Female Smoky Rubyspot damselfly with a metallic green thorax and blue-green abdomen perched on a pale twig at Hornsby Bend, Austin, Texas.

Two Sides of the Smoky Rubyspot

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On Sunday morning, I met some master naturalist friends at Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory. Our intent was to photograph birds, but we got sidetracked by the insects. In a couple of different locations during our walk, we saw several Smoky … Read More

Close-up of a Western Ironweed (Vernonia baldwinii) flower cluster, its red-violet disc florets forming a fuzzy tuft of curled, thread-like styles, with a tightly scaled bud visible at the edge against soft green foliage.

A Fuzzy Purple Surprise — Western Ironweed Along the Trail

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A couple of weeks ago, I went on a short bike ride around my neighborhood. There are always interesting and sometimes unexpected things to observe. On this ride, I noticed several Western Ironweed bushes growing along one section of the … Read More

Wide-angle view of the ornate interior of Teatro José de Alencar in Fortaleza, Brazil, with rows of cane chairs, sweeping iron balconies, and a painted ceiling converging in perfect symmetry toward the proscenium arch stage.

Guided by the Frame: Compositional Tools in Fortaleza

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Lens-Artists Challenge #401: Focus on the Subject with These Essential Tips A photograph is more than the sum of its subject. The best images are built and constructed with intention before the shutter is ever pressed. As my followers are … Read More

A double rainbow arches over the rooftops and treetops of a residential neighborhood at dusk. The sky transitions from deep blue-purple on the left to vivid orange and magenta on the right. Both the primary and secondary rainbow arcs are clearly visible. Photographed in the Gardens of Teravista, Round Rock, Texas, on May 21, 2026.

Magenta Skies and a Double Rainbow

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Two days ago, after a series of thunderstorms rolled through our area in Round Rock, the sky outside our living room window began to glow in a way that stopped us in our tracks. It was just past 8:20 in … Read More

Sunset over the Laguna Madre at South Padre Island, Texas, with a long wooden pier extending into glass-still water and a small cluster of boats moored at its end beneath a sky of magenta, orange, and soft blue.

A Last Light on the Laguna

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On our last evening at South Padre Island last month, we gathered for dinner with our hosts and friends at a small bayside restaurant, the kind where the air carries equal parts salt and laughter. The conversation moved easily from … Read More

A wild bobcat, Lynx rufus, crouches low among rocks and green vegetation along Brushy Creek Trail East in Round Rock, Texas. The image has a textured, painterly quality revealing the animal's spotted tawny coat as it moves cautiously along the limestone ground.

The Bobcat Who Stayed

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Some mornings on the creek, the water tells you everything. The clarity, the flow, the temperature — data points that paint a picture of a living system. But on this particular morning at Brushy Creek Trail East, just below the … Read More

Paved hiking and biking trail through winter Texas Hill Country landscape with limestone rock outcrop, bare trees, and long shadows, Brushy Creek Regional Trail, Round Rock, Texas.

From Saddle to Shutter: A Winter Ride Through Brushy Creek on the S23

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Lens-Artists Challenge #391: Phone Photography So, this week, Tina leads the Lens-Artist challenge with a theme that should be lots of fun for everyone. As Tina says in her post, “phone photography … has come such a long way these … Read More

A shallow, rocky stretch of the Rio Grande flows through a wide channel bordered by golden dried grasses and reeds, with a rugged volcanic mesa rising against a clear blue sky in the background. A sandy island of sparse dry vegetation sits mid-river, splitting the current into riffles. Photographed along FM 170 (El Camino del Rio) in the Big Bend region of West Texas.

Wild Water, Ancient Land — The Rio Grande Along El Camino del Rio

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If you’ve ever driven FM 170 in West Texas — also known as El Camino del Rio, the River Road — you already know it’s one of the most breathtaking stretches of highway in the entire country. This shot was … Read More

A honeybee collecting nectar from the vibrant pink blossoms of an Eastern Redbud tree in a sunlit orchard, symbolizing the harmony between pollinators and plants in spring.

Nature’s Harmony: Bees and Blooms

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 As spring blooms, a Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) is seen busily gathering nectar from the vibrant blossoms of an Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis), creating a beautiful connection between pollinator and plant. In this perfect moment of spring, flora and fauna … Read More

A wide-angle landscape of a calm pond reflecting a bright blue sky and lush green trees, framed by overhanging branches in the foreground.

A “Morning Glory” Kind of Morning

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There is a specific kind of magic that only exists before the rest of the world hits the “snooze” button. I call it the Morning Glory—not just because of the flowers that bloom with the sun, but because of that … Read More

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