Spring Flowers

I'm watching the rain. It's just what we need to make the wildflowers really "pop." The Highland Lakes area of the Texas Hill Country is smack in the middle of the spring wildflowers. The bluebonnets are blooming. They are "okay" but not really spectacular. A good soaking rain will give the bluebonnets a boost and ensure another great wildflower viewing season.

I was mowing the lawn this morning, hoping to finish ahead of threatening rain clouds. Just as I was finishing the lake-side lawn, the light changed. It became brighter but very soft; that beautiful, pre-storm light. I parked the mower and ran for my camera equipment. Following is a few pictures that I was able to get before the downpour.

These bluebonnets are wildflowers but cultivated by my wife in her "brick garden." She made the brick garden by placing bricks in a checkerboard pattern around a bird bath. There are several varieties of flowers growing in the empty spaces in the checkerboard pattern. The purple in the background is mountain laurel.

This photo was made with my new Nikon D80 and the 18-135mm lens. As a continuing comparison of my Nikon and its predecessor the Panasonic DMC-FZ30, this image was shot at ISO 800. I enlarged it to 200 percent without obvious grain or digital noise. I'm thrilled with the Nikon's performance.

While focusing on the bluebonnets, I noticed this monarch on the mountain laurel. With the ISO still set at 800, I managed to get close to the butterfly and snapped several photos. This one seems a bit soft. I think, however, it is because I was not using a tripod. I took this shot handheld at 1/60. The tripod may not have made a difference. The wind was moving slightly. Still, I am pleased with the color and clarity. The D80 is a keeper. :-)

I was in a bit of a hurry. Rain was imminent. It began to sprinkle while I was still concentrating on the butterfly. I quickly gathered my equipment (two cameras, a tripod, and carrying case) and made a dash to the carport just as the sky opened.

I love the feeling of standing in a protected area watching the weather deteriorate. It is a safe, secure feeling, protected. As it rained, I setup the tripod and focused the Panasonic on Jane's columbine. The FZ-30 is no slouch. With a Leica 35-420 (35mm equivalent) Vario-Elmarit lens and macro focusing, you can fill a screen with the smallest of images. And it produces some seriously sharp images. I think it may equal the Nikon dSLR at the lowest ISO. This photo was taken at ISO 100. I was worried about a slight movement from the wind. It was very slight, however, and the 1/15 second exposure doesn't seem blurred. The image, however, would probably have been just as sharp with the Nikon set to ISO 800 for a faster shutter speed.

But I didn't test that. I changed the Nikon's ISO to 100 for this image of splattered raindrops on the columbine. Click on the image to see the detail. All the images here can be enlarged by clicking on the one you want enlarged. Though I don't have macro focus capability with this lens/camera combination, the tight pixel structure of the image makes it possible to enlarge and crop it in Photoshop. Even cropped and enlarged, it does seem just as sharp as the Panasonic image. It is really difficult to make a choice of cameras for closeup photography. I think I will continue using the Panasonic for the really closeup work. I got the Nikon because I need a faster focusing capability for my action photography. Having it be so good at closeups is a bonus.

Speaking of Photoshop, I finally figured a way to ease some of the embarrassment of being beaten so badly by the humming birds. The following is a Photoshop Elements-manipulated humming bird image. It certainly doesn't make this a better photo; just more interesting ... to me. :-)

So, I've managed to ease the tension of being overly serious. And, sharing some of the natural beauty around our Hill Country Home.

