Climber of clouds

Who knows what thoughts flee through the mind of a daring, maybe rash, climber of clouds?
Who knows what heights his fantasies favor?

Though you may once have known, you can never know again. Earth-bound one, you can only watch and wonder.
--steve buser

boys, kids, playing, New Orleans, Louisiana

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Rebirth of a city

In an historic city such as New Orleans, some buildings crumble and other survive the insults of time to be reborn in a new use. Evidence of that is show on this wall in the warehouse district -- it's former use as a electric motor, fans and what-have-you center still linger, broken only by window punched into the weathered brick
-steve buser

Clouds clowning around

I think every once in a while God gets in the flow and forgets about the rest of creation for a few minutes. How else would you explain clouds at play in a sunset?
--Steve Buser

Clouds, sunset, New Orleans

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Pray tell, what did you say?

I read on the Audubon Park twitter the other day that a Praying Mantis is the only insect with one ear. It made me think of this shot, but it took me a while to find it.
I guess that means Praying Mantis teenagers are extra hard of hearing.
--steve buser

Praying Mantis, insects

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Finally, I get a break

Are the babies finally asleep? Thank goodness!

This lady Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis ) peeks over the edge of the house done at her nest in the bushes. If they really are sleeping, she may get a rest from the duty of finding and transporting food back to the little ones.
--steve buser

Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, birds, Lousiana

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Time to sail ashore

A fun day testing your skills against the wind, the water, the sun and the competition on Lake Pontchartrain. Now it is time to take a break and relive it all on shore in Mandeville, LA , with your buddies.
--steve buser

Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, sailing

Crawfish is boiling mad!

You want to boil who?

I would love to say that it isn't the size of the crawfish, its the size of the fight in the crawfish. But unfotunately, sometimes there are overwhelming odds. (He lost)
--steve buser

Crawfish, food, New Orleans, Louisiana

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Professional beggar

Tell me the truth. No matter how hard it hurts. Could you look this squirrel in the eye and deny him one of the pecans you have in your salad? Really?

He came wandering up to a nearby table for lunch the other day. They gave in to the temptation. He probably has a plush, Beverly-Hills style condo squirrel's nest somewhere close by. He just pretends to be down on his nutty luck. Don' you thing?
--steve buser

Squirrel, Mandeville, Louisiana

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Getting ready for a cool, sunny dip

The sun going down. As they say "It's fixing to take a dip in Lake Pontchartrain."
--steve buser

Sunset, New Orleans, Louisiana, Lake Pontchartrain

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Old State Capitol -- gliding down the stairs

Closing time at the Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge, LA. The ghost descend to close the doors. Well, actually it is just museum visitors blurred by the slow speed I needed on my camera to get the shot in the fading light. But, hey, let's pretend okay? After all, what good is an old building if we can feel the life of the past?
--steve buser

Old Stae Capitol, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

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Living in the sky

Wouldn't it be neat if we could hitch a ride. This Ring-Billed Gull (Larus delawarensis ) could probably let us in on a few secrets of living wild and flying high -- like were to find the best minows, tiny crabs, worms, mice and more.

On second thought, I think I'll take a cab.
--steve buser

Ring-Billed Gull, Larus delawarensis

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New Orleans Jazz gets an early start

You probably think of old time-worn musicians when you think of New Orleans Jazz.
Remember, though, that every one of them got there start in their earlier years. Here, a young jazz earns their reputation and some cash in front of the St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
--steve buser

Jazz, New Orleans, St. Louis Cathedral, Louisiana

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Gator waiter

When we took a road to the lakefront in Mandeville.  But it was gated into some condominiums.  While turning around, we spotted this friendly guy, waiting patiently in a pond for a good meal to come by.  The alligator appeared to be about 4 feet long.
--steve buser

Alligator, Mandeville, Louisiana

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Live in the moment

I read in in an Audubon Zoo twitter that dragonflies only live 24 hours.   Talk about live for today!

@AudubonZoo -- A dragonfly lives only 24 hours. Make the most of today...
--steve buser

Audubon Zoo, Dragonfly

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Mississippi Kite with no strings

This Mississippi Kite ( Ictinia mississippiensi)was perched about as high as you can get and still be on a tree. We were at my daughter's house in Baton Rouge watching him. He looked around for a good while before he decided he would have a better time in the air. He took off and climbed rapidly to a altitude I couldn't photography him. Then he proceed to put on an aerial display of diving and climbing. Soon he and his mate were off soaring through the neighborhood in search of something good to eat.
--steve buser

Misssissippi Kite, Ictinia mississippiensi, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

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Squirelly lunch companion

This squirrelly fellow was begging on the patio of the restaurant where we went to eat today in Mandeville.   He was very polite.  He didn't take his offering and run off the eat them.  Here he is eating a pecan.
--steve buser

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Heavens above!

Walking down the street one day and the decorative entrance on this building caught my eye.  Looking, up I noticed the whole front of the building was well decorated.  It really brings out a sense of place more than just boxy, unornamented structures.
--steve buser

architeture, buildings, New Orleans, Louisiana

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Sparking the imagination

Excuse the pun, please. But, the Louisiana Children's Museum on Julia Street in New Orleans is really a place to spark the imagination of kids of all ages. Our kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and any other kids we could borrow, have all, over the years, spent hours there letting their imaginations roam. So this electrostatic ball near the entrance is an excellent metaphor to greet you.
--steve buser

Childrens Museum, Arts District, New Orleans, Louisiana

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