Marlins Ballpark, Miami

Some of you might not know that Sarah was a big Sports-biz reporter before her Foreign Service career. She wrote all sorts of sports stories, from ticket sales to tournaments and special events. But one subject dwarfed everything Sarah covered. The long road of Major League Baseball's Marlins to get a stadium built.

How does life work? You spend 11 years on the story, write 10,000 or so items on it, and then the park opens after you leave. No matter, Sarah and James finally got to see the place for themselves upon returning from our India tour. For James, the place was worth three photographs.

The outside.

The inside.

The unclear.

Checking Out The Fauna At Birdsacre Sanctuary, Ellsworth, Maine

Maine is full of nice, small surprises. One little gem is an animal sanctuary in Ellsworth, Maine, near Bar Harbor. It's called Birdsacre.

The sanctuary is a nice retreat, featuring various enclosures for birds and an extensive system of paths throughout the property. Come commune with nature in all its glory.

Hello duck.

They also have a pavilion stocked with stuffed species and related scientific information. It's a chance to grab a little survey in diorama form.

Bones and beaks present good grist for photo still lifes.

Nice talons.

Lovely mixed media of stuffed bird, paintings and reflections.