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[Microblog] Good morning (media.universeodon.com)
 

Good morning. 🏈🏈🏈9 February 2026I really enjoyed the Super Bowl last night. It’s a lot easier to relax into the game when the team you’re pulling for is in control for three straight hours, and the Seahawks absolutely were. If you didn’t watch, the final score was 29–13, Seattle. They aren’t my usual team, though. Being originally from California, I tend to root for the Rams, Giants, or Chargers. If two California teams ever met in the Super Bowl, I’d be in real trouble. This time, the Seahawks’ West Coast identity made the choice simple—proximity won out. And honestly, you have to pick a side if you want to feel the full excitement of a football game.I also loved the halftime show with Bad Bunny. The staging and visuals were fantastic. I don’t speak Spanish—though I wish I did—but it didn’t matter. Roughly 65 million people across the United States and its territories speak Spanish, which is about one in five. It’s woven into the fabric of American life.I live in Louisiana now, so you might think I’d be a Saints fan. Not quite. Still, unless they’re playing one of my California teams, I can see myself cheering for them. It’s just the local rhythm here.The truth is, I don’t really keep up with football during the season. I’m vaguely aware games are happening somewhere, and I’ll catch one when the mood strikes. But I always watch the Super Bowl, and I enjoy Thanksgiving games when I’m somewhere that actually gets TV reception. We usually spend Thanksgiving at our little house in Georgia, where we don’t get any channels at all. I’m working on fixing that.“Where we love is home — home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes “To have another language is to possess a second soul.” — Charlemagne “Football is the ballet of the masses.” — Dmitri Shostakovich #photo #photography #photographer #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #morning #pelicans #beach #GulfofMexico #SuperBowl #football

Pelicans on the Gulf Wind "The scene feels like a quiet breath held between sea and sky. Four brown pelicans sweep away from the shoreline at Holly Beach, Louisiana, their long wings stretched wide as they skim just inches above the Gulf of Mexico. They fly in a loose, fluid line—each bird catching the same invisible ribbon of air, each body angled slightly forward as if pulled by the horizon itself. The water beneath them is calm and faintly rippled, a soft blue-gray sheet that mirrors their silhouettes. Farther out, the Gulf opens into a pale, hazy distance where sea and sky blend without a seam. The light is gentle, almost silvery, giving the whole moment a sense of early‑morning stillness or the quiet hush before dusk. The pelicans look purposeful yet unhurried, gliding with that effortless grace that makes it seem as though the ocean itself is carrying them forward." - Microsoft Copilot
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Pier, Ocean, and Avian Symphony (media.universeodon.com)
 

Pier, Ocean, and Avian SymphonyThis is a seascape captured one morning at Gulfport, Mississippi. The ocean stretches out toward a long pier in the distance, its red‑roofed gazebos standing out against the horizon. The sky is an intense, almost unreal blue, with dark clouds drifting across it. Hundreds of birds—likely black skimmers—are flying away in a great sweeping movement, some still close enough to see clearly, others already far off in the distance.For those who love skies set ablaze with color—sunsets that linger, clouds that speak in texture and light—my gallery holds a collection crafted just for you.swede1952-photographs.pixels.c#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #landscape #seascape #blackskimmers #flock #sky

"The scene opens wide and breathes. A long wooden pier stretches out over calm coastal water, its posts and covered shelters forming a steady line against a sky that refuses to settle on a single color. Above it, a sweeping flock of black skimmers fills the air—dozens of dark, slender bodies moving in loose formation, wings angled like long blades cutting through the morning light. Their silhouettes are sharp and fluid at once, each bird catching a slightly different shade of the sky behind it. The sky itself is a layered wash of blues, violets, and soft pinks, as if the day is shifting moods mid‑breath. Clouds drift in textured bands, glowing at the edges where the light touches them. Below, the beach is pale and quiet, a simple foreground that lets the drama of sky and wings take center stage. The water mirrors the colors above in muted reflection, giving the whole scene a sense of motion and stillness intertwined. The image feels like a moment caught between tides—alive with movement, yet deeply peaceful." - Microsoft Copilot
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[Microblog] Good morning (media.universeodon.com)
 

