KELLY PICKS UP AN OLD FRIEND OF MINE IN LONDON

YEP, THIS NEW LENS IS REAL FINE FOR CLOSE-UPS ALRIGHT (all pics in tonight's blog were taken with new lens except the comparison photos)

I did a very much most unusual thing this morning.  I actually picked up our darn old telephone mossmagator thingy & made a phone call somewhere.  What is this world coming to!!!!  That somewhere turned out to Henry's Camera Store in London.  No, I wasn't calling about my new lens.....I was calling about my old lens.  I asked very nicely if I could have my dear old friend back.  That lens & I have travelled many miles together & I was missing him like crazy by the time I got up this morning.  There was nothing wrong with the lens so figured I should have kept it as a spare.  It is much lighter than the new lens too & that may prove to be advantageous in some future photo situations.  The 2x Convertor I traded in can also be used with the new lens to double it's maximum power to 600mm.  Now, what was I thinking about when I decided to trade that in anyway!!  Once again, that saying which was coined many years ago sure applies to me in this case for sure...."We get too soon old & late smart."

HENRY'S CAMERA STORE...This accidental shot was done seconds after I clamped the new lens on my camera at the store counter & aimed out the door to check the auto focus.  Got a little too heavy on the trigger & inadvertently snapped this photo....so why is it in the blog??  This marks the very first photo I took with my new lens.............that's why:))

AND THIS WAS MY FIRST OUTSIDE PHOTO WHEN I GOT HOME

The same fellow, Mike, I bought the lens from Friday took my call first thing this morning & when I asked him if I could have my stuff back for the trade in price he said, "well I'll have to call my Boss because I'm not sure how that works & I've never heard of anyone doing that before."  Thought to myself, 'ya, well your probably dealing with your first case of Geezeritus here buddy.  Hey, maybe those kids behind the counter had me sized up correctly all along anyway.  Bet they got my name on file with a warning note like, 'watch this guy....he's prone to wild fluctuations of Geezerisms!! 

 

COMPARISONS..... New lens is much bigger & heavier than old lens.  Pictures of lens on camera show the 2x Convertor between the lens & the camera body effectively making the 300mm's a 600mm lens.

And two thumbs up for Henry's London location for returning my equipment for the same trade in allowance price.  Thanks Mike:)) 

Kelly was headed for London anyway this morning to pick up a few things so she just swung around Henry's Camera Store & picked up my two trade-in Pals & that was that.

                    

HIDING BEHIND A HOUSE PLANT KEEPING AN EYE ON THE PESKY SQUIRRELS

One of the great advantages of RVing is the flexibility it offers.  If you don't like the scenery you can just move.  Maybe the weather's grubby so pull up the jacks & head for some better weather.  If your in an RV Park & have a noisy neighbor you might be able to re-locate to a quieter spot or just exit the park completely.  We have been known to move if another RV even comes within a quarter mile of us sometimes.  But, what if your living in a sticks & bricks place between bad neighbors.  How do you handle that situation day after day.  Check out the problems WILD BLUE YONDER is having!!  Maybe we can all band together & send her some speedy 'House For Sale' vibes:))

WIND CHIMES IN THE GARDEN

The overnight rains let up before dawn & the cloud cover dissipated about mid morning.  Out came the lawn mower & a short while later the grass was shortened again for another week or so.  Next came a clean up of the van interior including vacuuming.  Quick trip into town for a 6" tuna sub at Subway & back home to clean the pond pump.  Took my new lens for a walk around the front yard, racked up some snooze time in the recliner & helped Kelly unload some big hanging flower baskets when she returned from London in late afternoon.  And after about 29 hours of soulful separation I finally had my good old 55-200 camera lens back home again safe & sound too.........10-4:))

BIRD IN SILHOUETTE

GROANER'S CORNER:((  You know your getting old when you sink your teeth into a big juicy steak......and they stay there:((

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/ (a work in progress)

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

BUSY DAY & A NASTY HAIL STORM!!

WE HAVE BUSY LITTLE BIRDS IN OUR FRONT YARD GARDENS (I may have posted this pic before but can't remember)

Turned out to be a busy  Monday as I filled in for a driver this morning & used the company's mini-van to move a fellow from one town to another for a short medical appointment.  This afternoon I was back in the mobility van & off to London with a young disabled fellow & his Mother on board. 

