Least Sandpiper

Cold winter days give me plenty of time to play with my Photoshop program...so much to learn and so fun. I just wish I could remember it all! It's amazing how quickly you can turn an ordinary photo into something very special.

I took pictures of this little Sandpiper in Southport, NC last fall. The Least Sandpiper is the smallest shorebird in the world. It occur in flocks of dozens or hundreds and forages at the upper edge of mudflats or along drier margins of inland ponds.

Jan. 17 – Maiden Voyage

The sun was out and the weather was finally nice, so we took the new boat out for a test run…everything was great. NO LEAKS! Stan will enjoy using it to fish from…when we’re home.

Jan. 12 – Boats to Build

“Days, precious days

Roll in and out like waves

I got boards to bend, I got planks to nail

I got charts to make, I got seas to sail

I'm gonna build me a boat with these two hands

She'll be a fair curve from a noble plan

Let the chips fall where they will

'Cause I've got boats to build”

(Jimmy Buffett)

I’m pretty sure Tom Sawyer didn’t have as much fun or build a boat as nice as the one Stan has been working on. Holidays and cold wet weather have slowed the progress on this little vessel, but now it’s almost finished. All it needs is a few more coats of varnish on the redwood trim, and a nice day so we can take it on its maiden voyage…I’ll let you know how that goes later.

A few pictures of the process

First coat of paint 

Almost ready for its maiden voyage