Two Arboretums

Went to two arboretums today and shot very different things. The assigned competition at NWHPC this month is "Fast Food Icons." Yesterday at McDonalds I kept my coffee cup. Alcy and I took it to Mercer Arboretum for some objects in an unusual environment shots. I'm holding back a few since they may be in contention for the competition. I wanted to put the McCafe cup on a lilypad in the Koi pond, but Alcy wouldn't let me. Then Alcy, Debi and I had planned on going to the San Jacinto Monument but it was heavily overcast and rained off and on so we went to the Beer Can House instead. It wasn't open so we drove over to the Houston Arboretum. I always shoot the same thing, tree stumps. Of course, I never take the macro or a tripod, both of which are needed as dark as it was today. The rain really brought out the colors in the wood. The Houston Arboretum is not an arboretum of flowers. It is strictly natural habitat. As a result of the drought a large number of trees have not survived and had to be cut down. Bad for trees, good for my photography. All the parks in the Houston area have suffered. The trees lost are in the thousands.