Cattle Egret, Bulbucus ibis

Saturday, February 23, 2008

The Steps, Again

Cloudy and damp today, warm, it's 75 now, at almost 6PM. I figured that about time I got out from under the trees on the motor scooter a toad strangler would come along, and I'd end up with a bunch of wet photo equipment.
If I sit on my old wooden front steps long enough, something will come along. I've got some lawn chairs, but the steps work better.
A couple of years ago I bought a gadget called Xtend a View. It clamps to the tripod mount, and puts a hood over the screen on the camera, with an adjustable magnifying lens. It really gives a much better view of what the camera actually sees, you can judge focus and exposure more accurately. I'd never used it much, finally gave the camera it fit away, and it was just sitting. Last night I pulled it out and modified it to fit the Panasonic FZ30. Wow! I don't know how I was getting along without it.
My eyes aren't the best, they're old like the rest of me, the Xtend a View sure is a help. It eliminates glare 100%.
The shots of Boss Cardinal on the ground are recent but not from today. Today, he posed in the Oak tree, singing to his lady.



7 comments:

paradise said...

*Those steps*,
have seen more activity than
most of us in our visual lifetimes.

Your photos, your adventures, your life, is so very interesting!

Thanks for sharing with this blog!

tsiya said...

You got to go after it, life isn't a popularity contest, you're here to use up all that curiosity you were born with. Things get scary a lot, but you've just got to pop right back at things, go out and aggravate someone.
Rate your friends on quality, not quantity. If four people disagree with you, well, maybe you've just stumbled over four idiots, if you only have one friend, that friend will know that you are right, and stand with you, right through the gates of Hell!
I really try to keep politics out of this blog, but, give me a break, I don't need ALGORE to tell me Diddly Squat! That Boy hasn't walked on real grass more than a couple of times in his life, and now, he's an expert on ecology?
Suzy, if some folks don't like you, maybe you should just give thanks for that, and don't waste your time on them.
Won't be long now, you'll be old enough to be a real Curmudgeon, go for it, Kid!

paradise said...

"Suzy, if some folks don't like you, maybe you should just give thanks for that, and don't waste your time on them.
Won't be long now, you'll be old enough to be a real Curmudgeon, go for it, Kid!"



Now this is really a Huge Smile!

I'm sure you're on to it Tsiya, God Love Ya!!

You already know my passion is flora culture, eating and living it!

Please let me enjoy your incredible photos, and allow me to share my "Man Upstairs" gifts with you!

I could never be able to hold a candle to your knowledge on cam's, and I still can grow you all kinds of *good eats*!

It's a meeting of the minds, don't ya know!!

paradise said...

Just have to comment on your pic of the fat robin on this date, 2/25/08.

I was just at a friends home this am and Holy Toledo!

About 100 of them descended on the E. Palatka Holly and ravished all the berries!!
What a site that was!

bullg8rlady said...

The Robins are here! The Robins are here! Even my Nature Deficit Disordered kids noticed and asked me, "Mom what are all those birds doing?" I try not to lose any opportunity I see to tune them into the natural things occuring around them, but it seems like an uphill battle against PSP's, Wii's TV sports, homework, and other such "important" aspects of thier lives.

tsiya, thank you for this blog.
I read it everyday and enjoy your photos very much. I just can't seem to get enough of Mr. Cardinal. Thank you for keeping my mind on the beauty and wander of nature.

Also, I enjoyed exploring the links you have posted.
On that note, I try to explain to my older son (he's a few years younger than Gerry) that being a real "cracker" is an special honor. But he says his schoolmates of color taunt him with the name -- so he will have no part of it. This makes me very sad. So I am especially intrigued by the young man's online thoughts and explorations of Florida Cracker culture. I can't tell you how it makes me feel to know that there are young men out there like him.

I also enjoy reading your conversations with paradise. paradise, its long past time for YOU to have a blog too! That way we could see your wonderful garden photos ...

tsiya said...

Some kids may be taunted with immunity from rebuttal, others have been granted protected status. I just point this out, in case someone hasn't noticed.
There wasn't a single era of slavery, or a single holocaust, most of us have ancestors who got a raw deal, most of us have ancestors who gave out raw deals. Best we get over it. History doesn't create excuses, either for repeat transgressions, or for sitting around whining, about things done to your long dead ancestors, by someone elses long dead ancestors. I reckon it will all go on forever, though, it seems to be human nature.
I'll still keep a shotgun by the bed, just in case.

paradise said...

BullG8Lady,
I am so busy with the thousands of seedlings sprouting I dream in green only!

Maybe in Summer? No that will be second planting time.

Maybe in Autumn? No that will be harvest time!

Someday, Sometime! Maybe! ;-)

But thanks for the idea!

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