Dreaming of Lichen

We found this on a walk in Roxborough State Park growing on scrub oak. I don't know enough about lichen to say anything about it... the round cups may even be fungus. Dunno. I thought it was pretty though.

Western Scrub Jay

I photographed this jay with my macro lens. I wish I could have gotten closer. I love the color blue. I love the brash, smart personalities of these birds.

Long Horn Beetle

When we were camping in South Dakota we saw a ton of long horn beetles. They were flying all over the place and landing on us, our tent and most everything else. I didn't realize though, until I looked closely at the pictures that the base of the antenna encroaches upon the eye. Theo (my husband) theorized that there was some interraction of the antenna and eye nerves to the brain. I was wondering if maybe the antenna became more important than having a whole eye; so, in the evolution of the insect's head the antenna took over some eye space.