Charlie Morning

Charlie, after we had a morning excursion together.
I stuck my baseball cap on him that I use for outdoor work.

He was not impressed.

But he is such a good sport about it.

The sideways glance as if to say. 'Really? You are going to keep pointing that thing at me?'

And...I am bored. Totally bored. Let's do something else.

Yesterday morning he didn't let me out the door without him for my predawn bicycle ride.
I let him come along and wondered how his tiny legs would deal with me pedaling.

I didn't go very far, but he kept up when I pedaled slowly and when I sped up he just followed unless a scent at the side of the road interested him.

Charlie was behind me sniffing at the edge of the gravel road. At this time of day and any time of day there is almost never any traffic. Only 3 homes are on this road and the guy at the end of the road never is up early. My closest neighbor leaves at 7 to go to work. Most of the time, this road is empty. Well, not during planting or harvest season!

Anyway, that is getting way off track. I just wanted to assure you all that Charlie is perfectly safe with me. He has come a long way and has instant recall. Well, most of the time, that is if he isn't on a chase. So he still wears the collar on these outings when I don't have him on a leash.

I'm very lucky that I have all of this time to work with him. That makes a huge difference I think!

Even with the cloud cover things got pretty neat. Bluish sky and pinks on the horizon.

And then the horizon began to glow...

I zoomed in on the trees and caught the change of light. 

And when the sun peeked through, it was partially hidden by clouds.

The whole sky changed colors and the clouds moved in.

Charlie and I headed towards home.

Just before going down the driveway, I had to stop and take one parting shot using field corn for framing.

We got back to the house and did our morning chores together. Sven was happy to have a new spot to eat nettles and other weedy plants. If I had an army of goats my weed issue would be gone. However, I'm not prepared to re-fence this place for goats.

Rich got up after 10am and I convinced him later in the day to take a short drive with me and check out Runge Hollow for fishing later this fall.

I intend to go back there and to Sidie Hollow to get some photos in infrared and in color. Sunrise at Runge would be pretty neat. Sidie has incredible fall colors that reflect on to the man made lake.

Oh ... and how did Charlie do? He loved it! He never once ran in front of the bike. If we were to go a long distance however, I doubt he'd be up for it. Friends have suggested I get a basket or buddy seat to put him in.
I'll consider it.

Color my world.

Oh not the song!

I recieved my 550nm filter on Monday and have trying it out in all sorts of lighting circumstances with the full spectrum conversion on my Olympus camera.

Infrared Photography let's me explore a different light spectrum than what the human eye can see.
Our eyes see green from the reflection of light. All of our colors are seen that way.
Okay, that is not a scientific explanation, but it is the best I can do in layman's terms.

Different spectrums allow the camera to see light reflected differently. The above shots appeal to the kid in me who still believes that a person should be able to color their art in any way they want to.
How fun is it that the leaves and grass turn out red?

Another question.
How will these look in the fall? As the chlorophyll is no longer produced in the trees, the absorption/refection of light will change too.

We see leaves as green because of the absorption by chlorophyll of the red and blue light wavelengths.

Okay. Enough of that.
If you want to read more about Infrared Light and Photography here is the Link:
Introduction to Infrared Photography.

All I know, is that I am having a blast.

Here is a shot with a 665nm filter.

665nm Filter unedited version

The light was poor and I took my white balance off from the dirt at my feet. A storm was coming in quickly so I had to work fast. I call this tree my Lolipop tree...well for obvious reasons. I thought it would be interesting to take the same shot with different filters.
Same shot now edited with what is called a Channel Swap of Red and Blue:

Last night I pulled out my Hoya R72 filter and put it on a different lens. White balance changed according to the grass at my feet.

I did a quick channel swap with this filter and got the shot above. I was really excited as to how the sky appeared behind the tree. To my normal eye it was blue but the clouds were not distinct like they are in IR.

I could have probably pulled some more yellow into the foliage of the trees, but I really like the way it turned out.

Then another shot with the 720nm filter on the Canon ELPH pocket camera that was converted. Same tree, morning light and fog.

The shot above is still one of my all time favorites. So otherworldly and dream like.

The twisted tree, yesterday with the Hoya R72. Again, the pale blue just appeals to me.

Then a few more experiments in the 550nm filter from my hike in the woods with Charlie and Sven. I found that in shady areas the shots would work for black and white conversion, but not very well for wild colors.

I did however have some luck with the elements, of sky, leaves, water, and grass.

For me, the wild colors are exciting and fun.

Oh I still do regular photography. I still love it.
But I have so much fun exploring the non visible spectrum.

This morning in fact I found out that little tiny Charlie could follow me on my bike.
I have to wait for him, but he sure was up for the pre dawn bike ride this morning! 
So many smells!