         

PARKED AT LONDON ONTARIO'S WELL KNOWN & RESPECTED UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL LAST WEEK

We were almost at our destination when the sky's opened up & we got hit with a short & savage rain storm with beating hail & nearly zero visibility.  Sounded like the hailstones were coming right through the windshield.  Fortunately the heavy deluge of ice & rain only lasted about 10 minutes but it was enough to spawn immediate flood warnings on the local radio station & it was amazing how much water was cascading down the streets.

HAIL ON THE GROUND BESIDE A HOUSE & SHREDDED LEAVES ON CAR OUT FRONT

Someone asked again what camera equipment I use & because I didn't get on it right away I have forgotten who it was so I'll include a link to a post I had done about that on September 19th of 2008 just in case that same person happens to be reading this tonight.  Just read the camera part & disregard all my other blusterings that day in long ago September.  The country was in full blown financial meltdown at the time & so was AL's attitude.......again:((  Click on..... NIKON CAMERAS

 

COUPLE OF NIKONS & A CANON.....NIKON D50 ON THE LEFT WITH THE D40 ON THE RIGHT & CANON BOTTOM RIGHT (Am hoping to trade that longer 55-200mm zoom lens in for a 70-300mm zoomer shortly) Photo was 'colored popped & sharpened' in Live Writer:))

Whenever I see we have a new follower I generally click on their profile to see who they are & if they happen to have a blog site.  That is how I have come across other folks interesting RV blogs & have sometimes included their links in my posts.  In the last little while I have generally liked to try & give new bloggers or new followers a bit of a jump start by including a point of interest from their post into my blog.  Latest follower Terry K's profile shows most of his categories as 'classified' so I am not too sure what that is all about.  My experience has been that most folks are very free, honest,  & open, with their RV lifestyle & blog sites, etc.  So, TK if you are a legitimate follower, I say welcome.  If not................??

WAITING PATIENTLY FOR A HUMMINGBIRD TO SLOW DOWN!!

My external hard drive seems to be acting up tonight again & is not letting me access my file photos.  I have a lot of photos stored on there.......or did!!

HAVING A LOOK AT ANOTHER JEEP.....2005

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A woman walked into the kitchen to find her husband stalking around with a fly swatter.  "What are you doing?" She asked.  "Hunting flies" He responded.  "Oh, killing any?" She asked.  "Yep, 3 males, 2 females," he replied. Intrigued, she asked "How can you tell?"  He responded "3 were on a beer can, 2 were on the phone."

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

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"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

OH GOODY GOODY GUM DROPS, NOW I CAN START COMPLAINING ABOUT THE WEATHER BEING TOO HOT

AMID THE SAILBOATS

How sweet it was to see the thermometer at 57F this morning at 7 a.m. as opposed to it's 30 & 31F readings the past few mornings.  Nice to feel that touch of humidity in the air & feel the warm morning sun peeking through the tall pine trees.  Any day now I will able to switch my semi annual complaining from, 'too cold' to 'too hot!!'  I knew it would be warmer today because the frogs were really chirping it up around the pond last night.  I still have not seen a single hopping green amphibian yet this year but when I cleaned the pond pump today there was evidence on the plastic water pipe of small egg clusters.  Could be snails.

The pair of geese on the larger pond across the road have abandoned their nest again for the third year in a row so we probably will not see any little furry goose guys paddling around in the water.  We think maybe a raccoon raids the nest & grabs the eggs.  Checkers woke me up last night around midnight barking at a raccoon that had come up on our deck & tipped over a container of birdseed.

OUR RED BREASTED GROSBEAKS ARE BACK

I drove the Santa Fe into Clinton last night for the final first aid class.  I noticed right away a big difference in the car's handling since the ball joints were replaced & new rubber put on all the way around.  Sometimes when things deteriorate slowly you don't notice it & gradually compensate for the deterioration.  Big, big, difference in handling.

The first aid class from 7 to 10 dealt with fractures, dislocations, slings, 1rst-2nd & 3rd degree burns, impaled objects, heat stroke, frost bite, splints, poisons, extruded eyeballs, & lots of other grizzly gruesome things.  Bottom line.......stay in bed every day, don't do anything or go anywhere to avoid all injuries.

