Vultures pay pig a visit

We were in Houston to watch our son, Charles in a bike race at Bear Creek Park. While waiting, I noticed in one of the animal pens, the sign said pot-bellied pig, but it had some very non-piggish characters inside.  A flock of about 20 of these Black Vultures had decided that the pig's water looked good, so they would fly in for a visit.  The pig didn't look too nonplussed, but I bet on the inside he was terrified.  How does that go? Never let them see you wallow.

Bikers buzz by

 We were watching out son in a bike race in Houston last week (he's not in these pictures) -- it was exciting stuff, including a couple of breath-holding spills.  These guys whiz around that track in the upper 20's mph for a half hour up to one hour (depending on the skill category.   I couldn't decide what was the best picture so I picked these two,  and reserve the right to post more in the future.

Houston Aquarium -- the Wow Factor

Sophie and Sullivan at the Aquarium in Houston. 
The wonderment of youth.  Wow.

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Couriers careen through concrete canyon

This was the scene a few weeks back at the Houston Marathon.  The runners, whom normally look larger than life as they slap past, seem dwarfed here.  This concrete canyon was near the finish line.
--steve buser

Houston : a bigger bang

I guess maybe I just needed some excitement today, because I was drawn to this picture from awhile back in Houston.  We were sitting out on the street by our son, Charlie's place and these big boomers were shaking out bones.   It was a hot July night, but we didn't wan to miss any of the excitement.
--steve buser

Fireworks, Houston

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White Tiger -- intense stare

This is one of the white tigers at the Aquarium in downtown Houston.  Notice the stare -- he seemed to wonder around aimlessly, but his state was intense.
--steve buser

White Tiger, Houston, Texas

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Scraping the sky in downtown Houston

This was a misty cool day in downtown Houston.  Standing in front of the Aquarium, this capture shows the skyscrapers of downtown literally scraping the sky as they clouds come just a little too low not to get hooked.
--steve buser

Houston, Texas

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Dancing water, spinning dreams --Houston

Tucked in between these dancing waters and the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston earlier this year was the Ice on the Discovery Green Celebration.  I just discovered this flicker page with a couple thousand pictures of all the activities.
--steve buser

Houston, Discovery Green

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Bubble Girl

Our granddaugher Sophie climbs up in the bubble under the sting ray tank at the Aquarium in Downtown Houston.  Personally, I don't think she cared a bit about the stingrays.  She was after a new experience of being underwater without getting wet.
--steve buser

Aquarium, Houston, kids

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Overloaded patterns.

I just thought this fire escape along side the patterned bricks on this Downtown Houston building made a strange photo.
Too many designers these days are afraid to use broad swaths of pattern.
--steve buser

Houston, TX

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Happy is the hovering heron

This is the "survey the waterfront" pose for a juvenile Tri-colored Heron poached on a cypress stump at the heronry off the I-10 at the Trinity River Bridge  -- east of Houston.
The  seems to be just sitting there thinking, but when a fish or other tasty treat swims by, he slowly crouches into an attack mode -- edging closer to the water and leaning closer.
--steve buser

heron, tri-colored, bird

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Raising Chicks

Three Willets wander the surf off Galveston near Houston looking for any morsels they can bring back to their nest. Soon after I shot this picture they spotted me and the antics began. I discovered then that the nest was very close, so I wander off to other parts.
--steve buser

Willets, Galveston, Houston, Texas

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Sailing for dollars

Galveston Bay, Southeast of Houston, is a playground and work site. While the yachts and pleasure boats stream out of the marinas on the west side of the bay, the big cargo ships and container ships work back and forth from the sea to the Houston ship channel. Somehow it all works out.
--steve buser

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Self portrait?

I always wondered why I shot this picture. What struck me about it? After all, I did know that I was capturing myself, capturing myself. Hmm.
-steve buser

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Soggy singer plunges in pavement puddles

This little sparrow was taking advatage of one of the puddles of water at the Aquarium in downtown Houston a few weeks back. A flock of about 10 of them were hopping around looking for food. Finding,none (the pigeons were getting it all) they decided to take advantage of the watery amenities of the urban site.
--steve buser

sparrow, bird, nature, Houston, Texas

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Watching the waiters

A Coast Guard boat cuises past some ocean-gowing barges out in the pass between Galveston and the Bolivar Peninsula. We were crossing on the ferry. The area is always good for ship viewing.

Look carefully between the Coast Guard boat and the barge on the right. You will see a shrimp boat, also plying the waters.
--steve buser

Houston, ship traffic, Galveston, ferry

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Spinning time in Houston

Little Sophie wants to see what she looks like riding one of those wave-hopping wonders on the Carousel at the Aquarium in Houston. You can see of course that mommy is keeping a close watch in the background.
-- steve buser

Houston Aquarium, Carousel,

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Glass mountains

I didn't really like this photo when I took it. It captured the towering hiehgts of the buildings in downtown, but doesn't have the feel of life and vitality you feel there. So I put it aside. A freind saw it and told me I needed to use it. So here it is.

--steve buser

downtown, Houston, Texas, skyscrapers
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Fair stare

There is some form of communication going on here.  The longer you look at the picture the more you will realize that.  Don't try to put it into words, it isn't a word thing.  Sophie was just about two when this picture was taken.  These are thoughts and stares that belong to that "pre-word" world.

--steve buser

Houston Zoo, white tiger, animals, kids

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Sun adds red to water color

Across from the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, the morning sun paints redish tinges to a "water color" arrangement in the pond.

--steve buser

Houston, Texas, water, park, Convention Center

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