiful this vast complex is!

Images courtesy of DaveKay
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These are long over due and I apologize. No excuses I simply forgot I had them. Again I'm sorry DaveKay.

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE !!

SPECIAL ANNUAL EVENT

2008-11-02T08:03:00.000-08:00

In 1974, the Director of the National Zoo founded the Conservation and Research Center (CRC)in Front Royal, Virgina. The site was originally used by the US Government, who leased it from farmers. in 1909. It housed a series of Calvary remount stations, supplying horses and mules to the Military. In 1911 the land was purchased by the Federal Government and remained a supplier of mounts through both World Wars. In 1948 the land was passed to the USDA and was developed to study beef cattle. The project closed in 1973, leaving the area vacant. In 1974 the Director of the National Zoo recognised the need for a captive breeding program and founded the CRC. In 1975 the title was transferred to the Smithsonian and work began. The most well known programs center on captive breeding and reintroduction of endangered species. The current collection is over 400 species. One weekend a year the facility is opened to the public with the 'Autumn Conservation Festival' sponsored the Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ).
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Here's what DaveKay had to say about it ~
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That place was phenomenal! It opened in 1908, and comprises some 2300 acres. The government bought up 42 farms in order to gather all the land in one bunch. It started out as a breeding and training center for the horses in the 1st Cavalry in WWI. General Patton's horse is buried there in their special horse cemetery. At the end of WWI, and the beginning of WWII, horses were replaced by armored vehicles, so the facility started training dogs for combat. Sometime in the 1930's, the National Zoo took over the place, and started using it for breeding research on Zoo animals. It's open one weekend a year and you can bet it's going to be on our schedule every year!
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Red (lesser) Panda

Red Wolf (Germany) Sure reminds me of a Fox, lol

Horse Cemetery

Just a part of the Conservation Area. Beautiful!

Civil War Cavalry re-enactors

Transportation around Race Track Hill

Eld's Elk

Micronesian Kingfisher

Exotic Mynah Bird

Researcher checking Peking Duck egg for embryo development

Clouded Leopard A gorgeous cat!

Images courtesy of DaveKay

I can see why DaveKay is going to make this an annual trip. Thanks so much for sharing it with all of us. I have another group of photos from this trip that will be posted in a few days. And they are just as good as these.

Looking forward to our next "trip".

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE !!

TANGIER ISLAND VISIT

2008-10-13T17:09:00.001-07:00

Description of our Tangier island trip. In a word - spectacular! I was almost born an Aquarian, because I love being on the water so much, and being on the Chesapeake Bay further proved the point. It was a gorgeous day, as you can see in the photos, and the one and a half hour trip to the island was great!

Main St., Tangier Island

Main St. at "rush hour"

A real "poser"

Our trusty craft

Beautiful bay homes

Heading out into the bay

Out in the open water, with a "friend"

Distant view of Tangier Island

Inner harbor at Tangier

Another "poser"

Pulling into Tangier docks

This says it all

Tangier Island itself has quite a history - it was discovered in 1608 by John Cook, and settled in about 1830 by members of the Crockett and Pruitt families. It presently has a population of about 600, with a cat population around 325! While we were there, we only spotted two of them! Go figure!

The island is only 4 feet above sea level, and floods quite often, but the islanders manage quite well , and evacuations are easily executed. There were several houses there that were being raised up on pilings, and it seems most of the dwellings there will follow suit in the future. They have a small fire dept, and a smaller hospital, although they have a mainland rescue squad that is always ready to respond. They have no jail, and perps are taken to the mainland ASAP. The crime rate is practically non -existant, but they did have a murder 10 years ago - a policeman shot a young man for not going to church one Sunday (so the story goes).

The people of Tangier are down-to-earth, hard-working types who are getting along just fine without all the "amenities" of mainland "big city" life. They have a microwave dish for phone service, and they do have cable, but the main mode of transportation is either golf cart, or bike.

If I had the means to do so, I could very easily exist there! It's my kind of place.

I might have a few more pictures for you at a later date, but I'm working on the shots that I got on our trip last weekend to the Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal. It's the Center that is operated by the Washington National Zoo, and is open to the public only one weekend during the year. Last year, it rained buckets, so we couldn't make it . This year the weather was perfect - lots of sun, but with a cool breeze. More on that trip later!

Hope you enjoy the Tangier pics!

DaveKay

Images and history courtesy of DaveKay

Thanks for sharing. Sounds like a very laid back, relaxed place to live, which right now sounds very good.

Looking forward to our next 'trip'.

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE !!

