Balmy day

 This is a miniature cattalaya called Pixie.  It has been in bloom for about 2 weeks

 a close up of the insides of a Pixie bloom.  I think I am getting the hang of doing macros with my new camera.  Tomorrow is the orchid show out at the Student Union Building at the University.  I really have no more room for orchids.  Hope I can get some good photos.

 When we were in France in 2002 I was using my first digital Canon Powershot 50.  I was using the smallest size photo, so the photos are tiny.  I have put these 3 together to add to my Megashot for my Travel to France gallery.  I have this trip done up on my web page. http://www.mmmee.com/02France
I also have the album for our trip to France in 1998 http://www.mmmee.com/98ArlesFr
I was using a film camera in 1998 and scanned the prints into my computer.  I hope I can find the time to add a few of them to my Megashot Travel France, also.

 This is my newest teddybear, from Valentines Day.  It is a Godiva Chocolates bear. 

 Close up of Godiva's foot for the J B Footography account on Megashot.  Just Beatly primarily shoots teddy bears.

 I found this lizard in Butterfly Gardens.  I was there for a couple of hours a week ago Sunday and have some ok butterfly photos to process for the Megashot Butterflies are Free Community.  We are getting a fine collection of butterflies in the pool and some good information.  Butterfly Gardens is listed in the side panel.  They import butterfly larvaes from all over the world.  They also have some birds, some reptiles, including poisonous frogs.  These critters are in a glass tower and so the photo might look a bit like I forgot to clean my lens.

This is a Giant Swallowtail.  I have more butterflies and a few flowers from the Butterfly Gardens to process yet.

We had a balmy day today.  The temperature got up to 15 degrees.  I managed to get a couple of hours out in the garden to do more clean up of the perennials at the back.  I clipped down the michaelmas daisies, and sheared the germander.  I took off a few high branches of the firesthorn and clipped it back to its proper size to fit in its space.    We are having a 'pineapple express' to warm up the air.  It was an overcast day, and now ... 8:00 pm... we are having a light rain.    I don't think it will last too much longer.
The crocuses are up all over the garden in every color.  The white ones really show up on a grey day like today.  The crocus field in the front is about half in blloom... more to come as the older ones fade away.  The primulas and anemones (wind flower) are starting to come out, and the daffodils are in bud.  The camillia has a few flowers open.