iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

I'm in a hummingbird state of mind. Here is one from a mid September trip to a flower farm. I went to take photos of dahlias, but I ended up looking at #birds Ruby Throated Hummingbird, Iowa

An orange flower on a long stem leans diagonally from the lower right corner of the photo to the upper left. In the background, more yellow and orange flowers are blurry.

A bright green bird stands on the stem, looking to the right side of the photo.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

Wow, have I been busy the past few months. Took a lot of photos, saw a lot of the country. I'm going to cross the country again this month. So excited to see California! Ruby throated hummingbird from earlier this summer. 💜 Do I even remember how to post #Birds ?

A small hummingbird is caught mid-flight. A blurry tree is in the background, while the mostly brownish bird flies facing the right side of the photo. The left wing has sun shining through.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 05/07/2025

Eastern Phoebe posing pretty for me. From a recent #Birding trip to Palisades Kepler Park near Mt Vernon, Iowa.

A small black bird with a white belly sits on a small branch with oak leaves.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

I'm still here. Reach out to your like minded friends and loved ones. Helping others helps us as well. #neverlettgebastardsgetyoudown

The sign reads "nolite te bastardes carborundum," which is horrible Latin for "don't let the bastards grind you down." I didn't make it, but just found it to share with a friend who is sinking in despair. Reach out to your friends.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

It seems I've returned to the #Birds feed on #Flyday Here is a Brown Pelican from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Against a cloudless blue sky, a large brown bird with a long break appears to pause in the air. Anyone who has observed these birds for long can tell by the angle of the wing in the forefront that it is about to begin a dive.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

So much travel this summer. I got out of my daily #Birds posting, and then I haven't really had much time to get back in. Today I'm restarting birds because I'm too angry and sad to look at any other social media. Female Scarlet Tanager. I couldn't find her mate, but she's lovely.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Smithsonian Castle lit up with pink sky twilight after the storms last night. #RedSkyAtNight #SailorsDelight

A red brick, multi turreted castle slightly obscured by trees has a green lawn in front.

https://www.si.edu/castle

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

I'm still here, reading when I have time, but I've been from St Louis to Tucumcari to Colorado to Pennsylvania in a pretty short period of time. So much beautiful scenery! Everyone should see all the mountains.

Beautiful Appalachian mountains with fog and those lovely lush green trees.

The Rocky mountains don't have trees this high up, but they did still have a lot of snow. Blue sky and puffy clouds above.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

St. Robert, Missouri has a recently completed neon park that is worth the stop on Route 66.

Several neon signs stand in a roadside park. Welcome to St Robert Route 66 Neon Park front and center. Various signs advertising motels and garages.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

Super lucky. I pulled over to photograph this mural, and then I saw this guy getting ready to turn the corner. Perfect timing.

A classic car in blue and white with a mural showing a scissor tailed flycatcher, a beautiful sunset with monarch butterflies, and sunflowers.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 08/06/2025

The rooms are clean. Retro but probably not old. The bathroom had fun tile.

Two full sized beds with some wild patterned bedspreads.

The bathroom tiles on the floor spell out US 66, with cactuses. The shower curtain has a pin up girl wearing short shorts and a crop top. The shower curtain says route 66

The room's mini fridge is red and chrome like a classic car

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 08/06/2025

Such a great motel on Route 66. Desert Hills Motel in Tulsa. See further photos later.

Photo of an old motel on route 66 with a neon sign with a turquoise and white 1957 Chevy out front.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

My last Iowa bird for a while: I haven't posted this one yet because I wasn't really sure about my ID. If anyone wants to chime in, feel free. When I first photographed, I thought this was a bank swallow. Merlin identified it as a tree swallow.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

#SmArtist Parts of a whole. Probably because I'm working on a project right now using parts of photos to make a whole picture, I've got mosaics and stained glass on my mind.

A stained glass lamp on a stained glass table, partially reflected.

The top of the lamp has blue sky and white flowers. The base carries the white flowers through with green grass and blue sky.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

I think this display from the House on the Rock in Spring Green, Wisconsin qualifies as #WackyWednesdayArt

A circus poster in the background proclaims "Frog Girl," while in the foreground various statues and mannequins pose: (l to r)

A monkey stands on a box with weirdly out of proportion arms that seem to be posed as though he is juggling.

Two very odd creatures are riding an emu.

