The quest continues...

We're moving across the plains again, still seeking storms.  Today we moved up further north into Nebraska chasing thunderstorms.  We still haven't encountered the great supercells we're looking for, but we're still having a good time seeking them out.

As we stopped to view a passing storm this afternoon, we spotted this bullsnake involved in quite a tussle with a cottontail rabbit.  They parted company, apparently calling it a draw.

As the day wore on, thunderstorms brewed, and we begain to see lightning, like this over the Nebraska sand hills.

Darkness came, and the storm put on quite a light show in the form of a lightning shower.

The sky was just alive with dancing light.

Now to see what tomorrow brings.

Storm Chasing - Day 3

When you go storm chasing, you do a lot of chasing. Today we moved northward hoping to see at least some thunderstorms which might give us lightning to photograph. Luck wasn't with us, however, and the storms dissipated.

Not to be deterred, we stopped along the way to photograph numerous old homesteads and buildings. These remnants of an earlier time are scattered across the western prairie. As you wander around these old houses and buildings, you can't help but wonder who lived here, what was their life like?

I can only imagine what must have been hauled in this old Ford pickup truck.

How many people walked through these doors to an old church?

In Folsom Colorado, the texture and color of these doors takes you back to an earlier time.

Tomorrow, the storm situation should improve, with even greater possibilities later in the week.

Storm Chasing - Day 2

The chase continues.  While most of the midwest was enjoying a great weather day, we were on the move to get into position for storms in Colorado tomorrow.  You learn quickly that storm chasing is never a sure thing.  We headed north today passing great fields full of blooming yucca plants, with some prospects for tomorrow and, hopefully, later in the week.

As the day came to a close, we came across an abandoned farmhouse south of Dumas, Texas.  Of course we stopped to see what we could find.  There are always some treasures to be found in places like this.

The rancher has located some old railroad cars on the property, and we had a good time working images of textures in wood and metal.

There were some fascinating textures in the hinges, with peeling paint.

The setting sun provided a nice backdrop to the end of the day.

Tomorrow, further north.

Storm Chasing - Day 1

There's just something pretty awe-inspiring about the great storms of the American plains.  We're in the process of spending a week seeking out the storms hoping to get some great photographs.  Today was basically a positioning day.  Beginning the day in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, we headed southward hoping to intersect some storms forming up in Texas, or at least get in position for better possibilities later in the week.

Thanks to some pretty nifty technology, we were able to track storms on displays in the van while we drove.

Things just didn't materialize the way we hoped, and we ended up running out of day between two storm cells near Del Rio, Texas.  After waiting out some pretty hard rain, we set up our cameras to photograph lightning that followed the storm.

Any day you end up with a great image is a good day.  We're hoping this is the beginning of a great week!

Ahhh......Spring.....

There's something really special about Spring.  Life seems to be everywhere.  Maybe it's because the crops aren't grown up yet, and don't provide hiding places for animals.  The migration is in full swing, and you can see just about anything if you travel the country.  Planting is going on now, and you see geese and other birds taking advantage of freshly turned earth to gather up an easy meal.

Nikon D300 ISO 800 200-400mm 1/160 @ f/6.7Here a whitetail eyes me nervously while standing in the stubble of last year's corn.

Nikon D300 ISO 800 200-400mm 1/250 @ f/6.7A pair of blue-winged teal stopped by on their way through the state.

Nikon D300 ISO 800 200-400mm 1/60 @ f/6.7While a blackbird perches on a nearby branch.  It's really a great time of year.  Before long the crops and underbrush will hide the deer, the migrators will move on, and the foliage will make the birds harder to see.  The problem with Spring is that it doesn't last long enough.