NATIONAL ZOO VISIT ~ PART III

2008-09-16T05:50:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Sorry about the delay, but I'm finally getting to you the next installment of our trip to National Zoo. This one's for the birds!

Especially the flamingos - they are truly one of the most colorful and graceful of the large birds. I had never seen one really up close, except for the plastic ones you see on front lawns! Believe me, these birds are gorgeous! And LOUD!

I never realized they could raise so much of a ruckus! In addition to the adults, I have included some chicks, too.

I saw these chicks on the camsite when they hatched, so it was neat to get a live update on them.

We learned that hatching flamingo chicks in captivity is somewhat rare, so the National Zoo has been blessed with at least three of them!

In addition to the flamingos, I have added a shot of the original "Fruit Loops" bird, the toucan. Talk about colorful!

I have some additional shots that I am going to prepare for another installment - for future viewing!

Hope you enjoy these!

Later...

DaveKay

Images and story courtesy of DaveKay

Sure looks as if you had a wonderful time at the Zoo and I'm sure all are looking forward to the next set of pictures. Thanks for sharing.

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE !!

NATIONAL ZOO VISIT ~ PART II

2008-08-28T05:09:00.001-07:00

I have another batch of shots from the Zoo trip. Going through them, I didn't realize that I had taken so many pictures! Judging from the volume, there will be more than two installments, I guarantee! So, here is the next series, with captions:

Ellie eye. You know how I am with my ellies - I don't like showing them penned up or behind fences, so I took a picture of the most expressive part of my friend...

Lion-maned Golden Tamarinds. It's hard to tell in this shot, but they are about the size of a fox terrier - and twice as fast! (I love their coloring - gorgeous)

Meerkats.

My favorite little creature!

A Meerkat photo op!

What a face!

(I was thinkin that very same thing LOL)

An "orang" on the "high-wire"!

A young male silverback- gorgeous!

Up close, and pensive...

A different species of zeb from the ones on the Drives.

So that's it for Chapter 2! Hope everything fits! ~

DaveKay

Images courtesy of DaveKay

Once again your talent shows through loud and clear. These are just awesome shots. Thank you for sharing them with all of us. Looking forward to part III.

Looking forward to out next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

NATIONAL ZOO VISIT

2008-07-25T23:12:00.000-07:00

I'm sending you the first installment on our visit to the Zoo last Saturday. I thought that I would start with the target of our visit, Tai Shan. Remember two years ago when all I got was one shot of Tai Shan sleeping in a tree? I made up for that this year - I got a total of 50 shots of all three pandas. Of course, to be honest, two years ago, the Panda Habitat was in the process of being rebuilt, and it was raining at the time of the picture. Also the inside area was closed to the public. What a difference two years makes! It's a gorgeous place now, with all the amenities of an actual Chinese mountain retreat. The pandas seem quite happy, and are always out and about for everyone to see. Mei Xiang was under the weather, as she is, hopefully, expecting a little one any time now.

The first shot is one of Mei Xiang, laying on her favorite rock ledge in the interior habitat. She was in out of the heat, and the only reason there's only one picture of her is because she never changed position for the ten minutes we were there!

The next four are of our buddy, Tai Shan. He's a big boy now, and, just like his daddy, is eating constantly! He's outside in these shots.

The last two shots are of Tian Tian, the daddy. He chose to stay in the cool atmosphere of the interior exhibit area while he pursued his favorite past time, eating...

Like I had mentioned, the crowds in the Panda House were like the Paparazzi, pushing and shoving in order to get that "perfect" picture! BTW, the reason I don't use flash in these shots is that I would get a specific "burn" area right in the middle of the shot, which ruins it. I wonder how many shots have been discarded simply because of using the flash?
Problem is that it's too late to correct once you get home...

Images courtesy of DaveKay

Looking forward to the next installment of your National Zoo trip DaveKay. And as always, great shots ! Thanks for sharing with all of us.

Looking forward to out next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE !!

BROOKEFIELD ZOO

2008-06-26T04:45:00.000-07:00

Well I've gone and done it now. Purchased a Membership to the Zoo, which means we'll be going lots. LOL I'll try not to overwhelm everyone with just Zoo pictures though . First up this trip ....

The Polar Bear

Who said only kids have fun in the water

We stopped in at the Camels

How's this for a profile

Came across this Raffie. Unusual horns ...

it appears that instead of next to each other, they grew in front and back of each other.

Guess what Daughter's very FAV is, LOL

Ut oh, must of been naughty

Good gravy, forgot to flip this one sorry. Please tilt your head to the left, thank you.

