I wonder if I'm the only one who doesn't really like these. They look to me like bad haircuts with dried split-ends. The petal tips are dark in some cases and the first set of peteals look like they are spent before the center petals make their appearance. Some look like they've been in a vase with the same water for a week. What kind of staying power do the blooms have? Is the photo misleading in that respect? Do the blooms stay fresh as long as the old single Echinaceas? There is one which tickles my fancy - the first white in the photo with the greenish center. As per the rest, I just don't see it.

I agree, Sherry. Does anyone have any idea what plant this is? Maybe weed can give us some good shots of the foliage and stems.

Nice batch of pigeons. Those birds would have a tough time in the city of Milwaukee. A number of years ago, pigeons were a problem for A. O. Smith, a manufacturer of frames for the Ford Ranger pickup truck. The welded and primed frames were stacked outside waiting for final finish coats and painting. Pigeon do-do was causing bad spots in the finish and promoted early spot corrosion on the finished truck. This was only one example. Others involved cleaning public buildings and repairing corrosion caused by the pigeons. Also, occasionally a peddestain got crapped on and if he was irate enough, he might complain to city hall. A common citizen might not carry much weight with city hall, but when the captains of industry and operators of various summer festivals complained, they took note. A.O. Smith had tried several deterrents; one that was partially effective was gas cannons that fired off on a random schedule, but the noise disturbed sleeping 2nd and 3rd shiftg workers and sleeping babies. The city fathers installed a few nesting pairs of perguine falcons - pigeons are one of their favorite prey. The idea was sold to the public as a conservtion measure to bring back these falcons from the brink of extintion. Owners of tall buildings downtown went along with the idea and provided nesting alcoves for the falcons. The result was highly successful for contriolling the pigeon population. We do have a few pigeon fanciers in the area, but they do not raise free fight birds in the city of Milwaukee. Breeders of racing pigeons locate their hutches outside the falcon nesting area. If they should race a bird through the city, they run a chance of loosing it.

Its a beautiful photo, but there is something strange about it. I think its a combination of two photos. Here's why. The stars are round dots. To produce a round star image in a time exposure the camera (or telescope) has to mounted on a tracking drive. Because a tracking drive slowly rotates the optic device, ground objects in the image will be 'smeared'. If the camera is on a tripod and held steady for a time exposure, ground object will not smear and the stars will leave arc shaped streaks. This photo shows both non-smeared ground objects and perfectly circle shaped stars. The only way that can happen is with a short exposure, probably too short to capture the detail seen in the sky. The sky shows blotches of bluish color. These may have been added or are are patches of blue sky showing through wispy clouds. Stars could not be seen in the blue lighted parts - too much light and stars would not be seen through wispy clouds. This leads me to believe that the stars were digitally added to a wonderful early night sky. The sun glow is still seen on the horizon.