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Monday, April 8, 2013

Am I A Duck Or A Moon?

Am I A Duck Or A Moon? by hbmike2000
Am I A Duck Or A Moon?, a photo by hbmike2000 on Flickr.

Am I A Duck Or A Moon?


On the road into Joshua Tree National Park, there is a cool little outpost that I just had to stop at ( I had two iced teas already ). I found the restrooms in the back, one on the left with a duck on it and one on the right with a moon. No picture of a stick person wearing a dress or a stick person with pants, just a duck and a moon. Legs crossed, my brain raced with what the meaning of them was. Am I a duck or am I a moon. Petrified I might moon a duck if I went into the wrong one, I made a decision. As I approached my chosen door, I noticed a sign. No Public Restrooms. With no other choice, I became the cactus.

By the size of the cactus, I am not the only one.

for
Our Daily Topic: Go ( I so could not help myself, I HAD to post this for GO )

Then Nobody Plays

Then Nobody Plays by hbmike2000
Then Nobody Plays, a photo by hbmike2000 on Flickr.

Then Nobody Plays


I am horrible at games. Don't get me wrong, I love playing them but the only way I can win is to cheat. And quite frankly I am really bad at cheating so if I get away with it, it's your own fault.

I wanted to recreate what happened the last time I played a game, so I chucked Booby-Trap out the window. Unfortunately we are having 30 mph sustained winds with gusts up to 50 mph so I had to run two blocks down the street to take the photo.

View on black or I'll cheat the next time we play a game

for
Our Daily Challenge: Games

Tough Town

Tough Town by hbmike2000
Tough Town, a photo by hbmike2000 on Flickr.

Tough Town


I swear it was an accident. A lizard tripped me. As I stumbled, a bird flew at me. As I waved my arms around, a mouse scared me. As I screamed EEEEKKK, my head bumped the sign and THATS why it's now crooked. See, accident. And I swear I heard the lizard, bird and mouse all snickering as they hauled me away in hand cuffs.

View on black or I'll send the lizard, bird and mouse to your house.

for
113 Pictures in 2013: Something Old

Friday, April 5, 2013

The Fence

The Fence by hbmike2000
The Fence, a photo by hbmike2000 on Flickr.

The Fence


On a recent trip there I ended up here and found a fence, it divided the land East from West. I could not let it stand, do we not learn from the past, so I called a friend. He came and stood by my side, Are we not all the same I ask? He ponders for a moment, his hand on my shoulder, and shakes his head, No he says, we are not all the same, we are all equal. I smiled and soaked in the moment, then it must be done again.
I breathed in deeply, pointed to the fence and pleaded in a commanding voice, Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down This Wall! He looked at me with his wisdom filled eyes and spoke, Dude, my names Frank. Who is Mr. Gorbachev?

View on black or be doomed to repeat history

for
Fenced Friday

Thursday, April 4, 2013

The Art Of Contrast

The Art Of Contrast by hbmike2000
The Art Of Contrast, a photo by hbmike2000 on Flickr.

The Art Of Contrast


I found this little guy at the Palm Springs Tramway trying to blend in with the surrounding sand. Proud of his accomplishment and secure with himself that I couldn't see him, he stood his ground as I crept closer and closer. I stood next to him quietly and slowly lowered my camera and snapped the shot. I inched away, taking little steps until I got far enough away not to startle him. Once I got a safe distance away and new I wouldn't scare him, I made a mad dash to the car.

Towards the building, up the stairs, through the door, into the building, out the exit, down the stairs, across the parking lot, to the parked car I ran at lightning speed. I flung open the car door, slid the key in and drove home at about 200 mph!

I skidded to a stop sideways in my driveway, jumped out of the car, ran to the door, scared the bird nesting above my door, ran to the computer, processed this photo, altered the contrast to make the lizard stand out against the sand a lot more, printed the shot, ran out the door, got an earful from the bird nesting above my door and jumped in my car again.

With my head hanging out the window, drooling like a mad dog, I drove back to the tramway at 300 mph! Back in the parking lot of the Palm Springs Tramway, I jumped out of the car, ran across the parking lot, went up the stairs, through the building, out the exit on the other side, down more stairs, across the patio and back to the sand where the lizard still stood. I grabbed the photo, shoved it in his face and said "HA! I can see YOU!"

He cried.
Now I feel bad.

View on black. Because I can see you

for
Our Daily Topic: Contrast

The Art Of Contrast

The Art Of Contrast by hbmike2000
The Art Of Contrast, a photo by hbmike2000 on Flickr.

