The One I Missed

Along the edge of the Top Pond the dragonfly gave me time to run back to the Gator for the camera. It flew just as I began to focus on the Button Willow along the water's edge where it rested.

I thought, One I will delete. Oh, the surprise I found when I looked at this picture.  The distortion in the upper right is the dragonfly and makes it a true keeper.  There is sometimes art in your mistakes.

Just Bee

We have naturalized bees, wild bees and domestic bees.

They do their job well and pollinate as a side effect of working for food.

The Canon Power Shot that took these died last night.

That's my second electronic death in two days, my last loss my wireless extender.

Granny said Things come in threes so I'm wondering...

I still have my shovel and clippers so outside to work.

Have a blessed weekend. 

A Quiet Day Interrupted...

On a quiet afternoon noise filled the valley.  This happens now and then but normally there is a fly over and that's it.  This was a fly over and back again.

Not the norm

So I grab my Power Shot...lens error!

As the helicopter hangs in the air I grab another camera and run out...lens error!

It hovers and keeps going lower.  I grab my Rebel with its little lens since my big Being Repaired lens is not home yet.  I am in my gown tail bare footed running across the farm like a crazy women. Snapping pictures. 

The helicopter dips.  Has he seen me??  I'm not letting him land.  Don't know what I planned but maybe throwing my body into the blades would get his attention!

Well, I got his attention and he begins to climb.  Only one person inside.  Then he flies quickly off and out of sight.  I have the number on the side and wondering what I can do with that.  I  am aware that after a certain height all the sky belongs to the government but I'm pretty sure this chopper was invading my space.

As I walk back to the house, satisfied as a dog running a deer outta the garden, I over hear Hubby and Andrew discussing the event.

Hubby:  Did it land?

Andrew:  Not yet.

Hubby:  Where's Nana?

Andrew:  Outside.  She's chased it off.

Hubby:  Well, I'll be damned.

Andrew:  Nana was pretty scary.  When the pilot saw her, he left.

What can I say??  I like my privacy if there is such a thing anymore.  Also got a post and exercise.

Photo and Pheeder Update

If you squint and strain you can see the wood pecker.  I'd been feeling badly about my horrible pictures.  I listened to all the tips, read the settings and practiced. I was feeling very dumb.

Not happy with the result especially since I had awesome opportunities lighting right in front of me. Birds do love the feeders as long as they're full.

No matter what I tried, I just couldn't take good pictures with my long lens.  The bad news is it died. The good news...it's under warranty.  The bad news is my little Power Shot doesn't zoom as well but the good news is maybe there's a chance at good photos when my lens is repaired!!!  I'm relieved.

Robins with my Power Shot

weren't too bad.

Happy shooting, my friends, and thanks for your help.

Canon Rebel EOS SL1

My new toy!  Marcy and I go through pocket cameras like candy.  Could be because we can't keep our hands outta the dirt or could be we just wear one right out.  I have shipped two to Canon for refurbishing.  We will see which is more economical...fix or buy another.

Hubby asked, Why don't you get a good camera?  Well, these were good cameras.  I'm just rough on cameras.  He finally convinced me so I took out a loan (not really, but almost) to get this little lady called a Rebel. Eighteen megapixels with two lenses!!!  I personally think maybe the name had something to do with it, I'm a Rebel so therefore I need a Rebel.

Product picture

I assembled.  I played.  I read.  I played.  I read and I played.  This was not my wonderful little Cannon Power Shots that I have been spoiled too.  Nope, this was far above that so I read some more.

I would have all related information installed on computer but I await a call from the Grand Fixers of Alienware to totally strip my computer and reload every thing. I've done that once and it did not fix the Blue Screen Death throes.  I don't think it will fix it this time but it's on their dime. So until that time, I will read and I will play.

My first picture was simply an accident with my tv on an old painted sewing machine cabinet.  I thought what can I take a picture of since it's dark outside.

T'is the season for Asian Lady Bugs.  When it gets warm in the house they appear out of thin air.

I found one

He posed

I found two.

Three lined up and I turned the heat down so they would return to their hiding spot.

 Still have a lot of reading and a lot of practice ahead

but I think I can fake my way through using this camera.

Now if I could just figure how to eliminate these bugs!

Through A Child's Eyes

Z, the youngest grand, was sent home from school Tuesday because his cheeks were rosy.  No fever but to return to school we had to visit the doctor.

I could tell he was nervous so we read a few books during our wait.  We did weigh because Z has been saying he weighed six pounds confusing the concept of weight with age.  The nurse showed him the numbers but not sure if he's convinced yet.  Fifty one pounds is not six pounds.

What do you do when a nervous non-sick child is in the doctor's office?  Well, I handed him my camera and the time passed quickly.

