"Can I Take Your Order?"

So I don't want to complain, OK? This is the order window at the drive-through at the local McDonalds. We don't eat at McDonalds - we only go there to buy their low fat soft ice cream cones, which we love! So what is this all about? It's about how pretty the Black-eyed susan's are. It is nice that they dress up the property with these flowers, but it does seem incongruous, because these flowers are surrounded by blacktop and the plastic displays listing what you can buy, which are not that pretty. So I am not complaining - it just seems strange.

Paper Wasp Nest

I saw this just the other day, and it appeared that it arrived overnight. I don't think the nest could have been built that quickly but I was amazed to find it there, attached to branch of my favorite tree. Unfortunately, the nest is only about 4 feet above the ground, and the wasps were arriving and departing right toward the driveway and the front porch. These are paper wasps, and not the agressive yellow jackets, but I was worried about people getting stung by them. It was a very busy nest. So... I bought the special wasp spray, and went out at midnight with a flashlight and the spray, and soaked the nest completely. There is now no activity and I will cut the nest down tomorrow. Here is the bad part - I looked up these wasps and discovered that they are really beneficial insects, and they recommend that you leave them alone, unless they are close to where people are. So now I feel really badly.

Doors, Windows, Mirrors...

I was looking around Capt. Dusty's to see if I could find a photo when we were out there. Then I noticed this hallway with three mirrors in it, and a door at the end, and a door leading to another room. Oh wait, there is no window, and there is no door leading to another room. It is all done with mirrors. So I experimented with the composition, and realized that the photo needed something else - a person. So here is Amy - twice - in person, and as a reflection.

The Astronomy Picnic

We had our astronomy club picnic today. Hot dogs, hamburgers, salads and all kinds of desserts, and... binoculars! Of course we had binoculars at an astronomy picnic! We did talk about a lot of different things, as well, but when someone showed their new giant binoculars, we all had to look through them and see how good the optical quality was! Only at an astronomy picnic.

The Mystery of Cooking Fish

We brought some of the fresh caught fish back from Montauk. I have always been intimidated by the thought of cooking fish. I do know how to cook a salmon filet on the grill. But somehow I just thought that any other way of cooking fish would somehow be really complicated. But then I watched Amy cook the fish for lunch, and it was so simple I couldn't believe it. So the next day I cooked the remaining fish, and it was absolutely delicious. Oh, how I did it? Olive oil in a frying pan, a crushed garlic clove. Dry the filets and then add salt and pepper, and some paprika, and some spices. Grill for about 7 or 8 minutes. Eat. Yummmmmmm!

The End of the World as We Know It

Another line of thunderstorms came through here early this evening. It got so dark that I began to think that the sun had set earlier than normal. Then I went outside and looked up to see these roiling clouds overhead. The clouds in a squall line are always stunning - there is so much energy there, and I love all the incredible shades of gray. Thunderstorms are such incredibly powerful "engines." I never tire of watching them develop and then release their energy. I just don't want to every fly through one!

Patience

I was standing on the beach when I saw this child, wrapped in a colorful beach blanket, just staring out to sea. I wanted to take the photograph, but I was too far away. Here is the tricky part - I didn't want to start moving quickly toward the child, less someone think I was a creepy old man. So I decided to change lenses and use the 200mm telephoto. This took me about 40 seconds, and when the lens was on, the child had crouched down to get something, and when she stood up, the blanket was not wrapped as tightly around her and she was looking off in another direction. Oh No, I have missed the photograph. My only hope was to stand there and wait. So I waited and waited, and then finally, she gathered the towel around her tightly, and looked back out to sea. Whew! I got it!