Stalking the Swallow-tailed Flycatcher

with a $77 Lens!!! :-)

I was just screwing around on eBay and bid $77 for an AutoFocus Nikon 70-210 f4-5.6 lens AND WON!!! It arrived today. I decided to test it on the elusive swallow-tailed flycatcher that I had been unable to approach with my 18-135 lens. The new lens doesn't seem to focus as fast as the 135 but that's to be expected; there's a lot more lens to focus. And, if I prefocus to "near-focus" it snaps into focus prettty quickly. Here's a series of shots, starting with it sitting on our pier. This shot shows the color. Its underbelly is a pale orange that I keep trying to get with the sun shining on it. The picture to the left shows how long the split tail is. I guess that helps with the impressive display of acrobatic flying. It jumps straight up, catches a fly (or bug), flashes that orange belly and alights softly on a perch. The flycatcher seems to hover over a victim, then strike; some really cool flying. With my $77 lens, it doesn't stand a chance of escaping my stalking. :-)

And in this final image, though less than absolutely sharp, the scissor shape is much more obvious. By the way, the swallow-tailed flycatcher is also known as the scissor-tailed flycatcher. It is the state bird of Oklahoma. Just in case it does evade my stalking, I will return to eBay in search of a 300mm f4 (or faster) lens. Jane's gonna kill me.

l8r

PS: another "by the way;" clicking on an image will make it larger for better viewing.

What's Important?

As an old man with no job and an excess of time, I have way too much time to think -- and to read. This article set me off. Can you believe the amount of garbage on Mt. Everest? You would think that the outdoor adventurers would have more concern for natural beauty. It reminds me of the old commercial of an indian crying beside a polluted river. That was a "public service" message. I guess it wasn't a good one. :-(

I also got to thinking about the "production race." France has a 35-hour work week. That short week is now being used as evidence that the GNP is harmed by allowing parents and family to spend more time together. Perhaps that is true. I, however, suspect life is about more than how much can be produced, at least, for the individual. I'm afraid "individual" welfare has been sacrificed in favor of corporate output and the stock market. Is money that much more important than happiness? Or, perhaps Money is Happiness!!

I must be caught up in the race. I've spent the last several days trying to sell 25-year old pictures. I have submitted story ideas to some magazines and am trying to get releases from several motocross legends to use their images in a money-making scheme. It wasn't until I was nearly ready to publish that I realized the individuals own a right to my images. Bummer! :-(

I sent this image to Gary Semics on his birthday and hope he will reciprocate with a signed release, allowing me to use it in a calendar. :-)

The rainy Memorial Day Weekend has turned into a nice weekend. Jane is outside, enjoying her gardens and having fun in the sun. The lake is packed with boaters. Guess I'll sit on my back porch and enjoy the day.

l8r

Rain, Rain, Rain

After a long dry spell, we are getting pounded by the rain. The lake has come in far enough to use our pump for watering the yard but it is so wet now that we don't need the pump. It's nice today. There's rain in the forecast thru Thursday but for the time being, we have sunshine.

We're being lazy today. Jane isn't feeling well. She fell at work last week and had to be transported by ambulance to the hospital. There is nothing broken but she has a bruised, very sore derriere and her sprained wrist is in a cast. The pain pills are making her very lethargic. We were invited to a graduation party but just don't feel like attending.

I finally got to see my article in the magazine. I was very pleased with the results. The editor changed the piece to highlight a thirteen-year old racer. He won six races over the two days of racing. I think this kid is for real. I plan to follow his progress. He should be a good story in three or four years.

I'll go back to browsing. It took more effort than I wanted to expend just to keep the blog active. Maybe I'll get inspired
l8r

Enron's Replacement...

If Enron was providing energy to consumers, what happened to that energy? Who or what has replaced Enron? Something smells rotten. Can someone explain to me what happened to all the services that were being provided for all that money? Has it just dropped into a blackhole?

l8r

RIP Randy Barnett

My mentor died. Randy Barnett was the motor sports editor at the European Stars & Stripes, a civilian-produced newspaper for the American Military Community. I wrote to Randy Barnett in 1980, requesting press credentials to cover major motorcycle events in Europe. It worked. Randy took me under his wing and for that I am forever grateful.

Randy sent me a stack of S&S letterhead, a press card, and instructions on how to get press credentials for any event I chose to cover. In return, he asked only that I supply him with a carbon of stories (we still wrote on typewriters in those days) that I was marketing to motorcycle magazines in the states, and an interview with an American motorcyclist who lived in Munich and raced on the German local circuit. I still owe him that story. :-)

Randy and I split motorsports coverage with him taking the cars and me the bikes. My job in military intelligence required reporting skills but I didn't know diddly about "news writing." With Randy's patient tutoring, I learned fast. He was a huge fan of Mario Andretti. This Racing Roundup column is about Andretti. My story is about Mike Guerra. But, my hero was Brad Lackey.

My first submission to a magazine was a story about Brad Lackey. I couldn't believe that Motorcyclist bought my very first effort at getting published. Things really took off from there. Randy introduced me to several important media contacts, editorial and advertising. He was very highly regarded by everyone in the motorsports community. Mentioning his name was all it took to get me through some tightly guarded doors.