Planted 3 more Emerald cedar trees out front today.  In hindsight, I wished we had just bought about a hundred cedars when we first moved here & totally ringed our property with greenery because now 7 years later we would have had a nice tall solid cedar barrier all around us.  Cardinals love thick cedars.....& so do I!!

AZALEAS

My Facebook comments last night were not directed at anyone specifically & were certainly not intended to offend anyone.  Just my thoughts on Facebook in general.  Lots of mighty fine folks out there but a lot of that stuff is not my cup of tea.  It's just that I have a habit of, 'getting things off my chest once & awhile!!'  Different strokes for different folks as the saying goes & not to worry Chef, I still got ya in the mix here:))

SPRING FLOWERS ALONG THE ROADSIDE

Another question about Nikon & Canon cameras a couple days ago.  I'm sure thousands of dyed in the wool brand loyal Canon & Nikon enthusiasts will disagree with me but I don't think any one company is better than the other.  Both have quality cameras with varying degrees of great quality in their many different product lines.  The only reason I chose Nikon a few years back was that I had always wanted a Nikon camera years ago in the 35mm days.  They were just about the top of the line camera at that time.  Since then Canon has made great strides & both companies are now equally competitive.  But, here's a few things that I have noticed over the past few years that might make me consider the Canon line of cameras in the future.

OUR FRONT PORCH AWAITS ANOTHER SUMMER

Whenever watching the news or nature specials I always pay particular attention to what camera's are being used.  I am seeing more Canons than Nikons.  The Astronomy folks use mostly Canon cameras & I think sports photographers favor the Canon line as well.  Also, if your looking to buy new or used lenses & cameras there seems to be far more Canon equipment out there to chose from than Nikon & I think the prices may be better too.  I don't have any stats or facts to back any of this up....just my opinion.

A SPRING DANDELION

GROANER'S CORNER:((  My wife's jealousy is getting ridiculous. The other day she looked at my calendar and wanted to know who May was.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

NOT ALL DAYS ON THE ROAD ARE GOOD DAYS:((

(Click on photos to enlarge them)

Took the big wheels to Goderich this morning & filled it with gas.  $194.00!!  That will get us down into Indiana just north of Indianapolis before having to fill up again.  The rest of the fill ups won't be as expensive because I generally stop for gas somewhere between the half & quarter marks on the gage.  Right now the on-board computer is telling us we have 458 miles before the next fill up.  That varies of course depending on speed, wind, hills, etc.  It re-calculates itself every mile.  There is another gas gauge configuration which shows miles per gallon as your driving but I have learned not to watch that one.  It can kind of put you into a 'not so swell mood' after awhile:((

SHADOW PATTERNS ON THE MOTORHOME

There has been quite a 'flag storm' going on over at the RV NET FORUM this past week.   A Canadian fellow by the name of Sea Dog asked about the proper protocol  for flying a Canadian flag while on American soil.  Well, that set off a debate that is still going on so if you have wondered about that yourself just put your hard hat on & slip over there to the forum for a look see.  Remember, keep your head down cause some folks are getting a little heated over there!!

BOONDOCKING WITH OUR FLAG CONFIGURATION A FEW MILES WEST OF TOMBSTONE, ARIZONA.....JANUARY 09

I have noticed some blog talk lately regarding problems with people trying to leave comments on blogs.  Seems it's kind of a hit & miss thing sometimes.  I left a comment on  WANDERING WILLY'S blog this morning but it never showed up.  In Rick's comment on Willy's blog he offers a possible explanation for the problem.  VERAGIRL has been having trouble leaving comments for people as well.  I've noticed there seems to be several different types of comment formats.  Confusing for sure.  Remember to scroll all the way down in the comment box after leaving the comment to make sure you've got everything ticked & checked.  And, even then you are not guaranteed your comment will make it.  Friends of ours tried countless times to leave comments for us & it wasn't until I actually changed from Hotmail to Gmail that they were actually able to do so.  Their comments were not reaching my Hotmail account so I never did see them to approve them.  I have a feeling that was a different kind of glitch from the comment box issue though.....but maybe not.