Good morning. 🌹🌹🌹8 February 2026I bought a little battery‑powered vacuum a couple of weeks ago, and the box is still sealed. It’s one of those high‑speed gadgets shaped like an electric drill, with a battery pack that slides into the handle. At the time, I was convinced I had a specific task in mind—something important enough to justify the purchase—but whatever that task was has long since evaporated. I could use it to clean the dust out of my computer, but that’s one of those jobs that never quite qualifies as urgent.Supposedly the thing can reverse and blow air instead of vacuuming, which might be handy. I’ve already imagined using it to blow‑dry the motorcycle after a wash, but that’s another task that doesn’t need doing anytime soon. At this rate, the vacuum may stay in the box a while longer. I should charge the batteries, but—again—not right away.Today’s plan is to go outside with Charlie and the garden wagon—the kind that flips up and dumps—and pick up the concrete residue along the edge of the new driveway I had poured a couple of months ago. To be fair, I also planned to do that yesterday. And the day before. It’s something I want to do, but not something that demands immediate action. It does need to be done before spring, though, when mowing becomes unavoidable. I’m reasonably confident I’ll get out there today.The real obstacle is lunch. I usually have a salad and iced tea and eat in my recliner while the TV is on. That recliner has a way of grabbing hold of me and insisting on a nap afterward. Time has a funny way of slipping away when the recliner gets involved.“Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task.” — William James“Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” — John Lennon“Great acts are made up of small deeds.” — Lao Tzu#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #flower #rose #procrastination

Rain‑Kissed Rose "The rose in your photo feels almost close enough to touch. A single bloom fills the frame, its petals a deep, saturated red that borders on velvet. Each petal curls outward with a soft, sculpted precision, and the entire flower is jeweled with clear droplets of water—some tiny as mist, others round enough to catch the light like glass beads. The droplets cling to the folds and edges, turning the rose into something both tender and luminous, as if it has just stepped out of a gentle rain. Behind the bloom, the world softens into a blur of greens and muted stone tones. The background never competes; it simply holds the rose in quiet contrast, letting the color and texture of the petals command all attention. The overall feeling is intimate, almost contemplative—a moment of stillness captured in the aftermath of water and bloom." - Microsoft Copilot
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[Microblog] Whisper of a Tern (media.universeodon.com)
 

Whisper of a TernI’ve said before that a photograph doesn’t need to be perfect to be worth enjoying. This soft image of a royal tern (Thalasseus maximus) is a good example. The bird is turning toward me mid‑flight, almost as if it knows I’m trying to catch the moment.I took the shot while drifting down the Savannah River on a riverboat, with several terns following along behind us. There was something gentle about the way this one broke formation and angled toward me, wings open, light softening everything around it. Imperfect, yes—but full of life.Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.swede1952-photographs.pixels.c#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #shorebird #tern #royaltern

"The royal tern rushes toward you out of a soft, glowing sky, wings stretched wide like pale sails catching a gentle wind. Its body is slightly blurred by motion, giving the sense that it’s slicing through the air with purpose, yet wrapped in a kind of dreamlike hush. The background is a smooth wash of color—faint blue drifting into warm cream—so the bird seems suspended in open space, weightless and unhurried. Its beak is open mid‑call, a tiny flash of orange against the muted sky, and the symmetry of its wings creates a feeling of balance and grace. Even in motion, there’s a softness to the image, as if the moment were cushioned by light. It feels intimate, like the tern is flying straight out of the horizon and into your awareness, carrying a bit of the ocean’s quiet with it." - Microsoft Copilot
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[Microblog] Good morning (media.universeodon.com)
 

Good morning. 😴🥱☕7 February 2026I woke up groggy and disoriented, which isn’t unusual when I fall asleep in my chair. The TV was still on but silent, and Charlie was sitting in front of me, staring like he’d been waiting for me to rejoin the living. I rubbed my eyes, stood, and made my way through the house toward the bedroom, Charlie padding along behind me.My wife was in front of the mirror doing something with her hair. “I fell asleep,” I said. She glanced over and smiled, but didn’t say a word. That alone was strange—she’s usually quick with a comment.I headed into the bathroom and turned on the shower. When I looked back through the doorway, Charlie was sitting exactly where I’d been standing, watching my wife. He was perfectly still except for that black border collie tail, curved up with the white tip held like a little flag.The shower felt good—narrow jets of hot water working into my neck and shoulders—so I stayed longer than usual, letting the heat soak through me. When I finished, I pulled on a T‑shirt and gym shorts and headed back toward my chair.Down the hall, through the kitchen, into the family room—and then I froze. Because there I was, still lying back in my recliner, wearing the old blue jeans and olive drab work shirt I’d had on all day.I wasn’t shocked or scared. My first thought was simply, Well, will you look at that. Hadn’t my wife just seen me walk through the bedroom? Or had she only reacted to Charlie? Then another thought drifted in: Well, there it is. Apparently life doesn’t go on after all.Of course, none of this happened. But it felt like the start of a pretty good ghost story.“Life is a dream from which we all must wake.” — James Joyce“The dead are never far from the living.” — African proverb“Things are not what they seem, nor are they otherwise.” — Zen proverb#photo #photography #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #morning #fiction #ghost #story #greategret #savanahriver