Another weird monkey juggler, and behind is a figure of a woman riding a carousel horse.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Since I'm posting #birds I typically ignore while chasing new lifers, here's an underappreciated Grackle preening his beautiful feathers.

Behind a million leaves, a large purplish/blue/black bird sits. His head is visible, but tucked backwards while he cleans the feathers in his wing

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

I had a day of birding where I only saw the more typical #birds I decided to share this female Brown headed cowbird today.

A brown bird with a lighter brown head in a dead tree branch

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

#MountainMonday Has me all the way west in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

Mountain grasses and wildflowers stand in front of large pine trees, with beautiful mountains in the background.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

On the same corner, opposite side, another blend of old and new. The old department store with the shiny skywalk attached. #BlueskyMonday

An old stone building has a skywalk attached. The glass from the skywalk reflects the building, almost carrying the look across the street. The sky is blue with puffy clouds that also reflect in the glass.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

Another angle of the same bird. I generally have my doubts about the intelligence and self-preservation skills of mourning doves due to the number of years they've built messy nests on a skinny branch over my driveway. Beautiful, nonetheless.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

Yesterday was super hot, but I wanted to check out a newer birding place. I didn't have much luck, so my best share is this mourning dove who wasn't the least bit shy. #Birds

A very close shot of a large grey/brown dove perched on a sign. The bird's back is to the camera, but it looks to the right.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

Stun day is tough for me, because I've seen so many stunning photos. Since I tasked myself to come up with a #Birds daily, I try not to post birds on other themes. This one spoke to me today. It's a Pied Billed Grebe swimming in the reflection of a covered bridge. #StunDay #EastCoastKin

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

Baby House Finch is still hungry! Please, sir. I want some more.

A better view of the fledgling House Finch, standing upright with beak open begging for more food. The male House Finch stands looking to the right

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

Another photo of Dad and baby House Finch, with bonus House Finch and Downy Woodpecker on the feeder below.

On the left side, a House Finch (left, brown and streaky) and a Female Downy Woodpecker (right, black and white without a red head stripe) eat from a feeder.

Above, on a wooden cross bar, the male House Finch (streaky brown with red head and chest) stuffs seeds into his baby's mouth.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

Good Sunday morning, #Birds feed. Papa House Finch taking on the feeding duties. I love the babies with their fluffy old man eyebrows.

A male House Finch is brown and streaky with bright red head and chest. He stands posted above one of his babies to feed it.

The baby is mostly brown, mouth wide open to be fed.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

#MayLeaves #Pastel This photo has not been edited much at all. It was a table filled with daisies that had been placed in food coloring to soak up through the stems. Close focus on the ones in front and a nice blur on the rest.

Lavender daisies in the front of the photo are in crisp focus. In the background, there are pale yellow, blue, pink, and orange daisies.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

Another Bobolink photo from last week. 🪶

A black bird with white on back and a bad yellow toupee sits on a rock facing to the left side of the photo

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

Join the #BlueSkyArtShow Saturday May 31, 2025 The theme is #Underneath Interpret as broadly as you like Any art that fits, any skill level Pin the feed to follow along Use both tags to be included ------

A passageway to another place and time. This walkway goes under a road to enter a magical woods.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

For #Flyday I'm going to have to go with the only one I uploaded from yesterday with wings moving. Red-Winged Blackbird doesn't want other birds on his feeder. Mr. Cardinal backs off. #Birds

Three birds at a feeder.

On the left, Rose Breasted Grosbeak, black back, white belly, red bib. He looks at the action happening on the right.

In the middle, a Red winged Blackbird looks menacing. He's hunched down and his wing bars are not showing.

On the right, the Cardinal flies away fast from the attack. He's red, with a tall crest. His wings are forward in a take off or landing pose.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 30/05/2025

My #birds post for the day. I was waiting near the DSM airport today and decided to hang out at the bird blind in Walnut Woods Park to kill time. I call this "Bro Hang." IYKYK Rose Breasted Grosbeak, Red-winged Blackbird, Cardinal.

On a bird feeder perch three lovely examples of the male of their species: the Rose Breasted Grosbeak facing righthas a black back, white chest, with a striking red bib.

The Red-Winged Blackbird is mostly facing toward the camera with a mean expression on his face. Because he's in a neutral territory, he's got his bright red epaulettes mostly put away, just a little bit of red and yellow.