The lawn isn't finished. The mower is under the house. We're expecting much more rain; maybe all day tomorrow. The lawn will gradually work its way up the priority list. Meanwhile, I have a grandson arriving next weekend. He has issued directives to make sure the bikes are in good shape and will run well throughout his visit. So much for lawnmowing ... and playing around with cameras and Photoshop. :-)

l8r

Poverty or Global Warming

I wanted to write about poverty today. It is listed as one of my interests in the blog bio. But, after reading this article about global warming I'm too upset to ignore it. I finally understand the resistance to regulating climate change. It isn't about whether global warming is real. It's about the wealth it exposes. This article reveals the wealthiest citizens' greedy glee over the melting icepacks. There's money in them there glaciers. Here's an excerpt from the article:

U.S. Geological Survey estimates the Arctic has as much as 25 percent of the world's undiscovered oil and gas. Moscow reportedly sees the potential of minerals in its slice of the Arctic sector approaching $2 trillion.

And, the opening of shorter shipping lanes is seen as potential for even more wealth:

But some see a lucrative silver lining of riches waiting to be snatched from the deep, and the prospect of timesaving sea lanes that could transform the shipping industry the way the Suez Canal did in the 19th century.

If you will take the time to read the referenced article, you will gain a new perspective. The race is on. The glass is half full!

l8r

Hummingbirds are back

Spring is official. Jane has cleaned and refilled the hummingbird feeder. They are still a bit skittish about having me around. When I sit in the swing with my camera, the hummers prefer the mountain laurel, which is in full bloom. We also have bluebonnets in Jane's "brick garden."

I'm not really a birder; not even sure how to define a birder. I (we) do enjoy watching and listening to the birds, however. And I like taking pictures of them, especially the hummers and the larger wading birds down by the lake. I've been reading about hummingbird photography.

I've been beating my brains out trying to photograph the little suckers. The new faster focusing camera helps. With wings beating at over 80-beats per second, however, getting a really sharp image is going to require special lighting. I have several flash systems. And I have some left over cables and mounts for putting them where needed. I'll do some more reading and see what happens.

The overcast and drizzle is getting depressing. It's trying to rain. We'll need a lot more before the lake returns to normal. I was hoping, however, that it would hold off until after my grandson' visit. He will be here on the 31st. We will spend a week riding our dirt bikes unless the rain does us in. That would really be depressing. He lives in Maryland and has had really bad weather since Christmas. He got a new bike for Christmas but the weather has kept him away from the track. He is very excited about his upcoming visit and riding in our warm Texas climate.

I'll have to leave today's blogging at that. Anymore and I may start getting serious. I'm sure nobody wants to read my constant ranting. :-)

l8r

Nikon D80 -- WOW!

The new camera arrived Friday. I've been studying the documentation. It's a bit intimidating. I'm overwhelmed.

I started to get a little more comfortable this afternoon. I was watching the evening light come and go. And, ducks were active. Most of my work with a camera is action; even the nature and wildlife stuff I do. I decided to put the D80 to the test. The ducks make an excellent test subject.

My problem with the Panasonic DMC-FZ30 was in focusing on fast action and with "digital noise" when the ISO (equivalent of film speed) was cranked up to 400 or above. The FZ30 is an excellent camera. I will continue to use it for many projects. It just is not quite a professional tool. The larger sensor and more sophisticated processor of the digital SLR cameras eliminates much of the digital noise issue. And, the interchangeable lenses with built-in focusing motors makes focusing and staying focused on a moving target much faster and more accurate.

I set the ISO to 400, mounted my 18-135mm "kit lens" and trudged down to the lake. I watched a gull drifting lazily overhead. I pointed and my D80 instantaneously locked on. I followed the bird and the focus adjusted as it flew away. It tracked perfectly but this was a slow-moving object. Just then, here came a flock of ducks, flying right over me. I pointed, pushed the shutter release to the half-way point, and the D80 locked on. It continued to follow as the ducks banked hard and set their wings to land. The light went wonderful and I completed releasing the shutter. Wow! Just like Henri Cartier-Bresson, I realized my "decisive moment." I KNEW it was good -- even with a high ISO setting and fairly short lens. I love this camera. :-) I felt flushed from excitement. I just stood there in awe of my new tool. This is what I've been missing. With the FZ30, I would see the action coming, focus on the spot that I expected to be "the decisive moment" and hope for the best. I had to wait for the action to come into focus. If I tried focusing on the subject too soon, it could easily become blurred while I waited for the right moment, especially if it was coming directly at me.