The Art Of Contrast


I found this little guy at the Palm Springs Tramway trying to blend in with the surrounding sand. Proud of his accomplishment and secure with himself that I couldn't see him, he stood his ground as I crept closer and closer. I stood next to him quietly and slowly lowered my camera and snapped the shot. I inched away, taking little steps until I got far enough away not to startle him. Once I got a safe distance away and new I wouldn't scare him, I made a mad dash to the car.

Towards the building, up the stairs, through the door, into the building, out the exit, down the stairs, across the parking lot, to the parked car I ran at lightning speed. I flung open the car door, slid the key in and drove home at about 200 mph!

I skidded to a stop sideways in my driveway, jumped out of the car, ran to the door, scared the bird nesting above my door, ran to the computer, processed this photo, altered the contrast to make the lizard stand out against the sand a lot more, printed the shot, ran out the door, got an earful from the bird nesting above my door and jumped in my car again.

With my head hanging out the window, drooling like a mad dog, I drove back to the tramway at 300 mph! Back in the parking lot of the Palm Springs Tramway, I jumped out of the car, ran across the parking lot, went up the stairs, through the building, out the exit on the other side, down more stairs, across the patio and back to the sand where the lizard still stood. I grabbed the photo, shoved it in his face and said "HA! I can see YOU!"

He cried.
Now I feel bad.

View on black. Because I can see you

for
Our Daily Topic: Contrast

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Godzilla's Baby Mama

Godzilla's Baby Mama by hbmike2000
Godzilla's Baby Mama, a photo by hbmike2000 on Flickr.

Godzilla's Baby Mama


Back in the late 40's I was vacationing in Palm Springs and while visiting Moortens Botanical Gardens I met Godzilla's Baby Mama. We got to know each other pretty good while we ate flies - don't look at me that way, they just kept flying in every time I opened my mouth. Anyway, as the sun set and the flies disappeared we said our good byes and went our separate ways.

It wasn't until 1955 when our paths crossed again, the year after Godzilla terrorized Japan for the first time. I asked her what happened and she told me Godzilla was just misunderstood. He was just visiting Japan, he heard the fish was plenty there. Famished, he stopped and had some Sushi at a local restaurant and while looking for a toothpick, he accidentally stubbed his toe. Hopping around in pain and cursing, the Japanese over reacted and ran around screaming and he may have accidentally stepped on a few and knocked a couple of buildings over.

Yeah, I'm not going to be the one to correct Godzilla's Baby Mama on what happened. If she says it was an accident then it was an accident.

View on black or Godzilla will come over and stub his toe on your dwelling

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Photo taken at Moorten Botanical Gardens in Palm Springs. I have to say, it's not very big but it is really cool.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

That Spider Better Not Eat My Brownies!

That Spider Better Not Eat My Brownies!


I went to go make brownies on my new stove here and I found a big fat HUGE spider on it! Just so we are clear about how I feel about spiders, I use wasp spray to kill them because it shoots a stream up to 20 feet so I don't have to get close. Also, I consider any spider that is big enough to physically see, HUGE! We all clear on this now?

View on Black or I'll shoot you with a 20 foot steam of wasp spray

for
113 Pictures In 2013: Rust/Rusty

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Photo taken at Cabot's Pueblo Museum in Desert Hot Springs.
Cabot Yerxa is the man who discovered the Hot Mineral Water and Cold Mineral water wells in Desert Hot Springs which is what makes it unique and he led a really cool and interesting life.

Here's a link to the museum site
www.cabotsmuseum.org/home.html

Monday, April 1, 2013

Solitude

Solitude by hbmike2000
Solitude, a photo by hbmike2000 on Flickr.

Solitude


Don't feel bad for him, he farted. It was bad. I had to use a telephoto lens to take this. I'm like five miles away. Yeah, that bad. (I will probably die after he reads this)

View On Black or I'll will you my chewed gum collection

for
113 Pictures In 2013: Solitude

Happiness Is ... Zip Lining Down The Palm Springs Tram Wires

... The rats wouldn't let me do it. I was already to go too. Belt in hand to wrap around the wires, pants around my ankles (apparently the belt is more than just a fashion statement) and a smile on my face, I was two seconds away from bliss when I heard a Tram Official say, Son (he was 80) I will toss your scrawny rear over the side if you attempt that. I thought about his offer for a moment then realized I didn't bring my parachute so I declined having my scrawny rear tossed over the side.

View on black or I'll toss your scrawny rear over the side

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Our Daily Topic: Happiness Is ...