The Cardinal is facing to the left, bright red bedding colors, head crest up high.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

Guess what? Common Yellowthroat shows off his tail feathers. 🪶

A tiny yellow and olive bird with a black mask you can't see faces away from the camera on a wire fence.

There's a yellow sign that says private property, no hunting fishing or trespassing.

The prairie is really green now.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

I think this one will fit for #SmArtist #Orchid And #MayBlooms #Delicate I really love orchids, all shapes and colors.

A bright yellow orchid with a hot pink center is looking totally 80s.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

My #Birds photo for the day seems to have gotten lost in the ether. I've been birding five days in a row. Have to take advantage of the migration before they all leave. Two trumpeter swans on the nest in Iowa.

Amid marsh grasses, two large white birds rest on top of a muskrat den in the marsh. The one on the left appears to be sitting on eggs. The one on the right moved around a bit more. Both have their heads resting on their back, but both are watchful. I kept a respectful distance and shot from the road.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

#MayBlooms #Rain I posted one earlier and it looked terrible once it got uploaded. Trying again for the rain photo today.

With green leaves and red/orange blossoms, these nasturtiums look pretty in the rain.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

This daily flower prompt has really helped me with my flower photo organization. Today is lotus, which I love. I'm going to have to share a few photos, because I can't choose my favorite. #smArtist #EastCoastKin #lotus

Close-up of a pale pink lotus bloom with striking yellow center. Everything is so pointy.

After the bloom has opened a lot more, the yellow center falls away and reveals a harder yellow center that looks like a cup. This is where the seeds will develop.

In this lotus, the center is green. The outer part of the flower is pink, the inner petals are creamy yellow. The flower rests on the surface of the water and is reflected in the water.

Some people might need a disclaimer for this seed pod, but I love the way they look. I always like to look at things from a different perspective. The lotus after the bloom has died back. There are seeds in the seed head that is left behind.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

#TagTuesday I love watching the train cars go by. It's like a traveling art show.

Against a blue sky, a beige and black train car has graffiti with a zombie face and the words "18+ only." I think the guy might be called "The Goofinator"

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

#MayLeaves #Vivid My family knows I need extra time whenever we go anywhere. I'm certain I spent 5 minutes getting this leaf from every angle.

A striped red leaf is beginning to unfold, but the curls add a lot of interest to the photo.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

#Mayblooms #Vivid Have I got colors for you. Every color mixed together is my favorite

A bright yellow flower stands in focus, with red, orange, yellow, and pink out of focus behind it.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

#Macro #MacroMonday "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." Milkweed seed.

A single fluffy seed from a milkweed plant is caught on the dried flower head of Queen Anne's Lace. Is the photo under exposed? Quite likely, but it creates a mood.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

#BlueSkyMonday #EastCoastKin #Photography The beautiful blue skies over the Madison County courthouse and stone buildings on the square.

In Madison County, Iowa, there are a lot of limestone deposits. It makes two things common in the area: rattlesnakes and beautiful stone buildings.

The building on the right side of the photo is made from beautiful bricks quarried in the area. There's a pink flowered hanging basket and old fashioned black street lights.

At the back of the photo, visible from the town square, is the county courthouse, also stone and with a green roof and clocktower. There are many flags because it is Memorial Day weekend.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

Sometimes when I'm birding, I run Merlin in the background to identify birds by song. It helps me know what I'm looking for and where. I was excited to hear a Bobolink last night, so I started looking closer at the ubiquitous blackbirds. Most of them are Red-Winged, but sure enough. 🪶

A black bird with some white on its wings and a yellow head patch that looks like a blond wig stands at the top of some prairie grasses.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

Breaking news--i can't wait until tomorrow's daily bird, because I finally found a yellow headed blackbird today. The day weekend of birding has yielded some good results so far. 🪶

As his name implies, it's a black bird with a yellow head out on the prairie grasses at the edge of a marsh.

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Amy is not ready to make nice @plus2otto.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

Day 25 of the May seasonal botanical art challenge 🍂 For #MayBlooms our theme is Dry Whether dried autumn leaves or grasses readying for winter, let's see your Dry plant art 🍁 #art #eastCoastKin #artChallenge #artPrompt #artShare #autumn

Crossed twigs from a grapevine ensnare a round brown leaf with two holes in it, one of them shaped like a heart.

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