 He covered the entire office

He practiced saying, "Awwww"

Funny faces, rolling stools

 and many self portraits

 

Sink,
hand,
face,
hand
and legs
on exam table

And the wonderful doctor who agreed with an old lady who has seen many child rashes in her life time. No reason to send him home.  No fever. The camera was a great "toy" and 136 pictures later Z is released to return to school. I sincerely believe rosy cheeks were the result of running in sunshine.

My New Camera...

Oh, I was so excited!!!  Hubby has said, order one, it'll be like my binoculars, the camera will mess up again since you dropped it in the creek.

Look at this detail in this picture, looks like the spider is coming off the book cover, you can hear my Dr Pepper fizzing!!  The clarity is awesome.

It was a beautiful red Olympus Tough TG-610.  I installed this and that.  I charged the battery, set the time, set everything just the way I wanted it...I thought.  This was the camera of my dreams, shock proof up to five feet, water proof up to sixteen feet.  I had visions of swimming with the catfish taking pictures as they fed. This beauty had 14 mega pixels, super max zoom, panoramic shooting, macro setting and this baby would fit in my pocket!  I could take a humming bird at a thousand yards and make it look like it was hanging in midair!!!  This camera rocked.

However, this camera is not for a novice like me.  Hell, this camera is smarter than me, it can talk in fifteen languages I've never seen.  I was ready to shoot it. I pushed something.  It started talking in Arabic, I think.  Not really talking but the reading was in this strange language I didn't know...and no way to know how to change it back...BECAUSE I CAN'T READ IT!!!

I read the book, which I had to download (in English)  I searched for directions to change language, no results found! Could not ever get it registered on line, it kept starting over and over and over again.  Emailed Olympus and they said they would contact me as soon as possible.  I replied, it better be quick because this is going back into the box and into the mail!

I am now headed to QVC to rate this fine beauty of a camera.  Let's just say, I am VERY glad it's shockproof.

My Weekend Off and Catch Up...

My camera revived.  I had laid it in the morning sun in the kitchen window with all compartments open and everything removed.  I replaced the battery long enough to extend the lens and left it there.  God's light and the devil's heat did what I could not...it repaired it.  I did not get to try the dry rice method but do have it in my head, just in case, I need that information.

This was one of my test shots...my graduation photo from '72, one iron elephant bookend that I've owned forever,  and one Corning glass hen candy dish I found at a yard sale about fifteen years ago.  I wonder why I chose these two things to sit in the shelf beside me?

I had a wild hair, as some people say, this weekend.  I decided the tv room furniture needed to be in my sitting area and vice-versa.  I have had help moving one chair.  I still have one huge couch and one loveseat to move.  I am waiting on inspiration as to how to accomplish that.  When I get the furniture in the correct room, then I'll arrange it, I'm sure or I'm hoping with Bev's help because she is a true artist with furniture arranging (and many other things).

Bev came to help with my computer/craft/art/sewing room.  One chair came in here and two went out.  One chair went to Andrew's room from my sitting area.  One chair in the dining room and one from the den went to my room.  Are you confused yet?  I am!

Bev helped clean my floors...what a wonderful, sweet sister...moved some paintings and rugs around, dusted and washed dishes.  She was a life saver!  She has one big box of stuff packed for the shop.

Since my computer drama, I had not restraightened all the wires, etc...done.  My printer was returned and in now back by my computer. I have mended hubby's t-shirt pockets and altered some jeans.

Bev gave me homework, too.  I had one big box of toy parts to go through...broken ones, gone...collectibles in one box...just toys that someone else will enjoy in another. Working on another box to leave this house FOREVER.

Next on my list is sewing a tear in a chair arm and sewing a pillow seam that is partially undone.  Sadly, these will be by hand and I DETEST hand sewing.

Hey, I thought I was supposed to take it easy on a day off!  It has been a pure pleasure to see things go into a new spot and be cleaned, too.  It is very uplifting when you know a job is well done.

Now, a sample of outside photography, from my camera and my hot pepper, Ki-Anne.

No!!

This little bull is not running!

Ki's brakes are good.

They attempt to stare each other down.

Casually moving closer to each other,

The little bull is the winner,

and Ki, the chicken, runs out.

My Corner And My Camera

My camera was closer than I thought. One daughter returned it to the other daughter. It has been in Andrew's school bag, to his mom's for a week and traveled back and forth in the diaper bag and has finally returned to its home by my computer.

I decided to share my computer corner since I did describe it last night. Remember we live in an old house with many parts but this is now my corner

Where I talk to you, now it is quiet!

An old chalk board for my ideas.

Charme

And the next one is my homework assignment. Yes, Beverly gave me homework just like the people on the design shows. These are all the things I have to put away in my corner before Beverly returns to stir up more dust.

Wish me luck!