About word verification... it's baaaack! I even see it when I attempt to leave a comment on my own blog. But I learned this trick from the very clever and always entertaining TexWisGirl. You can just ignore it and post your comment without it. It worked on her blog and a few others which I visited afterword, and I tested it on my own blog and had the same success. I imagine it only works in instances where the blogger does not wish to have word verification on his or her blog and not for those who have specifically requested it in their settings. Rest assured, my settings indicate that I do not want it and at least for now, it appears that you can simply ignore it and comment as usual. Thanks, Tex! Now on with the post.
❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀
"May wolf ever walk beside you, and grant you rest in his shadow. May his paws ever guide your path, and your howls be heard by all."
- Native American prayer
A couple of mornings ago, my neighbour from two houses down phoned me. "Hilary, did you see the wolves? They just crossed the bay. They're out of view right now but maybe you should get your camera and keep an eye out."
I thanked him and went to the window in search of wolves.
Nothing.
The previous evening, Frank heard a pack of wolves howling somewhere off to the left. We had just seen a lone wolf earlier that day but it was dull out and he was on the opposite shore, making for really poor images. This day was sunnier and more conducive to better shots.
Still nothing.
I fed the cats and made coffee. I also decided since the wolves were probably still in the neighbourhood, it was best not to let Benny out just yet.
Good call!
A glance outside my window landed on this beauty - still far off (about a third of the way across the bay) but much closer than I'd ever seen one before. Unfortunately, all photos needed to be taken through glass since opening the door would have resulted in Benny getting all territorial with the wolf and he just wouldn't come out ahead in that confrontation. So, considering the wolf was a fair distance across the bay, and he was photographed through glass, the images are not as clear as I would have liked them to be but still, I was pretty pleased with the lupine visit.
Isn't he or she a beauty?
Before too long, I had to open the door just a tiny crack. Benny thought I should let him out but all I wanted was to hear the sounds of the wolf's howls and yips.
He was calling to the rest of his pack.
I'm certain that he could neither hear nor see me, considering his distance, and that he had no clue that I was enjoying his presence so much.
After a little while he wandered further out into the bay to wait for the rest of his pack.
And it wasn't long before they came running - one or two at a time.
There were seven in total. What a treat!
And just for fun, I (very poorly) Photoshopped one of the wolf images onto a moonrise photo from a while back. It's wrong in many ways. Among them - you can still see some of the light snowy background outlining the wolf. The light (actually from the sun) lands behind him rather than in front as it would if he was truly standing in moonlight. He's actually balanced on treetops in the distance, rather than sturdy land. And the moon was pulled down closer to the horizon than it was in the actual photo, and lost some of its smooth outline in the process. Most of all, it's simply not true that wolves howl at the moon but I had fun playing with it anyway and still wanted to share.
❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀
And now, without further delay, here are the Posts of the Week. The icon below is yours for the taking if your blog post is named as a POTW.
***
A GOOD READ
Mrs. Cole
by June
at Aging Gratefully
Sunday Mornings: Coffee, Reflections and Music
by A Cuban in London
at Un Cubano en Londres
Bus Lessons: Despite What You May Have Been Told, You're Not All That Special
by Pearl
at Pearl, Why You Little...
Dancing at the Wedding
by Betty
at Bossy Betty
AmeriKKKa
by Ellen
at Stuff From Ellen's Head
***
JUST PLAIN ALL AROUND GOOD
Such Sweetness
by Serenity Seeking
at Ditching the Black Dog
***
***
GOOD ADVICE
Fighting Hunger
by Steve
at Out on the Prairie
***
YOU'LL LAUGH
Happy Thanksgiving
by EG Camera Girl
at East Gwillimbury Camera Girl
I Love Shopping on Thanksgiving
by Rick
at Life Changes
***
YOU'LL LEARN SOMETHING
Toilet for Babli
by Indrani
at i Share
Toilet for Babli
by Indrani
at i Share
***
READERS' CHOICE
Recommended by: TexWisGirl
About Leaves: A Science Lesson
by Kerry
at Ed and Reub
Recommended by: Lady Fi
Barley Loves Autumn
by Connie
at Ozark Grace
Recommended by: Tabor
This Morning
by Pauline
at Writing Down the Words
READERS' CHOICE
Recommended by: TexWisGirl
About Leaves: A Science Lesson
by Kerry
at Ed and Reub
Recommended by: Lady Fi
Barley Loves Autumn
by Connie
at Ozark Grace
Recommended by: Tabor
This Morning
by Pauline
at Writing Down the Words
***
Please drop by their blogs for a visit and leave a kind comment if you have the time. Also, please feel free to add your own choices (for any blog except this one) for a specific blog post in the comments section below, where others can see them.
