Giant Panda at the National Zoo

For this weeks Camera Critter I am showing my favorite animal ..the Giant Panda bear seen at the National Zoo in Washington, DC. There are two Giant Pandas at the national zoo, their names are Mei and Tian.

      I am not sure which is Mei and which one is Tian, but this one really enjoyed eating the bamboo.

They are just so cute, you want to hug them!

 We were told they might find out in the summertime  if baby pandas are on the way.

This one looks like it was rolling around in the dirt, maybe this one is the male.

Hubby and I became Fonz members, which is Friends of the National Zoo. We plan on many more zoo visits thru-out the year. Mean time if you want to see lots more critters visit Misty Dawn's Camera Critters.  Thanks to Misty for hosting this fun critter meme and thanks for stopping by to see my critter post. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

SWF....Keep the skies clean over Bryce Canyon National Park

My Skywatch Friday  post are shots from my archives of my various trips in 2005 and 2008 to Bryce Canyon National Park. It is one of my favorite parks, the trails are amazing to walk among the hoodoos. The scenery and sky over the Bryce Canyon is just gorgeous. This is also my plea to help put a stop to the Alton coal mining just 10 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park. Here is a link to send a letter to the governor of Utah protesting the Alton strip mine.

Various articles on the Alton coal mining  NRDC and Robert Redford  and OnEarth.org.  Alton is located 10 miles from  Bryce Canyon National Park and Bryce is just 50 miles from Zion National Park.  I read that just Bryce Canyon National Park attracts over 1 million tourist a year. I for one would not like to see coal mining trucks, dirty air pollution and the natural beauty of the beautiful red rocks destroyed on the way to the national parks that I love.

Please visit Skywatch Friday to see beautiful skies from around the world. Thanks to the hosting group of  Sylvia, Wren, Sandy, Klaus and Fishing Guy.  Thanks for stopping by to view my skies and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Coal Mining near my favorite park Bryce National Park

I have been to Bryce National park a few times in 2005 and 2008 and I loved it. I want to share some of my old photos to show what a beautiful park it is.  I am hoping some of my blog readers will also click on the link and send their own letter. The beauty of this park and Southwestern Utah should be protected and preserved.

I hate to see this gorgeous park ruined with dirty air, coal mining trucks and the natural scenery into and around this beautiful place.

 Thanks for stopping by my post.

National Zoo lions

For my Camera Critters post I have some shots of the lion family at the National Zoo in Washington, DC. There were 5 cubs all playing with each other and their parents. It was not possible to get all five of the cubs in one shot. They were all over the place.  Naba is mommy to three of the cubs which were born in September and Shera is mommy to 4 cubs born in August. I read that one cub died so that should leave six but we only saw five playing outside.

I am pretty sure this was the first time for me seeing the lion cubs, they sure were so adorable It was really cute seeing the cubs interacting the larger male and female lions.

Cubs playing with daddy Luke.

This is one of my favorite shots, the daddy looks so proud and peaceful.

 I hope your enjoyed my Camera Critters this week and please visit Misty Dawn to see more wonderful critters.  Thanks to Misty for hosting and thank you for stopping by to see my post. Have a great weekend.

SWF at the National Zoo in DC

Happy Saint Patricks Day!!!!

For my skywatch I have a few shots I took while visiting the National Zoo in DC last weekend. It is one of my favorite zoo's to visit, the exhibits are just wonderful. 


                                   One of the budding trees at the zoo

This was the first time I caught the one of the orangutans using the O-line. The O-line is a transit system for the orangutans to use to travel from the Great Ape house to the Think Tank. It is wild to be there watching the orangutan climbing on these ropes that hang right above your heads. And that they can use these to go from building to building.

 We stopped to watch right under the O-line as the Orangutan climbed and hung on the ropes. This time the female used the O-line to go to the next tower and stopped to wait for the male to come along too.


                              Not the prettiest skies, but it was a nice day with warm temps.

But the male had other ideas and stayed in the yard outside the Great Ape house. We were told by a worker that the female will not go all the way to the Think Tank by herself .. so we watched as she made her way back along the rope to the tower in the yard.

She wasn't going anywhere without her man. LOL!

These are  for my Skywatch Friday  post and I hope you enjoy.  Click on my link to see more awesome shots from around the world. Thanks to the Skywatch host: Sylvia, Wren, Sandy, Klaus and Fishing Guy

Also,  I appreciate your visit and comments. I hope everyone has a wonderful St Patricks Day and a great  weekend.

Great Falls National Park, Virginia

On Sunday, hubby and I visited the Virginia side of the Great Falls National Park. The Potomac River was flooding and the overlooks on the Maryland side were closed. Parts of Maryland received up to 3 inches of rain on Thursday which flooded many rivers, streams and creeks.

The Potomac  was a very fast moving river with the most recent rain we had and all the snow melting. It was neat seeing a rainbow show up from the mist and fast moving water.

I have some still shots of the mighty Potomac and I was able to take some video of the river with my Canon SX20. It was my first time using the video, I was surprised at how easy it was to make the video.


My videos of the Great Falls is at Eileen's Youtube and Eileen's YouTube II

Click here to see more wonderful blogs and photos That's My World and  Watery Wednesday

Thanks to the wonderful host Sylvia, Wren, Sandy, Klaus and Fishing Guy.

Also, thanks for stopping by to see my part of the world. Have a great week.

SWF.....Baltimore Harborplace

These are my skywatch shots from March 3rd. I took my camera to work with me and was happy to see some pretty skies. I am also trying to get in some exercise by taking brisk walks down to the harbor. So I feel good by walking and taking some pictures along the way.

                                 I saw some pretty pinks along the walk to work.

The early morning pinks and blues are some of my favorites.

 

Hard to believe just a short distance away the sky turned more orangy.

The next couple are from my quick walk down to the harbor. I loved these contrails.

 

The sun was rising between these two buildings and by trying to take this shot I scared these ducks away before I could get a good look at them.

On the picture below, I believe it is a test area where grasses are growing to help keep the harbor water clean. I hope the test area works.

To see more wonderful skies from around the world Click on my SKYWATCH FRIDAY link. I hope you enjoyed my skywatch.

Thanks to the hosting group of Sylvia, Wren, Sandy, Klaus and Fishing Guy! They make Skywatch Friday happen every week.

Thanks also for stopping by to see my skywatch. Have a wonderful weekend.!

SWF..at home & work

For my Skywatch Friday I am showing various scenes from different days starting with the cresent moon on my way to work and a sunset from my backyard. 

                                City Hall's dome

"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky".


Rabindranath Tagore ...found this lovely quote from Brainy Quote

This quote is just right for my photo below ..it is not sharp but I really love the blue color of the sky and the awesome looking clouds. The building in the middle is the War Memorial building in Baltimore.

Sunrising behind the Shot Tower

Now we are back in my yard watching the sun setting.

 I hope you enjoyed following me to work and back home. To see more wonderful skies please visit Skywatch Friday

Thanks to the host: Sylvia, Wren, Sandy, Klaus and Fishing Guy.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend......ENJOY!!!