The smoke from the fires kept me from seeing the Milky Way and the Northern Lights. But it sure didn't keep me from trying.
I set my alarm for 1:30am and got up and dragged my sorry butt out of bed and walked to the Meadow. I had a little camp chair I took with me and set things up.
Not much happened in the skies. So I decided to play with my headlamp to see if I could do some experimental light painting on the Hickory tree in the Meadow.
The sky was lit up with very faint colors but it was really just brown-ish from the smoke. Interestingly enough, it was very cool out and there was no evidence of fireflies anywhere.
By 3AM I gave up on the lights but was happy to faintly see the Big Dipper. So I took this last shot and decided to head inside. I got a wee Star Trail as a result. The smoke completely obliterated where the Milky Way was supposed to appear.
I must have bumped the tripod a bit when I walked away. I can see it in the photo but I kept it anyway.
So this is what the skies really looked like above 👆. However, just for fun I did something pretty awful and fun.
Same photo as the one in the Meadow with the orangish-brownish sky.
I cheated with adding a sky swap.
So of course I would title these as what I wish I had seen. However, it sadly was not true.
The scary part it the ease at which I was able to change the photo.
Okay. Well onto a couple of other Meadow photos that are not faked. I was able to get out just before sunrise and take these as the other half was up on this morning at 4am and had eaten his breakfast and had coffee so I could get out and enjoy a few morning moments in the Meadow.
We had a very busy week last week and even busier weekend with lots of comings and goings.
The horse we called Fifteen went to her new family where she will get tons of attention and love.
I was surprised, I haltered her up, and led her to their tiny trailer where she loaded like a pro. To her credit, she is smart but I don't have the time for her. The last time she had loaded into a trailer was the day she came home to us 6 years ago.
The mule gals absolutely had a fit after she left. But after 24 hours, they quieted down as if nothing in their lives had changed.
Glad Fifteen found a good home! Lori
ReplyDeleteHer new name is Honey, so yup, she is getting along nicely in her new home.
DeleteThe smoke makes me so sad as I think of all the things that are burning. You always make lemonade out of lemons.
ReplyDeleteI looked up the smoke and wildfire maps. There is a lot on fire. 🔥
DeleteIt makes me sad also.
That is very interesting about the sky swap, I haven't heard of it. Looks like you had lots of smoke. Nice that Fifteen has a new good home. :)
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of fun with editing. It was rather easy. We are still under a bad smoke warning 😔. But not as awful as I saw on your blog!!! 😣
DeleteI think AI and sky swaps are fine as long as we say so. In fact I think it should be law that AI is identified. I don't mean for little things like removing objects though or even necessarily for a sky swap.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I really enjoyed messing with the sky swap. It was fun. I do think that AI should be identified when used.
DeleteSorry about the smoke, I'm sure it's from our wildfires.
ReplyDeleteIt isn't any one's fault. I looked at the current map of fires and there are plenty in our country happening right now too.
ReplyDeleteMN has a few bad ones too.
So sorry to hear about all the smoke. Your photos are great. Clever to do the sky swap. I'm sure 15 will be very happy in her new home. Shes a beauty!
ReplyDeleteI got up at 3 o’clock in the morning and stayed outside for a while, but there was not even an inkling of the Northern Lights.
ReplyDeleteSorry you missed out on the Northern lights. We didn't get much for color, but I took a few photos anyway, finally figured out how to do it on my Android.
ReplyDeleteI love those misty meadow photos!
That smoke is awful. I tried taking a photo of it, but had mixed results even adjusting it later.
ReplyDeleteFarewell 15!