The Oscars...

...have nothing at all to do with this photograph, except they both happen on the same day. Oh, and I am posting this blog while half-watching the Oscars. You would think better of me, I know, if I were not watching them. Anyhow, I came out of the house this morning and saw this branch just sitting on the snow. I like that you can see the structure of the plant, which you wouldn't be able to see easily if the plant was still in the garden. It is also interesting that it is not immediately obvious what the snow background is.

The Larger Bear

Ursa Major, "The larger bear," or, as we more commonly know the grouping of stars, The Big Dipper. I was out under the stars last night, for the first time in 6 months or so. Wonderfully clear night, out on the east end of Long Island, in Southhold. In this picture, you can see the building and the dome of Custer Institute, where I go to observe. They have a large telescope in the dome, but I use my telescope with a 10" diameter mirror, in the side yard. I mention Ursa Major, not because that group of stars is in this photograph, but because I started my observing with that constellation, and enjoyed views of some amazing galaxies. I was freezing after three hours, and so headed for home, a drive that takes an hour and a half. Got home at 2 AM, so today I am whipped. It was all worth it! Please click on this image for a larger one - when that image opens, you can see the stars in the sky more easily.

"Hail Mary"

I passed this golf course yesterday and saw the pattern of the melting snow and the trees. It caught my eye, but the sun was out and I didn't like the bright blue sky and the bright sun. Today when I came by on my bike there were high clouds in the sky and the sunlight was muted. So I got off my bike and tried to shoot the scene. Only thing was, there was a chain link fence, covered with vines between me and the scene. It was 5 feet high, and I had no way to see through it, or get up high enough to get over it. So I reverted to an old news photographer trick. I held the camera as far over my head as I could, and aimed it in the general direction and made an exposure. The beauty of a digital camera, is that I can then look at what I shot, and try aiming again until I get it right. This is called a "hail mary" and I should mention that the term is offensive to some. I learned the technique from an old timer, about 40 years ago. It can save your day by allowing you to look over people or objects in your way, and still get the picture.

Not a Knot

I had the unenviable task of replacing all the ropes for the window sash weights in one window today. This is nasty work, at least the way this house is built - back in 1910 or 1920. Anyhow, after a lot of prying off of trim I was finally able to get to the sash weights sitting at the bottom of their chambers, their ropes having broken years ago. When I fished out the weights, they were tied in this interesting way. This is not a "knot", it is a "hitch." I will spare you the technical details, other than to say it works by friction alone. It is interesting, if you tied this with a strand of spaghetti, it would just slip free, and yet with this sash cord, it has stayed like this since it was first tied. And that got me to thinking about how long ago this was tied. If the house is nearly a hundred years old, I would guess that the sash cords were replaced perhaps 50 years ago. Who was it that tied this? I am the first person to touch his work since he did it.

Curled Up Kitty

It is a continuing source of wonder to me, to see how the kitties sleep. What curls up next to what, what's folded under what, and what's over what! Kind of like a Rubick's cube or something. They just never cease to amaze me, and they ALWAYS look completely comfortable! And cute too!

The Goblin in the Side Yard

Obviously I didn't shoot this today - the snow has been melting for several days now. But I did this the morning of the second large snowstorm, and really want you all to see it. I just thought it was funny, when I came out the back door and spotted this thing looking at me like this. I had to try some different compositions, and ended up showing the side of the car beneath the drooping snow - sort of makes it look like a mouth. Just a fun picture for the day.

My New Light

I bought a new quarts halogen spotlight the other day. Just to have around. It is small, and only has a 200 watt bulb in it. I just thought it would be helpful if I wanted to photograph some things around the house, because it is easy to set up. It is easier than setting up an electronic flash, and I can see what is going on in the viewfinder, instead of having to shoot a flash picture and checking that on the camera. With this light, what you see is what you get. So a few minutes ago (and it is night here...) I set up the light and experimented with this Philodendron plant. I love that it looks like a summer's day, instead of night inside the house.