TRUTH CERUM

I believe for a long time I`ve been incorrect in identifying one of my cactus blooms as a Cerus. I now think that this bloom is a true Cerus. I had asked online for anyone to identify the bloom & I recvd. a few responses as to it being a Cerus, but I always had doubts about it. I happened on this one today & had a revelation as to it being the one & true Cerus.
I will be looking to see more of them bloom, & since I will now be taking care of this particular plant, I have high hopes.
There are many images of this bloom beyond this one, if you care to click on it. The header is also clickable for some light blues & on Planet Earth, some Bromos for pink thinkers.
Have a nice day of rest & pray no pyromaniac takes advantage of the Santa Annas coming my way tomorrow.

TREASURE CHEST

This is at the end of my rainbow.
You can explore in the header & on Planet Earth, but right now I`m off to explore my dreams.
Have a lovely week end please.

GOLDEN RULES

First, if any one sees Manny, tell him this is a crab.
This golden web master has been living above the door to my office for months. Tonight he was showing his girlfriend around the place & waved at me like he was trying to impress her. Hope it works.
A few blues sprouting in the music room on Planet Earth, & in the header more silk spinners.
Have a lovely weekend please, & stay healthy.

MONS PITON GAMMA

This anemone`s orfice reminds me of a formation on the moon, as the title would suggest. It`s usually difficult to get a shot of this part of the anemone, as the clownfish, very protective of the anemone , usually rushes me, sending the tentacles into a writhing mass of red hair.
This prevents proper focus.
This is where the anemone ingests food.
In the header, an image of what I drink every day before juicing.
Over on the bue Planet Earth, a lucky frog.
All three images are linked to sets, that lately, are a little smaller, due to increased domestic responsibilities.
Please have a great day.

MEDITATING STONER

This heavy granite sculpture of an oriental lady made a convenient hat caddy for my friend Sandy, a most beautiful lady.
The Rainbow Snakeskin Discus in the header leans both ways & has a following behind it. There is also an unusual pic of it there.
On planet Earth, a snake, California King, returns from a bloody battle, seemingly none the worse for wear.
The moral: Everybody must get stoned , but you can`t put a hat on, & mess with a snake, unless you want to get bloody
& blue. Now, hit the streets & have a nice day, please.
A sign in Coronation Park, Toronto, reads, "Please walk on the grass".

BATHING BOOTIES

These Miss America contestants, have no idea I happened upon them. I took a few liberties with them by taking some nude photos of them. In the header is a down & dirty Merc, while over on Planet Earth, a Bromeliad we received from a dear departed lady named Helen.
Since this is Tuesday or "Ladies Night", this days collection is for her, Helen Coleman.
Have a nice day, & do speak well of the dead. Please. Speak nicely to the living,also.

SUNSHINE PROPAGATOR

Here`s some color to start your fall into a new week.
There`s some greenbacks in the header, & White Trash on Planet Eart.
Homey is a Green Ringneck we had since it was just two or three days hatched, & was a constant companion to Teri for almost 8 years. He died of unknown causes over a year ago. He was an incredible talker, but now silent, except in memories. Billy, is another adopted rescue who has been with us for maybe eight years. He`s doing very well & is an incredible flyer. Last but not least is a pair of buddies, Coconut, a Goffin Cockattoo, & Baby a small yard bird that was a rescue, but adopted us, maybe 18 months ago. They were recalcitrant buddies, but in the end always hung out on my shoulder or knee or wherever they wanted. The baby loved to sleep in Coconut`s, pine nut, treat bowl, or in my eyesocket where she would nestle in & ward off, all who approached. Baby disappeared a few days ago.
These colors should start you off, on a week which hopefully, will get more colorful as it progresses.
Add a little color to someone`s day, Please. You may get a smile in return,.. who knows.

BEYOND FREEDOM

The paradox at hand requires one to think like a Terranist.
On the last day of a yard sale I was having , some years ago, I was giving everything away. When anyone asked me why, I told them I was a Terranist.
Fences don`t lend to that way of thinking. This is the last image of this fence I`ll have.
Down it comes.
Thses images were taken today on an exploratory mission. I discovered a few surprises along the way, & loved the sky & the sound of crashing waves. I`ll leave you to go explore for yourselves. Have a rest today, or you`ll Fall.
Happy first day of Fall.

