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Jim asked if the colors inside geodes were the result of a dying process. The ones you find that have garish colors are usually dyed. The same is true of agates. Believe it or not there are tiny pore spaces in minerals that allow solutions to percolate through and color them. Some one...

Today I'm going to do Geodes. Most people think that geodes only contain quartz crystals but there are a wide variety of crystals that can occur in these objects. Geodes form on the inside of openings in limestone or dolostone. Mineral rich waters can percolate through the rocks and deposit...

A lot of people here have been to The Carrizo Plain National Monument to photograph the beautiful flower displays during the spring. Have you ever wondered what it looks like from the air? Here is an aerial image I took to show the San Andreas Fault (the valley to the right of the hill in this...

Here are three more minerals from my collection. Labradorite is a relatively common mineral that may have twinning that causes iridescence of blues, greens, and yellows. In perfect specimens it can actually be of gem quality. This specimen is from Madagascar. Petrified Wood gets its...

I have decided to change the title of this thread to possibly encourage more participation. If you have some flower images, please add them to this thread. Anything from landscapes to close-ups are welcome. This week I am doing pink flowers from boreal forests. Grass Pink Orchid Gaywings...

It is time to look at some minerals. Banded Iron Formation consisting of Jasper (red), Hematite (gray), and Yellow (Tiger-eye) from Brookman Mountain, Australia. Pyrite on black shale. These are found in the spoils from coal mining near Dwight, IL. Bornite (purplish), also known as...

Today I am featuring another Midwest orchid. There are two varieties of this orchid: Large Yellow Lady's-slipper and Small Yellow Lady's-slipper. If you can't judge the size, then the next best thing is to look at the sepals. The large version has brownish - green sepals, and the small...

I am going to start this winged Wednesday off with Orioles. Baltimore Oriole Scott's Oriole Bullock's Oriole

For this edition of Mineral Monday, I am doing some common crystal shapes. Amethyst Crystals. Amethyst is a purple variety of quartz. It used to be very rare until large quantities were found in geodes in Brazil. Cubic crystals of Galena (lead ore) on pink Dolomite crystals Pyrite...

I have decided to feature Hepatica, which is one of the earliest booming plants in the Midwest spring. There are two varieties: round-lobed and sharp-lobed. These terms refer to the shape of the leaves which usually make it through the winter and are present when it blooms. New leaves form...

I am saddened to tell you that former Focal World member Fred Parsons passed away yesterday. He was a close friend of mine who lived in New England and had a condo in Sedona during the winter months. I met him when I was working in Tom Narwid's American Landscape Gallery in Jerome, AZ. We...

I will start this off with close-up images of warblers. Black-throated Blue Warbler. Nashville Warbler Magnolia Warbler

Here are a few more minerals from my collection. Tourmaline (variety Elbaite) and Lepidolite from Pala, CA Yellow Calcite, White Calcite and Fluorite from Cave-in-Rock, IL Pyrite and Sphalerite from the Tristate District, MO

One of the first MIdwest flowers to bloom each spring is the beautiful Bloodroot. Its pristine white petals contrast nicely with its bright yellow stamens to create a simple yet exquisite bloom on the woodland floor. Bloodroot also has beautifully textured leaves which grow up to five inches...

As a professional geologist I have always absolutely loved minerals. There are so many wonderful colors and shapes. Here are some of my favorites from my collection. Petrified wood with rare green color. I found this in Chinle Wash near Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Small garnets...

Eric will be gone for a month photographing birds in Columbia so I will be posting this thread until he returns. Darcy’s exceiient image of a roadrunner prompted me to post some images of roadrunners to start this off. Roadrunners prefer to run rather than fly. However, Danio Grayson has...

I'm doing orchids again. Here are more Lady’s -slipper Orchids. Pile on with whatever you like. Yellow Lady's-slippers, Door County, WI This is Door County's designated flower. Small white Lady’s -slippers, IL. Pink moccasin Lady’s - slipper, WI. Andrew’s Lady-slipper, IL.

Showy Lady's-slippers are among the most beautiful flowers in North America. Like most beautiful things they are coveted and thus are in decline in most areas in which they exist. At one time they were so plentiful that they were gathered routinely for Sunday church services during late June...

I just finished working on this image and I liked it so much I decided to post it right away. Notice the huge feet which allow this bird to walk on the lily pads in his environment. This bird has just started molting.

l am going to start this off with another state flower. You may add to this thread any flower image(s) you wish. Mine, named Mayflower or trailing arbutus, is the state flower of Massachusetts. It is appropriately named after the ship that brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth Rock. John Greenleaf...