I promised more images from my Kolob Terrace trip. Sorry it took so long getting these out there. 
I love the juxtaposition of the light yellows and greens against the dark green.
Perfect spot for relaxing and enjoying the sound of the ripples on the shore.
Beautiful day for a flight (if you’re a Mallard duck).
Enjoy!
A couple of days ago, I decided to have some fun with my 300mm lens and decided to go bird hunting to see what kind of birds I could capture on film. To my surprise, I found this:
A Black-headed Grosbeak! I didn’t know these were in Zion National Park! I saw this hopping from tree to tree singing his little heart out and it was amazing to hear!
I also ran across the Western Tanager.
Now there’s a sight to behold! He is gorgeous!!
You know the old saying, “The early bird gets the worm.” Well, this wasn’t early (it was late afternoon) and the bird still got the worm. 
A robin enjoying his dinner.
Do you remember the old Anne Murray song “Snowbird”? A line of it is:
“Little snowbird take your wings and fly away…”, well, this bird did.
And so will I.
Enjoy,
Kelly
On the advice from a fellow blogger, I organized my galleries to be subject specific. There is a new gallery for Bryce Canyon National Park (I realize I need to post more photos of this beautiful place), Grand Canyon National Park, and of course, my beloved Zion National Park. I also posted galleries for flowers and birds, with a gallery for Ancient Art, Arizona, and Other Animals in the works.
Enjoy the images! Remember, they are all available for purchase. Contact me for details.
. . . . . You’re not my ducklings!!!!!
(a little humor to brighten your day) 
Today something amazing happened! I was interviewed by Bob Grove for the radio program called “Inside the Outdoors“. We talked about Zion Lodge, Zion National Park, and the exciting things to do here throughout the year.
I was quite nervous because I haven’t done anything like this before, but it was quite fun. Of course, there were technical difficulties with the Internet connection. (What do you expect in a national park? We’re lucky to have email and basic surfing).
Anyway, the show will air this coming Saturday morning from 7:00 – 9:00 am Mountain Standard Time. (I think it’s +7:00 GMT, but don’t quote me on that). The link for the show is here if you want to stream it online.
Thanksgiving is more than turkey with all the trimmings, football and pumpkin pie. It’s about gratitude for all we have. It’s basically the National Day of Gratitude, or it should be.
I’m thankful for family, God and all His blessings, friends, and all who follow this blog. I appreciate all the likes, input, and comments.
So, here’s probably the turkey who everyone would love to have for their feast, but likely wouldn’t fit in the oven.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I want to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Remember this day is for gratitude for everything we have and cherish. Especially our freedoms and family. Please remember freedom isn’t free. Thank a Soldier and Veterans for our freedoms.
Here is President Lincoln’s proclamation making today a day of Thanksgiving in 1863:
The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.
In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well as the iron and coal as of our precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.
And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the imposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the divine purpose, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.
I’m participating in LetsBeWild.com’s Wild Weekly Photo Challenge. This week’s Challenge is: Birds of a Feather!
Do you remember the old joke? Why did the chicken cross the road? To which there are a plethora of answers. However, the question that needs to be asked is why are the ducks crossing the sidewalk?
Of course, there can be several answers to that one. Just don’t try to figure it out because geese just don’t make sense sometimes.
Here is a strange fellow. Ever seen a duck like this? I guess you could call this a strange duck.
Yes, that is a tuft on his head and it’s natural. Not sure what type it is.
Here are some ducks lounging on the edge of the pool taking in the sights.
Of course here is the Mallard Duck sunning himself.
Here are some rare ducks that are native to the wetlands of Las Vegas, Nevada. I’m just not sure what type they are.
Here is a type of goose, just not sure what type.
Ducks do have friends. They are peacocks. Birds of a feather do flock together.
Here is another look at the peacock.
Anyone hungry? Although it’s not quite Thanksgiving yet, this one would make a family very satisfied.
And of course, just for fun. This bird isn’t real, but it represents something that is much bigger than any of the birds above, it’s our National Symbol of Freedom. The Bald Eagle.
I’m participating in the onlineadventure travel and photography magazine LetsBeWild.com’s Wild Weekly Photo Challenge for bloggersThis week’s Challenge is: Look Up, so venture into nature and point your lens above you!
Have you ever wondered what life would look like upside down? Well, a friend of mine recently experienced this feeling. This is what happens when you do a Tyrolian Traverse, then letting go and trusting your equipment. He’s a lot braver than I am, but we had fun that day!
I’m reminded of a song:
“Up, Up and away, my beautiful balloon…”
Imagine the solitude in one of these! It must be breathtaking from up there!
Here’s a “Bad Moon Rising”
And the moon coming up over the Eagle’s Crags in Zion National Park, Utah.
Here is the beautiful California Condor in flight, the largest bird of prey in North America.
Last but not least, the magnificent Peregrin Falcon.
First of all, I want to thank everyone for the Audience Choice Award for last week’s entry of John Ford‘s Point in Monument Valley! It’s a great honor!!
I’m participating in the online adventure travel and photography magazine LetsBeWild.com’s Wild Weekly Photo Challenge for bloggersThis week’s Challenge is: Now!
Yesterday while at work, I noticed some turkeys running around. The males were strutting their stuff to gain dominance in the harem, while at the same time trying to gain interest of the females. It’s actually quite entertaining!
After a while, they settled down to eat whatever they could scrounge out of the lawn. Oh, by the way, that is a four-point buck mule deer munching away at the grass as well. I call this one “Walking on the Wild Side.”
This is from earlier this afternoon while walking home from work, I caught a waterfall at Employee Falls
Tonight, when I went outside to go to dinner, I looked up and realized I NEED my camera with me! This was the view from my front door tonight!
This is Mountain of the Sun, which is behind the building where I live.
This is Lady Mountain, with Mount Zion in front (the little peak to the right).
I walked further down, and captured this:
This is Lady Mountain on the left, Castle Dome in the middle and Cathedral Mountain on the right.
I finally made it to dinner (barely), but when I saw this, there was no way I was passing this up!
This is Zion Lodge, in beautiful Zion National Park (my home). This is where i live and work. Jealous??!?
Kelly Guymon Photography 