Category Archives: Photography

November 24, 2024 · 23:04

Yes, I DID Draw Stares

People stared. Children pointed. I got attention.

Most Sunday mornings early I’m at the grocery store, and in the fall and winter I’ll usually be wearing a Chiefs hat and T-shirt or sweatshirt of some sort. But then when I’m at home and the game’s actually on, I change into the “sacred vestments.”

The official jersey (#10, Isiah Pacheco), the “lucky” hat that I’ve worn for every game for probably ten years or more now, the beads (most of which came from Red Lobster when I order a Lobsterita and need to have a designated driver, but hey, they’re red and gold!).

Today I was running late and it was an early (10:00 on the West Coast) game, so I just went to grocery store in full regalia, with the radio coverage of the game blasting out from my pocket via the SiriusXM app on my phone.

People stared. Children pointed. I got attention.

I prefer to think it was just jealousy. Folks wished they were as cool as I was.

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Filed under Critters, KC Chiefs, Paul, Photography

November 23, 2024 · 23:53

Haze & Drizzle

We started with mist, moved up to drizzle, and this evening we got to light rain.

A nice evening. Quiet. The occasional coyote and owl sounding off.

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Filed under Critters, Photography, Weather

November 22, 2024 · 23:07

The Owls Were Singing To Orion

Out for a brief, brisk walk (it’s down to about 47ºF at the moment) and I see that Orion is high. The owls are hooting and singing.

Not bad for a handheld picture with an iPhone 13, Los Angeles’ normal light pollution, and a freakishly bright streetlight just off to the right.

Orion is on its side just to the right of center, between the power lines. The really bright star near the top just left of center is Jupiter, and at the very top edge just right of center, that “V” shape pointing to the upper right is Taurus. The bright object in the lower left, just above the bottom wire, is Mars.

The biggest disappointment in this image is how everything looks so WHITE. Mars actually looks quite red, and there is also a lot of color in the stars of Orion and Taurus. Betelgeuse and Aldebaran are red giants and you can see that color with the naked eye.

Go look!

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Filed under Astronomy, Critters, Photography

November 21, 2024 · 23:27

Something For Thursday

I feel like I’m having some writer’s block or a dry spell or sorts. I’m so busy and tapped out and tired that I really don’t spend as much time taking pictures and getting out as I used to, and now that Daylight Saving Time ended I don’t seem to have any time when it’s light out where I’m not at the office. And I’m AT THE OFFICE, which is a totally different time dynamic than working from home. And of course, there’s the world to deal with. IYKYK.

I’m off my game.

On the one hand I’m feeling accomplished at the moment with a number of critical projects off my plate and I feel like I’m making a lot of progress on getting ahead of the game, which also feels good, I’m going to the gym and working out, which also is good.

But creatively, it’s just data mining through twenty years of digitial photographs.

I guess it could be worse. I might not have tens of thousands of photos to flip through.

And flipping through the photos looking for something to share is often a pleasant trip down memory lane. For example, I only get to the Ventura Pier and the beach about once every two or three years, but I usually really enjoy it. I should go back more often!

This whole random train-of-thought thing is odd. Sorry.

 

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Filed under Critters, Paul, Photography, Travel

November 20, 2024 · 23:48

No Context For You – November 20th

Proof of life – as in, “You call this living?”

To quote Maverick, “Too close for missiles, switching to guns”

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Filed under Critters, Photography

November 19, 2024 · 23:43

Creatures From Below

They’re back!

The front yard all of a sudden is being shredded at an astonishing rate.

Every morning, the new excavations are bigger and deeper and more widespread.

If only I owned the house and could do something about it… But that’s a different discussion. (And an exercise in futility, unfortunately.)

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Filed under Castle Willett, Critters, Photography

November 18, 2024 · 23:03

Office View

Today starts Week Six working back on-site in the office, after over 54 months of working from home during the worst of COVID. Here’s my view, with a couple of trees turning red for the fall.

Today there was a murder of crows squawking around and making a racket outside, as well as a new bird hopping around in those bushes, and I thought I recognized the type even though I only remember seeing one in our yard (about five miles away) once. It finally sat still long enough for me to get a picture and the Merlin app (get it!) confirmed the ID:

About the size of one of the Juncos, similar body shape, but solid black on top and white on the bottom, it’s a Black Phoebe!

There are also hummingbirds that go zipping by, always fun to watch.

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Filed under ALS Network, Birds, Photography

November 17, 2024 · 23:34

Cheap Thrills, Red Tags Again

It’s that time of year again. This goes back many years, as some folks celebrate birthdays, wedding anniversaries, Christmas, and so on, I, a child of way, way too many cross-country road trips crammed into the back of  a station wagon with seven siblings (and not a seat belt in sight!) play license plate games and celebrate the arrival of the new tags every year. I’ve been looking but haven’t yet seen a single 2026 tag, so I have the first one that I’ve seen.

Yes, as stated in previous years, I understand exactly how sad and pathetic this is. You’re welcome and thenk you for sharing this special occasion with me for 2024.

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Filed under Paul, Photography

November 16, 2024 · 23:19

Random Old Photos – November 16th

I am chock o’ block full of flu and COVID vaccines – come at me, virii! (Viruses? Virususses?) I’m loaded for bear!

All of which has absolutely nothing to do with this nice old picture from 2013 of one of the only two flying B-25 bombers. It’s the CAF’s “Fifi”, coming into Camarillo to spend a couple of days with the CAF SoCal Wing. (At the time it was the only flying B-25, but since then “Doc” has started flying as well.)

That’s a LOT of flaps!

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Filed under CAF, Flying, Health, Photography

November 14, 2024 · 23:50

Rising Supermoon

I came out of the office after work today (yes, I’m still working in-office, training new staff, more new staff coming just before Thanksgiving, so this may last through the end of the year) and found the final “supermoon” of the year rising over my well-decorated vehicle.

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Filed under ALS Network, Astronomy, KC Chiefs, Photography