April 14th, Storms
The first real storms of the year moved through this afternoons and evening. Got to shoot a wall cloud and then later I caught some lightning.
Plum Blossums
Our Mexican plum trees are absolutely loaded with blooms. Now if we could just find some morels I would feel like spring was finally here.
Blizzard Birds 2-2-11
I have been wanting to get a shot of one of our Bluejays but they are quick to leave as soon as the door is opened. Had to get this shot through the kitchen screen.
While I was at it I spotted one of our male Cardinals waiting his turn behind all the Redwing Blackbirds and Starlings.
Sun Pillar
I got to witness my first sun pillar this evening. I had to darken this shot a little bit to bring out the pillar but it was very easily seen with the naked eye.
The Hunter the Rabbit and the Dog.
The weather was so nice out today and into this evening that I decided to get out and get some star trail shots this evening.
This first shot is a 15 second exposure.
This one is the same 15 second exposure from the first shot and 12 5 minute exposures stacked and darkened so that only the brightest stars actually show up in the trails.
This final one is the same 15 second exposure as the other two shots, its also the same 12 5 minute exposures stacked, only they are lightened so that only more of the stars show up in the trails.
Snow shots.
We got a little snow this last week, enough in fact, that they closed the schools down for two days. Does this look like enough snow to make you stay home from work? Makes me wonder what we are teaching our kids. I mean really, years from now are they going to think its okay to skip out on work when a couple inches of snow falls? Probably.
Grass fire!
This swath of pasture caught fire today and headed right for home.
Here is a shot of one of the NFD water trucks doing a little mop up work.
Some more of the NFD trucks doing a little clean up work. Thanks guys!
That amount of hay is probably going to burn for days.
This pic doesn’t to the real thing justice but it was taken from the yard just as the smoke started to die down a bit.
Hooter Hill Cemetery
We made our way out to the cemetery out at Hooter Hill for a few shots this afternoon just before sunset. It was really nice light out this evening and I pulled a few decent shots, here are a couple of them…
October 18th Storms.
Really? Yeah man, we had some killer storms last night. To me it was sort of unexpected but there were plenty of folks watching the skies last night. Frank hollered at Stacy and I, He had scoped them out on the way home from Tulsa. Man I am glad he called, I got lots of good shots. Too many to choose just one for use on my 365 page. So…here they are in all their glory.
Comet Hartley 2
I have high hopes that this little green fuzzball will grow a tail soon. I have yet to see any predictions so I’m not real hopeful but it will be fun to keep an eye on it for the next month or so. The really good shots are gonna come from the EPOXI mission its going to take pics from 435 miles out.
This is a 1.5 minute exposure. Man, my barndoor tracker sure came in handy for this one. I can’t wait to try some more shots in the coming nights. I may even try to do some stacking of multiple images before this is over, if the weather will hold out that is…
Wired News has a story about Comet Hartley 2.
Sky and Telescope has this spotting map up for us all to use.
Here is the official EPOXI mission page straight from NASA.
- ISO800
- f4
- 90sec
- 75mm
My first trip to the pawpaw patch…
I am always on the hunt for wild edibles and so far, since Stacy has been here, we have found blackberries, pears, crab apples, wild plums both mexican and sand plums, the longtime favorite morrell mushrooms and now the paw paw. My friend Steve A. took me to a little patch just so I could get a good close look at what I was trying to find. I got’em now and I have lots of ideas of places to search so look out paw paw patches I am onto you.
There is more information to be found on this delicacy at: Kentucky State University Pawpaw Site.
But the number one question can be answered like this.
“Pawpaws have a creamy, custard-like flesh with a complex combination of tropical fruit flavors. They are most commonly described as tasting like banana combined with mango, pineapple, melon, berries, or other fruit. There is a considerable variety of flavors among wild pawpaws, ranging from awful to sublime. Most pawpaws taste good, some are truly wonderful, and a few are better for throwing than for eating.”
Just so you know the ones I found are pretty damn good.
Football Cheer
Sorry it took so long to get these up for everyone. Be sure to help yourself to any that you might like to have.
Lady Ironmen Varsity and Junior Varsity Softball
Your 2010 Lady Ironmen Junior Varsity Softball team.
Your 2010 Lady Ironmen Varsity Softball team.
2010 Ironmen Football Kickoff
Your 2010 Ironmen.
2010 Coaching Staff.
Training Staff.
2010 Senoir Class.
July 26th, Storms
Went outside for some fresh air and the storm that I shot for my project365 had blown up. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get some lightning shots. Here they are. As always click on the thumbnails to view them full size.
July 1st, Star Trails
I shot some star trails on the 1st for use as my pic of the day over at my project 365 but they ended up taking so long that I had to post another shot. Anyhow, I went ahead and stacked the shots and got them ready so here is the final comp. Its pretty kewl to click the image below to see it full size and then try to count and see how many lightning bugs you can count.
26 exposures
f4.0
1so 400
2 minutes each
Stacked with Startrails (get it here)