ALBINO`S BIND

Due to electrical atmospheric phenomena, these images had to be posted in a delayed time frame.
I learned this 'Back to the Future' trick from Beth, (a "Usual Suspect") so just pretend it`s whenever you want it to be.
A few surprises await thoses who land on Planet Earth or dare to challenge the forces in the HEADer.
The planet, in my part of the world, has been freshened-up, with a nice softwater bath of rain,
with special romantic lightning, & music by the "Fabulous Thunder Birds".
Have a loving weekend, please.

WHEN IN GNOME, DO AS THE GNOMANS

Tonight I must do as the gnome here is doing. No, not waking up, but falling asleep.
Have a good night & see me in the morning.

TWOLIPS ON THE BREEZE

A little country feel for tonight. This is a few canyons over from my place. My dream house is in the field where this image was shot.
There`s a few shots of the place on Planet Earth. There`s a collection of three sets connected to all three locations on this page.
Be kind to yourself please, you deserve it.

BEACH BUMS` SNOOZE

You`re all invited for a day at the beach.
I feel like the Pelicans right now so I`m going to go stand on a rock & snooze.
In the header a "WIND SURFER" hangs ten.
Over on Planet Earth, there`s plenty to drink from.
To make it easier to go to archives of the sets involved with the header & Planet Earth, I`m putting a collection of the three sets in the link to anyone of the three. I should have thought of that a long time ago, but my support team is a little crochety I think.
Just funnin`O.

ZENSUOUSE MONKEY

Originally created as a lucky talisman, this creation turned into an anxiety distraction. That it worked, has not been proven yet.
As a Lifetime achievement honoree, the image & related set is posted for dada, the pied piper of blues.
The "Orange Ball Anemone" in the set, is a relatively recent discovery in my reef tank, in my other office( only another room at the other end of my compound, but it has a desk.). Although I have seen them in my tanks previously, I had never had the occasion to see the central part of the body, but only, waving tentacles from a crevice in the rocks. This species, akin to transparent glass, is such a small beauty. It is in a location that makes it quite hard to shoot also. At full extension, it is maybe as big as a quarter. These are hitch-hiker additions to a reef. They will come in on a piece of rock & make their appearance when you least expect to see them, making reefing a constant & evolving delight.
Then, for those who can`t resist a kitty, there`s one on Planet Earth.

BANGAII CARDINALFISH

The Bangaii Cardinalfish is a male mouth brooder. Here it is among different corals.
A large Elephant Ear is in the foreground, to the right are Brown Polyps. Continuing on around, is a large Green Bubble Coral, then a Green Branching Torch Coral, & in the tail of the Bangaii, a Blastomusa, in red.
In the header is a Sea Slug called a Tigertail.
They may reach lengths of over 6 feet, & can reproduce by fission. I started with one in this tank, & now have four.
I`ll be giving a few away, as there will soon not be enough food in the substrate to accomodate all of their needs, respectively.
On Planet Eart, a Green Frogspawn Coral & some more slugs, while behind the Bangaii, are a few shots of the Hawkfish, a Marroon Clown & the Green Bubble.
Have a bright tomorrow & look to the future with hope.

GARDEN OF TEARS

This lady was crying in a garden I visited today. It is a carved "Fencepost" stone, drilled for water to flow over her head & body, eventually creating her features, her tears, her tresses & dresses. I also had the oportunity to take a few shots of some animals there. Adam, an eight year old, has a collection of reptiles that he keeps. He is very good at taking excellent care of them & is constantly studying their needs & habits. I met him a few years ago at my place when I noticed him hanging around my field. He had seen a large rattler & was waiting to see if he could have permission to come on the property. We quickly became friends & I now know the whole family. He brought out a large lizard while I was there today giving his mom some advice on a pond. She went in & brought out a cornish game hen, which the lizard devoured. I would never have believed it could have eaten that much, even with the hen having been put through a blender first.
Then it was a new snake that came out. The lizard meanwhile was hanging out on the lawn. He leaves it outdoors for hours at a time. Anyway the snake a beautifull one is over on Planet Earth along with another one, a little ringneck racer. The maid found that one in the house. Very very small, it could coil up on a quarter. Earlier today, a friend came by. Wally, a huge dog I hadn`t seen in a year & a half almost, was thrilled to see me & started howling when he remembered who I was.
So enjoy the things I offer up today & hopefully it will make you smile, or spend some time, you may otherwise have wasted, on worries that are beyond anyone`s control.
PS:The spider web is a shot of a strange plant, taken from high in the center of it, looking down.
Peace

LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS

Since Olivia, Andif, Jim, dada, & Beth are crazy clouding this weekend, I didn`t want you to feel left out here.
The lady in the blue is a stranger I`ve had here for a long time. I don`t know who she is, nor where I found her, but she seems a little mysterious, with a hint of exotic & a mix of some sensuousness. She also knows how I like lipstick on a woman, sparingly but sharp edged with a little bit of pouted pucker. Confidence & assuredness. Just a nice girl.
What do you think she`s like?
Is she a writer, a painter or a dancer. A mother maybe, or simply a sister to her baby brother. Who is the mystery with the intriguing expression? She`s maybe the spirit of the vapor she envelops herself in.
Only you know.
Enjoy the thoughts.
Have a nice weekend & look to the clouds for inspiration.

ICE DOG PLANET

The horned toad in this image is one of three that I took in, to care for, while their land was being disrupted by earth moving equipment for a construction project. They are currently back in the land of fire breathers & horsebacked lancers.
This image is not manipulated (I do that at times), but the actual setting I kept them in, trying to make them feel at home.
In the header you may recognize the belly slither of one of the favorite photogs around. These horned toads, known for
their mimicry of humans, are well represented in this character trait, by this one, who has the belly crawl down to a "T".
On Planet Earth, the "Deciderer`s boss shows that these wonderful animals do have cold blood, but I know they have warm hearts, as you`ll see in some of the images in the set connected to that one.
Keep all your hearts warm for those left out in the cold, please.
And have a safe weekend.

BLUEBERRIES OOZE

This is a morh of Orange Zoas in my collection. They do come in a variety of colors & some reefers have extensive collections of some outlandish ones. They can be readily propagated & we exchange them with each other all the time.
By breaking the rock they are growing on here, I can start as many colonies as I want. If someones comes over & has a liking for any of them I`ll just break off a chip of rock with a few on it for them. That`s what will many a camper happier. I have more behind this one & more of them on Planet Earth.
The header is a flower made of a self portrait reflected in one of my friend`s gas tank. There`s a larger image of an individual flower which you can access by clicking in the exact center of any one of those in the header.
Now, please be nice to the less fortunate. They know who they are, but if you treat everybody equally, they`ll surely be included.

ZOOLANDER

These little "trees" are called Zoas. They may cause a severe reaction if handled carelessly, especially with an open cut or wound.
It sounds silly to even mention cuts or wounds, but you`d be surprised at how fast you could get a cut doing work in a reef tank. So be careful. hah.
I`ve been busy of late, so I`ll just mention the Cleaner Wrasse in the header with Coconut, my good buddy, which has both images the header is made with in full technicolor.
The "Brazillion" on Planet Earth is connected to a bunch of colors & you can hit the evergreen main post for more interesting shots, one of which is a nice Tube Anemone shot.
In the meanwhile, please say something nice tto a stranger or two. It`s free & usually a good investment.
Have a great day, & I`ll see y`all all around. (practicing)

OUTTA LINE

This 6 LINE WRASSE Pseudocheilinus hexataenia (Bleeker, 1857) is no longer among the gill breathing living.
I`ve had this little fish for years & it was instrumental in my gaining more knowledge on how to shoot continuously moving objects.
This fish is in constant motion, never stopping in a territorial area, or perching somewhere, as most of my other fish do.
To focus on this fish is impossible. It cannot be done. Period. The only way to shoot an image of the fish in focus, is to focus somewhere & wait for the fish to enter that zone. A little study & patience is in order. I would watch for patterns & paths the fish would repeat & pick a spot with a suitable background.
Then I would figure the spot that the wrasse would occupy when he came through & find a spot similar in distance from the front of the tank. Once I had a focus lock, I`d move the camera to the predetermined spot & wait.
By clicking on this image, the header image, (I`ve added to that set) or on Planet Earth, you can see some of the images I shot using the method I`ve described. I have images in those three locations to cut down on download time. You might also take into consideration, that this is a very wary little fish, that never took kindly, to having a black box, with a huge, eye looking thing, staring at him.
I will miss my hunts for the perfect shot, something I`ll never get to do. At least I`m able to share some of his environment with you.
Enjoy, & remember to be nice to a stranger.
No one is getting out of here alive.

