Monday, April 19, 2010

BURNING BARREL.....MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!

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My mission this morning was to find a big metal burning barrel so my travels took me to a small store in the tiny burg of Winthrop.  A barrel was found, purchased for $12, & loaded into the mini-van.  A sticker on the barrel's side told me it had once been filled with concentrated carrot juice. 

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A leisurely drive back to Bayfield took me through a little whistle stop of a place called Slabtown which of course reminded me of Slab City, California.  The only thing the two places really had in common was the word Slab!!
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Although it was a bright sunny day the air was cold making a motorcycle tour too uncomfortable.  Bike needs a good washing but I do not like doing that at home because of our chlorine polluted water which leaves water spots on everything.  Chamois only drags those round chemical spots into long chemical spots.  First warm day I'll head the bike for the car wash where chemical free water is used in a final rinse & doesn't leave any spotting.

DSC_7161 DSC_0008 DSC_7160 FARMERS WERE BUSY ON THE LAND TODAY

Very pleased with the new 20" HP computer monitor we got.  It is HD ready & is as clear & sharp as can be.  Big difference over the older & smaller off color sized monitor.  Really makes it nice for working on photos.  Am getting to like the new Toshiba lap top more all the time & Windows 7 & I are slowly becoming friends with the exception of it's Windows Live email program which I still totally hate!!

DSC_0001 OLD MONITOR ON LEFT & NEW HP ON RIGHTDSC_7167 EVEN THE TURTLES KNOW SPRING IS HERE

It was one month ago today we left Apache Junction near Phoenix Arizona on our long journey home.  That first day took us as far as Deming New Mexico & as it turns out, our second last day of heavy southwest winds.  Those big winds are one thing we do not miss about the west.  We had a side awning destroyed by a nasty Kansas crosswind 3 years ago but that was nothing compared to what happened to John & Brenda's first rig back in 07.  Check out JOHN'S blog today & see why people were asking them if they were, "the motorhome with the straps holding it together."

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Ivan from ROADTRIP 2010 is scrambling around right now in Zion Canyon Utah while RICK & PAULETTE are motoring along further north somewhere near Salt Lake City on their long journey back to British Columbia.  ROD & LOYCE  are still stuck in Red Bay Alabama undergoing repairs & warranty work on their Tiffin Motorhome while BRUCE & MARGIE are over on the eastern seaboard whooping it up at Walt Disney World in Florida.  LAURIE & ODEL I   think are in Knoxville Tennessee while STU & FROGGI DONNA are somewhere in the Grand Canyon area.  Not sure where MOTTY & PATTI are but they might also be in the Grand Canyon area.  We do know where DOUG & JOANNE are though because they have been in the Florida/Georgia neck of the woods for quite awhile now.  Aw yes, tis quite a life these wandering fellow RV Nomad folks lead.

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<<<< THE SIGN SAYS IT ALL

Came across a pair of new Rockport running shoes this morning that Kelly picked up for me about 3 years ago.  Totally forgot I had them so it didn't take me long to swap out my old blown out pair, hold a fitting memorial service for them, & lay the poor soles to rest in the trash bin.  I then had to quickly get out the garden hose out & mix me up a fine batch of garden mud to walk my new runners through.  Not cool if they don't look kinda wrecked up & lived in you know.  Had to do the same thing with my first cowboy hat a few years ago too.

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GROANER'S CORNER:((   For tonight's groaner I've decided to add my rendition of AA's 12th step program as it might apply to many of us bloggers some day.  I originally put this in my September 30th blog last year & I accidentally stumbled across it today.  Just scroll about two thirds of the way down the blog & look for..BLOGGER'S ANONYMOUS

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

A BIG PHOTO ORGANIZING CHALLENGE AHEAD

DSC_0015Been working on the desk top's Live Writer today in an effort to get all 3 computer Live Writer's to function the same so the blog remains consistent.   No easy task for memory cells already on overtime but I have made some headway.  Biggest stumbling block was my desktop LW format. Typing space was very narrow compared to the laptops.  Took me awhile to figure it out & had to go to 'Blogs'-'Edit Blog Settings'-'Editing.'  Once there I clicked the 'Refresh Theme' & LW updated the desktop computer & my screen switched to the wider format like the lappys.  I was instantly transported once again to Happy Camper status:))  Might be a few things to tweak out yet like print &  photo spacing, plus picture sizes.

DSC_7100 DSC_7095 DSC_7099I began a project today that I have been putting off for a long time.  Way too long!!  With the addition of the second laptop this past winter & tripled my confusion by downloading photos on 3 separate computer hard drives plus an external hard drive.  No big deal if you just take a few pictures here & there occasionally.  I have literally thousands scattered about!! 

