Tag: photoblog

Apr 30, 2011

Launch day.

After little over six months in dry dock, today was the day we relaunched Cupholder.  Thanks to Marty and Sue for the ramp duties.  Here she goes!  She’s back in her slip where she belongs.

This auspicious occasion also marks the beginning of lake playtime.   We had a great turnout today:  Joe, Kurt, Wally, Kevin, Shannon, Lori, Dave, Marty & Sue, and we even had a drive by from Ken and Chris.

We missed you Teri & Ace!

Oh, yes, she is a sailboat, but we still have a little work to do on the masts, so we may need to do the next raftup as a motor yacht 🙂

Apr 29, 2011

A little freaky.

I had an appointment with the eye doctor this morning. First they numbed my eyes to check for glaucoma. Then they dilated my eyes to look in them.   I’m going to give the monovision contacts one more try.  If that doesn’t help then i’m going to have to try the dreaded progressive lenses.  😮

I took the opportunity to see what my dilated eye looks like up close.    It kinda reminds me of something from an old movie I just saw the other day – The Exorcism of Emily Rose.   The kind of scary movie that keeps me up nights.  You’ll have to see it, cause I don’t want to think about it.

Anyway.  Suffice to say that my eyes eventually got back to normal

Apr 27, 2011

Jay.

I just can’t seem to be in the right place at the right time.

Apr 26, 2011

So close, and yet so far.

This is as close as we’ve gotten to rain in a long time. It blew by well south of us.

I was mesmerized by this shape-shifting cloud this evening.  I could not get a clear picture of it, though, what with the power lines, trees and roof tops blocking the way.

Even so, pretty awesome.

Apr 25, 2011

Hummingbird-feeder-stealth-shot #1 of 2011.

This isn’t exactly a stealth shot…as I took it from across the kitchen at max zoom, which is why it’s so grainy. Last year I got pretty good at this and got some good, clear and upclose shots.

That’s ok.   I like this one.  I’m leaving lots of room for improvement

Apr 23, 2011

On the fence.

The other day I got out my SLR camera.  A nice Nikon FM10 that Monte gave me a number of years ago.  Everything on it is manual, and it’s a great camera for people to learn about the mechanics of taking photos.   It was the only camera that we brought with us on our honeymoon and we got fantastic photos.

I took it in to get developed today.  Here’s one pic from the roll.

Apr 22, 2011

Yikes!

Yesterday afternoon a truck stopped at the house, a guy rang the door bell and gave Monte a flyer for lawn maintenance services.  The guy then got back into his truck and drove off… and did not stop at any other house on the street.  So, you can understand that I was especially happy that my weed eater parts came in the mail a few days early so that I could get busy on the edging and border weed whacking last night.   I couldn’t wait til work was over today to get out and mow the lawn, front and back.  THAT’S how tired I was of looking at our messy yard.

Ok.  So, I’m mowing in the back yard… turning a tight circle around a shepherd’s hook that’s holding some planters and a hummingbird feeder, and all of a sudden I noticed a couple bees flying around my arms.   Whoa!  Where did they come from?!   Oh,  I guess they’re with the rest of the hoard swarming the tip of the hummingbird feeder a foot from my head!!!!

That was a close call!     I don’t know if I’m allergic to bees, because it’s been probably 30+ years since I’ve been stung.  But, I’m REALLY glad I didn’t have to find out this evening.

You’d think I was happy to have gotten away unscathed the first time.  But, I couldn’t resist the urge to get a picture.   So, I dashed into the house, got my camera and went back in close for this shot.    🙂

Apr 21, 2011

Chinquipin oak.

Tomorrow is Earth Day.  Yesterday at work  they were giving away tree saplings to plant for the occasion.  Monte brought home this Chinquipin Oak tree.  This morning I put it in the earth.  Hopefully it will be a keeper.

We have 4 or 5 cedar trees that have died from drought on our back property line.  We need to take them down, but I hope we can plant some newbies in their place over the next few weeks.

Apr 20, 2011

Garden girl.

When I was a kid, my family moved every 2 or 3 years.  But wherever we lived, my dad always planted and tended a vegetable garden with an amazing variety of things including carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, chard, brussel sprouts, rhubarb, beets, onions, peas, beans, corn, spinach, potatoes, etc, etc.

My dad instilled in me a love to play in the dirt.  I can’t say I spend a fraction of the time he did in the garden, or have nearly the variety of things that he planted.  But I certainly do enjoy the little patches I have.

This is a shot part of my perennial herb bed, with sage, rosemary and oregano.  Savory!

P.s.  Yes, the lawn needs some edging work.  My weed eater has lost its spring, so I’m waiting for Mr UPS man to bring me a package.  Hopefully, before this weekend.

Apr 19, 2011

Mesmerizing.

I posted a shot a week or so ago of several Morning Glory flowers all wrapped up.  This is a shot of one of them open in all its glory.

The color of these flowers is amazing.  I have not retouched this photo.  The glow in the center of the flower makes the color so intense.

It’s hard to look away 🙂

Apr 18, 2011

Caprese-to-be.

Monte planted 4 tomato plants earlier this spring and they are doing great.  Lots of tomatoes on the vine!

Apr 17, 2011

Spring in the garden.

This was an absolutely beautiful weekend!

I fired up each zone of our sprinklers to find that 3 of them have leaks – likely a cracked or broken pipe from the freezes last winter.  So, we have some manual sprinkler schlepping in our future this spring and summer.  I don’t think we’ll get around to having the sprinker system repaired until we figure out what we plan on doing to redesign and relandscape our back patio area.

But with the hand watering the flower bed looks great.  I planted a bunch of perennials 2 years ago,  and nearly everything is coming back.  I did lose 4 of my Penta plants.

This is a shot of the velvety flowers of the  Mealycup sage, and in the background you can see the bright red flowers on the Salvia bush.

So pretty.

Apr 16, 2011

Ready to roll.

This is the weekend of the MS-150 ride from Houston to Austin.  Each year up to 13,000 cyclists participate in this 2-day bike ride  / fundraiser for multiple sclerosis.   For 10 years, several friends of mine have done the ride.

I don’t ride, but I am proud to be a sherpa.  🙂  In the last few years, Irene has joined us and we are co-sherpa’s for friends Lori and Laura, and until the last 2 years Doray, too.

We have an annual ritual:  we take off the afternoon the Friday before the ride, then everyone piles into one car with the bikes.  We drive from Austin to Houston.   Check into the hotel.  Stop by the St. David’s team hospitality suite.  Enjoy a lovely beverage.  Go to dinner at Lomonte’s (delicious!).   Then back to the hotel.

Up the next morning.  Get the bikes and riders ready.  Schlep the riders’ overnight gear to the trailer.  Take the riders to their start and bid them adieu.

Then I drive back to Austin and am home Saturday morning before 10 AM.

The bike riders, however, get home Sunday evening.

I think I have the better deal.   🙂

Either way its a fun thing to do with friends…and it’s for a good cause.