Just had to get pictures of this. As the sign says Cookie has been at the Zoo since day 1. What a sad day it will be when he passes.

Well that'll do it for this trip.

Looking forward to out next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

EAGLE TRAIN 2008

2008-06-15T15:33:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Well, here it is - the 2008 edition of our Eagle Train trip. We dodged thunderstorms and rain squalls just about all day, but the weather did finally break for us for about the last hour and a half. I must admit that most of the better shots were taken in the rain! Of course, any shot that I can get of an eagle, rain or shine, is a good shot! I put together some of the better pictures of the day, tied together with captioning. Hope you like it!

The trip started with a rainy entrance into "The Trough",

which took on an

"otherworldly" appearance in the mist.

The weather partly cleared, and brought out the canoes,

and the kayaks.

There were groups that gathered by the shore,

and there were those who preferred the solitude.

Our first evidence of eagles - nest #1,

and nest #2, which appeared to have a "branching" juvenile.

Our frisky friends from last year's trip.

One of many

"pastoral" scenes from the day.

A commercial pause!

It appeared that this particular silo had been put out to pasture!

The house has long vanished, but the view remains...

The eagles made a showing at last!

Rare shots - eagles at rest!

This particular one liked to buzz the train!

To round out a great day, an echelon of Canada geese flew over.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable day - it was very relaxing; we made some new friends, and hopefully gained several new viewers for the website! We have decided to make this our annual "pilgrimage", along with a yearly visit to the National Zoo. This year's trip to the Zoo will be on July the 12th. Hopefully, many shots will come out of that trip! ~ DaveKay
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Wow, looks like you had a great time. And nice to hear you've gained us a few more viewers LOL. As always your travels have generated some wonderful photos, thanks for sharing.

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

WILKINS LAKE

2008-02-12T10:01:00.000-08:00

Good Morning!

Went over to Wilkins Lake in the park the other day during our warm spell (thought in looked warm in these shots, today my temp is up to a whopping 19!) to see how many swans were out. Got some pretty good shots, so I thought that I would send some along. All the species over there are so gorgeous -- I could spend all day with them! The last two shots are of Abram's Delight, built in 1720, and a shot of the campus of Shenandoah University right next to the lake.
Enjoy! ~ DaveKay

Images courtesy of DaveKay

Can you tell us more about Abram's Delight? I'd like to know some interesting tidbits about it. Like why 'Delight'? Thanks

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

TRIP CLOSE BY

2008-01-21T16:01:00.000-08:00

Hi, again!

I just finished editing some of my stuff from Wilkins Lake over in Jim Barnett Park. We live just across the street from this lake, and I've only been over there twice! Believe me, after seeing all the different breeds of waterfowl that stop by there, I'm definitely a frequent visitor now! I'm aiming for some nice goose and swan close-ups like our friend Finny gets! We both have the same model camera - there's an outside chance I could pull it off! LOL
Anyway, I thought I would share these with you, and hope there are many more! So, Wilkins Lake is where I'VE been lately!

more later! ~ DaveKay
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Link ~ http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff270/wolfkas/drives08/lately/?action=view&current=17f39560.pbw
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Images courtesy of DaveKay
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DaveKay I'm sure you'll turn out some wonderful shots.
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Looking forward to our next 'trip'
SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

2008-01-10T20:13:00.000-08:00

I've heard from Mothernature that she and Indy John have tried to send some stuff in but it never got to me. There was a few days there that I didn't get anything to the wildmail addy (which I thought was a bit strange) and I was having some connection problems (figured it out finally, was something the ISP put in that was supposed to be a temp thing until they fixed their lines but they never came back for). So if you ever have something bounce back at you try sending to a second addy I'll put over under the wildmail addy. Also use the comcast addy if what your sending is big. I know the comcast addy can handle larger sizes but I'm not real sure about the size limit on the other.

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Sorry for all the problems. Hope this clears it all up

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Looking forward to our next 'trip'
SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

NEW EMAIL

2007-12-11T06:12:00.000-08:00

IF YOU ARE USING KSAM@MSNETWORK.WS TO SEND IN PHOTOS PLEASE CHANGE IT TO WOLFKAS@WILDMAIL.COM THE 'WS' ADDY IS NO LONGER VALID THANKS

A BIT MORE INFO

2007-11-20T08:04:00.000-08:00

You asked about the present state of the Kuykendall House on the Eagle Express route. As far as I can determine, it's not being lived in at the present, and a future renovation is in the works. The only thing that will hamper the House from being a tourist stop is its location. It's hard to tell from my photos, but access to it is practically non-existent, except for a small maintenance road. It seems that in the late 1700's inaccessibility was the main safety factor in protecting one's home from the rogue bandits that roamed the area during that period. It's probably not out of the question that it could become a whistle stop on future tours, being as how the Eagle is the only train using these rails! ~ DaveKay
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Thanks for finding all that out. Don't know if anyone else was interested but I figured if I was there might be someone else too.
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Looking forward to our next 'trip'
SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

EAGLE TRAIN PART 2

2007-11-10T16:38:00.000-08:00

Good Evening!

