This tulip is dropping its petals. The flower has a kind of grace and a shabby, once elegant look.

Aging Tulip is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

This orange tulip has an unusual variegated pattern. It is growing in the Heritage Garden of Hunt County.

Variegated Orange Tulip is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

This slightly weather beaten tulip grows in the Heritage Garden of Hunt County.

Red Tulip is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

My puppy caught this unfortunate shrew this morning. I am not sure what type of shrew it is, as the poor thing was rather thoroughly slobbered on. However, it is from Hunt County, Texas.

The taming of the shrew is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

I do not usually take pictures of captive animals, but went to Eagle Fest in Rains County yesterday. Blackland Prairie Raptor Center had some birds there that, because of injuries or imprinting on humans, could not be released into the wild.  Here are some pictures of the birds they brought.

Red Tailed Hawk

Red shouldered hawk

Red Phase Eastern Screech Owl

Mississippi Kite

Great Horned Owl

American Kestrel

Raptors at the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

Sometimes I do embroidery. This is a heraldic lion I did on a pillow I take camping.

Embroidered Heraldic Lion is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

If you are driving around the square in Weatherford, Texas, you will see an odd sight.  There is a building that has the battlements around the top of it, and a suit of armor in a niche in the wall.  This is the meeting place of the local Knights of Pythias, a fraternal organization.  It does look a little out of place, however.

Pythian Knight in Weatherford, Texas is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

The Knights of  Pythias are a fraternal order similar to the Masons or Knights of Columbus.  In the early 20th century, they built a home for widows and orphans of their members in Weatherford, Texas.  Considering themselves New World Knights, this home was built in the form of a castle.

Eventually, more domitories were added to each side, leaving a truly massive structure.

At its’ height, about 500 people lived here.  They raised their own food and worked around the place to pay for their room and board.  As society began to take better care of its orphans and widows, Pythian House was no longer so needed.  Currently, it holds only about 50 kids.  They are not allowed to raise their own food any more and the nice little gatehouse has fallen into disrepair.

The Pythian House can be seen from the Interstate in Weatherford.  My father had visitors from Europe who were very curious about the castle in the middle of Texas.  My father simply told them that there were lots of castles in Europe, and we had castles, too.

Pythian Castle, Weatherford, Texas is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

My puppy Star was a year old November 29th.  Now close to 70 pounds, she dwarfs her mother.  Here she is investigating the pasture.

Star on Point is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

This is an old oak tree near an old barn on my property.  I love trees with character.

Old Oak Tree with Old Barn is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.