DSC_0009I do have them in some kind of order on each computer though but I want to bring everything together in an organized fashion & separate into groups plus I have all last winter's trip to assemble into Picasa Web Albums.  I also have a Smug Mug account & plan to finally use this photography site to begin organizing photos into categories .  Flowers, Animals, Sunsets, Locations, Special Occasions, etc. etc.  I plan to go all through my stuff choosing only the best photos to be shown in Smug Mug.  I have a sunrise/sunset category in there right now that is so long it would put you to sleep so I have to get in there with my delete button & do some hacking & cutting.  I do have a few other albums on the site but I will be doing a lot of editing in them as well.  You can access the site by going to AL'S SMUG MUG SITE but keep an eye out because I will be in there somewhere very soon madly hacking away!!

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MAGNOLIA BLOSSOM

A cool cloudy morning but we finally coaxed the sun out about mid afternoon.  Looks like the days will be warming up this week.

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Phil had a question about how often do I use a tripod for my photos.  Wished I could say, 'a lot,' but that isn't the case.  A tripod is essential for getting those really crisp & sharp photos, especially of flowers.  They are also imperative in lower light situations like early dawn.  So, why don't I use my tripod?  I can hardly even think up a good excuse for that question.  Too lazy to carry one I guess.  I'm not a perfectionist either so that's why I am not a professional.  I pretty much hand hold every photo & am reasonably steady at doing that but it still doesn't excuse not using a tripod.  My enlarged photos wouldn't stand up in clarity to the next guy beside me using a tripod.  But, they are OK for the blog here & I have no intentions of ever printing or enlarging anything anyway.  Just not interested in that.

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And speaking of tripods, I have 3 stand-up tripods & 3 table top pods   One Slik 88N tripod I have had since the mid 80's & it's held together with duct tape & wooden splints.  I usually mount my binoculars on that one.  I do have a larger pod that I use with my telescope lens.  That lens/telescope is so heavy it cannot be hand held so is always mounted on a tripod when I use it.  Mainly for birds or moon shots at night.  Anyway, hope that helps a bit & thanks for asking Phil:))

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I normally shy away from photo contests & stuff like that because I do not have a competitive personality.  It's probably why I don't care for any kind of sports either.  Bayfield is having a photo contest for people to send in 4 of their best Bayfield photos for an upcoming calendar to be sold in the village.  Normally I wouldn't enter something like that but Kelly talked me into it & below are my 4 reluctant entries.  It is now four days before the contest closes & so far there are 67 entries which can be seen here at BAYFIELD CALENDAR.

DSC_0032Inner harbor DSC_0051 Sunset Cruise
DSC_0015-3Pioneer Park DSCF054811 Lone Bench

On the Bayfield Calendar site you will see the name 'Stargeezerguy' guy below my photos.  That is the name I use on my Flickr photo account which happens to be  hosting all the photo entiries.DSC_0012

GROANER'S CORNER:((  What is the difference between Bird Flu and Swine Flu?
For bird flu you need tweetment and for swine flu you need oinkment.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

A DAY OF ON & OFF SNOW SHOWERS:((

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It has been suggested that Friday night's blog was a bit long winded so I shall try to shorten up on tonight's effort.

DSC_7091 RED BELLIED WOODPECKER

We awoke to snow showers this morning & they continued on & off for the remainder of the day & that made for a cold damp & somewhat miserable Saturday.  And to think just the day before we broke a high temperature record for April 16th.

DSC_0020 FUJI CHERRY BLOSSOM

We were off in search of a metal burning barrel this morning.  We always burn our paper products & our old barrel is ka-put.  Drove all the way to a place called Walton (no mountain) but to no avail.  Later found out somebody got their W's mixed up & it was Winthrop we were to have headed for. 

DSC_7125 I THINK SOMEBODY IS EATING TOOOOOO MUCH BIRD SEED!!

Last Autumn I had dragged home 4 badly beaten up Cedar trees I found laying in our natural landfill area here at the Park.  Two survived the winter & two did not so I pulled the dead one's out of the ground yesterday & replaced them with a couple of Emerald Green Cedars that we picked up at the TSC store in Goderich today.

   DSC_0025 OUR 2 NEW EMERALD GREEN CEDAR TREES (Yes, I know I have to straighten that one up on the left)

Tonight I am publishing this blog with Live Writer on our desktop computer for the first time since last October.  I noticed it is formatted differently than my laptop so that is why it looks different tonight.  If I can't get this configured the way I want it I will probably go back to using Live Writer in the new laptop.  So far I am not having much luck in finding the right 'settings' buttons for LW on the desktop!!