I'm sending you some more sunny shots of our Eagle Express trip on this cold , rainy evening! I've taken the liberty of adding captions, so you can shoot the messenger if you so desire! LOL ~ DaveKay
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I don't think that will be needed, you did very well.

Some of the "locals" were waiting to cross the road.

The train whistle frightened this youngster.

His mother, too!

One of the many delightful plantation-type dwellings that we saw along the route.

Different views of the Isaac Kuykendall House that was built in 1789.

A closer look at the stone work on the outer walls. As you can see, not a stone was wasted!

Although there weren't many eagles to be photographed, the lack was compensated for by the beautiful scenery, and the historical buildings of the area. I hope to have a few more examples of these in my next installment.
Enjoy!

Images courtesy of DaveKay
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Those houses are great. Is the Isaac Kuykendall House open to the public, private or just sitting there empty ?

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

BIRD WALK/SHOW

2007-11-09T21:40:00.000-08:00

Hello, Everyone!

Hope all are well! We're fine here!
We had occasion to attend the VA Audubon Society Annual Bird Walk
this past Saturday. We went especially for the session on raptors, like hawks and falcons. It was quite interesting, and the birds were beautiful! I have enclosed a couple of shots of each bird they presented.

The first one was a 20-year -old broadtail hawk named Kettler.

She was found with a badly shattered wing - they fixed her wing, but she was unable to fly. So she's been a show bird ever since!

The next was a 2-year-old kestrel named
Edie,

just recently turned into the sanctuary as another injured bird.

Then there was Gustavo, a 9-year-old barred owl, who stole the show.

Really a magnificent bird! Quinn Robinson, the bird handler, said he has a real easy-going personality, and is the best to work with of all the birds they have at the shelter.

All in all, a great way to spend a Saturday!
Enjoy! ~ DaveKay

Images courtesy of DaveKay

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

TRAIN RIDE

2007-10-31T16:28:00.000-07:00

Some of you know that DaveKay was supposed to be going to see Tai at the National Zoo this past summer but had to cancel the trip for health reasons. Well recently DaveKay and family took another trip to make up for the Zoo trip they had to postpone (I say postpone because I'm pretty sure they'll get there sooner or later LOL). Looks like they did a pretty good job of 'making up'.

We went to Romney, WV to take a train trip through the hills of Northern West Virginia to enjoy the foliage and learn some of the history of the area.

Our conductor - right out of Norman Rockwell!

One of many picturesque barns along the route.

Real beauties!

The Eagle Express winding its way along Eagle Rock.

"The Trough". Note the train on the left.

A look back at "The Trough".

It was quite a trip, because the other reason for the trip is to look for the eagles that frequent the area.

A juvenile Bald Eagle.

My "catch of the day"!

All the pertinent info on the trip can be found at http://www.potomaceagle.info/

I'll have more later! Enjoy! ~ DaveKay

Looks like it was a wonderful and fulfilling trip. And while you didn't get to see a Panda, the Eagles and views would more then make up for it. Hope to see more of your trip in the coming weeks. Thanks for sharing these with all of us DaveKay

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

DV #5

2007-09-28T03:37:00.000-07:00

Weaver bird nest

Baby Tortoise found on a bush walk

(It's sooo tiny)

Close up (Ahem I sure hope you took this with a zoom lens. Bit close for me if you didn't LOL)

Curious baby (They really do have such cute faces.)

Leopard with kill

And a screen saver (What I wouldn't give to see this for myself)

Images courtesy of Kebab

There are so many super sightings at the moment. I shall send you some more when the season at Pete's Pond has finished and we may be getting withdrawal symptoms!
Regards,

and thanks,

kebab

How right you are about the Super Sightings. I tend to open up cams and then try to post. Yea right. Too busy watching and snapping. Gotta force myself to post first then open cams. Not easy.