HAWKFISH ON THE PROWL.

A Hawkfish, always attentive to it`s prey`s vulnerabilities, may well be the reason for the 6 LINE WRASSE`S disappearance this week end.
In the header is the 6 LINE WRASSE, missing & presumed dead. I`ve had this little beauty for years & I`ll do a full post on it in memoriam, if it does not turn up by tomorrow.
Over on Planet Eart, is a bowl of fruit for any Kilijiahs here, beyond the Tiger`s flames.

VIRGIN EYESHADOW

This beautiful fish, Cromileptes altivelis (Valenciennes,1828), is also known as a Panther grouper, a Polkadot or Baramundi cod.
This one in particular I rescued & held in a quarantine tank for rehabilitation. As you can see it`s quite underweight, but with tender care & a good diet, I was able to bring it back to a healthy condition. Although it`s too large a fish at maturity, to be a permanent resident in one of my tanks, I would not hesitate to repeat the process for another one. It has been placed in a nice large fish only tank at a friend`s place here in Malibu.
On Planet Earth, beyond the Boogie Woogie Man, is a set of some very colorful plate corals. The Boogie man is a little something I made today.
In the header, some sunshine spirographs await.
Have a safe weekend, please, & say "Hi" to a stranger.

LADY LIBERTY

This is artwork from a very great friend of mine. He was known for motorcycle art but was a very good surrealist artist.
He passed into Hog Heaven a few years ago, but we have a huge memorial for him every year which draws thousands of people.
He was always a champion of our rights as individuals.
Fighting for "Biker" rights, is fighting for everyone`s rights. We had some good times.
In the header you can go see what Sun Corals look like.
On Planet Earth, I posted a collection of different items of interest to brighten your day. The cover shot is a made up fish I created a few years ago for a group of reefers.
Please have a lovely day & keep smiling.

HOMER

This is a comical little fish. A Red Spotted Blenny.
There are images of another species of Blenny behind this one called a Lawnmower Blenny. The images should give Ms & Mr. NDD a chuckle.
It was born that way. It`s not right to laugh.
Please have a great day, Blenny is.

LE BEBE

This Ocellaris is a special presentation for a young lady from the North Country by the name of Rosealma.
Called "Le Bebe", it reminds me of the age when a child, still an innocent, knows no shame, but is full of the exuberance of youthful curiosity.
On Planet Earth, a few lurkers. One a Japanese Samurai in colorful ceremonial armor, & another in full battle gear.
The large dark crab I see only a few times a year. I have to hunt for it, as it is always well concealed from it`s position of ambush.
I may have to hunt for two weeks at times, just to get a glimpse of it.
Even when I do locate it, I may not get much of a chance to shoot it, but at least I know to keep hunting for it.
Y`all have a nice day, & bonjour M. Coulomb

PROTECTIVE CUSTODY

This shrimp, because of a "target" circle on it`s side, is called a Bulls Eye Shrimp.
There are more images of it past the click.
This one is in the open, an unusual outing for it, but still, in the protective safety of a large Spiney Urchin, it is relatively safe from most predators.
In the header a few pix of a Mantis I shot a few nights ago.
On Planet Earth, a number of very small bugs flit over the base of a Rose Bubble Tipped Anemone. It took quite a while to capture them, as they are only 1/8th of an inch long. One would hardly see them unless speciffically looking for them.
If you survived the long week end, then please keep doing what it is you`re doing right.

OPAQUE TRANSPARENCY.

First, these are images of glasses. While glass is transparent, an image of glass is not. If you click on this image, you`ll see what this work was created from. It`s another piece of "homework" I do to test my mental skills, or lack of them.
I created this challenge for myself to see what can be made to look transparent from different ways to apply multiple parts of the two images I took. When I think of a problem I`ll try to solve, I try & start with the most basic components, as rough as they may be. Instead of setting up a glass & try to make it conform to what I envisioned the final look would be, I just took a glass by the stem & shot the bowl. I then grabbed it by the bowl & shot the stem. That`s it. From those two images I spent hours & hours solving the problem of transparency. No other parts were used except from the two rough shots.There are a few more problems in the image, but I may not be able to correct them. If you see anything that does not look correct, please comment on it. I`ll see if I can explain it away. hah.