October 28, 2004
The Moon...
I'm starting to play with how to take pictures of the moon...here are a couple examples.
The first is during last night's lunar eclipse...the second an earlier combination of crisp skies, clouds, and full moon...
If you click on either picture, you'll get a larger version...
October 27, 2004
To bridge a creek...
Mikey and I used the last vestiges of light yesterday to finish the bridge in the picture. We have a creek which dissects our property...and it's always been a bit interesting finding a safe spot to cross without getting wet.
The bridge is not as I originally intended. I didn't follow the rule to "measure first"...and bought eight foot landscaping logs to work as trusses. I found out after that our creek is almost always at least eight feet wide :-)
The location I chose has a large rock jutting out, but it did mean the bridge had to be thinner than desired. I may design a more elaborate bridge in the future...who knows if this one will survive the spring flooding :-)
If you click on the image you'll see a larger version...
October 25, 2004
Synchronized birding...
This picture is from my office window. We have a bunch of doves visiting our trees...and I thought it was pretty neat how these two were vertically aligned :-)
As you can see, it doesn't take much to entertain me...
If you click on the image, you'll see a larger version...
October 20, 2004
Ice on the windshield...
Of all the birds that frequent our feeders, this type of woodpecker (either Downy or Hairy) is my favorite. A lousy picture through the need-to-be-cleaned deck doors, but you can still see the red blotch on the back of the head that shows that it is male.
As for "ice on the windshield" -- I thought it was only condensation, but no such luck. I had to take out the scraper before I could head for the Post Office this morning...
October 19, 2004
Smellin' like whacky watermelon...
Is there really and explanation of the picture to the left? I suppose nothing short of my warped brain cells.
Actually, it's something I threw together quickly as I was testing some new software I purchased. I've been using Xara's Webstyle for a while (great for menus, quick photo editing, etc.), and finally bit the bullet and bought Xara X1. This is great (vector-based) image editing software, which also just added special photo editing features, and, as you can see, allows you to easily create animated gifs.
The quality issues with my work are a combination of the wrong tools (I just have a mouse to outline Mikey's image), very little time spent, and my lack of hand/eye coordination. Mikey liked it though :-)
And speaking of Mikey...I climbed in the shower to find that the soap was such a small speck it was unusable. My beautiful wife was out bringing Jenn to school...so, what to do?
Of course, I could get out of the shower and look for another bar...but instead I chose the Mr. Bubble Wacky Watermelon Body Wash solution.
October 18, 2004
A weekend in southwest New Hampshire
I meant to get these up last night...but my wireless network was acting up, and I was too lazy to get up and fix it :-)
We drove down to Milford to see if our favorite breakfast place had reopened -- it hadn't. On the way back we made a quick stop at an antique shop...and the car in the picture was parked in front of a nearby candy shop...
Part of the reason we took the trek south was to catch the...I can't remember the name...but it's not a catapult...the "not-a-catapult" pictured here. I snapped too quickly...but it is in mid action in the photo, in the midst of throwing a pumpkin at a castle (also pictured here).
It missed.
Also available, free at charge, at the pumpkin-castle-storming were oxen-pulled cart rides. Although I could show you the full image of the two oxen, the cart, and lucky commuters...I think one of the oxen is far more noteworth :-)
If you click on any of the images, you'll get a larger version. It would have been far more interesting...but no, people weren't allowed near the castle as the pumpkin was thrown...
October 6, 2004
Turkeys, fog, and foliage...
I had hoped the picture to the left would turn out better...but it does give an idea of what has been a regular sight during my (almost daily) trip down Elm Avenue. The mountain is Crotched Mountain, site of a ski area.
In the same area I snapped the fog photo are some trees in the midst of changing color. Estimates were that we'd be in peak foliage time right now, but I think we are only 50% there. It doesn't mean it's not beautiful though :-)
So...that covers the fog and foliage...but why turkeys? I'm sad to say that I didn't have my camera with me recently when, at the bottom of Elm Avenue (near 202) a flock of wild turkeys decided to stroll out in the road in front of us. About 13 slowly made it to the left side of the road...with two remaining on the right. So, I figure we can go forward soon...then one more turkey decides maybe he'll go left...and then the 13 on the left decided they wanted to go right again...
All I could say to my beautiful wife was, "Turkeys are dumb birds." :-)