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

RIVER TRIP

2007-09-25T19:41:00.000-07:00

I told you I would send you a pictorial account of our trip to the Potomac river two weeks ago -- here it is! The pictures are few, and the subject matter is not the river. It was very low and slow that weekend and very crappy looking. A lot of the shots were of people I had never met before, so I decided to spare you those! This spot was what they call "The Trough",
and it's located right outside of Moorefield, WV. It's a pleasantly quiet, forested area, away from traffic noises, and all those unpleasant sounds associated with the city. The first pic is a semi-panoramic shot of the trailers situated down by the river.

(Reminds me a bit of the campground where I have my trailer permanently parked.)

The next shot (the only one with people!) is our friend who owns the double wide that we stayed at. He's the one on the left. The gal behind him (in the dark red shirt) is my better half, Judy. The other two people are total strangers! LOL

The remaining shots are of an interesting birdhouse (doesn't look like it has had much use recently but I do know that spiders build webs very quickly)

riverside sunsets,

and a shot of the mountains on the way home.

Next trip will yield much better material, I promise! ~ DaveKay
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Images courtesy of DaveKay

Thanks for sharing DaveKay. Ya know the last shot reminds me a lot of the view from the High Country Webcams that show the Smokey Mountains.

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

CAT SHOW FINALE !

2007-09-15T06:57:00.000-07:00

Finally! This will do it for the cat show, although I have a few more shots I may sneak in later...

"Is that Garfield over there?"

Just chillin'..

"Keep that up, and I'll fall asleep!"

One word -- GORGEOUS!

Real class!

Without the eyes, it's just a big black ball of fur!

"I wanna see my lawyer!"

That's all folks!

Images and captions courtesy of DaveKay

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

OFF FOR A DAY AT THE COUNTY FAIR

2007-09-09T11:28:00.000-07:00

An annual trip we make every year is to the DeKalb County Fair, AKA Sandwich Fair. For a bit of back round, this Fair was started in 1888 and this years marked the 120th year the fair was held. It is the oldest continuing County Fair in IL and one of the most attended every year. I know of a few people who have been going every year for the last 60 years (if not longer) ! Talk about tradition. People travel from points far and wide to come. Many have moved to other areas but come back to go. Myself, I've been going every year for the last 13 years. We go to celebrate my youngest kids birthday. (She loves the fact she doesn't have to go to school that day!) So without further ado ... The Fair ~

Farm equipment is big, both in size (note the trucks) and interest. Farmers have 100's of thousands of $ tied up in machines that are used probably 2 to 3 weeks a year.

Cattle washing and grooming station. Here the livestock are all cleaned up before a showing. Local kids raise these just for the fair and belong to FFA (Future Farmers of America)

Can't forget about the Fair entertainment. Mostly local and usually having something to do with Farm Reports.

The Crew. Can't go without eating all the favorites. And no, that's not a Corn Dog there. See next photo for the menu board.

Yep, your reading that right. Alligator on a stick. And FYI it does taste just like chicken. This is definitely one place we visit every time we go. Unfortunately the vendor only has it during the fair.

It rained on and off all day, with several hard downpours. The kids all enjoyed it, while adults ran to cover. Everyone took it in stride though.

The sun always came back out, so the day continued.

Took a closer look at some of the livestock.

This Piggy was having a good time while being sprayed down. Can't be covered in mud when the judges show up LOL

And what's a Fair without the rides. I don't go anymore, stomach can't take that. But the kid went. Over and over and over.

Of course they always have lots of games to play too. We always play 'The Mouse Game'. You put a Quarter on a series of 3 numbers and hope that when they release the mouse it runs into one of your numbers. Kinda fun and easier on the pocketbook then the $2 to $3 games there. I came home with this guy.

If you look very closely you can faintly see the second rainbow above the first one.
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And since I didn't know how my crude attempt at picture taking in order to get a good panoramic view would work out, I did a short vid of it. Corny, I know

A Double Rainbow to end the day.

I hope you enjoy this trip to the County Fair as much as we did when we went, despite the rain.

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

DV (DREAM VACATION) # 4

2007-09-08T11:05:00.000-07:00

No takers for the mystery pics then?
To satisfy your curiosity, the "not a log" was a humpback whale really close to the shore, and the tree is a baobab.

Here a a few more, no mysteries this time, and Rosie is one of the camp nyala where Rob works and is very friendly with people she is used to.

Regards, kebab

A common view !

Ever watchful

Fab color

Just checking the air

Ottawa male by the road

Rob and Rosie

Images courtesy of Kebab

What did I say about the 'not a log', a hippo I think. Never even thought about a Whale. And I had no clue about the tree. And no one even tried to guess either one. All too busy watchin' Pete's I bet LOL. Thanks so much for sharing more of your memories Kebab.