Egret and the Ruins "The great egret stands like a pale sentinel against the worn geometry of an old utility dock, its white plumage almost luminous against the dark, weather‑beaten wood. The bird is perched high on a crossbeam, tall and composed, its long neck held in a gentle S‑curve as if it’s surveying the slow rhythm of the Savannah River below. The structure beneath it tells its own story—thick timbers softened by moss, metal brackets streaked with rust, and a vertical pipe rising behind the egret like the remnant of some forgotten machinery. Everything about the dock feels abandoned, a relic left to the river and the creeping green of the surrounding foliage. That contrast—industrial decay and the egret’s clean, living elegance—creates a quiet tension. The bird seems both out of place and perfectly at home, a bright, breathing note perched atop a fading man‑made frame. You can almost feel the humid air, hear the muted lap of water against pilings, and sense the stillness that settles when a wild creature decides a place is safe enough to pause." - Microsoft Copilot
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Twilight Hawk, A Blackhawk Eveng Patrol (media.universeodon.com)
 

Twilight Hawk, A Blackhawk Eveng PatrolThis is the silhouette of a Black Hawk helicopter flying through an orange sky.My photo gallery features over 1400 carefully selected images. While most are chosen for their visual appeal, a few stand out as novelty shots. Feel free to explore my gallery at:swede1952-photographs.pixels.c#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #silhouette #twilight #aorcraft #helicopter #blackhawk

"A Black Hawk helicopter cuts across a sky that looks as if it’s been set on fire by the rising or setting sun. The entire backdrop glows in deep oranges and molten yellows, the kind of light that turns the air itself into a warm haze. Against that brilliance, the helicopter appears as a perfect silhouette—sharp, dark, and unmistakably purposeful. You can make out the broad main rotor, frozen mid‑spin in the still image, and the smaller tail rotor at the back. The landing gear hangs beneath the fuselage, giving the aircraft a slightly predatory posture, as if it’s ready to drop into action at any moment. The silhouette is crisp enough that every angle and contour reads clearly, even without visible detail. It feels like motion suspended—an instant of power and precision held in the glow of a dramatic sky. The contrast between the fiery background and the dark aircraft gives the scene a cinematic intensity. It’s a moment that feels both calm and charged, as if the helicopter is moving through the last breath of daylight or the first breath of morning." - Microsoft Copilot
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Perched Between Seasons (media.universeodon.com)
 

Perched Between SeasonsJust a couple of days ago I wrote about how I hadn’t seen any American robins (Turdus migratorius) around for a while. This morning, I spotted one perched in the top of a tall tree about 100 meters away.Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.swede1952-photographs.pixels.cswede1952-photographs.pixels.c#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #thrush #AmericanRobin

"An American robin perches on a bare branch as if it has claimed the morning for itself. The sky behind it is a clear, uninterrupted blue—so smooth it feels like a backdrop painted just for this bird. With no leaves to compete for attention, the robin stands out in crisp silhouette and color. Its breast glows a deep, warm orange, the kind that looks almost sunlit even when the light is soft. The head is dark, nearly charcoal, giving the bird a sharp, alert profile. Gray wings fold neatly along its sides, each feather catching just enough light to show texture without breaking the simplicity of the scene. The branch beneath it is rough and weathered, a tangle of winter limbs reaching upward like a quiet scaffolding. The robin looks outward, chest lifted, as if listening for the first hint of movement in the stillness. The whole image feels like a pause between seasons—winter’s bare architecture holding space for a bird that already carries spring in its colors." - Microsoft Copilot
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[Microblog] Good morning (media.universeodon.com)
 