KELLY'S WATCHING THE SUN GO DOWN OVER THE SAN ANDRES MOUNTAINS NEAR ALAMOGORDO NEW MEXICO....NOVEMBER 08

Some RVing days just aren't quite as good as others & occasionally things happen.  Last year on our way west we stopped for a night in Oliver Lee State Park near Alamogordo New Mexico.  Couldn't find a level spot in the whole place so ended up on a campsite having to put a couple of the leveling jacks down.  The rear passenger side jack jammed in the down position & wouldn't retract.  Tried everything I knew (which wasn't much) & could not get that jack to re-tract.  Luckily we were not parked on a cement slab & the next day I was able to dig a hole behind the downed leveler deep enough to get my scissors jack down into.  Backed the coach up about 8 inches until the leveler was directly over the jack & proceeded to jack the leveler back up into place & luckily it stayed.   We had that little problem looked at in Las Cruces a couple days later & everything was fine.  Leveler has worked fine ever since.

DIGGING A HOLE BEHIND THE LEVELER WITH THE JACK HANDLE,  A HAMMER, & A SCREWDRIVER!!

In October of 07 we were heading west on I-70  west of Salina Kansas fighting a vicious cross wind hitting us from the north.  We heard a popping sound & when Kelly looked back out her side window she saw our awning billowing in the wind.  It had popped out like a parachute.  Luckily I got the rig pulled over before the awning arms were torn off.  The  photos below show me on the roof with a knife cutting the awning off.  It was freezing cold with huge wind gusts trying their best to flip me off the roof into the path of heavy truck traffic roaring by only a few feet away on the far side of the rig.  Not one of our better days on the road!!!!

ON I-70 WEST OF SALINA, KANSAS....OCT. 07

Photo above shows us off the road in Lindsay Ontario with the dual wheels down in a ditch & the rear end of the coach sitting on the road .  You can read about the mistake I made RIGHT HERE

OK KIDS, STAY CLOSE TO MOM

In October of 2008 we seemed to have a bumper crop of mushrooms in our yard but this year not a single one.  The album below is last years mushrooms & I don't have a clue what kinds they are.

View Full Album

 

Had a question in our comment box this morning from Wayne & Roberta about the kind of camera I use.   The short answer is Nikon.   If you have time W & R, click on MY NIKONS for a post I did about my cameras a year ago.  And for anyone interested..... here is a seemingly silly & simple little camera tip.  If you want to get some depth in your color just hold your sunglasses in front of your lens.  Notice how when you put your sunglasses on colors look richer.  Well, same thing will work for your point & shoot camera as well.  Try it, you might like the results.  Works great for colorful autumn leaves against a clear blue sky.  The sunglasses act like a polarizing filter.  Oh, & the photo program I use is called Picasa 3.5 & it is a free download program from Google.  Very easy to use.........that's why I have it.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Why does "fat chance" and "slim chance" mean the same thing?

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS  http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.

"OH OH"...DID IT AGAIN:(( EMAIL FROM BORREGO SPRINGS TO-DAY!!

A VERY SOFT MIST ON THE POND

I have always felt that music is the fastest way to transport the brain matter back into the mists of time.  How often have you heard a jingle on the radio or put on an old record or cassette tape, popped an 'oldies' CD into the player, & let it take you back to moments & whole eras of time in your life.  Remember all those good old television shows years ago with their catchy tunes you were always humming or singing along with.  Gunsmoke, Leave It To Beaver, Newhart, & Petticoat Junction, just to name a very few.  Came across this TV theme site in my files this morning.  Sit back, relax, & let those old familiar tunes take you back to a time & place long ago & don't feel embarrassed if you find yourself humming & singing along with the OLD TV SHOW THEMES

A few comments recently have asked what kind of camera I use for obtaining sharp clear images.  In October of last year I happened to post a blog answering that very same question.....  October of 08 was a difficult financial time for many folks so disregard my blusterings in the first paragraph of the CAMERA BLOG & skip to the camera part beginning with the second paragraph. 