Looking forward to out next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

MORE DREAM VACATION

2007-09-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

Crested Crane

It's not a log !

(I'm guessing Hippo)

Name this tree

(OK cammers, send in those guesses)

Big Kitty

Very close

White Lioness

Images courtesy of Kebab

Gosh, this is fun!
When you get fed up, let me know, but until then, enjoy!
Regards, kebab

OK like anyone will get 'fed up' with pictures like these.

Looking forward to out next 'trip;

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

CAT SHOW PART 3

2007-09-01T05:53:00.000-07:00

Howdy!

Here's Pt. 3 of my Cat Show series!

An Egyptian Mau

"Somebody check the thermostat in here!"

"That's right - I'm gorgeous!"

"You talkin' to ME?"

Real or ceramic?

"I wanna go home...."

"I'm NOT an ALIEN!"

Hope you like.... ~ DaveKay

Images and captions courtesy of DaveKay

Of course we like. Thanks

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

BRONX ZOO

2007-08-31T15:43:00.001-07:00

"Aw, give me some"

"I'm sulking"

"OK, I'm outta here"

Images courtesy of Eleanor

It’s a very good habitat — huge, and varied — there’s even a small waterfall where I saw one of the adult apes sitting on a rock and cupping her palm to catch the water for a drink. I go and look for hours and end up with lots of photos.......

Thanks for sharing Eleanor

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

DREAM VACTION PART 2

2007-08-31T13:22:00.000-07:00

Hyena's

A Blondie and 2 Brunettes

Move it along there, your lagging behind

Heads above the rest

Lots a Impala's

Images courtesy of Kebab

Keep em' coming Kebab. And to answer your question, yes I think testing the cam community would be a wonderful idea. So start digging through all those wonderful photos you have ! !

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

DREAM VACATION ! !

2007-08-29T03:27:00.000-07:00

Hooray, somewhere to send some photos of my recent trip to SA!
Got loads of them, of course,

but here you have lion,

hippo,

redbilled oxpecker on a buffalo

my son looking smug as we helped in a rhino darting expedition,

vervet monkey,

and a shot showing just how close guests can get to the local fauna!

Best wishes, kebab

Images courtesy of kebab

WOW, what a vacation. I could die very HAPPY after a trip like that. kebab rest assured of 2 things 1- Any time you'd like to send some more of your photos in, I'll gladly post them and 2 - I know a few people (myself included) who are envious and happy at the same time for you. How exciting to be in on the Rhino expedition. Your son is rightly looking smug, I would be.

.
Thank you so very much for sharing these. Looking forward to whatever else you care to share.

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

KATIE GIRL GOES VISITING

2007-08-26T19:47:00.000-07:00

As some of you know Katie Girl recently spent a week visiting her wonderful granddaughter. And she sent pictures !

The first is a biplane that was buzzing past the house at 7:00 am.
Scenic view

One of maybe 50 spiders around the house and yard. I really didn't capture the size very well because I didn't want to get closer (eeewww!)

Are those mountains I see in the background ? Cool

Sunshine on water

Thanks to Katie these got sent in. Looks like Katie Girl had a very nice visit.

Images courtesy of Katie Girl

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

KITTY SHOW PART 2

2007-08-21T03:59:00.000-07:00

DaveKay has been generous enough to send us more of the Cat Show ! He said he has lots of them and thankfully didn't send them all at once. For one I don't know how I would post them all at one time and this way we can enjoy them over time. Thanks DaveKay

"He winked at me FIRST!"

"Oh, the burden of being a celebrity!"

"Hey, how about me back here !"

The boys of Cell Block "B".

Me, shy? A little...

Bert and Ernie.

Images courtesy of DaveKay

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

BRONX ZOO

2007-08-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

Right before I left to go to Brookefield Zoo, I had emailed Eleanor and mentioned that I was going. So she sent in this from a visit she had at the Bronx Zoo.

After reading about your going to the Brookefield Zoo today, I couldn't resist sending you this photo, taken in August last year, of a ‘retired’ Grizzly at the Bronx Zoo....... This bear sure knows what to do in a heat wave!!! :o)

When a heat wave hits NYC it gets extra hot, as I’m sure it does in Chicago. Not much air circulation between the skyscrapers! But there’s Central Park, and I live close to the East River and it’s always a bit cooler there.

Cheers,

Eleanor

Thanks for sharing.