DSC_7137 HAIRY WOODPECKER

Now, I said I was going to keep the blog short tonight so................Toodles:))

DSC_0005 GROANERS CORNER:))  A few one liners to keep your mind busy for awhile.......................

-Life is nothing like the brochure.

-A bartender is just a pharmacist with a limited inventory.

-Earth first. We'll screw up the other planets later.

-Life is a trip. Do you have a ticket or are you hitch-hiking?

-The world will end the day after the warranty expires.

-I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

-The only time the world beats a path to your door is when you're in the bathroom.

-Suburbia: where they tear out the trees and name streets after them.

-Don't sweat the petty things & don't pet the sweaty things.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

Friday, April 16, 2010

A FEW THOUGHTS ABOUT SEEING WITH A PHOTOGRAPHER'S EYE

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DEER PARK'S BEACH PLAYGROUND AWAITS THE SUMMER CHILDREN

Had a question from JERRY about the Fuji Cherry photo in yesterday's blog about how that was done.  Wished I could say it was some great photographic wizardry I performed but it was just basically a straight forward shot.  While at the computer I noticed a thin shaft of sunlight coming through the pine trees falling on a small section of our Fuji Cherry bush about 20 feet away.  Fortunately I had my camera & telescope lens already set up beside me for bird photos in the front yard.  I quickly focused square on the sunlit blossoms, guessed at a shutter speed of & took the photo.  A second later the sun had moved on leaving the bush in shadow.

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AT DEER PARK LODGE THIS LITTLE CABIN IS CALLED, 'THE HUTCH.'

The lens is equivalent to a fixed 700mm & I have no control over aperture like a normal lens which means I have no control over 'depth of field' which means I have no control of the 'depth of focus.  Simplified, that means even at the best of times, only a few inches of the subject are ever in focus.  Everything up to a couple inches in front of the subject are out of focus & everything from a few inches to infinity behind the subject are out of focus.  That explains the blossoms behind the subject being out of focus & they are darker because they are not highlighted by sunlight.  The only control I have on this lens is shutter speed & even that is limited.  This is a very difficult & limited lens to use & I would not recommend it over a normal camera lens made specifically for cameras.  Remember, this is a telescope I am using and it is adapted to my Nikon via some adaptor rings & hardware. (binder twine, duct tape, crazy glue, hair clips, & an assortment of bent clothes hangers:))

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A LONE CORMORANT SKIMS ACROSS THE WATER

While on the subject of photography I would just like to mention a few thoughts I have about 'seeing with a photographic eye.'  You do not have to have all kinds of expensive equipment to take great photos.  Thanks to the digital age my photography interests returned about 12 years ago.  My 35mm film camera days had ended years before that & my cameras sat unused in a closet.  After we got our first computer in about 1998 I slowly began to gain some interest in something called, digital photography.  Not knowing if this would interest me I bought a cheap little 1 megapixel camera at a store in London.  As soon as I uploaded my first few pictures to the computer screen I was hooked.  My head was awhirl with all kinds of ideas & possibilities.

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VIEW FROM INSIDE THE HUTCH

I used that simple 1M camera for years before moving up to something better but it was this camera that renewed my interest in photography again.  Of course the resolution quality wasn't there but it opened my eyes once again to the beautiful world around me.  I began to see  things again in a photographic way.  Couldn't change lenses with this camera but I knew about composition.  Couldn't change shutter speeds or apertures, but I knew a bit about lighting.  Couldn't afford a more expensive camera but knew I didn't need one at the time.  It was first things first & the first thing for me was to get my photographic eye back.  The art of seeing!!  All the greatest camera gear in the world is not going to help you if you do not see or not aware of your immediate surroundings.

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RICK sometimes jokes about Paulette's uncanny ability to spot Quilt Stores.  It's the same kind of principle as that.  Paulette is consciously or sub consciously on the look out for something she enjoys that is a hobby to her.  Rick doesn't notice the stores because his interests are focused elsewhere.  A Corvette Car Club member will spot all the Corvettes on the highway where I probably would miss them.  RV'ers will notice other RV's where many people wouldn't give them a second look.  It is the same thing in the photographer's world.  I see things that others don't see, simply because they are not attuned to them.  That Fuji Cherry photo is a good example of that. 

