Thanksgiving day with the family
We spent the day at Matt and Betsy’s
Taking these pictures didn’t go without problems. These are all part of a second set of pictures I took. The first set were all blurred. For some unknown reason the camera had a major problem – it looked like the camera moved during each of the previous shots. I had the shutter speed fairly high for the dark conditions 1/80th of a second, and the camera was mounted on my new heavyweight tripod, so there’s no explanation for the problem. Checking on the Internet it seems that focus errors on the D7000 abound, though this doesn’t look like a focus error. More research is needed – I can’t afford to run into this problem again when I’m shooting.
I changed lenses and the problem went away – which is telling in itself. The family were very good and came out for a second crack at the pictures. Oh well it could have been worse – if I hadn’t chimped the shots straight away I might not have spotted the problem.
24 November 2011 | 365:328 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Thanksgiving day with the family
Alek, Katie, Ginger, Gary, Lanie, Jim and Carol
Gary Fishing , James River, Springfield, Missouri
And all I caught was a load of leaves.
My best catch of the afternoon
James River, Springfield, near the Crighton access point.
Ginger and Lanie near the Crighton access point on the James River
13 November 2011 | 365:317 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Ginger, Gary and Lanie stopped for Lunch on the Sac River Trail
Lanie enjoyed yesterday’s hike so much she wanted to go on another today.
Do I detect dissension in the ranks?
Lanie on the Sac River Trail
12 November 2011 | 365:316 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Double take
I thought I’d cleaned the mirror before taking this picture.
Obviously not. Ginger’s not been feeling too well, so I let her sleep and picked up the big kids from school.
And I took one with the focus reversed on the mirrors
21 September 2011 | 365:264 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
This is what results when one accidentally presses the shutter while struggling to get the camera into position
AKA Parking lot fund raiser wash-out.
Ginger and I volunteered to watch over the Youth Group kids working the Cider Days parking lot fund raiser after church today. Yesterday’s attempt got rained off, and the weather wasn’t any better today. After less than an hour we sent the kids in and Mark and I stayed out and took around six dollars an hour (that’s two cars) for about three hours before throwing in the towel.
Gary at the parking lot fund raiser wash-out.
18 September 2011 | 365:261 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Trying to get out of the parking lot on the way home from the symphony
It took nearly an hour to complete a ten minute journey.
Ginger took Lanie down to church to help with the ‘Cider Days’ parking lot fund raiser, and Katie clothes shopping in a hunt for some classic clothes in the down town flea markets. The fund raiser got washed out, but the shopping trip was a success, and I was treated to an impromptu fashion show when they got back.
John and Marsha are on vacation and very kindly gave us their tickets to this evening’s symphony concert, so we had a Beethoven treat night. I had planned on taking today’s picture either just outside or inside the auditorium, but the light was horrid inside and it was frightfully busy outside.
After the concert we got stuck in traffic trying to exit the parking lot – apparently a rodeo just down the road had finished at the same time, so we spent 50 minutes just sitting in line. I decided to take a safety shot while we were waiting.
We were a bit concerned about our back tyre which currently has a number plate screw, complete with washer, buried in it. It’s been raining heavily all day, and I didn’t fancy changing a tyre in the wet, so we left it in place. It can stay there, probably until after the school run Monday morning if I can get away with it.
17 September 2011 | 365:260 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Gary, Lanie and Ginger (hiding at the back) too
For what seems like the first time in over three months the temperature dropped below 90°F,
We should have tried for a better shot in which all of Ginger’s face was visible, but we wanted to get on our way as we had an appointment with some burgers at Tom and Rebbie’s to keep. Very nice they were too.
Tonight we’ve had to close up the house. Not because it’s too hot – but because it is too cold!
05 September 2011 | 365:248 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
© 2011 Gary Allman
Filling up with gas
And the price is slowly coming down again.
That’s good.
03 August 2011 | 365:215 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Manly shopping
Carol and Jim came to town today.
Today’s extra
Blue Kitteh found a place to sleep and cool off. I resisted the temptation to turn the tap on.
01 August 2011 | 365:213 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Gary and Ginger at Emily and Larry’s Wedding reception
Which explains the somewhat curious and questionable lighting.
30 July 2011 | 365:211 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Processing
Day 200! Only 165 to go.
19 July 2011 | 365:200 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Half cut – again
After a month away on vacation my first job at home is to tend to my personal grooming.
16 July 2011 | 365:197 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman<
On the flight from Dallas Fort Worth to Springfield
Pic
UK June 2011 – Day 31. It was a long day.
We were tired and travel weary by the time I took this picture and it shows. The total door to door travel time was twenty-one hours which wasn’t bad. It helped that the taxi arrived on time and we avoided any traffic delays on the way to Heathrow. The flights were uneventful and on time. One can ask for nothing better on a trans-Atlantic flight. On our final leg from Dallas to Springfield we were treated to some wonderful cloudscapes as the sun went down. We also got to see a rainbow, (a circle when you are flying), complete with the shadow of the ‘plane at its center. Rebbie was waiting at Springfield airport to collect us, and we finally arrived at home around ten pm.