Looking forward to our next "trip".

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

DAY TRIP ~ BROOKEFIELD ZOO

2007-08-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

Well, took my daughter on a day trip to an area zoo. Had a very nice time, just the two of us. we saw the Tiger.

Here he's getting ready to lay in the 'pool' area. It was kinda hot that day. (We all know how the heat has plagued the US this summer)

And Snow Leopards. Here in the outdoor area they have a fence that separates the males and females. Don't want any hanky panky going on I guess LOL

She was getting ready to jump up and hang out on a ledge here. At this spot all that separates the leopard and us is a plexi-glass window. Nice and close up !

This is where they hold the Dolphin shows. Had 2 groups. Males and females.

During the show.

This is a huge fountain in the middle of the zoo. It's dedicated to President T. Roosevelt.

This is a bronze statue of a Gorilla that used to live at the zoo. His name was Samson. This is a life sized statue. That's the kid next to him.

They said that the gold color areas are from people touching it all the time. I guess kids have a need to touch the nose and mouth for whatever reason. The brow area is from people getting on his back for photos.

This is one of the areas that are set up for several species of animals. They are all from Africa and would be found together in the wild. There are several types of Monkeys, hippos and various birds.

One of the Monkeys way up in the tree.

The Gorilla's have their own area. Here one of the youngsters is going through wood shavings 'looking' for carrots.

At another exhibit, we of course had to visit the Penguins.

These are real cuties.

Then on to my fav, the Wolves. They have a small pack (5) of Mexican Gray Wolf.

The Zoo has a large man-made lake that you can walk around. Takes about 25 mins or so and is very peaceful. The lake is home is many truly wild waterfowl. Here you see the resident Swan and her kids.

Was very surprised when these 2 came so close. My daughter kept saying "Just take the picture. The mom is looking 'mean' at me". Momma called them back quickly and we moved on.

Here is an Okapi. Kinda of a mixed up animal. It has a longer neck like it's nearest relative the giraffe (not as long though). It has stripes on the back end and legs like a Zebra and the body is like a horse. Brookefileld Zoo was the first Zoo to have a young born at a zoo in the US, back in 1959. They are found in the Congo and not much is known because they live in remote areas. So much of what is known is what is learned from those in zoos.

The Giraffes are now in their new habitat. Much more like how they would live in the wild.

This is a hedgehog who came to visit in the Rhino exhibit. Even the Zoo staff were taking pictures.

Aardvarks in their den sleeping.

Bison, not a buffalo.

From down under, a snoozing Hairy-nosed Wombat

The resident Polar bears. Look closely and you can see the newest addition.

And finally a Sloth Bear. They have 2 females, sisters. No idea where the other one was, probably taking a nap somewhere.

LOL
.

That's it for this trip. I hope you enjoyed a small sample of Brookefield Zoo.

Looking forward to our next "trip".

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

KITTY KAT SHOW

2007-08-06T07:38:00.000-07:00

DaveKay spent some time at a cat show recently. Where he took 150 + photos. No, they're not all here. But he did send a small selection for us, with the promise of more to come. I don't know a lot about breeds of cats so if I get one wrong, sorry.
.

I believe these are a 'fold' type, maybe a Scottish Fold. Has to do with the ears.

I'm going with Norwegian Forest Cat. I get those and Maine Coons confused as they are very similar.

Siamese (Looks very comfortable)

Persian (yes there is a face in there, somewhere)

Hey, I'm not ready to have my picture taken !

Hairless. No bad hair days here !

UMMM...your sweeshing my face here !

I take it you want me to 'get the toy' right ?

Big kitty

Just look at that face, sweet

Images courtesy of DaveKay

DaveKay says they really enjoyed the show. Wasn't a large affair, but just as good as one.

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

PHILLY TRIP

2007-07-31T07:56:00.000-07:00

I'll start off by saying, "ONE OF A KIND!" To be so close to those 3000+ year-old antiquities was chilling, to say the least! I was amazed at the degree of workmanship in the pieces of jewelry, and by the frailty of the pieces. They almost looked like they were just about two or three thicknesses of gold leaf! Unfortunately, the coffin and death mask of Tut were not there, due to security reasons, but there was a remarkable coffin and ceremonial mask of a Lady Tjuya, a member of the royal family. It killed me that no cameras were allowed, so the next best thing to do is get a book that shows all the treasures of the exhibit, and realize that about half of them were here!

I did manage some shots of other parts of the museum --

Ben and me. I'm on the right!

Entrance to the Space exhibit.