ALONG THE BANK OF THIS MORNING'S POND

As an update to that blog I would like to add that I generally use the 'Sharpen' feature in the Picasa photo program as well.  It allows you to adjust the sharpness of your image.  I also like the newer 'Retouch' tool in Picasa 3.5 & it does wonders for dust specs, etc.  Your photo program is every bit as important as your camera.  Even with cheaper cameras colors can be enhanced, images sharpened, lightened, or darkened with contrast features, etc.  Many times your eye sees vibrant colors but depending on the lighting your camera may not see those colors the same way you do & the results may be disappointing.  But, not to worry, chances are you will be able to restore those colors to the way you saw them in your photo program.  Picasa 3.5 is a great easy to use little photo program, it's a free download from Google, & you can find it here PICASA 3.5

THE FOREST FLOOR IS ABLAZE WITH COLOR

Photo programs came with both my Nikons & Canon but I don't use them.  I upload my photos directly from the camera right into the Picasa 3.5 photo program.  No confusing Nikon or Canon programs in between.  And speaking of the old never ending Canon vs Nikon rivalry.  It's the same argument as Chev vs Ford, Motorhome vs 5th Wheel, diesel vs gas, hamburger vs cheeseburger, Michelin vs Goodyear, Tim Hortons vs Starbucks, or Wal-Mart vs itself.  Bottom line is the same in that they are all fine products with varying degrees of pros & cons & it boils down to individual tastes & requirements.  For example, Canon camera's are mainly used in Astrophotography because of their different metering system than Nikon.  I have never suffered from the narrow mindedness of brand loyalty so whatever car, camera, motorhome, peanut butter, lawnmower, shoes, or pants, suit my needs at the time.......that is the one I go with!!

AFTER THE RAIN

Oh, & before I forget........a big resounding "yes" to the question about a darker background in the blog making the photos 'pop' out.  That was my number one reason for choosing the dark background for our blog.  I wanted the photos to stand out!!  You will notice the same thing over at Laurie & Odel's blog..... SEMI TRUE TALES.

AUTUMN REFLECTIONS

White is not my favorite color anyway & I didn't want the blog looking like a standard run of the mill ho-hum newspaper article so I've got it looking like a local popsicle stand with all the different colors.  And it is those popsicle colors that compliment the photos.  Yes, I know it looks a bit like a circus carnival at times, but.................:))

DAPPLES OF FOREST COLOR

In yesterday's blog I had a few things incorrect about Borrego Springs in California & was fortunate enough to receive a nice email to-day from Dan Wright, CPO & President of the California Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds tactfully pointing out my errors.  I'll let Dan set the record straight in his own words......

Hi Al and Kelly,
I appreciate your nice blog posts about Borrego Springs and The Springs RV Resort. The photography is quite good!
Couple of minor points; The name of our project is "The Springs at Borrego". ( Minor detail, I know.) Also wanted to point out that there are no permanent dwelling units of any kind at The Springs. The ones you saw along the golf course are part of The RoadRunner Club, a 55+ Luxury Golf Community next door.
Anyway, keep up the good work and we would love to see you in sunny and starry Borrego. By the way, if you make it to Borrego Days (Oct 22-25), don't miss the headline act Saturday evening at 5PM - Its Jacqui Foreman, an amazing young and beautiful singer-songwriter who is going to do a knockout 2-hour show at Christmas Circle.
Hope to see you there!

Dan Wright, CPO
President
California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds
www.camp-california.com
General Manager
The Springs at Borrego RV Resort and Golf Course
PO Box 70 - 2255 DiGiorgio Road
Borrego Springs, California, 92004
Cell phone: 206-295-6921
RV Desk and Pro Shop: 760-767-0004
www.springsatborrego.com

General Manager
The RoadRunner Club
55+Luxury Golf Community
PO Box 308 - 1010 Palm Canyon Drive
Borrego Springs, California, 92004
Cell phone: 206-295-6921
Office: 760-767-5374  Golf Pro Shop: 767-5373
www.roadrunnerclub.com

Thanks for the email Dan & unfortunately we will still be in Canada on those October dates you mentioned but hope to make it down your way sometime early in 2010......... Al & The Bayfield Bunch:))

RAIN DROPS ON PINE NEEDLES

GROANER'S CORNER:))  A man is recovering from surgery when a nurse asks him how he is feeling. 'I'm O. K., but I didn't like the four-letter word the doctor used in surgery,' he answered.  'What did he say,' asked the nurse. 
'OOPS'

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS  http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.