Next test ... here comes a single duck, right at me. Again, I pointed and pressed the shutter release to focus on the fast-flying duck. The D80 locked on and kept that bird so sharp that I could see its eyes. The light was beautiful and the duck banked and set his wings. Bingo! -- another Cartier-Bresson moment. :-)

Click on the images to see a larger, more detailed version.

Even though these are not the best photos that I expect to see from this outfit, the camera performed marvelously. This test is a success.

I can hardly wait to spend some more money ... faster, longer, sharper. It's all about the lens. :-) But, that may not happen soon. I showed Jane the $179 Tamrac Backpack that I need to haul my growing inventory. She nixed it. I wonder what she will say when I ask about a $1600 lens? This may take some negotiating. She already has a new trailer. Hmmmm... :-)

l8r

Pictures of Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

The shakedown cruise went well. We learned a few things about our new trailer and had a wonderful time exploring the marshes and bayous of East Texas. First, I would like to recommend the Spoonbill RV Park in Smith Point to anyone interested in visiting Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge and the surrounding area. It has pull-thru sites with fairly level concrete pads and full hookups. Plus, for those without an RV, they rent lodges. It is a waterfront property located on a peninsula between Trinity Bay and East Bay with some great fishing and facilities for cleaning your catch.

Squawking gulls, a salty sea breeze, and anglers along the bayou created the relaxing atmosphere somewhere between cajun and beach bum. I grabbed a camera as soon as we were hooked up and snapped a few photos. These laughing gulls Jane thinks would make a good valentine. She may get it next year. :-)

A man that we met while wandering added some local color. He lived in the area but spent much of his time in the RV Park. I got the impression that he owned the place. We talked about everything from the weather to the best place for seafood. The place he recommended for seafood was some distance away so I only half listened. I did remember the name, however; Stingaree.

It rained Sunday night -- hard. The RV passed the first test; it didn't leak. I did not get up early Monday morning. My excuse was that it was overcast. The truth is -- I'm lazy.

There was still a light drizzle when we arrived at the refuge. We saw what looked like geese in a flooded field near the entrance. That's when we discovered our lack of preparedness; total disorganization. We forgot the binoculars, sandwiches, water, my photography vest that contains all my spare stuff AND extra camera batteries. I considered returning to camp and reorganizing. But, we pushed on.

We drove back to "The Willows" and on to "Shoveler Pond." In my opinion, Shoveler Pond is the best observation area in the refuge. Wildlife is accustomed to vehicle traffic and much more tolerant of our presense. Shooting from your vehicle works well if you have bright light or a device to steady a long lens with slow shutter speeds. I used a mount that screws to the window with a rotating head for maneuverability.

This redwing blackbird could be the icon for a marsh or swamp. It is abundant and has a very distinct call that grabs your attention; easy to find, not so easy to capture. The problem is getting the red of the wing. Typically, all that is visible when perched is the small yellow stripe below the red shoulder. I got lucky on this one. He even has his beak open in full distinct call.

There is a walkway for venturing into the marsh and a photo blind for taking pictures. It's interesting but not extremely useful. Wildlife hears or sees you coming and takes flight. Mosquitos have discovered the blind. It is the perfect place to avoid wind and rain while awaiting a blood-feast on foolish humans who forget insect repellant; those who leave their lodging or abode totally disorganized.

This great egret sat long enough for me to capture this image at about 400mm without a tripod. Fortunately, I was able to use a fast shutter speed. The lens shake isn't too obvious? I would recomment to anyone visiting the refuge that you plan for lower light with long lenses. Don't forget the tripod. It is a MUST.

This bird teased me for a few minutes. I eased forward gradually, hoping to get just a little closer. He timed it perfectly to really tick me off. But, I got a nice, fairly sharp image of its flight to safety. And, another egret added a bit of depth to the image. I like this one.

