A good herpetologist always gets close to their subject to study it.

Budding Ideas is an afternoon showcase of the exciting research ideas to come from a cross section of early and mid career researchers. program featured the five researchers Neuroscientist Dr Lezanne Ooi will discuss her latest research into Alzheimer’s and Motor Neurone Disease. By ‘reprogramming’ skin cells donated by neurodegenerative disease patients and their families, Dr Ooi is searching for new treatments and insights into these devastating diseases.

Materials scientist Dr Shahriar Hossain will talk about his work on next generation offshore wind turbines for a low-cost renewable energy solution.

Economist Associate Professor Peter Siminski will reveal a new technique that could be used to better evaluate voluntary programs such as health interventions and job training programs.

Clinical psychologist Dr Peter Kelly will discuss how we can better help disadvantaged populations and people with severe mental health issues.

Oral historian and award winning radio documentary maker Dr Siobhan McHugh will discuss why she thinks that audio is ‘the new black’.

(Swedish: "Spirande liv") Sculpture made in 1968 by Ida Isaksson (b. 1933), Sweden.

One of the works in the Borås International Sculpture Biennale 2016.

Red Velvet CC with traditional frosting, where you have to cook the sugar and milk then add the butter. Got the recipe from Baked cookbook. CC is covered in strawberry MMF, heart and vine is MMF/gumpaste.

A young patient shakes the tambourine during her special concert by her hospital bed.

Flowers are starting to bloom :D

Savannah Sparrows everywhere! Small little migrant flocks filtering through. I always hope we may someday find some nesting here. Did find one in June years ago....with grass in her bill but never found other evidence of breeding.

A budding flower spiralling up against a black background

On the edge of the property where my wife and I reside is a red camellia. The bush literally has become the size of a tree. The blossoms this year have been plentiful and beautiful.

i'm still over-enthustiastic over this spring thing that finally managed to get here, so here's yet another plant macro :)

Day 9.

I am taking photos every day to chart the opening of these two agapathus buds.

Oddly, the agapathus in my garden have not flowered this year, but this plant is in a shady side passage and is flowering for the first time. They are in a difficult spot and so these photos are taken one handed, leaning around a corner.

So far, so good...

Got my first look at Messenger Woods tonight after work. This is one of the oldest forest preserves in Will County, dating back to about 1940. It is well know for it's spring wildflowers, and after hiking around for a couple hours I can see why. There are acres of these Virginia Bluebells spread throught the wooded ravines and along the creek beds. They should be in full bloom this weekend, and I intend to be there to see it.

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My wife and I took our dog for a walk this afternoon. I brought along a camera and took a few pictures. Magnolia tree we passed on our walk.

Willoughby Park in Marion County, Florida

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In the run-up to shooting the early scenes of It Happened Here several actors were tried out.

Red Rhododendron

My wife has a lantana plant in one of her flower gardens, and another in her vegetable garden.

An old potato on our window sill.

Pink azaleas in the backyard on the property where my wife and I live.

The snowdrops in our garden have started to bud, some are more out than others (not sure why).

I took a few shots but I like this one the best.

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