I've been having fun learning how to use my new camera and have been taking lots of nature photos over the last few weeks.  So I'd like to share some of my favorites with you!  You can click on any of the photos and then click on full-size to see the images blown up.

Our Latest Wildflower Discovery - Chicory

- If you click to enlarge, can you see the really neat blue and white stamen and pollen clinging on the anthers?  I didn't even notice this until I viewed the photo on my computer!  That is the really cool thing about macro photography - it makes things visible that we might not otherwise notice with the human eye.

 Beautiful Morning Photo with Dewdrops and Unidentified Insect

 Eastern Dobsonfly - on Garage Door in Morning Light

- "The Eastern Dobsonfly is the most commonly encountered dobsonfly in Kentucky.  It is among Kentucky's most distinctive insects and is sought after by collectors and photographers. Dobsonfly and fishfly adults are a challenge to find because they are only around for a few weeks each year." - from Kentucky Critter Files

- It's hard to see the proper color in this photo, but it was a beautiful soft slate gray color with black speckles!

 Ox-Eye Daisy with Unidentified Bug

Closed Brown-Eyed Susan with Surprise on Tip

- This one wasn't noticed until we blew it up on the computer.  Hannah spotted it before any of us.  Enlarge by clicking on the photo, and notice the little baby Wolf Spider (?) on the end!  Also notice the texture of the leaves and petals.

Unidentified Mushroom/Fungus in Landscaping

- One evening I took a photo of what appeared to be a small flower sprouting in our landscaping; however noticed that it had a thick stalk like a mushroom.  In the morning it had fanned out to look like this below.  Very cool!  I've tried to identify it unsuccessfully.

Unidentified Insect on Red Clover - Update!  It's a Banded Flower Longhorn Beetle - Thanks to Blake at the University of Kentucky Entomology Department!

- I just took this yesterday.  This insect was so cool looking, but I cannot identify it.  I sent this photo to the University of KY Entomology dept. for identification.  Enlarge it too see the very neat markings.

 Cumulonimbus Clouds (looking off back deck)

- Storms were brewing all around us.  This was the biggest Cumulonimbus cloud I've ever seen!  It was very impressive.

 Storm Clouds Starting to Brew

- Taken as we were driving.  Cool!  This year the clouds have been particulary impressive, or is it that I'm just noticing them more?

Thanks for coming along for my photo parade!  The next couple of days I will be "missing in action" so that I may finish preparing for my talks at the CHEK conference.  However, after the weekend, I will be "back in the blogging saddle" again.  I still have it on my blogging agenda to share posts about using Nature to teach Language Arts and also specifics about our Wildflower Identification.  Also I will be preparing more lessons for the new school year and I'm sure I'll have things to share from that!  Blessings for the rest of your week and weekend!