The 8th day of the fourth month of the year of Emergence

You ever have one of those mornings where you wake before anyone else for absolutely no reason.  Wide awake.  The usual mind games don't work.  Sleep won't come back no matter how hard you try.  When this happens, I usually take my mind to a favorite fishing or photographing spot and re-run the one that got away.  Other times, like this morning, sleep seems irretrievable.

The only alternative is to slip out of bed and quietly put the Pike Peak Roast in to brew and give up all sensible attempts to go back to bed.  It's quiet in the house and neighborhood at four in the morning.  I guess that's why they say most home break-ins occur between three AM and dawn.  Everyone else with a modicum of sense is still deep in never never land. It's just me and the crooks out and about.

Yesterday, I ventured out to the zoo in search of an image of four or more howler monkeys in a single tree.  Yes, there is a buyer out there.  Well the monkeys were there, but not in the numbers I needed so that op never happened.  It was interesting, however, to stand along a fence with a hundred other people looking at potential predecessors, aka ancestors, swing from branch to branch screaming their heads off at each other.  Or perhaps they were screaming at us!  If you would like the zoo page just go to Riverbankszoo.com.

Remember to double click the image for full size.

These animals actually have incredible strength in their hands, fingers, legs and arms.  They swing from branch to branch with such ease that you would think they could support themselves with one finger or toe.  The large pouch under their chin fills up with air and a low rumbling sound is emmited.  That sound is often followed by a howl that can be heard for miles.  There were only four out and about yesterday in two separate trees, so the photo needs weren't met.  I did get some decent stock out of it and the weather was outstanding. 

Our zoo also has a huge garden which is not only a great place to photograph flowers, but insect life as well.  I did spend some time with the flowers as I intend to start a section of the website devoted to computer or digital manipulation to create what we used to call modern art.  Me, I am going to call it "Gunk Art"! 

An example.

These will be pieces of bright color which can be used as wall accents.  The source of most of the photographs will come from nature or some man made brightly colored creation.  The one above is a lone poppy I found in the garden.  The image of course I have manipulated to create something else with the base shape and color of the original image.  This is not pure photography and I don't purport it to be, but rather a form of digital art.  Kinda fun.  Will it sell?  Who knows, but we're going to find out.

A blue circular saw?