And for the parting shots.

IR 850nm. Used for stark black and white photography.

I took these on Monday night as the storm blew in.

Last word.
Many of my shots this week didn't turn out. I was simply experimenting with angles.
Can I shoot towards the sun? Not well.
Can I shoot at 90 degrees? Not so bad.
Shady? Good for black and white contrast.
Water reflections? Neat, but not always.
Overcast? Less color.
White Balance? Adjust often and know which color to balance off from. 665nm, 550nm balance off from grey, but you can use concrete or sometimes in my case..light colored dirt.
The higher ones? White Balance off from foliage.

What will happen in the winter? Ahhh, at least there are pine trees for the green!

Phone calls and walks

The Ghost Plant or Indian Pipes are coming up! I love these things!

The shot below is 4 days later:

After leaving an early morning message with the Tree Trimming Service, a message with a neighbor, and calls to the VA, emails to one doctor, and re-scheduling appointments...and a run to town for groceries...

I decided to take out the dynamic duo.

I really don't like to wait around for return phone calls. However, I was smart enough to leave my cell phone number as an alternative to the house phone. I wonder? How many folks still use land lines? We decided to keep ours basically for 911 calls. I don't have to describe where I live, the dispatcher knows immediately because I am calling from a land line.

Anyway...

Sven deferred to Charlie, following him all over. He took turns between coming for a neck rub down and petting to trotting after Charlie. Sven is a great hiker and because he was bottle raised he is very attached to humans. The two of them are great friends and practice grooming each other. Sven will nibble around Charlie's shoulders and Charlie will lick Sven.

Below, Fleabane flower with a crab spider.

It was just one of those hikes where I walked the trail and basically followed the dynamic duo allowing them to pick the way.

I was trying out my converted IR camera and the 550nm filter. The filter works better with sunlight, foliage, water, and sky as elements in it, but I had to test it out in the woods of course. And why not?

The spectrum of colors comes out incredibly different than what a person could imagine.

Well this was not much of a shot...
But it turned out better in black and white...

and the Indian Pipes didn't reflect anything as they don't have chlorophyll in them so black and white was the way to go. They would have appeared blue otherwise.

After Rich's PT and the Nursing Home visit today, I think I have some free time.
I think I will head out on the bicycle and see what I can come up with.

The yard work is done and I have a lot of other small odd jobs that need doing, but for a most of them I need some help from the neighbor to get started.

I'm going to take the metal tracks of the skid steer and send it in for maintenance. I won't put the tracks back on as I don't anticipate driving through the soupy quagmire that Rich used to. But it may be handy to move some dirt for me!

Have a great day.

Family Artist!

I visit my MIL about 3 times a week. I usually get there just as she is getting ready to eat her noon meal. This is her best time of the day. Mornings and noon are her alert times.

I've gone at 2pm and sat to talk with her and she generally falls asleep during the conversation. Last time we did that even Charlie couldn't keep her awake.

Anyway I noticed a painting on the side board and asked if the gals had been painting. Joyce at the end of the table said 'Why YES!' and she described her painting in detail and went on and on about the class.

I picked up the painting on the sideboard and asked who it belonged to.
MIL said it was hers. I noted the LE on it plus the numbers 8 and 2. I asked what they meant. August 2nd was the reply.

I asked MIL what was she going to do with it?

She waved her hand and then dove into her Mandarin oranges. "Nothing."
"Can I have it?" I asked.
She finished the oranges and pushed them away.
"It isn't anything special, it isn't even good."

I held it up and said. "It most certainly is! Look! It is a Swallowtail Butterfly on a Zinnia! Just like in my flower garden right now!"

"I'd like to hang it in my house," I told her, "I have the perfect spot for it."

MIL glanced at me and smiled a big smile. "Really?"
I knew from what she had hanging on her walls at her apartment and before that at her house, that this wasn't the sort of thing she would hang on her wall.

"Yes, really."

"You can have it then."

I showed it to Rich when I got home. He liked it too and said how special it was as his mom had done it.
I agreed. For sure it meant even more because his mom had made it.

I had no idea that my MIL could paint. Oh...I know they help them do this in class, but it sure will be a wonderful keepsake for us.

I will have to see if I can go with her to one of these classes if I ever get a free day from running Rich around to PT and appointments.

Oh...here is my art...
Digitally Painted which is much easier than real paint!

See?

I can sort of do it too!

Monday Night Storms

Monday was a pretty good day.

Of course there was the whole struggle thing of getting Rich to PT, but I set a personal record in CrossFit so I was still pretty happy about that.

Most of the day was spent doing yard work and then as the storms approached, I grabbed the refurbished IR camera and decided to give it a whirl.

