Flower Friday ...

... First crocuses.

Well ... I've gone and done it.  I've purchased the Nikkor 28-400mm lens (Z mount) that I had rented.  However I didn't purchase it from the rental place as the offer to do so was more costly than buying elsewhere.  And I would have been buying a used lens!  Why would I do that!?!

I was really quite impressed with the lens ... and I feel it will be very versatile with that wide focal range.  

As soon as it was delivered today we immediately put it to the test by going to the Plainfield Rail Trail for a lovely walk.  Although there really wasn't much to photograph there.  But I was thrilled to find these beautiful crocuses on our drive to the trail.  Thanks to Anni for hosting Flower Friday each week.

In other news:  I read some happy news (along with all the bad) today about the Monarch butterfly. The number of monarch butterflies wintering in the mountains west of Mexico City rebounded this year, doubling the area they covered in 2024. The article states that the annual butterfly count doesn't calculate the number of butterflies, but rather the number of acres they cover as they gather on tree branches. Mexico's Commission for National Protected Areas said butterflies covered 4.4 acres this year, compared to only 2.2 acres the year before.  Good news indeed!