Friday, August 19, 2011

Super Deluxe Butterfly Post

I like the picture above because it shows action and movement. It almost looks like the butterfly is about to catch fire. This isn't the best pi8cture in the world, but the effect came out looking nice.

You may have guessed by the title that this is going to be a long post. And you'd be right! I'll try to keep it as short as possible, but there are a lot of pictures and some other weird parts. We'll talk about butterflies. I'll give you another Blogger code tip. And I have a little bit to say about Rob's newest post on Nature Center Magazine.

These are some more butterflies from the place I showed you two posts ago. I liked it so much that I decided I had to go back. It seems that this place is a haven for swallowtail butterflies. The best thing is that you can stand there and watch them right from the hiking trail.

Normally butterflies are always moving and much too quick to get their pictures, but there were so many here that it was easy for me to pick some while they were on these plants. All I had to do was watch for the ones that were landing. They didn't stay there for long.

So now it's time for another little blog tip break. This is another one for you Blogger users out there. this one is for those of you that are using the Label gadget with the Cloud style. I'm going to show you how to style your labels cloud to really look like a series of labels! This one doesn't really work as well in Internet Explorer, but it looks amazing in all other modern browsers.

If you'd like to see an example of what I'm talking about then go to Nature Center Magazine. At the bottom of the page you'll see the title "Our Featured Articles". This is my label cloud. The code below will make yours look just like mine.

/*Label Cloud Section*/

.cloud-label-widget-content {
    text-align: center;
}

.label-size a {
    font-family: Chewy;
    color: #529712;
    text-shadow: 2px 2px 1px #cbcbcb;
    display: inline-block;
    position: relative;
    padding: .7em;
    padding-left: 2em;
    margin: 0 .5em .5em 0;
    background: #98C273;
    text-decoration: none;
    font-weight: bold;
}

.label-size a:hover {
    background: #9fdf84;
}

.label-size a:before {
    content: '';
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    right: 0;
    bottom: 0;
    left: 0;
    z-index: 1;
  
    background: -moz-radial-gradient(.6em .6em, circle, #529712 .55em, rgba(255,255,255,0) .6em) -.6em -.6em,
                -moz-radial-gradient(1em 50%, circle, #529712 .35em, rgba(255,255,255,0) .4em),
                -moz-radial-gradient(1em 47%, circle, rgba(0,0,0,.4) .4em, transparent .43em);
    background: -o-radial-gradient(.6em .6em, circle, #529712 .55em, rgba(255,255,255,0) .6em) -.6em -.6em,
                -o-radial-gradient(1em 50%, circle, #529712 .35em, rgba(255,255,255,0) .4em),
                -o-radial-gradient(1em 47%, circle, rgba(0,0,0,.4) .4em, transparent .43em);
    background: -ms-radial-gradient(.6em .6em, circle, #529712 .55em, rgba(255,255,255,0) .6em) -.6em -.6em,
                -ms-radial-gradient(1em 50%, circle, #529712 .35em, rgba(255,255,255,0) .4em),
                -ms-radial-gradient(1em 47%, circle, rgba(0,0,0,.4) .4em, transparent .43em);
    background: -webkit-radial-gradient(.6em .6em, circle, #529712 .55em, rgba(255,255,255,0) .6em) -.6em -.6em,
                -webkit-radial-gradient(1em 50%, circle, #529712 .35em, rgba(255,255,255,0) .4em),
                -webkit-radial-gradient(1em 47%, circle, rgba(0,0,0,.4) .4em, transparent .43em);
}

.label-size a:after {
    content: '';
    position:absolute;
    top:.25em;
    right:.25em;
    bottom:.25em;
    left:.25em;
    border: 1px rgba(0,0,0,.3) dashed;
    outline: 1px rgba(255,255,255,.5) dashed;
}

/*End Label Cloud Section*/

Just copy the code above and paste it into your Template Designer's Add CSS section. You will probably have to adjust some of the color codes so it will match your blog. The color codes you'll mainly want to change are  "#529712". Do the changes slowly and watch for the changes in your tag cloud as you do. Experiment a little bit with the color codes until you get what you want. But then if you don't like your results, all you have to do is delete the code.

I want you to let me know if you like this tip. Also, is it too hard? Is it easy enough for you? If you tell me about your experience with this then I'll know how easy or hard to make my tips in the future. I almost gave you a tip that was much harder than this one.

That's it for the tips today.

Now on to my current , uh, favorite subject, Robert Wayne. Rob has a new post up today over at Nature Center Magazine. I'm keeping an eye on him because of his mean spirited demeanor, but I have to confess that it has been successful.

His newest post is more opinionated than his last. This one is apparently about dogs in public. I had to censor some bad language, but otherwise the post is intact from the way he wrote it. I think he puts some of that stuff in there just to irritate me.

Just remember that if you read what he says that it is all his opinion, and his alone.

So now we come to a close with butterfly week. My butterfly pictures are pretty much done, but I still have some good stuff from around that area. I hope you liked this huge post of mine. I know some of you can't use the blog tip I posted so I'll look for a more accessible one when I post the next one.

Notice how these butterflies all seem to be in tatters. They must have had it rough, but they are still flying as if there's nothing wrong at all. I wonder how older humans look to butterflies. Do they appear to be in tatters to them? What do you think about it?


Nature Center Magazine - Your starting place for nature!

18 comments:

  1. About your tips Ratty. I'm too nervous to attempt them. But keep going, maybe one day I will get braver.

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  2. @Don't unplug your hub
    I'll make sure there are some easy ones too. I know these are too much for a lot of people. I almost did one that was even more difficult, but then I caught myself. :)

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  3. I really like your first photo Ratty, the feeling of movement is great. That butterfly is really enjoying the beautiful teasel flowers, great shots Ratty.

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  4. Sometimes they pump ther wings a lot while eating.I wasn't sure if this was a defense to fool predators.

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  5. beautiful butterfly pictures, I agree with you on the first one, the movement indeed shows the butterfly is almost on fire, beautiful!

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  6. I find the tips mixed in with the nature stuff distracting

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  7. Thank you all for your comments. Reading them is my favorite part of blogging.
    -

    @Sharkbytes
    Thanks for the input about the tips. I've thought the same thing from the start, but I wasn't sure before where to put them, and I didn't want to start a fourth blog. Maybe I'll try making them separate posts.

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  8. lovely butterfly shots. If I was a little braver I might try the word cloud thing. I'm always nervous about having to mess with it.

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  9. You have reminded me to look at some of my butterflies over here.

    So then I run as they are flying, but seemed like I was flying as well.

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  10. I love the butterfly photos!

    My human says she agrees with Rob about most dogs off leash, although she probably would have said it in a different way! I guess she is just not as honest.

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  11. Hello! Wonderful photos! Beautiful butterfly!

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  12. Fantastic photos, Ratty! I love the colors of the butterfly and the flower.

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  13. Wonderful photos Ratty. I'll try implementing some of these tips later on. I'm a bit busy now but they look like fun.

    Now to wander over th Nature Center magazine......

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  14. Beautiful butterfly shots, Ratty! I might try the word cloud thingy - interesting! :)

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  15. The butterflies are gorgeous! Although the label thing looks complicated for a computerly challenge person like me.

    Joyce
    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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  16. I've got some opinions about dogs off leashes--I'm gonna have to go read that. :)

    I'm always amazed at how butterflies fly with frayed wings. They seem so fragile, but I think they are tough little creatures.

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  17. I love the way you capture the images of butterfly...very clear and it is in exact moment

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