Since the storm was slow moving, I thought I'd try out a couple of filters to see what I could come up with.

This one is a bit wild and crazy. Normally this filter would produce a yellowish cast to the foliage when channel swapped, but I took it further.

When the sun disappeared and things started to get dreary, I thought I'd try out the 850nm filter. In filter speak...this filter strictly shoots in black and white with the foliage become white.
I really liked the results even with the poor light.

I love the threatening sky again the white foliage.

So I walked to the south end of the pastures and took another shot back towards the house.

With that done I decided it was time to get inside.

The severe storm was a Watch so I neglected to move the mower and 4 wheeler to the shed.

Silly me. Never believe the weather people.

This happened as the storm blew in. The tree was uprooted and came down.

I worked all day yesterday on 'limbing' it out.

No real damage had been done. But the Grill was killed. The grill needed replacing a long time ago, but ..someone kept limping it along. I guess I am relieved about that.

My argument for getting rid of those older trees on the West side of the house, just got stronger I think.

I got out!

I couldn't help myself but take some shots of the bike. After all, once I posed it...it stayed put!
Since my Infrared conversion didn't come, ... I decided to go anyway and take the little point and shoot IR camera.

The 'ponds' were stunning.
It was quite warm so I had shorts on and didn't dare cut through the weeds to the pond on the other side to take some shots of the dead trees reflecting in the still waters...

I cruised down Old 131 trail and admired the wildflowers, bee balm, brown eyed susans, and yellow coneflowers.
Oh I have some beautiful color photos of those on my other camera, but just haven't downloaded them yet.

I stopped at each bridge and took a few shots.

I had the Reserve to myself basically. I heard someone talking up on the Little Canada Trail. It had to be folks on horses getting in an early ride.

What a great morning to ride. Absolutely delightful.

This morning I got to the post office and was able to talk to our carrier. How funny, he is new...and so is his substitute. The reason they have never successfully made a delivery to my door? Apparently even with two fire numbers, they never made the connection that there are two
seperate
houses.

Um.
I drew the carrier a simple map.
Here are the mailboxes.
Here is the driveway.
Drive down it to my house.

I had to explain it more than once to the lady behind the counter, but I think the carrier got it.
Oh. Boy.

I'm not stating the obvious here. Would you not look for the second house?

Shrugging.

Idle day

Rich didn't feel great in the morning, so I hung around close by. I told him that he had 'morning sickness'.
His eyes got wide and he gave me a strange look then said, "I'm not pregnant!" It got him to laugh and I like it when he laughs.
I explained that I thought he was allergic to mornings.

Well.
He doesn't like them. And Friday morning he said he just couldn't do Pulmonary Therapy and he went back to bed. Fighting with depression is tiring and we may be dipping or plateauing right now.
I do what I can.

So, Rabbit and Bear are on my mind again.

So are little things.
Bugs, flowers, seeds...and whatnot.
In our photography group we are playing a game of 'Guess What?'

We post a photo of something close up or a part of something and then take guesses as to what it is.

And I thought I'd pick some spices and sun dry them along with some sunflower heads...

I will open a jar of this thyme and oregano this winter....and smell summer!

Tomorrow is Sunday and I am going to take on some trails at Kickapoo Valley Reserve, that was the plan for Saturday. But since Rich didn't feel well in the morning [he feels better now], I thought I'd stay at home.

I helped the neighbors pick rocks out of the space they are creating to make a soccer practice area.

I took a walk and found Indian Pipes but didn't stay long in the woods. The mosquitoes were vicious.

And if I say they are bad, they are really bad.
I was severely disappointed in our mail system this afternoon. I'd been tracking my converted camera's progress back to me.
That was another reason I waited until Sunday to go to KVR.

My Infrared converted camera was to be returned today. I watched and waited for the postal carrier on the porch.
I checked my email and text messages at 4pm wondering where it was.

The tracking number revealed that the carrier tried to deliver it at 3:07pm but no one was there to sign for it.
This is the 3rd time this year that this carrier simply skips coming to the house. Twice with meds and now this.

I get excuses from the post master. She explained that the carrier had a problem with goats in the road. However she was still able to write a unable to deliver note and drop it in the box. Once it was a cow on the ridge.
I was nice to the post master and simply asked if the rural carrier knew she was in a Rural Area.

Goodness. The UPS guy never has any issues with deliveries. All Rich's overnighted meds now come by UPS as USPS is not very dependable.

I notified the local post office that I'd be in on Monday to get my package. I'm sure IF I let her try again, she'd leave another note.

Well.
Off I go with my Tremor Bright Green Helmet and speedy mountain bike for a new adventure.
Unless my bike spooks, I should be just fine.

Seriously, I can't wait!