Unfortunately our day wasn’t over. I’d like to say we got home, had a light meal and went to bed. The truth is that our decision to leave the Boy and Getzger in charge of the house wasn’t a good one. The place was an absolute tip and there was no food or milk, not even enough for breakfast, to be found (“I deliberately let it run out.”). While Ginger chewed the Boy a new one, I put air in the tyres of the van and coaxed it into life after its month’s sojourn in the garage. So, after being up nearly twenty-four hours we went out to dinner and then on to buy some essential groceries.
This is bad news. Bad news because we had planned to leave the Boy and Cat in charge again later in the summer and go camping. It looks like that won’t be happening.
Today’s alternate shot
Feet up during our layover at Dallas Fort Worth
15 July 2011 | 365:196 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Waiting and Writing
Sitting waiting in the car is one of the few places and times I get a chance to stop and think
We’ve spent the past couple of days researching a replacement camera for my currently defunct Nikon. It’s come down to the Nikon D7000 and Canon 60D and it’s been a very tough (and long) decision process. I must have spent 20 plus hours reading reviews and studying pictures. I think I’ve now come to a conclusion, and I’m going to sleep on it before going out and splashing the cash.
In a masochistic attempt at relaxation I agreed to take Katie to the mall and then out for a driving lesson. While waiting at the mall I relaxed, wrote some notes and took my daily picture. The driving lesson couldn’t be classed as relaxing. I didn’t realise teaching a fifteen year old to drive was on my list of step-fatherly duties when I signed up. In the UK we have driving schools, you can’t drive until you’re seventeen, and ‘L’ plates to save parents this sort of trial.
Today’s alternate shot
Gary - Waiting and Writing
10 June 2011 | 365:161 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Shopping Day
It’s time to make a new batch of breakfast cereal.
So here I am in Mama Jean’s where I diligently hold the plastic bags while Ginger scoops in the various ingredients of our home made breakfast cereal. Somehow $50 for breakfast cereal (not to mention the hernia inducing weight) seems a bit over the top. However, the supplies last 3-4 months so it works out about the same as shop bought cereal – only a whole(grain) lot better.
We also went to Bass Pro to find clothes for our trip to the UK, and Ginger found some shoes. As schools finished Lanie came too, I think we even bought her a cookie. My generosity knows no bounds.
7 June 2011 | 365:158 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Breakfast at Anton’s
Time for a ‘Hungry Student’ and lots of coffee.
Today we ‘did’ a few yard sales and treated ourselves to breakfast.
Today’s alternate shot
Breakfast at Anton's Coffee Shop
4 June 2011 | 365:155 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Pumping Gas
Is no longer a gas,
it’s darned expensive, even though the price has now dropped back slightly to $3.53 a gallon.
I took this on my way back from a meeting at church. The rest of my day was spent in preparations for our upcoming trip to the UK.
I managed to spend some time on the ‘phone to my son Keith, whose birthday was over the weekend while we were away. It was nice to chat. That and the preparations have put me in a better frame of mind about the trip, which I admit I have quite mixed feelings about.
1 June 2011 | 365:152 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Muddy feet
After yesterday’s rain it was a bit muddy on the Sac River trail today,
In the evening we booked tickets for our visit to the UK in June, only to find another darned volcano has started spewing forth smoke and such in Iceland. This time last year there was total chaos with the trans-Atlantic flights, let’s hope that it doesn’t become an issue again.
We now need to plan all the people we want to see and visits we want to make while we’re away. We’re planning on backpacking too which can be a challenge in the UK.
Today’s alternate shot & extras
It was a just a bit muddy
Ginger and Lanie on the Sac River Trail
Sac River from the Sac River Trail
Typical view of the Sac River Trail
21 May 2011 | 365:141 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Walmart veggies section
We started the day with a few yard sales.
Last night we had a fairly big storm. Big enough to bring down a couple of trees in the area, including our neighbour’s. He was lucky. The tree fell in his yard, taking out his power, but it missed his house.
Tonight before sitting back and watching one of our ‘new’ movies we went shopping in Wal-Mart. High on my list were the essential ingredients for White Russians, which we enjoyed later with the movie Catch me if you can.
13 May 2011 | 365:133 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Gary and a milling machine
Today I visited an engineer’s playground.
