Saturday, February 21, 2026

Pic(k) of the Week: Winter speedwell

Winter speedwell
Click on the image for a larger, hi-res version (on Flickr).

In deep winter, a tiny birdseye speedwell (Veronica persica) blooms during a 'false' (22 °C!) spring.

East Decatur Greenway
City of Decatur, Georgia, USA.
9 January 2026.

This is a close-up. The blossom — maybe 0.4 inches wide (1 cm) — appears much larger in the image than it did in 'real' life.


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Walter Piston:
The Incredible Flutist (Tango of the Merchant's Daughters)
Album:
Piston: Symphony No. 6, The Incredible Flutist, 3 New England Sketches
(Label: RCA Victor Red Seal, 1991)

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Saturday, February 14, 2026

Pic(k) of the Week: A Sunday kind of hawk

A Sunday kind of hawk
Click on the image for a larger, hi-res version (on Flickr).

A red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) perched in a tree: a wonderful find for a winter's Sunday stroll.

When I first noticed this handsome fellow, he was sitting in a marsh, far from my position and partially hidden from sight. I found a fallen bough to sit on and waited, hoping he might move closer for a 'cleaner' shot. Forty-five minutes later, he obliged.

And, for a moment, I felt like a 'birder.'

Decatur Legacy Park
City of Decatur, Georgia, USA.
11 January 2026.


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Barry Harris: Ornithology
Album: Breakin' It Up (Label: Argo, 1959)

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Saturday, February 07, 2026

Pic(k) of the Week: Ice in the Deep South

Ice in the Deep South
Click on the image for a larger, hi-res version (on Flickr).

In January 2026, a large winter ice storm swept the U.S., from southwest Texas to northeast Maine. In north-central Georgia, the temperature fell to -10 °C (14 °F).

Hawthorne Nature Trail
DeKalb County, Georgia, USA.
25 January 2026.


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Art Ensemble of Chicago: Dreaming of the Master
Album: Nice Guys (Label: ECM, 1979)

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Saturday, January 31, 2026

Pic(k) of the Week: Sweetgum sunset

Sweetgum sunset
Click on the image for a larger, hi-res version (on Flickr).

Winter-dried fruits of an American sweetgum tree 'litter' a paved trail at sunset.

Stone Mountain Trail at the Avondale Railyard
DeKalb County (Scottdale), Georgia, USA.
21 January 2026 (6:17 pm EST).

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American Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is one of the most common hardwoods in the southeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States. Stepping on the tree's fallen dried seed pods can feel like stepping on a toy Lego piece, barefoot or shod. This hiker was adroitly avoiding that fate.

The Stone Mountain Trail is one in the PATH Foundation's system of pedestrian trails in and around Atlanta, Georgia. It comprises nineteen miles of purpose-built paved trails and municipal-built sidewalks that connect downtown Atlanta (at Centennial Olympic Park) east to Stone Mountain Park.


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Francis Poulenc: Sonate pour flûte et piano (Flute Sonata)
Album: Bennett & Benson – Poulenc: Flute Sonata
(Label: Camerata, 1995)

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Saturday, January 24, 2026

Pic(k) of the Week: Couleurs en fin d'année

Couleurs en fin d'année
Click on the image for a larger, hi-res version (on Flickr).

Couleurs en fin d'année: the glory of a tree in December.

Postal Pond in Decatur Legacy Park.
City of Decatur, Georgia, USA.
23 December 2025.


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Betty Carter: Tight
Album: The Audience with Betty Carter (Label: Bet-Car, 1980)

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