An early summer fire:

Had the opportunity to visit #Indy.  Great city - only landlocked non-river hub i'm told.  Cleaning up 466 pics from the visit, so more to follow @ http://www.smokenphoto.com/Street-Scenes/Indy/29343355_HG83Tm

It was a rainy day earlier this week in DC.  I had some time to kill before my flight back to Morgantown, so I was looking for some indoor options to spend my time.  I got a couple of interesting picture in the Museum, but between rain showers, I was able to walk around the outside of the building where they have very large planters filled with flowers of all types.  My favorite pictures of flowers are either when they are wet from rain or near dusk with just a little sun on them.

Aren't we just so smart - we've recently reinvented the electric car!

Only one allowed on the White House ( #WhiteHouse ) lawn without credentials.  Secret Service needs to watch #Wanted !   

The Philly FTA Office has lost sight of its purpose so much so that our local transit service went to the National Museum of American History to pick up a new bus.  This 50's model bus is now "back in service" helping us get through until the bureaucrats can get their coffee and sharpen their red pencils.  On a positive note, the windows will go down so you can catch a breeze.  Apparently, they are grandfathered exempt from the new safety regulations designed to save us all from WMATA's deferred maintenance plan.

Here's a "closer-up" of a Red Bud bloom after a nice afternoon Spring rain.  

I caught a half-way decent shot of a Pileated Woodpecker. These birds never hold still. They are SOOO hard to get in focus. They are leary and hide when they see a person. They bob their heads up from bottom cover very quickly to look around and they never hold still while on a tree.  Do you have a picture of one of these guys?  I'd like to see it.  I've seen a few better shots set up on a feeder, but they like carpenter ants so its tough to attract them to a setup.

Here's a warm fire for your warm home thoughts, whether you are home today or not.  Close your eyes, rub your hands together, then hold them palm down over the fire to warm.  Go back to that warm place you want to be, make the world stop, and be there for a moment.

You're not my friend and you're not my Pal, you're just my Snow Bud..