We eventually became close friends. After I returned to the states, we maintained contact for several years. I lost touch with him in the early '90s. Just last week I found a contact point and asked for help. I received an email from his son-in-law who is working at the European Sports Desk of the Stars & Stripes. Randy died last January of complications from a fall in his home. He had suffered from Parkinson's Disease for many years. I regret very much having let so much time slip by without looking for my bud. Thanks, Randy. Those were some fun times.

l8r

Is the Kingdom Krumbling?

Wolfowitz resigned; Gonzalez digs a deeper hole everyday; and Cheney claims immunity. None have declared "not guilty." The Cheney-inspired philosophy is that Presidential power is absolute. That is scarey. We may be as close as this country has ever been to a dictatorship. Thank God we now have a congress that is asking questions; defying the absolute authority.

Though he must be presumed innocent until proven otherwise, it seems to me that Cheney's declaration of immunity is an admission that he did order the exposure of Valerie Plame as retaliation for her husband Joseph Wilson's article exposing the manipulation of intelligence to support attacking Iraq. If Cheney is exempted from the law, where does that leave Karl Rove and George Bush. Will King George ever honor his word and fire the individual responsible for the leak of Valerie Plame's identity? If Cheney manages to have this lawsuit dismissed, will that set a precedent? Is the President allowed to take our country to war based on a pack of lies and be immune from any legal action?

Am I the only one who sees how close we are to declaring martial law and assuming dictatorial authority? I'm frightened.

But, maybe, former Assistant Attorney General Jim Comey's testimony will be the straw that broke the camel's back. It may finally drive Alberto Gonzalez out of office. If it doesn't, it leaves the Bush administration looking ghoulish. If it does, the flood gates could open. Maybe Karl Rove will be next. Power may be returned to the people. Government of, for and by the People!!! :-)

l8r

I'm so vain...

As I was reading yesterday's Dilbert Blog, I had to think that Scott Adams was writing about me. Check this article about imagination. I thought, "He's writing about me!" :-)

I'm still trying to avoid a rant. What's happening in the Bush Administration, however, is very frightening. I'm hoping the questions will continue. At least people will lose their civil rights with full knowledge of the "administration of evil's" arrogant, above-the-law corruption. The situation with Gonzalez, Wolfowitz, and Karl Rove is ridiculous. But one thing about Bush ... he's loyal to the code of stonewalling.

l8r

Food Fotography

Continuing in the light-hearted vein and along the lines of photography, today's subject is of interest to very few people, but it's funny ... to me. :-)

I have an old lens that was very dear to me in my film days. It's an 80-200 Nikkor Zoom. That old lens is banged and battered but is the only one I saved when selling all the old stuff. We had some great times together. It works with my new digital equipment but barely. I carry a hand-held light meter and focus manually.

I walked along the lake front a few days ago, seeing just how much of a pain using it would be. The lens equates to a 120 ~ 300mm lens when mounted on my digital camera. That is due to the size of the digital sensor. It brought this group of diners close enough to identify. The guys with the black heads are American Black Vultures. The red-head is a Turkey Vulture.

I interrupted their meal by getting a little too close. Since I was there, and, since a friend had asked me about "product photography," I decided to try my "old faithful" lens at "food photography." I realize this may not be appealing to the readers, but those vultures were really munching on this Carp Carcass. :-) The lens seems to work just fine. I suppose the lighting is a little flat. I'll have try this in a more controlled environment. :-)

Yesterday was exciting. A nesting cardinal actually brushed my face as I walked thru Jane's vine-covered arbor. Scared the crap outta me! I regained my senses and realized what had happened. She had a nest in Jane's vines. She was scared too. I had gotten too close. Her nest was right at eye-level. I took these pics while she was away. I'll be careful not to disturb her but am looking forward to some pics of the baby cardinals.

I'm getting much better at avoiding rage and anger, don't you think? I'm trying. :-)

l8r

Photography Blogs

Things must be going well around the world. Or, I've mellowed. Nothing seems to make me angry enough to post on the blog. Instead, I've been much more involved in my photography. Creating is more satisfying than criticizing. :-)

I recently came across a listing of blogs dealing primarily with photography and graphic arts. There are more than 50 links. I'm working my way through them. Here's a link that you aspiring photographers may want to follow. The links are educational and inspirational.

I used my database of photographs to produce my wife's Mothers Day Card. I done good. She was thrilled when she found the card along with some flowers that I cut from her gardens. I lit a candle on the coffee table and left the card and flowers so that she would immediately see them when she came into the living room. The picture on the card was of a rose in her rose garden. I was pleased with the resulting card and with the results of the card. :-)

Happy Mothers Day!
l8r

Get Rich Quick

I need money. I've thought about ways to make money fast. I guess selling stuff is the easiest way to get it? I don't really want to sell my stuff. I like my stuff. There are so many get-rich-quick schemes that everyone should be wealthy. But they all want me to send money to learn how to get rich. It seems the schemer is the one getting rich, leaving the schemee holding the bag.

