Canyon Day

We took a little jaunt into Palo Duro Canyon today. While there, we were going to start getting some shots for project we're working on for the TV station Shelley works at. Besides scenic views of the canyon, we managed to get a small variety of the flora and fauna there. Here are some samples:

I think this is an Ash-Throated Flycatcher.

Bicyclists were everywhere in the canyon today, but most of them were in a bike race.

"The Lighthouse" is the iconic structure of the canyon. I took this from the scenic overlook at the visitor's center. The lighthouse is about 3 miles away - as the crow flies.

This deer let me get quite a few shots before she left - and almost ran over Shelley in the process.

Saw a few varieties of butterflies/moths, but this is the only one I was able to get.

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3D Photography

I've dabbled in "3D" photography now and then. While flying back from Iowa, I had the chance to grab a few more shots that could be used as a kind of stereographic image. Instead of using a contraption to view it through, it can be done with a "split" photo - such as this one:


Instead of your eyes focusing on two images straight ahead as a stereograph or ViewMaster did, they focus on the image on the opposite side. That is, your right eye goes to the left image and the left eye goes to the right image. Doing so creates the same effect. Try it. Click on the image above to make it full size if you like. (The image is 1280 pixels wide.) Then cross your eyes just enough to make the images merge into one, tilting your head a little bit if you need to. When you get it right, you will see three images with the 3D image in the center - no goofy glasses, no strange contraption out of the 1800's, no ViewMaster. This kind of photography is called "3D Cross-View". The method of viewing in stereo this way is called "freeview", apparently because you can view it in 3D - free of any "thing" or gizmo to help you.

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Mooned

I have spent many many hours trying to get my moon shots right - over many months. I've gotten the hang of it to the point of getting shots like these. I guessed at the settings for the first one, then took the second one at the next slower shutter speed. Nothing was done to either one except cropping and adding the text. Do you have a preference as to which one you like better?



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My Trip

Here are some photos of my trip to Iowa for my Dad's funeral.

This is the Denver airport on Monday.

It was overcast all of the time I was in Iowa. Rain fell most of the time, albeit drizzly a good portion of it.

It was nice to have someone else do most of the driving. My older brother drove and his wife got stuck in back. *G*

This what Iowa is like along US HWY 20. There's plenty more of this in the state. But don't judge Iowa by this alone. There is much more to it.

On the way to the funeral, we came across this country church/cemetery.

I stayed with my older brother and his wife. She has these flowers blooming on the south side of their house.

Can you imagine driving through this? I took this as we were flying out of Love Field.

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Watching and Waiting

The lonely sentinel of the plains.
No matter where we roam, it stands tall and waits, ready, steadfast, unyielding.

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Missing Someone...

...and isn't it great? Seriously, its wonderful to care for someone so much that you miss them even when they've only been away a few hours. That's a very special relationship. What a blessing it is to finally have that with someone so special.

I've been on the phone more today that probably the whole of last year!
Thank goodness for cell phones! (Did I say that?)

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DIA Terminal

Flying to my Dad's funeral. That's the top of my head, waiting at DEN for the second leg of my trip. I'm glad I don't change airlines. This concourse alone is pretty big!

I only wish I could have m'Lady with me. Seems like such a lo-o-o-o-o-ong trip without her.

NASA and Birds

I've been communicating with a guy from Houston and the Johnson Space Center/NASA. I first ran into him through my bird blog when he was curious about one of his bird photos. Turns out that he is an "in-flight maintenance" tech for the shuttle. He does real-time support on cockpit systems from Mission Control. Pretty cool. Might be able to go to Houston sometime and check it all out. He says it's also a great place in the spring to photograph birds as they return for the summer. Yep, might have to find out first-hand sometime. :)

It's Hard Work...

...being a kitty.


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We Had A Baby!

Well, ok - it's a baby feline. We brought him home from Richard and Jeanette's (one of Shelley's brothers and his wife) house on Thursday (May 21, 2009). Since I tend to speak to our boys by saying things like, "Watch it, Buster!", we decided we might as well name him "Buster". And so we did. He is adapting very well. (Thank you Richard, Jeanette, and Aviaq, for taking such good care of him in his first weeks.)

Here are some of his latest poses and antics.....

Doesn't take much to amuse him. This twig caught his eye, and it was all over for the twig.

Tryin' to figure out how to load it....

A little break.

Exploring his new "ranch" - the back yard.

His pardner, Chip, is having a little trouble getting used to a little buckaroo around the house - but he'll make it.

Bird eating practice.

A hard-workin' boy's gotta take a fishin' break sometime!.