Good morning. 🦆🪿🦢5 February 2026I’m on a roll this morning—though that usually lasts only until it’s time to actually start typing. Getting the images ready is the easy part. I pick a photo I want to use, run it through a bit of post‑processing, then carve out the portion that feels worth presenting. I rarely use the whole frame; I crop until the composition says what I want it to say. After that, I shrink the file down to something social‑media‑friendly. I imagine photographers everywhere follow some version of the same ritual.If you’re curious about the apps I use, it’s mostly Adobe Lightroom and Topaz Photo. Nothing exotic—just the usual tools in the digital‑photography toolbox.The hard part of my morning begins when it’s time to put down words. I never plan a subject. I just sit here staring at the screen, wondering what nonsense I’ll ramble about today. Sometimes I look around my office for inspiration, but with my feet propped on the desk, my field of view is limited. I can only crane my neck about ninety degrees in either direction, so the odds of inspiration are slim—though I once managed to write two thousand characters about an old shirt draped over my side chair.The subject often drifts to my dog, Charlie. Who doesn’t have something to say about their best friend? Besties are funny, which means there’s always material. Charlie, for example, can be fast asleep on the far side of the house, but the moment a chip bag crinkles, he’s suddenly right there. That one’s on me—I share.“I write to find out what I’m thinking.” — Joan Didion“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” — Scott Adams“Joy is not in things; it is in us.” — Richard Wagner#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #ducks #morning #dogs #writing

Ducks at Dawn "The scene feels like dawn distilled into a single quiet gesture. Five ducks move across a sheet of water that looks less like a lake and more like brushed metal catching first light. The surface shifts between deep blue and warm gold, as if the night and the morning are still negotiating who gets to stay. The ducks appear as dark silhouettes—clean, simple shapes gliding without hurry. Two ducks in the center drift so close that their necks lean toward one another, forming a soft, accidental heart shape. It’s subtle, the kind of moment you’d miss if you blinked, but once you notice it, the whole image feels like a small ceremony of connection. The ducks ahead and behind stretch the line into a gentle rhythm, each silhouette spaced just enough to suggest quiet companionship rather than formation. The water carries the light in long, trembling streaks, so every ripple becomes a brushstroke. Nothing in the frame is loud. It’s all restraint—shape, shadow, reflection—letting the warmth of dawn do the storytelling. The photograph feels like a breath taken before the day begins." - Microsoft Copilot
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Jasmine in Morning Light (media.universeodon.com)
 

Jasmine in Morning LightWe were walking yesterday when we came across some Carolina jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens), a vine with tubular yellow, five‑petaled flowers and long, narrow green leaves. They were already in bloom thanks to the warm, sunny weather. This photo shows three of the blossoms along with their surrounding leaves.If you love flowers—or just enjoy discovering their beauty and names like I do—come explore my gallery of blooms captured in moments of wonder and curiosity.swede1952-photographs.pixels.c#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #CarolinaJasmine #flowers #plants

"The photograph captures a single, arching vine of Carolina jasmine held in crisp focus against a soft, blurred backdrop. The stem is a warm reddish‑brown, slender and slightly curved, almost like a brushstroke suspended in the air. Along it, narrow, glossy green leaves reach outward in alternating directions, their surfaces catching the light with a gentle sheen. Two bright yellow blossoms command the center of the frame. Each flower is shaped like a small trumpet opening toward the viewer, with five rounded petals forming a soft star. The petals glow with a saturated, sunlit yellow—rich, warm, and almost luminous—creating a striking contrast against the deep greens of the leaves and the muted background. The flowers appear delicate but confident, as if they’re quietly announcing spring." - Microsoft Copilot
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[Microblog] Robin at Attention (media.universeodon.com)
 

Robin at AttentionI haven’t seen any American robins (Turdus migratorius) for quite a while, though Merlin keeps reminding me they’re still around. This is an image I took a few years ago of one looking straight back at me.Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.swede1952-photographs.pixels.c#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #thrush #AmericanRobin

"An American robin stands squarely on a patch of early‑season grass, facing the camera with the kind of direct, unhurried confidence this species carries so naturally. Its body fills the frame, making the bird feel close enough to touch. The robin’s breast is a deep, warm orange—rich and saturated, like the color of a ripe persimmon. That bold chest meets a dark, almost charcoal‑black head, giving the bird a crisp, clean contrast. Its eyes are bright and alert, set beneath a thin white eye‑ring that reads almost like a subtle highlight. The beak is slender and yellow, pointed slightly downward as if the bird has paused mid‑stride to assess the world. The wings and back are a smooth gray, each feather lying neatly in place, creating a soft gradient from slate to smoke. The robin’s legs are thin but sturdy, gripping the mixed green‑and‑brown grass beneath it. The ground is textured—some blades upright, others flattened—suggesting a natural, lived‑in patch of earth. The background stays close and simple, keeping all attention on the bird’s posture, color, and presence. A small photographer’s signature rests in the upper corner, marking the image as a deliberate, careful capture of a familiar but striking species. The overall feeling is one of quiet readiness, as if the robin is about to hop forward, tilt its head, and listen for the faint movement of a worm beneath the soil." - Microsoft Copilot
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[Microblog] Good morning (media.universeodon.com)
 

