The Myriad Botanical Gardens in Oklahoma City

Beautiful White Cascading Orchids

If you are planning to take a trip to the Oklahoma City Botanical Gardens, be sure and visit there during the spring, summer or fall months, Hubby and I went at the end of last winter, just because we were nearby and we were quite disappointed. 

They had several varieties of plants and "hot house" flowers inside, but not the variety we expected. They did have a beautiful variety of orchids growing inside along with some tropical plants, but I had expected to find more colorful flowers inside. 

Beautiful pink orchids

Zebra Plant

They were also supposed to have a variety of butterflies inside, but we only ever saw one species, the zebra heliconian, and they were so few in number and stayed so high up in the trees that I never got a decent picture of one.

Just a note to self, don't bother to stop by in the winter season.

Remember, if you like any of the photographs here, they are for sale on my website:

Sheila Brown Pixels.com or you can find more white orchids photographs for sale, at Fine Art America.

Our First Rattlesnake of the Year

Well, hubby found our first rattlesnake for this year! This velvet tail rattler is about 4 feet long and had 7 segments to his rattle. He is not the largest rattler we have seen here, but he was pretty big!

Hubby was working down at his shop and walked around behind a flat bed trailer to be met by Mr. Rattlesnake. He came running through the living room and when I asked him what was going on, he said, "snake, big rattlesnake!" He grabbed his rifle and ran back out the door.

Now he knows that I am a little weird and I like to get pictures of the snakes we find BEFORE he shoots them, but he was afraid this one would get away, so had already shot him once before I got there with my camera. I got a couple of pictures before he finished him off with another shot.

Hubby has left some snakes alone, like bull snakes or garden snakes, but the rattlers have to go! I do keep their rattles and have quite a collection of them!

Juvenile Blue Jay on Tree Branch

Juvenile Blue Jay

I was asked recently how I got so close to the blue jay to take this picture without them flying away. The person asking said they can't even begin to get close the these birds before they see him coming and off they go. I completely understand! I have gone out walking and try to catch a picture of one of them as can't get near close enough.

Well, my answer to him was.... I cheat!  I don't really think it's cheating, but I don't go looking for them anymore, I make them come to me.  What you don't see in this picture is the table that the dead tree limb is laying on, or the sunflower seeds that are spread out on the table. 

When I know I am going to have some time to take pictures, I let my bird feeder to dry and put the bird seeds on the table nearby. Then I found a dead tree branch and laid it across the table, so the table wouldn't be in the picture. Then I went in the house and set my tripod up and just waited a little while. 

You do need to be sure that there is no "junk" in the background, the green in the background here is just the grass in my yard. Once you zoom in on the subject, the background will be blurred anyway, but I usually like a "clean" background.

The picture above is available on my website: Pixels.com website as a canvas print, acrylic, or metal print as well as pillows, tote bags, greeting cards and more! You can also visit Fine Art America for more  Blue jay photographs for sale!

Tiny Little Tree Frogs Can Be Dangerous

Tiny Little Tree Frog 

Yes, I know....this tiny little tree frog is just so cute, right! Cute can be deceiving!  

As some of you know, I enjoy sitting out on my back porch early of a morning had having my coffee, watching the wildlife and working on my lap top. Little did I know, I was about to have a very unusual morning!

It was a very warm summer morning and I had on a tank top and shorts. As it was very early and the sun had not come up yet, I had the back porch light on, which attract many little flying insects that make a great breakfast for a little tree frog.

Well, as I am typing away I feel this cold, wet, "flop" feeling on the back of my shoulder! Yes, this tiny little tree frog had just jumped onto my back. I don't know here he came from, but his feet were cold and clammy!  

Needless to say, I jumped to my feet with a bit of a squeal and almost knocked over the patio table and succeeded in spilling my coffee. Now I and am flailing my arms like some kind of crazy person, trying to reach this little fellow with the cold feet.  Just as I think I have him, he jumps....right down my back! 

Now I am doing some kind of crazy dance thing, trying to get my shirt off as quickly as possible. I feel his little cold, wet body against the skin on my back and I can't get my shirt off quick enough! My dance leads me to the edge of the porch where I scrape my toe on a planter sitting there. After saying a few choice words, I get my shirt off and throw it to the ground. 

In the mean time, the frog has fallen to the ground and hopped away. Now I am left on my back porch with spilled coffee, shirtless and with a bleeding toe! I swear I heard that little tree frog laughing as I went in the house!

Don't let little and cute fool you! These tiny little tree frogs can be dangerous by just making YOU hurt YOURSELF!

This cute little guy is available on a greeting card on "My Zazzle Store" .

Vacation at Lake Murray State Park Oklahoma

Tucker's Tower-Lake Murray, Oklahoma

Life has been busy and I have been away for a while. I really have too many "irons in the fire",but now I am going to add another one and get back to my blog!

Hubby and I went on  short vacation a couple of weeks ago and spent some time at Lake Murray State Park here in southern Oklahoma. My oldest step-son, Aaron and his family camped out there also, so we go to spend a lot of time with the grand kids. Of course, our daughter Jenna and her new husband and Jazzy and the new baby, Ariel spent some time out there with us as well.

We all had a great time, the kids did a lot of skiing, tubing and swimming.  Aaron's wife, Kim had prepared all the dinner time means for us, it was great! Hubby and I did take a relaxing late afternoon boat ride around the lake and I took  few pictures.

I really liked this picture I took of Tucker's Tower. With the late afternoon lighting, it all had such a golden glow. I just wish the water looked blue!  One of my new "irons in the fire" is selling my photography at Fine Art America where you can find this picture as well as many other beautiful canvas prints for sale.

For more information about Lake Murray State Park and all the great things to see and do, visit Come Visit Beautiful Lake Murray State Park in Oklahoma