Moon rock - about the size of a cigarette lighter.

Nickel/iron meteorite - about the size of a microwave, and HEAVY.

The Penn RR Rocket, built 1832.

The Baldwin Engine works steam locomotive - a BEHEMOTH!

Wright Bros. prototype flying machine.

The new Philly.

The crowds were huge, as you might imagine -- the weather was perfect! We also went to an IMax movie about the mysteries of Egypt. Ever been to an IMax theater? Well, the screen is 70 feet across, and 4 and a half stories high. And the screen is tilted 30 degrees toward the audience. Essentially, you're sitting inside a dome, and the movie is happening all around you! Not recommended for anyone with vertigo! The sound system was 22,000 watts with 54 speakers placed throughout the theater!
If you ever have the chance to go to one, do it! ~ DaveKay

** note **

DaveKay took this trip a while back. Beginning of June as a matter of fact. These were the seed that started the idea for this site. As most of you know, DaveKay became sick shortly after this trip (which if I remember right he is now calling the "King Tut's curse". He being sick not the trip) and it took a bit for me to get everything together and find the time to set it up. But better late then never ! ! He had planned a trip to the National Zoo to see Tai around the 7th of July. Unfortunately it had to be canceled. But he has sent some pics of Tai from the web cam that I hope to get up today or Wed. over on Little Bit. I know not the same as seeing him 'live' but...

Looking forward to our next 'trip'

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE

MILWAUKEE ZOO

2007-07-27T20:24:00.000-07:00

Welcome to WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN LATELY ??

The idea for this started way back at the beginning of June when I got a batch of pictures from a trip DaveKay took. I had just went to Milwaukee Zoo and of course took pictures. Started me thinking 'How could I share these with everyone?' I bounced the idea of a new site off Katie Girl, who thought it would be interesting, and decided to give it a shot. I hope you will enjoy this site as much as 'LITTLE BIT' and 'BACKYARD'. There won't be as many postings as on the other 2 sites but I thought it would be fun to share with you places people go for day trips/vacations. This will work the same as the other two, if you have photos you'd like to share send them in, the email is listed to the right. Please remember to tell me where it is you went, things that you may have saw or heard, what was happening and a bit about your trip.

And now, without further ado...Milwaukee Zoo ~
They have a special exhibit with Sting Rays and Sharks. You could actually reach in and touch them ! Sharks never did come close enough for me to reach, but the Rays did. They are so soft, like velvet. The barbs have been removed so there was no danger there. It was just so cool.

And we sat in on the Seal show. It was short as the temp was around 90 but fun.

And we can never go to a zoo without a visit to the penguins (my daughter's fav)

I think half the pictures we got are of penguins !

A view from the underwater viewing area

Reindeer, notice how shaggy it looks? Getting rid of the winter coat in favor of a cool summer one.

Looks mighty comfortable sitting there.

This I couldn't resist ! Isn't she just the cutest Gorilla ever !

Of course I wasn't thinking when I took these. So I'm not sure I remember correctly who is what. But I believe this is a Hornbill.

OK I know it's a bird ! LOL

For some reason I don't think this is a Bush Baby. Not the kind pictured anyway.

I don't have any idea, but it's cute ! Maybe a Bat-Eared Fox ?

This one I know ! ! It's a Raffie

Wild Cat - Looks just like a cat I had years ago.

Cheetah

Lioness

Lion

Don't know if she's just bored, has a bad taste in her mouth or just wanted to show off her BIG teeth !

Leopard ? Daughter took this one. I don't even remember seeing this !

They had an interesting way of setting up some of their exhibits. And of course I didn't get any pictures of them. But what they did is set it up so that the front half would have Impala and Zebra in it and the back half would have Lions. They called it 'Predator and Prey'. I guess to educate the public on what happens in the wild. Now before anyone gets antsy, there were barriers so the Predator could not get to their natural Prey. It was an interesting concept, but it did make for tight quarters. If I had a choice I'd rather see them have more space over the 'Predator/Prey' set up. All in all it was a good visit. Will I go back, doubtful. Maybe I'm spoiled by a Zoo closer to home, but that's another post. But I'd like to see the animals there have more room to move about. And in some cases have something besides bare concrete in the exhibits. Kinda left a bad taste in my mouth. Guess I'm used to watching cams and seeing them without boundaries at all.

Well that does it for this trip. First post is in the bag, so to speak. The first of many (I hope). I hope you enjoyed the trip to the Milwaukee Zoo.

Looking forward to our next 'trip'.

SAFE TRAVELS EVERYONE