Good morning. 🕊️🕊️🕊️3 February 2026Do you remember how, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, bell‑bottom trousers were just about the only thing you could buy? Even suits came with bell‑bottoms. Some brands tried to soften it by calling them “flares,” but everyone knew what they were. That was simply the way of things. Thinking about it now, I can almost hear a Bee Gees tune drifting in from somewhere. And then, almost overnight, the whole bell‑bottom craze went quiet and vanished. At least that’s how it felt to me. I was a soldier then and mostly lived in uniforms, but I owned a few pieces of civilian clothing. Looking back, the fad was here for a moment and then—poof—gone.In the 1990s I went to a semi‑formal gathering of Sergeants Major at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The post straddles the Tennessee–Kentucky line, though the post office sits on the Kentucky side. But back to fashion. At that gathering, old suits emerged from closets, and suddenly there they were again: bell‑bottom trousers, wide‑collar shirts, even platform shoes. Small platforms, thankfully—not the kind with goldfish swimming in the soles. It was the natural result of a room full of middle‑aged men who rarely wore civilian clothes, especially the dress‑up kind. They simply reached for whatever was hanging in the closet, unaware that the world had moved on.Over the decades, bell‑bottoms have resurfaced now and then in women’s fashion, only to fade again. I suppose the fad could return in full force someday. That’s up to the new generations.“Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new.” — Henry David Thoreau“The years teach much which the days never know.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson“Each generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it.” — George Orwell#photo #photography #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #RockPigeons #RockDoves #pigeons #doves #morning #fashion #bellbottoms

Feast on the Platform "A tight cluster of rock pigeons (Columba livia) crowds around a wooden bird feeder, their bodies forming a living ring of gray, charcoal, and soft iridescent greens. The feeder itself is simple and sturdy: a square wooden platform with a clear central column filled with seed, the kind that releases food slowly as the birds eat. The pigeons stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder, so close their wings overlap like layered shingles. Most of the birds have their heads bowed, beaks buried in the scattered seed. From this angle, their neck feathers catch the light in shifting colors — a wash of green that turns violet as they move. Their bodies are plump and rounded, the slate‑gray wings edged with darker bars. Their feet, a vivid red against the pale wood, grip the feeder’s rim with a mix of balance and urgency. The scene feels intimate and bustling. You can almost hear the soft rustle of feathers, the quick tapping of beaks on wood, and the low cooing that pigeons make when they’re comfortable and focused on food. The background is blurred into warm, gentle tones, pulling all attention toward the small, communal feast at the center. The photograph carries the signature “© Swede’s Photographe” in the lower right corner, marking it as a crafted, intentional capture of everyday urban wildlife." - Microsoft Copilot
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Pine Warbler in the Thicket (media.universeodon.com)
 

Pine Warbler in the ThicketWhile I was clicking away at goldfinches, I happened to capture this image of a pine warbler (Setophaga pinus) tucked in among them. I didn’t even notice the chubby little bird until I reviewed the shots later. It’s not unusual in winter to see a stray warbler mixed in with the goldfinches.Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.swede1952-photographs.pixels.c#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #PineWarbler

"A pine warbler perches among a tangle of thin branches, its small body glowing with warm yellow tones that stand out against the muted background. The bird’s breast and face are washed in a soft, golden yellow, deepening slightly toward the throat. Fine, dark streaks run down its sides, giving texture and depth to its plumage. Its wings are darker—olive and charcoal—with two crisp white wing bars that catch the light and frame the bird’s posture. The warbler’s bill is slender and pointed, built for gleaning insects from bark and needles. It grips the branch with delicate claws, steady and balanced despite the maze of twigs around it. The background melts into gentle browns and grays, making the bird appear almost luminous, as if it carries its own small pocket of sunlight into the winter woods. There’s a sense of quiet alertness in the way it holds itself—head slightly lifted, body angled forward—as though it’s listening for the next rustle of movement in the branches. The whole scene feels intimate and alive, a brief moment of brightness perched in a subdued landscape." - Microsoft Copilot
[Microblog] Dove in December in c/photography@fedia.io
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[Microblog] Good morning in c/photography@fedia.io
[Microblog] Good morning in c/photography@fedia.io
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