These are just a few of the wonderful floral photos we've recently received here at the Pasty Cam. Thanks to Sue Haralson, Dan Urbanski, and Donn de Yampert for a great triple play.

Beautiful. Perfect way to start out the day!

Love the Lady Slipper. Five more days and I am on my way to the Great Lake State. My brother Bill, who lives in Louisiana is coming to visit today. Can't wait to show him Pasty.com. Have a great day.

Any entomologists out there?

beautiful pics! only 23 days till I'm in the UP!

The pics of the flowers are absolutely spectacular! We love going to the U.P., & seeing the pictures of the flowers brings it all back.
My S.O. is from Traverse City, but the beauty of the U.P. is something special that can't be described. It must be experienced! I hope that you all who live there know just how lucky you are!

The bug looks like what we in South Carolina call a "stink bug" - if you squish them they are decidedly stinky. Don't know if that's the same kind of bug tho.

Obviously this is not a professional observation! LOL

Great flower photos!! I check out this site every day to see the daily pictures and catch up on what's new in the U.P... I am bringing my family back to visit the end of July... my kids have never seen the U.P. and I can't wait to show them some of my old haunts... I was curious though. What kind of digital cameras do all these accomplished photographers use? I am considering buying a digital camera to replace my 25+ year-old 35 millimeter SLR and wanted to get a pretty nice one. Does anyone have any recommendations on good products, and perhaps just as important, recommendations on what NOT to buy? Thanks..

As usual great pics. Love the site, I'm on it at least once a day.
In one hour I'm on my way "nort" to Calumet my home town. Can't wait to get there!

I was backpacking at Pictured Rocks last weekend, and saw several of the Lady's Slippers. The flies and skeeters bothered us so much, though, that we hiked out two days earlier than planned. Specatular views, but we could only take so many bugs!

Love the daily pics. Yes, Amy, the U.P.is noted for it's bugs. I have an idea for this site; maybe it could have a daily 'bug index'. Similiar to the UV ray index and heat index, a 'bug index' would be on the 1 to 10 scale with 10 being the worst bug biting known to the continental U.S. Just a thought. My wife and I will be in the U.P. about Aug. I and hopefully the 'skeeters' will have subsided somewhat by then.

For Dave Cloutier:

Just replaced my old 35 mm camera with a Minolta Dimage 4.0 megapixel digital camera, and I LOVE it. Takes great pictures, and has a lot of features -probably more than I will ever use. There are 4 levels of quality, and the standard quality level is excellent. It's lightweight and easy to get started with, and has Minolta's excellent lens system. Best of all is the price - it's about $200 cheaper than comparable models, but it doesn't come with rechargeable batteries. Get rechargeables - they last a lot longer. Digital photography is a whole new paradigm, though, are you ready? I'll be testing mine extensively in the UP starting middle of July!

For Dave:
I am using a Sony DSC-F707 digital camera (Click here for more info).
Regards,
Donn

Lovely photos, as always!

Happy Independence Day to everyone! Celebrate your freedom!

Thanks to everyone for the information about digital cameras. I can see that I have a lot to learn about it, but what the heck all it takes is time and money... :)

I think that is what is known as a Red/Blue Checkered Beetle. You see a lot of them on flowers this time of year because they love to eat pollen. Can't wait for my next trip to the good old UP in a few weeks.

we have a stink bug here in the u.p. but its small and green.also we have lots of ticks this summer.but ill take the up anyday.

Hey Charlie, how about some shots of the Stillwaters gardens? THERE'S some flowers! That place is gorgeous!

Hey Dave S. from Florida - good idea about the bug biting index!! I have a feeling it would be in the higher ranges most of the time between June and September though. That's why we're waiting to go up to the UP around the end of August this year if we go. Skeeters are one thing...you can at least hear them coming. Blackflies are silent and sneaky. I have a t-shirt I got from Copper World that advertises that I'm an Upper Michigan Blood Donor. How true!! dr said there are ticks now too. Is this unusual?

Forgot to say gorgeous flower pics! And bugs and all, I want to move back there. Sooner the better.

Hi,,,Neat photo's,,,Could Sue, Dad or Donn tell us what kind of camera, film etc used to shoot such excellent pics? Thanks,,

beautiful pics sat and admired them,look forward
to seeing more.
regards jan

For Mr. Cloutier.
I am going to sound very odd to you, but are you by any chance a newspaper reporter. It's just too odd of a cooincidence. I was just looking on this site to see if there were any flower that is intresting to the eye but dosn't give off too much of a scent.

It is just too odd of a cooincodence.

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e mail:\
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ail.com}.

With respect in memory of prencess lady diana.
14.07.2005

Dear.Director,/friend,s/lady/man,

Hello, this web site es very nice and wondurful web
site, if you love to prencess lady diana, you must to be
sent to this important letter message,for usa of
president george bush, for support finance 500.000 usd
for project of diana.thanks
sincerely yours
s?r.yakup kaymaz
writer
e mail:\
mail{yakupkaymaz@hotmail.com,yakupkaymaz@hotm
ail.com}

With respect in memory of prencess lady diana.
14.07.2005

Dear.Director,/friend,s/lady/man,

Hello, this web site es very nice and wondurful web
site, if you love to prencess lady diana, you must to be
sent to this important letter message,for usa of
president george bush, for support finance 500.000 usd
for project of diana,please sent to my e
mail:\
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sincerely yours
s?r.yakup kaymaz
writer
e mail:\
mail{yakupkaymaz@hotmail.com,yakupkaymaz@hotm
ail.com}