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ONE OF TWO BADMINTON NETS ON THE BEACH

Ten people standing in our sunroom looking out the window at the front yard probably wouldn't have seen those highlighted sunlit blossoms against the darker background & the only reason I saw that is because of my 'photographer's eye.'  Out of those 10 people looking out the window, one might be bird watcher so it is the bird's at the feeders they will see.  Another person's interests might be aggregates so they are probably looking at the many rocks in the gardens.  Somebody else might be interested in old cars so their attention is triggered by the 56 Ford Crown Victoria going by.  A horticulture person will notice all the shrubs & greenery.  Out of all those things which I am aware of, my attention was grabbed by a ray of sunlight on a cluster of Fuji blossoms.

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NOTICE THE NARROW DEPTH OF FIELD ON THESE PHOTOS....CHIPMUNKS NOSE IS SLIGHTLY OUT OF FOCUS AS IS HIS HIND QUARTERS BUT HIS FRONT RIGHT SHOULDER IS IN FOCUS.

In the beach sunset photos a lot of people would see the sun & water & take a nice picture of that. (which I did too)  However my eye spotted a lone chair further down the beach & my mind immediately began calculating the position of the descending sun, the water, & the silhouette photo that combination could produce.  That is the result of, 'the photographer's eye.' 

DSC_0034 Because I think in the terms of photography, I see in the terms of photography.  Everything out there is a photograph to me.  Shadows, cloud formations, colors, textures, foregrounds, backgrounds, people's faces, animals & birds, etc.  Everything.......  It is the art of seeing & it is the art of wanting to see.  The art of looking & understanding what you are looking at.  The art of seeing the finished photo in your mind before you even take it.

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Now, let me back up on this 'art' word I have been using quite a bit.  It's one I hesitate to use but haven't come up with a good substitute for.  The art of seeing with a photographic eye is something that I believe most anyone can develop if they want to, but it takes time. The more you do it the better you are going to become at it.  But, the interest has to be there.

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Ok, enough of all that, but first, here's what I suggest you do if you have a beginning interest in photography.  There are many great digital cameras on the market & I would say start out with a simple point & shoot cam.  And no, I do not mean a camera phone!!  I think my first digital cam was under a hundred dollars.  In this computer age we are soooooooo fortunate that we can step out the door, crack off a bunch of pics, step back inside, upload them in the computer, & within a couple minutes we can have our results right in front of us on a screen.  And, no cost:))  No more pricey film, expensive development charges, with days or weeks of waiting for results. Now, how easy is that.  What a great advantage for people with photography interests nowadays compared to years ago.  So, grab your cam, open your eyes & mind to your surroundings, & start clicking away:))  Don't just think about it.....get out there & do it!!  Oh, & a word of caution here.....these are just my opinions & are not coming from a professional photographer.  They are just the thoughts of someone who happens to enjoy the hobby of photography.

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Our Woodstock trip this morning to visit my Uncle Harry went well.  We had a meeting scheduled with a lady from Community Care Services for all of us to talk about & go over plans to extend my Uncles care to a long term care facility.  He is at a point now in his 93 years where he will soon be needing the kind of additional attention that his assisted living facility where he is now doesn't provide.  We chose 3 Nursing Home facilities in the Stratford area & Harry signed the papers to get the ball rolling for an opening.  Could be in a couple weeks, could be 6 months, or it could be longer.  There are long waiting lists here in Canada.

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STAIRS LEADING TO THE BEACH

Last week while Kelly was in Spencerport she was helping her Mother along the same lines with gathering info for her Dad if he should need additional care soon.  Now, here is something that really startled us.  Monthly care in a typical American nursing home facility is between $10,000 & 11,000 dollars a month.  In Canada the price is set by the government & all homes across the country charge the same monthly rate which is slightly in access of $2,100.  Harry is a veteran so that cost will be substantially reduced.  I hope I have those numbers right but I'm sure that is what I was hearing this morning.  Anyway, the meeting went well & Uncle Harry liked the lady that talked to him & explained things to him.  He was very tired & had just about enough time for a little snooze before his lunch time in the cafeteria so Kelly & I headed back to Bayfield.   Deer Park Lodge was waiting & Kelly had to be back to work. 

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Would you believe upon returning home from Woodstock I fell asleep in my recliner with a two thirds full cup of hot coffee in my hand.  Woke up about an hour & half later & hadn't spilled a drop.  I had been resting the coffee on my lap so had I spilled any I am sure I would have had a rather rude awakening!

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GROANER'S CORNER:((  The first man, Adam, was relaxing in the Garden of Eden when God said, "Adam, how would you like someone to prepare your meals, clean your house and wash your clothes, someone that loves and adores you and will obey your every wish?" Adam said, "That sounds pretty good, but how much will it cost me?" God replied, "An arm and a leg." Adam thought about it for a little while, then asked, "Well, what can I get for just one rib?"

Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/
OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.