Since we had no sandwiches nor water, we soon lost interest in further exploration. Or, I should say exploring the refuge. We decided to explore closer to civilization in search of food. I was dead set on seafood. We drove across more marshy area along FM 1985 toward State Highway 124 and north to Winnie. Winnie is on the interstate. By the time we got there, I was hungry enough to settle for a hotdog. But, we found a really good cajun and seafood restaurant on the north side if IH 10. The restaurant was called Al-T's and was really good. I had a mixed plate of fried shrimp and fried oysters. It was excellent and the accompanying cajun-seasoned french fries were fantastic. And, the coffee was as good as I can remember ever having. Jane had crab au gratin and complained that it was nothing like what she expected. She was thinking of Maryland cuisine. :-( If in the area, we will return to Al-T's. Jane agrees.

Our evening in the RV revealed that we did not have the antenna/cable connections for the TV. Good thing Jane had a book. I downloaded pictures to my laptop and discovered that we were NOT in a hotspot. :-(

Tuesday's excuse for sleeping late was FOG -- fog was thicker'n pea soup. But, I didn't know that until I took Oscar out. We fiddled around with breakfast and trying to be more organized before departing. Jane did a much better job. :-)

I decided to explore other areas. The old man had mentioned High Island and Gilchrist. I remembered a bit about the area from our ferry trip across the bay. There was a lighthouse in the area. I don't understand the attraction to lighthouses but it is strong. Have you noticed? This lighthouse is at Point Bolivar. It may be the ugliest lighthouse I ever saw. It is on private property. With Jane complaining bitterly, I drove right up in their driveway. It was still ugly.

The lighthouse is what I had in mind when heading south on highway 87 from High Island. We drove thru what seemed to be some very exclusive areas. But, when Jane picked up a real estate brochure at a convenienc store (she is very prone to shop for real estate), we learned that it is quite affordable. Memories of recent hurricanes -- Rita -- were discouragement enough for me.

While driving thru Gilchrest, we saw a street named Stingaree and signs pointing to Stingaree Marina and Restaurant. How 'bout that? We stumbled across the recommended seafood place. Since we were too well prepared, sandwiches, we made not to return another time.

We backtracked to the Skillern Tract and East Bay Bayou area of the NWR. It was highly recommended in the brochures and web postings. I was disappointed. We did, however, get to watch alligators grazing on a dead cow floating in the bayou. I also got a neat picture of a killdeer. I've been trying forever. They are around the lake at home but very difficult to approach. We were having our sandwiches when one came to us. It seemed completely oblivious to the noise I made getting close with my camera. It actually approached me. I'm not totally pleased. There's nothing about the image that's ... I need a word? ... arresting. catching. stunning. It needs something ... better light; lower angle; separation.

We moved on to Shoveler Pond in rain and drizzle. Nothing spectacular was happening until just before we left. Storm Light! I love storm light. These ducks took flight from our approaching vehicle. I just happened to be waiting for them to do just that. The focus isn't great but the action is. And that beautiful light. I continued to drive slowly around the pond, looking for the next Kodak Moment. :-)

Jane spotted this large alligator basking in the glow of that beautiful light. Backing away from full zoom, I took this at about 135mm, including the marsh environment. It pretty much tells the story of our most recent visit to this wonderful place called Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge.

For those wondering about the shakedown, Sid; Bob & Rose; we averaged about eight miles per gallon going and nearly ten on the return trip ... with a gas-friendly tail wind pushing us.

As for which camera, these are with my Panasonic. The Nikon is on a FedeX truck. I ran the tracking number and it is scheduled for delivery TODAY!

If you are interested in outdoor photography, Anahuac is a must visit. To view larger images of what's posted, click on the image. Hope I've inspired you to get outdoors and enjoy what nature has to offer.

