SkyWatch Friday: The Sky as a Backdrop

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Wordless Wednesday: Kiss My . . . Sorry I couldn't resist

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That's My World Tuesday: NC Museum of Natural Science

I posted the shot below of the dome on the NC Museum of Natural Science on my other blog some time ago, but I'm pretty sure I haven't posted it on this blog yet. I like the way you can see the dinosaur through the glass and if you look closely you can see the moon on the right of the museum.

This museum is located on Bicentennial Plaza in downtown Raleigh between the Capitol and the Legislature Buildings.

The shot above shows the part of the museum adjacent to the dome. The shot below shows a section of the side of the museum adjoining the second shot. The museum has sections showing NC from the mountains to the sea. It includes exhibits on prehistoric NC, research and technology, a living conservatory, dead sea scrolls, a discovery room for children, as well as other exhibits.

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Monochrome Monday: St. Francis wearing cap and stole

I couldn't decide between the head shot and the full body shot so I decided to show both.



What amazed me is how perfectly the snow melted to form the cap and stole. The shot below is a color one when St. Francis almost had a top hat. I didn't touch the snow at all. This is how it fell.



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Skywatch Friday: This Tuesday the sun came out just long enough to set

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Wordless Wednesday: If I knew you were coming I'd a baked a peanut cake

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That's My World Tuesday: Construction on new NC Museum of Art

I still think of the 1983 North Carolina Museum of Art as the new museum, although a new 127,000 square foot museum is being built ( construction started 2006 and should end in 2010). The old museum was located downtown and the 1983 one was built on what used to house a youth prison amongst other things. Growing up in Raleigh, I went to the downtown museum for many years so it's hard to think of the 1983 one already becoming the old museum. I guess it will be the old new museum to those of us who are from Raleigh, NC, U.S.

One of the good things about the new site is that it included enough acreage for a large museum park which has been evolving for decades. The shot below shows one of the pieces in the Art Park as well as the 1983 museum. The site is also large enough to keep the 1983 museum while adding the additional 127,000 sq. ft. new museum.

The 1983 museum is soon to become the old museum, although it will continue to house temporary exhibits and educational facilities. In 2010 when the newest museum opens, there will be a special Rodin study center which will house the two dozen sculptures by Auguste Rodin which were a 2005 gift to the museum. I am excited about that.

The museum has had to be creative to make a buffer between the major construction project and the current museum. One way they have done this is by installing a mural which contains drawings of their permanent collection.

It has been interesting to watch the construction from the ground up during visits to the museum and the art park. The shot above was take in October 2007.

Then in March of 2008, I photographed the newest museum's framework in progress.

The last shot is from September 2008. I will have to plan on going back soon because I imagine that quite a lot of progress has been made. Even the art park has had some work being done on it lately so I may focus on a walk on the trails there.

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Monochrome Monday: flying together

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Skywatch Friday: Swirling across the sky

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Wordless Wednesday: Pig in a Wagon

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That's My World Tuesday: Poor Pool Planning

There is a city park in my neighborhood with a year round pool. In the winter the pool has a cover over it and is heated and in the summer the cover is removed and it's an outdoor pool.

The reason that I titled this post poor pool planning is that the pool and buildings have undergone a major renovation, and were originally scheduled to reopen in the fall of 2008 but due to delays won't be ready to open until May of 2009. The problem is that the new cover was put on when they thought it would be open for the winter.

Since the pool won't be ready to open until May of 2009, a few weeks after it re-opens, it will be time to close it briefly to take the cover off for the outdoor pool season. Sounds like a wasted effort to me. Part of the delays involve the new pool buildings which adjoin the pool, and have the showers and office. It's too bad they didn't finish the buildings before deciding whether to have the cover on or off the pool.

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Monochrome Monday: Creek Rocks

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SkyWatch Friday: Gone to the Birds

I try to limit myself to one shot for SkyWatch Friday but I couldn't decide amongst the many shots I took on a walk today. Therefore, I narrowed it down to three.

I like them for different reasons. I like the blue jay patiently waiting in the tree for me to be done with it.

The pair interested me because they seemed to be in conversation. The foursome interested me because of the contrast.

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Wordless Wednesday: Goofy Garden Guy

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That's My World Tuesday: Crabtree Trail

In my opinion there are too many malls and shopping centers in Raleigh, NC, U.S. where I live. I hate the traffic and congestion and don't enjoy shopping that much. However, there is a rather pleasant trail that starts a few miles from my house where I can walk on foot to Crabtree Valley Mall.

Instead of driving to the mall, and looking for a parking spot, I can walk along Crabtree Creek and look at reflections in the water.

There are paths under the road and bridges over the water. Generally I don't see too many people on the path.

I can soak up some beauty before entering into the dreaded mall. I'm exaggerating. I don't hate malls that bad but I do hate parking that bad so arriving on foot with a backpack is so much nicer than driving.

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Monochrome Monday: Gulls on the Lake

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SkyWatch Friday and Happy New Year

A crescent moon and a star below, my last outdoor sight of the old year and first of the new. A star (see note at bottom) to wish apon a moon to swing on. What more can I ask of the night sky which to me loomed as a pure delight last night. I'm posting my SkyWatch photograph a little early as it is doubling for my New Year's Day post. Happy New Year!

You can find other SkyWatch photographs from around the world a little later in the day, by clicking on SkyWatch.

NOTE - After reading the comments from some of you I realize that what I thought was a star at first glance was venus. I need to brush up on my astronomy knowledge, I'm not great about knowing what I see. I looked back through my photos and realized I should have know the "star" was a planet and below is a close up image of Venus I took. The quality isn't great but even I can tell that's not a star in the closeup.