CATS

"CATS" -- Wild or domestic ... felines of *any* size can reflect a strong yet serene pose when basking in the sun's warmth! This regal profile of my pet kitty, Oliver, is my absolute all-time favorite cat photograph (I affectionately refer to him as my 'orange shadow' because he follows me *everywhere* in the house). As for the other end of the cat species, this "king of the jungle" is a resident at The Phoenix Zoo just a few miles from where I live.

SQUIRREL

"PEEK-A-BOO SQUIRREL" -- Picture this: Me...on the forest floor, stretched out flat on my stomach, arms poised steadily with camera in hand and face pressed against the viewer ..."lying in wait"..."trigger finger" ready to shoot ... hoping to capture a certain Kodak Moment where a cute little squirrel had ventured into a dead fallen tree log scavenging for food and would *eventually* have to exit! It was just a matter of time...and so I waited ... and waited ... and waited. 45 minutes, to be exact. But Patience got her reward, as this "peek-a-boo trio" shows (and just in the nick of time because with each click of the shutter, the sun finally disappeared with that last frame on the roll of film in my camera)! -- BK >^,,^<

"Bottoms Up!" Bumble Bee

"Bottoms Up!" Bumble Bee

This bumble bee was literally upside down in this lavendar thistle in pursuit of nectar, and in the process getting dusted with pollen.

Tippy-Toe Lady Bug

Tippy-Toe Lady Bug

I was amazed at how this lady bug seemed to be on its tippy-toes, standing straight out from this sunflower (whose petals had all but dropped off).