Thank you
64 comments:
Hilary: You can use word moderation and it will of course, hold your viewer comments in abeyance until YOU decide the source is safe. My Webmaster is a genius who suggested this as an alternative to Word ID. Believe me. I wish all people were as sweet, kind and generous as you. But unfortunately there are people who get a thrill out of contaminating a site.
where should I start!?
Word Verification - ignore it YES!
I think those wolf photos are pretty darn good; Likewise, why critique your creation of the howling wolf with such detail? Let us decide! I liked it (silly me) and not just being nice either. All my photos on da blog are taken with a simple coolpix and picasa'ed to a fairtheewell.....
Yet....we reach, teach, celebrate each other including Benny and Pixie.
Gosh I'm rambling. Real friends have that effect on me.
Fond ALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
<3
Great wolf shots. An amazing sight and sound.
Wow! I totally love the wolf shots...I have never ever seen one in wild, so this sounds so exciting...
So near, I couldn't have a picture like that, we don't get them over here, more the pity. Brilliant shots of the fantastic wolves, LOVE IT.
Pretty darn awesome! What a thrill but geez, I would worry about Benny. I would imagine small terriers fall on the snack food list for sure.
I have to agree, those pics even through glass are pretty darn good.
We have one wolf family somewhere in our part of OR. that we know about. Protected here, but I'm thinking not so where you are.
Wow! Great wolfie pix. They look so fluffy and healthy, and an awful lot like our eastern coyotes, who're said to have bred with them.
And thank you for the mention of Mrs. Cole!
Wow - amazing wolf shots! Lucky you.
Unfortunately, the word verification trick doesn't work for us Wordpress bloggers! It's STILL there... ;-)
I know Benny is never out without you, and your cats aren't out at all, right? I cringe when people let their cats out at night especially. The wolves are beautiful, but dangerous to pets.
WOW! WOLVES! Well pictured :) We have seen coyotes and foxes all over central NY...but wolves! gee.
I use moderation for comments more than a week old. I also have the stupid captcha down there!! Those wolves were hauntingly beautiful...be careful!
A thousand times thanks. I love wolves.
You lucky lady! So wonderful to see one wolf, let alone seven!
Too cool and thanks for the word update, it has worked for me.
That TexWisGirl is so smart!
Love the photos of the wolves...what a treat is right! And you got him howling! Love it!
I love your pictures! They are just wonderful, and I especially like the ones where he is howling. I can almost hear him (her?). And I am also worried about Benny! He's going to think he can take them on, but he doesn't know wolves. Thanks for keeping my favorite little mutt safe! And I will ignore your WV, just as I did with TexWisGirl, and hope it works. :-)
OMG, these photos take my breath away. These are beyond zebra!!
Beautiful shots of the wolves! ♥
What a treat for you and now us. Glad you had fun photoshopping b/c that's what it's supposed to be IMO.
Just came across these fox photos today. You might like them.
http://iso.500px.com/cute-foxes-in-the-snow-photos/
What a treat! Those pictures are so beautiful :-) The wolves look healthy and happy.
What a glorious viewing. The wolves are magnificent. A little hair raising but beautiful.
the ecology suffers terribly when we eliminate wolves. so glad to see them. and thanks for the POTW.
I would have been as excied as you were to see the wolves.
Hilary, the composite works well. We are too critical of our own artistry. To stop the moon going choppy don't select it but select the sky under it and delete the selection. Then select Wolf and go to the bit where it lets you contract selections pop 5px feather on see what it looks like at 100% then go to filter and find the one with lights and re-light the picture from where the moon is.
How exciting to see wolves in the wild. Thanks for sharing.
I fell in love with wolves after reading (and re-reading) Jean Craighead George's "Julie of the Wolves."
These are amazing photographs of a wonderful animal....
Love,
Jackie
I'm having the same verification problems on my blog, thank you for letting me know it's not just me, and I will try the "ignore it" option and see what happens. It's one of many annoyances that has me flirting with the notion of moving to Wordpress, but I suspect I am far too lazy to make the transition.
And OMG, I love those wolf photos! Can't believe how many great images you captured.
What beautiful shots of such magnificent animals. I've seen them in Algonquin and Muskoka, and heard them a few times when staying with my parents up there. The howls might be so close that they were actually on the property.
how awesome to see and photograph the wolves! keep little benny safe!!
What a beautiful array of pictures! To be so close to these animals must have been quite trilling.
Blogger/Google seem to be up to their usual tricks!
You've done quite a trick with that photo, and i love that you get wolf visits! Little Girl would be so jealous.
Oh...what a special array of shots.
Very special. Loved this.
Made me think my Gracie's spirit may be running with them today.
Firstly, I'm so jealous that you not only heard and saw wolves but you also photographed them!
