Little Green Bee-Eater

The little green bee-eater bird is found in parts of Africa and Asia. This one was photographed in Botswana, in eastern Africa.

It is primarily an insect eater and is about 9 inches long. Bee-eaters catch insects, bees, wasps and ants on the fly. Males and females have the same coloring.

A Handful of Books

While in Paris recently, I wandered through a used book sale in the Latin Quarter of the city. Something about this man holding a handful of paperback books caught my eye. I enjoyed seeing so many book lovers browsing row after row of books of all sizes and subjects.

The Latin Quarter was so named because the university students who lived there during the Middle Ages spoke Latin. It is on the Left Bank of the river Seine, near the Sorbonne university. The area is home to several institutions of higher learning and book stores, as well as the usual outdoor cafes, markets, etc. It still retains much of its old bohemian nature.

This image spoke to me as a lifelong avid reader. As a young child, I much preferred to sit and read rather than going outside to play with friends. Even today, I often can be found reading one of the 30 or so books stored on my Kindle e-reader.

Clothes Make the Man

This photograph was taken in May 2015 in Jerusalem during a trip to Israel and Jordan. I like the contrast presented by the men in Orthodox Jewish clothing and hats with the man in more contemporary, secular clothing.

Jewish men who are more stringently Orthodox often wear black suits, and many Hasidic men wear suits reminiscent of the style Polish nobility wore in the 18th century, when Hasidic Judaism began. Notice that the man on the far right is wearing a long black coat, and the man in the middle is wearing a tzitzit, a four-pointed garment with fringe, under his shirt. Both men are wearing the traditional black hat, and both have long beards.

Fun on the Beach

People and dogs enjoy a beautiful evening on the beach known as 'the whale's tail' in Costa Rica. When seen from the air, the water forms what looks like the tail of a whale.

Golden Glow

This beautiful sunset was photographed in Kenya. I have seen many beautiful sunsets in east Africa.

A Favorite Wolf Dog

I volunteered at a wolf and wolf-dog rescue in New Mexico for a few years, serving as photographer and web page manager. 

I absolutely loved visiting the animals. There was nothing like sitting in a pen with one of these magnificent animals, all of which had been rescued from abusive or neglectful conditions.

One of my favorite animals was Wihopa, the beautiful animal in this photograph. She was saved from a horrendous life in Arizona, along with her brother. They are Alaskan malamute/gray wolf crosses. Sadly, her brother passed away in 2015, leaving this beautiful and friendly girl on her own. Her brother was more aloof, but Wihopa loves attention and eagerly greets visitors. 

I have always liked this photo of a very special wolf dog, who appears to be ready to step out of the picture.

Time to Play

These two lion cubs in South Africa's Kruger National Park just woke up from a long nap and decided to engage in a bit of play. Lionesses and cubs are quite affectionate. The adult lions were trying to get a few more minutes of sleep.

These cubs, along with some other cubs and a couple of adult lionesses, were soon to set off on their evening hunt. The park was in the throes of a long drought, so the cubs were quite thin.