Capturing a Dragonfly

They are really tiny - those little dragonflies that we find mostly while taking a walk in the neighborhood park. They are usually hanging around the foot bridge sitting on and flying about the rails. They buzz around and then land - but move too quickly to get a decent photo. One of the framers on 52Frames takes beautiful photos of these creatures. They actually come in two colors - sort of an aqua and a salmon color. His images are amazing. He uses macro lenses and the detail is breathtaking! My camera is my iPhone and there is little control I have over many of the functions - especially when the target is moving. So when we saw a couple of these critters swirling around the other day I took several photos - most of them completely useless. By the end it felt like the dragonfly knew what I was trying to do and he started to pose. These are the times when I wish I had real camera equipment - especially a macro lens. Not just for this purpose but for anytime you’d like to get a close up shot. So these two images are the best that I could do. I need to try a little harder next time. 

A Ride In to DC for a Morning Walk

One of the main reasons to check the weather forecast at the beginning of the week is the figure out the best day to take a ride in to town for a morning walk. It’s great for a change of scenery and to stay connected to our old neighborhood on Capitol Hill. We lived in DC for thirteen years and like to retrace our old footsteps even if nothing much is happening. And so was the case on Tuesday. It was really windy and the skies were looking angry by the time we headed back home. We parked in a familiar spot where the ginkgo leaves carpeted the street. The almost completed Native American Veterans Memorial was getting the finishing touches. The Hirshhorn sculpture garden was basking in the sunlight with the newest items on display. Then it was on to the fountains and gardens of the Smithsonian castle. The streets were still empty and the city very quiet - nothing like we were used to when we lived there but all too common since March. The sun continues to rise and set and the world spins in spite of everything else. We try to keep a positive outlook but some days it’s harder than others. Taking a stroll along familiar streets helps.