Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: plate

Last night, I added 8 extra photos (odds and ends from Trinidad) and am now adding 2 more for today's shots. This photo was taken at the Asa Wright Nature Centre, high up in the rain forest on the island of Trinidad. There was always an afternoon tea/snack, which we enjoyed out on the veranda. Several of the beautiful birds came and helped themselves to the cake we were enjoying on this day, 16 March 2017. "The green honeycreeper (Chlorophanes spiza) is a small bird in the tanager family. It is found in the tropical New World from southern Mexico south to Brazil, and on Trinidad. It is the only member of the genus Chlorophanes. The male is mainly blue-tinged green with a black head and a mostly bright yellow bill. The female green honeycreeper is grass-green, paler on the throat, and lacks the male's iridescence and black head. Immatures are plumaged similar to females. This is a forest canopy species. The female green honeycreeper builds a small cup nest in a tree, and incubates the clutch of two brown-blotched white eggs for 13 days. It is less heavily dependent on nectar than the other honeycreepers, fruit being its main food (60%), with nectar (20%) and insects (15%) as less important components of its diet." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_honeycreeper This is a video that I found on YouTube, taken by Rigdon Currie and Trish Johnson, at many of the same places we visited on Trinidad and Tobago. Not my video, but it made me feel like I was right there still. Posting the link here again, so that I won't lose it. youtu.be/BBifhf99f_M I also came across the following 27-minute YouTube video of the flora and fauna of Trinidad, filmed by John Patrick Smith in February 2015. youtu.be/6HHBm9MIxnk This adventure was only the second holiday of any kind, anywhere, that I have had in something like 30 or 35 years! The other holiday was a wonderful, one-week trip with my great friends from England, Linda and Tony, when we went down south to Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons in September 2012. I have had maybe half a dozen weekends away, including to Waterton National Park, which have helped keep me going. Six birding/photographer friends and I decided that we would take this exciting trip together (from 12-21 March 2017), spending the first two or three days on the island of Tobago and then the rest of the time at the Asa Wright Nature Centre on the nearby, much larger island of Trinidad. We decided to take a complete package, so everything was included - flights (we were so very lucky to get Black Friday prices, which were 50% off!), accommodation at both places, all our food, and the various walks and day trips that we could choose from. Two of my friends, Anne B. and Brenda, saw to all the planning of flights and accommodations, which was so very much appreciated by the rest of us. I could never have done all this myself! What a time we had, seeing so many beautiful and interesting things - and, of course, everything was a lifer for me. Some of these friends had visited Costa Rica before, so may have been familiar with a few of the birds. There was a lot more to see on Trinidad, so we were glad that we chose Tobago to visit first and then spend a longer time at Asa Wright. It was wonderful to be right by the sea, though, at the Blue Waters Inn on the island of Tobago. Just gorgeous. The Asa Wright Nature Centre, on Trinidad, is such an amazing place! We stayed in cabins up or down hill from the main building. Really, one doesn't need to travel away from the Centre for birding, as so many different species visit the Hummingbird feeders and fruit tables that are right by the huge, open veranda, as well as the plants and trees in this rain forest high up a mountainous road. The drive up and down this narrow, twisting, pot-holed road was an adventure in itself! Never would I ever do this drive myself - we had a guide who drove us everywhere in a van/small bus. I had read so many accounts of this road, lol! There was just enough room for two vehicles to pass each other, and the honking of horns was almost continuous - either to warn any vehicle that might be coming fast around the next bend or as a sign that drivers knew each other. The drive along this road, from the coast to Asa Wright, took just over an hour each way. Even after two months, I still miss the great food that was provided every single day at Asa Wright and even the Rum Punch that appeared each evening. I never drink at all, so I wasn't sure if I would even try the Punch - glad I did, though, as it was delicious and refreshing. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were all served buffet-style, with a great variety of dishes from which to choose. To me, pure luxury. So very, very grateful to have been invited to be part of this amazing adventure.

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone - my kids, my friends both near and far, some of whom are on Flickr and some not. To those on Flickr, thanks so much for continuing to check out my images - I really appreciate it! Hope you all have a very happy day today, whether celebrating with someone special or not. I almost didn't have a Valentine's Day image to post, so was kind of forced into buying these chocolate-covered strawberries that caught my eye when I went grocery shopping a couple of days ago. Seemed such a waste to not eat my photographic prop afterwards, so I made myself do it. And they were delicious : ) My thoughts are with all those who are having the most awful weather at the moment, whether it be flooding, strong winds, tremendous snowfalls and ice storms, all causing such great damage. Mother Nature sure has a powerful will of her own! www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/12524017114

Up till yesterday late afternoon, I had nothing I could use for my Happy Valentine's Day wishes to you all. Then I had to go food shopping after my volunteer shift and guess what I saw. Perhaps not the most photogenic cupcake, but at least it had a heart on the top. After a few quick shots, i sank my teeth into it - and discovered it was like chewing sticky, tough cardboard!! So, into the garbage it just had to go. Happy Valentine's Day to my kids, and I hope each and every one of my friends/contacts (whether on Flickr or just visiting, whether near or far), has a happy, happy day, whether you spend it with loved ones or on your own. I'm taking myself out for a few hours, keeping my fingers crossed that where I go, my car won't get stuck in snow again, like it did when I drove east of the city recently. Yesterday, I bought one of those cheap, telescopic, light-weight shovels to keep in my car : ) Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

LOL, the reason for buying this much-too-tempting dessert was simply that I was feeling desperate to photograph something different! Too many flowers, too many owls, too many ...... The hardest part about photographing something like this delicious Chocolate Checker Mousse Cake is having to download my photos and check that at least one of the photos has come out sharp enough - and THEN I can eat it, ha, ha! I must point out, though, that it is/was only about 3" diameter!! Hundreds of calories, I'm sure, but when it comes to getting a photo, sometimes, you just have to do what you have to do! Thanks, Safeway, yet again : )

This was the most delious Italian dessert - and chocolate is perfect for around Easter : ) I must admit that the reason I bought this was that I was desperate for something different to photograph, LOL. This was the prettiest thing I could find that was TINY (i.e. about 3" across). Don't need the calories, period, but most definitely don't need the calories from some regular sized dessert : ) I do have to admit one thing, though - I did buy a 3" cheese cake (like one in a photo I posted ages ago), just so that I wouldn't be tempted to eat this Tiramisu before I photographed it and then wait and check that one of the photos was sharp enough. Oh, by the way, this was bought from Safeway!! "Tiramisu has become one of the most popular desserts served in restaurants of all types, not just Italian restaurants. The recipe has been adapted into cakes, puddings, and other varieties of dessert. Tiramisu is made by soaking savoiardi biscuits in espresso with the optional addition of liquor and sugar, and layering them with a mixture of mascarpone cheese and zabaglione, a light custard made with Marsala wine or a liqueur. Cocoa powder is sprinkled on top of the dessert, which is refrigerated before being served." From Wikipedia.