Fabulous Reality

 

Mourning cloak butterfly superimposed on a wall in Charleston, WV.

One of my favorite back alleys in Charleston has this abstract “artwork” made of broken plaster and paint splotches. I took this picture of it on the same day, June 1, that I came across this mourning cloak butterfly while walking on the Sunrise Carriage Trail in Charleston. Later I noticed that the butterfly shape of the exposed bricks. It made for a fun Photoshop practice session.

Owl sighting

 

Barred owl, Sunrise Carriage Trail, Charleston, WV.

For more than a year, the Sunrise Carriage Trail has been home to some barred owls. I rarely see them, but within the past couple of days I have been lucky, twice, to catch sight of them. This picture was taken in late afternoon a couple of days ago. On the following day, in the morning, I heard the owl’s call as I ascended the trail. He/she has the same basic rhythm as a train whistle approaching a crossing: long, long, short, long. But much faster, and it repeats twice, ending on a sort of downward trill. Very beautiful sound.