Ginger’s parents were back in town again today, and they took us for lunch to celebrate Carol’s birthday. After lunch they had things to do, and I ought to have got some more pictures done, but instead I fell asleep. They were back later in the afternoon, and Jim and I went off to a fantastic place. It was like an engineer’s yard sale; full of lathes, milling machines, drill presses, drill bits, gears, belts, bearings, motors, hydraulic actuators, compressors, welding equipment and lots of useful metal offcuts. I am very glad my wallet is empty, my workshop is tiny and I stick (generally) to our wanted list because there were loads of cool things to buy. Fortunately we came away empty handed. I couldn’t even find a small off-cut of sheet aluminium to make a lid for my backpacking cooking pot, which was the only thing on my list I might have found there.
I may not look that enthused in the picture, but I’d probably just wiped the drool off my chin, and I was most likely trying not to look too pleased at all the wonderful goodies scattered around the place.
11 May 2011 | 365:131 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
EFM Retreat
This week’s EFM class was held on a Saturday,
During our mid-morning break I noticed something move out of the corner of my eye and heard a small knock on the front door. On investigating further I discovered a small bird had flown into the door and was laying stunned on the mat. Checking the bird books at home, we found it was a migrant – a Male Wilson’s Warbler. After about twenty minutes it recovered and flew off.Before we finished for the day I explained about my 365 Days project and asked if anyone was willing to be in my daily picture. Everyone was, and this is the result. Thanks Guys!
To get the best out of this picture I would have needed to use a diffuse fill-in flash. I didn’t have the flash gun and diffuser with me (the weight of EFM books was quite enough), so I had to settle for an over exposed background. Had I been thinking I’d have taken a separate background shot with no one in it and merged the two – there’s hindsight for you.
***
While I was out being educated Lanie spent the day working the parking lot at Arts Fest with the Youth Group and Katie went with Ginger and they enjoyed some time out in the Kayaks on Lake Springfield. However, the home highlight of the day had to be Ginger, Katie and Lanie shaving Blue Kitty to give her a lion cut. When Blue Kitty eventually comes out of hiding I might try and get a picture.
Today’s extra
Male Wilson's Warbler
07 May 2011 | 365:127 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
At the High School Orchestra concert
I give up, I forget what I did today.
School run; check. Go to Katie’s concert; check. And very good it was too. I’ve not been to any this year as the concerts always take place on a Thursday when I’m at class. That’s all. Oh and never try to take pictures with Ginger while children are around. That explains my expression in this picture.
Today’s alternate shot & extras
I was trying to get a picture with Ginger, but somehow the irrepressable Lanie managed to get herself into the shot.
High School Orchestra concert
A rather blurry Katie leaves the stage during Hadyn's Farewell
05 May 2011 | 365:125 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Making huaraches
I meant to make a to-do list today.
So I ended up doing all sorts of things that didn’t really need doing, and missing out on things I should be doing. Oh well.
I’ve been promising to make Ginger, Katie and Lanie some huaraches for a while. This afternoon, I gathered the stuff up and made them each a test pair to make sure the fit of the final shoes will be correct. In today’s picture I’m cutting out one of the soles on my scroll saw. Using the scroll saw is probably a bit of over engineering, but it’s the most suitable cutting tool I have.
While I was making huaraches Ginger took Katie for her driving exam, which she passed. So after dinner I took Katie down to the Mall parking lot where she drove around for half an hour before it got dark. We’ll be spending a couple more hours in the parking lot before I let her venture out on the road.
Ginger and I finished the day watching the movie Beyond the sea which we enjoyed even if it was a flop with the critics.
Today’s alternate shots & extras
Making huaraches (1) - Marking out the soles
Making huaraches (2) - Marked out soles
Making huaraches (4) - Finishing the soles
Making huaraches (5) - Making holes for the laces
03 May 2011 | 365:123 | 365 Days blog | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman
Drawing
Tonight I was working on the design of my next backpacking wood burner.
After a bit of surfing I thought it’d be nice to draw up my new design for a backpacking wood burner in Google SketchUp. Unfortunately the free version doesn’t allow you to intersect a curved surface with a hole (I’m not sure if the paid version does either). As the burner design is a set of cylinders riddled with holes this idea was going to be a bit of a non-starter. So I decided to hand draw a rough sketch to help me with the construction and think out the design. Today’s picture shows me completing my drawing.
It’s been a long time since I last drew something, I wrote a little bit about it back in February, when I pondered how much better my drawing might be if I’d just done a little every week. This morning I noticed Ginger’s portable painting easel and paint box by the bed, and that image must have stuck with me throughout the day. I draw technically, and it is a learned process; very much a process. Drawing is not something I can naturally do, the images don’t just flow from my fingers. I have great respect, jealousy even for those lucky people who do have this innate ability.
My Photography is the same. Technical, not emotional, produced by following a set of processes. Again I greatly admire people who can get emotion into their pictures. I’ve tried but I just don’t ‘get it’. I guess I have to accept my limitations, and make the best of what I can do. Anyhow, I think I’ll try and include a little drawing in my weekly activities, and see how it turns out.
Today’s alternate shot
Hamming it up for the camera
