Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: orange/red

This adventure was only the second holiday (or was it actually my third?) 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 chose 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 were familiar with some 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 that are right by the huge, open veranda, and the trees of the 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 many accounts of this road, lol! There was just enough room for two vehicles to squeeze past 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 more than two months, I still miss the great food that was provided every single day at Asa Wright and 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.

They always say that Ladybugs bring you luck - so this one is for good friend, Doug (dougwaylett on Flickr), whom I have known the last few years through botany (wildflowers, also fungi) and, several years ago, birding. He collapsed yesterday and was in the Trauma Unit. Later, he was moved to Intensive Care. I have not yet heard any further update today (it's 10:30 a.m.). Hoping you had a restful, uneventful night, Doug - everyone's thoughts are with you, and with Flo (Doug's wife). Found this tiny Two-spotted Ladybug (Adalia bipunctata) in my house the other day and photographed it on the fluffy centre of a large Protea flower that has been in my kitchen for two or three weeks, waiting to be photographed. Now it has lost all its colour and has dried out, but at least gave me a different kind of image here : ) The Two-spotted Ladybug is smaller than the more common Seven-spotted Ladybug and is one of our native Ladybugs. "Adalia bipunctata, commonly known as the two-spot ladybird, two-spotted ladybug or two-spotted lady beetle, is a carnivorous beetle of the family Coccinellidae that is found throughout the holarctic region. It is very common in western and central Europe and North America. It is used as a biological control agent ..... The most familiar form of the two-spot ladybird beetle is the red one with the two black spots. However, there also exists a black form with red spots on it. In addition, there are intermediate forms, but they occur only rarely in nature." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adalia_bipunctata UPDATE ON DOUG: it is with tremendous sadness that I have to let people know that Doug passed away. Apparently, he had just given a talk on Slime Molds in the herbarium at the U of C yesterday and was looking at some lichens, when he had a massive heart attack. Flo, I am so, so sorry.

Couldn't resist this small Easter Cactus plant when I went grocery shopping the other day : ). Thought it would make a change from the more usual photos of Christmas Cacti flowers. Such a pretty flower when seen up close, and such a gorgeous colour. Seem to remember it was snowing, raining and very windy when I bought it, LOL. "These plants are originally forest cacti, growing as epiphytes at elevations between 1000 and 1700 meters (3300 to 5600 feet) above sea level in the Organ Mountains north of Rio de Janeiro in southeast Brazil, South America.... Many modern holiday cactus cultivars are hybrids between Schlumbergera truncata and S. russelliana, first bred about 150 years ago in England." From Wikipedia.

Not the kind of photograph I usually take (or enjoy taking), but this was quite an exciting thing to come across on a walk in South Glenmore Park, near Heritage Park, two days ago. Because I don't get a newspaper, I hadn't heard about this. When we came across them, they were preparing to try out their boat on our Glenmore Reservoir, before travelling to Vancouver. Greg has already been in the Guiness Book of Records. In June 2010, he will attempt to become the first person in history to navigate 3000 miles across the Pacific Ocean from Vancouver to Hawaii. "Greg Kolodziejzyk believes he can set an amazing record. Pedal a high-tech, custom-designed, human–powered boat called WiTHiN 4500 kilometres from Vancouver to Hawaii." Taken from his website, www.pedaltheocean.com .