Secondly, thank you for enjoying my Happy Thanksgiving post, laughing because you were supposed to, and then mentioning it here as a POTW! You made me smile wide. :))
Awesome series of wolf shots as only you could do.
WOW - you lucky gal! I haven't seen a wolf in years. I saw a pack running on the river in BC when I skied there with a friend. No wolves by me. I don't think Benny wants to confront them! (Well - I KNOW he probably WANTS to!) I didn't know what was up with the Word ID - glad for the advise.
how wonderful that you saw and photographed the wolves! i loved seeing them howling and running. It must be so fun to be part of a pack and wild!
you are right, i did not have to put the numbers in! wahoo!
I heard the wolves (or maybe Coyotes) last night too. I haven't heard them since spring or early summer when the mum had the babes out for a sing along.
The photos are fantastic, glass or no glass!
Blogspot has been very irritating lately. At William Kendall's suggestion, I switched comments to "Embedded" and the captcha seems to have gone away. I read somewhere that Google is posting house numbers as captchas and when we decipher them, they use the data for Google Earth.
Blogspot is also telling me that my comments are not complete, do I really want to leave the page. Arrghh!
What a treat to see those wolves!
wow. shivers. how cool to see the wolves...and hear them...i would def keep benny in though...ha...
Glass or no glass you still got some good shots. Thanks for passing on the advice about word verification. I had been wonder why I have been seeing so much of it recently.
Hilary, how amazing but also scary - would they attack you if you were out walking?
excellent POTWs
great news about that stupid prove you're not a robot stuff …
and awesome howling at the world shots
I"ve never seen a wolf here but I've heard them off in the distance a few times.
Also, thanks for the shout out on my Black Friday shopping :)
I've been ignoring them, too. Someone else said to switch to "embed" on the comment choices. I did that. I hope mine is okay now, but--if not--ignore! :)
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the wolves!! What a treat!! :) :)
I loved those photos. LOVED them. And I spend most of my computer time playing with photos: changing roosters into hens of the human variety, or placing objects into unsuspecting photo ops. But wolves. OMG. We had coyotes in Indiana, moved to Florida and in the midst of being homesick, I heard coyotes again, and felt better.
WOW...your images sing in my head. Thank you so much. :)
WV...It's their error. Grrrrrrrr.
POW, thank you too. What nice thinking these will jump start.
What great entertainment, and all while inside keeping warm!
Hello Hilary,
What a great shots!!
So amazing to see this wolf in this snowy area. Well done!!
Kind regards,
Marco
Fantastic post... sights and sounds of a majestic creature.
We have some hybrids (wolf/coyote mix) but mostly coyotes who provide audible entertainment.
hi hilary, these are great captures of the wolves!!
i love wolves. amazing post!
xoxo
Stunning wolf photos Hilary.
Thanks for the words about verification.
I saw that it was back on my blog too.
I don't want it either.
Why does it do this without our consent?
Now off to read the POTWs.
Yup it worked.
I didn't put in the "robot" numbers and it still published.
How beautiful! What a wonderful gift to see them. And great photos, love the moon.
Love to see those wolves. Looks like they were having fun together. And, NO, Benny would not have fun with them.
I checked word verification: 526 is definitely not a word. That is one item verified.
Blessings and Bear hugs!
Superbe travail de traque et d'observation. On suit la scène avec intérêt. On entend le cri de la bête, on est dans son sillage, son intimité. Photos exceptionnelles.
Merci.
Amitiés.
Roger
Those photos of a wolf are stunning. And the last one is a really fun one, playing with the myths of the wolves. Yes, it's not a "true" photo any more, but nothing wrong with playing as long as it obvious a composite image.
Your wolves photos are outstanding. I like those where you can clearly see that it is howling. How wonderful for you to have seen them. I don’t think I’ll ever see one close like this in the wild. I have seen a coyote once and also a fox in our backyard, but no wolf. Great shots!
Do you remember the Deep Purple song "Hush"? It opens with a wolf howling. Whenever I see a photo of one doing such, that's what I think of immediately. Shows what early exposure to rock does to your head...
Such fabulous photos. First time I ever saw a wolf was in the Colorado mountains. We were eye to eye, he by the side of the winding dirt road, me behind the car window. I still get shivers of awe.
Those are pretty amazing pictures of wolves, glass window and all! And your photoshopping is better than anything I've ever done, so call me impressed. :)
Off to read a few of the goodies you've shared with us. Thank you, Hilary!
Truly stunning images of the wolf. I was scrolling up and down a couple of times. What a wonderful photo opportunity for you I kept thinking.
Only when I scrolled further down I saw a bigger surprise. :)
Thank you so much for the POTW! :)
Thanks for the tip on word verification! Unfortunately, it seems if I sign in with Typepad, I still have to prove myself. Sigh. But what awesome shots of the wolf and his pack!!! Very exciting!
Post a Comment