I found an interesting concept while searching the web for my wealth. It suggests that I should not look to "get rich;" I should be attempting to "be rich." Here's an excerpt from the article that explains the concept.
there is no future success. When you are successful, you are successful now. Artists know this principle well. When you create, the creating is the reward. The creating is now. When you draw a picture, the moment of drawing is the reward. When you can be present to the moment and the work of art, then you have already succeeded.
And the same is true with prosperity. So many people blog about wealth and money and business and success, and there is often such a frantic-ness emanating from the computer screen that you find yourself short of breath after the first paragraph.
Stop for a second. The struggle, the grabbing, the getting - all of it is taking you out of this moment, and this great abundance that you are already experiencing. In this moment, what do you really need? I mean, now. Right here and now. What exactly do you really need?
Being rich, as I see it, can happen instantly when you recognize the depth of your life and the depth of your surroundings. When you can experience those things - really experience them - that is wealth. So many people want more more more, and they experience so very little of that more more more. They don’t even see below the surface of what’s in front of them.
This is not saying that you should just deal with your debt and hang out in the now, dude. This is saying that you can gently shift your attitude moment-by-moment and experience wealth and peace and then attract even more wealth and peace.
So my answer is to stop trying to GET rich and start BEING rich. Here’s how:

It goes into much more detail. It's a "feel good read." I read the entire piece and saved it my things-to-remember folder. Here is the link.

I feel better but still need some money. I'm looking for something to sell ... quick.

l8r

NO! to cheap drugs

Our representatives continue to grovel at the feet of the pharmaceutical lobby. I think I can understand. If you were heavily invested in pharmaceutical stocks, would you look for ways to make drugs cheaper? And, it's not just pharmaceuticals. Our government IS corporate America. I'm talking about today's vote in the Senate. They blocked a bill that would allow Americans to buy drugs from other countries. It's for our own safety! Yeah! I believe that.

There's lot more to rant about. It's serious stuff. But, I stop and think about people who have much more serious worries; people who worry about feeding, clothing and educating their children. Others who live day-to-day on the edge of disaster. How far are any of us from homelessnes?

And, there are a few of us who are very ill or have seriously ill relatives. I wonder how many of those are on the edge of bankruptcy, trying to pay for health care or nursing home? Oh... I forgot, our congress changed the bankruptcy law. We're not allowed that relief ... unless we own the bank. :-(

Enough of the rant. I spent a large portion of this day in my swing, on the back porch, looking out at the lake. Did I mention that thinking is one of my hobbies? :-)

I took a few more pictures today. I spent some time playing with Jane's flowers. She helps me. It gets interesting with her teaching me the names of the flowers and critiquing my photography. She called it "delphinium." That's a big name. I looked it up online (wikipedia) and learned that its common name is "larkspur." Aha! I've heard of that. When we were in New Mexico I kept looking for whatever this "larkspur" referred to in the flora and fauna books was. Pretty cool. I was seeing it and not realizing what I saw. :-) I took this cool butterfly pic. It was one of those "accidentals." The butterfly kept getting in the way.

I also browsed the pictures from the weekend's motorcycle races. There was a 48-year old woman racing with the guys. She is a staff member at the University of Arkansas and makes as many of the vintage races as possible. I was really impressed. She wasn't just riding, she was hanging right with the guys.

I'm loving my new Nikon. These guys (and gal) are fast. It ain't easy stopping a 100-mph motorcycle. :-) I'm still looking for another Nikon lens, something a little longer with a much larger maximum aperture. I'll keep looking on eBay. I've bid on several but lost. I'll keep trying. Maybe I'll finally sell enough to buy a lens? I'll keep thinking about fun stuff. No need searching for cheap drugs. There's a law against it. Politics and religion are much too serious. :-)

l8r

Flower Fotography

We're back from the motorcycle races; battle with RV service reps; and hectic effort to meet my publication deadline. The piece goes to press Monday and should be distributed the following week. Time to relax.

I've neglected the blog. There's plenty to rant about. I only get pissed off about most things I consider posting; the Iraq money issue, NRA stance on gun legislation; Wolfowitz; Gonzalez; Rove. Reading Scott Adams, the Dilbert Blog, makes me laugh. He and Bill Maher are really good at ridiculing the government. I'm leaving the serious stuff to them. I've decided to take pictures of my wife's flowers. It is so relaxing and pleasant, especially when the wind is calm enough to allow the use a tripod.

I'm also getting some practice with Adobe PhotoShop. The above photo had some ugly dead flowers in the lower right corner. I was able to copy and replace that part with the blue flowers from the right center portion of the picture. That worked so well that I dropped that blue bunch of flowers at four different places. Pretty neat, huh? Is it too obvious?

This picture of Jane's clematis is much less manipulated. I did use the spot healer tool to remove some dark spots. I really enjoy this type of photography. I've started thinking that I may be pretty good at it. It could be my calling? :-)

I know this post has much less effect on my blood pressure than some issues that are probably much more important. I'll let Bill Maher and Scott Adams extol and ridicule as necessary. Until I get really pissed. :-)

Meanwhile, I need to see if eBay has a Nikon lens that I can afford.

l8r