L8r

Is Killing Immoral?

The furor over General Pace's comment about the immorality of homosexuality impelled me to post about the subject rather than my preferred travel subject. It is my opinion that trying to legislate morality is contrary to the constitution. Keep this crap in religious circles and don't corrupt the political process with religious rhetoric.

I'm retired military; have been for more than 20 years. That makes more than 40 years of exposure to the "assumed" problem. I guarantee you that homosexuality was a part of the military when I was there and it was no secret. My homophobic attitude did not make me a friend of known homosexuals. But, I have to assume that some of my friends were gay. We had a problem in most units to which I was assigned. We had Top Secret Clearances. The concern was that threat of exposure could cause a homosexual to reveal highly classified information. Absolutely! So, why not eliminate the threat by accepting reality? It worked for Barney Franks. He was openly gay. It's the guys like that dork from Florida (don't ask, don't tell) that cause the problems.

We have gay people serving. Some of them are outstanding soldiers ... if the term outstanding is measured by how well a job is performed. Knock off the morality bullshit and get the job done. Let the men and women of the military do the job they were hired to do. Stop trying to dictate their morality.

I'm still not openly supportive of homosexuality. I can deal with it though. And, I don't believe that homosexuality has any negative effect on a soldier. Hell, they're no more effeminate than our female aviators who are dying in Iraq. You best get your head out of your ass, General, Sir. If you can't get enough manpower to staff the buildup, George Bush will be replacing YOU with another "yes man." Yes, that is a direct reference to General Patreus who replaced the General who pissed George off.

And for Hillary, Barrach, Brownback and the bunch of politicians, "quit cowtowing to the religious right and do your job. It ain't defining sin."

As for a moral military ... since when have we soldiers been regarded as the moral majority ... the "DO RIGHT POSTER BOYS (and girls)? Our job is to Kill! Ain't that a sin?

L8r

Anahuac Nationalal Wildlife Preserve

We're packing. Tomorrow is the first day of our shakedown cruise in the new RV. We're headed for Anahuac National Wildlife Preserve, a few miles east of Houson in the bayous and swamps. I'm excited. I'm looking forward to a fantastic photo op. Following are a few of my favorites from previous trips into the wetlands.


I think this was in Louisiana, probably along the Sabine River. It is a swamp. The Anahuac area is more of a marsh, lots of grass, mud and shrubs. This sunset was in an area that was more of a marsh. It too was probably in Louisiana. We were in the Anahuac NWR many years ago but for only a short, very rushed visit. This time, I will have two full days to photograph the wildlife. I'm hoping the birds of winter are still there. It has been so warm that spring migration may have already started?


I've been getting more and more lazy since retiring. It's going to be difficult getting my lazy butt up early enough to enjoy wildlife when it is most active. Maybe the afternoon activity will get me something good. :-)
It's time to unplug and pack the computer. Hope to see you back here before next weekend.

L8r

Happy Post...

With the health care (or lack thereof) issues moving along under their own steam, I hardly need to add anything I'll follow its progress, just in case more fuel needs adding to the fire. :-)

This post is more about something I (we) really enjoy -- Travel! My wife and I just bought a new trailer. It is small but will suffice for our needs. We go Wednesday to accept delivery. We've spent a lot of this day planning our first trip. We've almost decided on the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. We were there many years ago and really enjoyed it. It is a great place to see marsh and wetlands wildlife. That makes combining two pleasant avocations easy. I'll take my cameras and spend hours watching and photographing wildlife. I can hardly wait to post a few pics from the trip.

Watch for fun.

l8r

Army Secretary Resigns over Health Care Scandal

It's the typical response to unpopular publicity. You don't fix the problem; you fix the blame.

Presently, there is a move afoot to have veterans start paying HIGHER premiums on their "FREE" health care. I'll continue to follow that, hoping that I can convince a few of our lawmakers to 'SUPPORT THE TROOPS'.

l8r