Focus, focus, hocus pocus?

I have Little Richard doing some yard work. He can't get onto the porch, but he can crop the longer grass near the porch. Since he wasn't doing well on hay, I decided to move him around the yard spaces to crop up the long bits of grass growing up.

He is doing a pretty good job too.
[Photo taken in the late afternoon when it got sunny!]

During the morning sprinkles of rain yesterday, I headed out to the creek to check on a few things. I was pleased to see that the Ramps are poking up through the debris on the ground.

Each year, I only dig a few up in two different places on our land as they take so long to regenerate if you dig up most of the patch.

I like a challenge. So I decided to try and work with my Lensbaby lens. Everything has to be done in manual. Manual focus, manual ISO [unless you use Auto which some Lensbaby folks say works well]. It is frustrating because it looks in focus but...dang it, it isn't always in focus.

There is something called focus peaking in most modern cameras that can assist with that. But by golly I hadn't figured out exactly how to do that with this lens yet. Of course, here I was in the light rain sitting on rocks, trying to get a manual focus. It isn't easy when you are crouched down on wet rocks in dull light....but....

I missed slightly but still love how the photo turned out.

This is Hammie in the Hamster costume holding a fallen bud from a maple tree. He is overjoyed that spring may actually show up! I was pleased with the Lensbaby effect and that I got pretty close on the focus.

My other 'story' shots turned out miserably.

So before I left, I stopped and did one last try at the mossy log. It worked, I lucked out and got what I wanted in focus! 

I almost never climb over this log without stopping to see if the moss has something new to offer.

When I got back home, the rain turned to snow so after fixing Rich something to eat I started an internet search on how to get focus peaking on a vintage lens that doesn't communicate with the camera. Specifically for the camera I had. 

My Olympus E-M5 iii is my super lightweight camera that I take out on most hikes. I've never had a lens that didn't communicate with the camera before so this was a first for me.

The continual search eventually paid off. Olympus now OM is notorious for having sub-menus hidden in the menus. I fiddled with this and that while watching and stopping a video on this subject.

Eventually I landed on the solution! So I tossed on my coveralls and stocking cap.

I got down on the ground to look at my sad little crocus plants. They've been beaten on by snow, ice, and heavy rain. This was their last gasp.

But the daffodils near the house are getting ready to open their buds so I can go enjoy them in a few days.

I couldn't help but try a few more shots with focus peaking. The one below doesn't have any real importance, it was just a test shot. But the figures are in focus with an f stop of 11. The Sweet 50 allows one to change their f stop whereas the Sol 22 only shoots at f 3.5.

I swapped to the Sol 22 when I got indoors and thought I'd try a shot of Charlie [who is back to himself after his vaccinations 🙌].

I was really pleased with this. Now I can shoot...hopefully, with a bit more accuracy.

However ....

My vote for the day was the Hammie photo. That little figure's expression and happiness is infectious. Even in a drizzly, cold, day, I was able to make myself smile. That shot reminds me of Happiness....

Sometimes you can find it for just a moment anywhere if you look hard enough.

I also found a great use for the Sol 22. 

Portraits! Here is hubby looking out the window deep in thought? No not really, just watching not worrying, not thinking, just...being. Even though he has a nasal cannula on, I think this is a great little portrait of him.

Today is another day. More digging and transplanting is on the schedule after CrossFit. Maybe a quick walk into the forest to look for something interesting.

After all, I have some adventures in mind for my surprise minifigs for celebrating spring.

It looks like midweek will be rainy. I love rainy days too. How about you?

Stay home ?

There I am in my outdoor hiking 'stuff'. I set my little red camera down on a mossy rock in the middle of the creek and was trying to fiddle with my smartphone to make it take a photo remotely.

Huh.
I guess it worked once more!

I like to sit here and just listen to the creek.

Then it was time to try one with Charlie.
It didn't turn out very well and you can barely see Charlie!
He really wasn't in the mood for selfies or photographs of any kind.

He was really into trying to chase squirrels and pesky chipmunks.

I went about the woods looking for trees that may or may not provide us with a fantastic Morel Mushroom treat!

Last year I found enough for us to eat and then plenty to dehydrate also.

I came home and started putting up the fence where I'd taken it down last fall when the folks that were going to cut down trees were going to come by.
I decided to put in a gate in a different spot and ran wire.

I created a new lane they could walk down to get into the shaded and breezy north side pasture on hot days.

I thought I'd done a pretty fair job of it and Rich had to walk up to check it out.
This in itself was huge.
Rich had not walked any further than going to the car in a year. He had to rest part of the way up the hill but he came up and looked at my job.

He pronounced the job just okay and then asked how I wired it. I had taken his lessons on electric fencing very seriously so I showed him. He nodded and said I needed to wait longer to let the mules in on grass and brush, but I don't agree.

Better to change them over slowly to pasture from hay than to put them out on tall grasses. I'll get my way.

He walked back to the house and sat on the bench.
Charlie joined him!

I considered the day a grand success and decided to call it an evening. The last of the fencing could wait for a few days.

Charlie has taken to sitting on the bench and watching the world as long as I toss his rag rug up there.
He will sit and watch the world for hours in between doggy naps.

I am meeting up with Bill again tomorrow for a Socially Distancing hike at Tainter Hollow. The Bluebells ought to be blossoming. I told Bill we could look for Morels too.
I noticed last time we were out that he still was not quite the upbeat and crazy Bill I'd known in CrossFit. I think his 'cold' was tough on him and he told me it was his routine of fitness had been so disrupted that he just didn't feel as good.

It is Bill's first year of being retired and the first time in 10 yrs that he didn't go daily to the gym.

My last note.
I've become a bit fascinated with taking some self portraits of myself during this time. I've found out that I am not as adverse to these shots as I can plan them out.

I may look sad and isolated looking out the kitchen window.
But I wasn't. The sun setting sun was reflecting off the large metal shed and I was pondering my flower garden and yard work.

Nothing serious. But I thought it would provide interesting light.

The baseball cap is a constant of mine for my always messy hair.

My hands are rough, my face is aged and time worn. But I am coming to terms with that too.
After all, we do age. Yet inside I still feel a bit like a kid.

Who else puts Dragons in their flower garden???

~~~~~

COVID-19 Day 36 since the Governor ordered Stay at Home.

But actually around 45 days since we've decided to stay home and out of the general public.


Stay well, stay safe.
We are doing well.
...and very lucky we are able to stay at home.