Morning coffee

Late morning coffee.I'll let Bear out first thing at about 4:30 and if I don't follow him out to sit,he'll bang at door.

Peaceful time of the day for both of us.

Somebody actually reads this thing

Well my sister in law told me today at lunch that she actually reads this thing..WOW

So I better start putting something in here to read.
What I think I'll do is,write something and include a picture from my surroundings for that day.

So as I type my buddy is joining me in his bed.




Till tomorrow

From the PAST

Last Friday June 19th,I went back 51 years,in this short stay on earth.

That makes the year 1958.So what makes that year so special? A young man just out of high school enlisted in the Air Force.Never to be heard from again until 2009,at least not heard from by myself.

I ask you all...Can you catch up on 51 years and reminisce the 15 years before that....in 3 hours???? NOT

Questions,questions,questions. And in between all the questions..."you remember when we stole my father's jeep" or "remember this neighbor or that neighbor"

This gentleman's mother raised me as a child.

Because of time committals the short 3 hours went by very fast.We had lunch together,and I can't remember what I had to eat,between questions.

That gentleman was Carl Lehtonen from my home town..Lunenburg Mass.

Thanks for the visit Carl....and the family pictures you brought along.

Bird Feeders

Up date on the Bird Feeder situation :-(

Well the thought was good...Feed birds,attract them in closer to get better photos.It didn't work out quite like I wanted.

Got some great shots of birds








THEN CAME THE SQUIRRELS....to the Squirrel proof feeder.


Then came the little creatures that only come out at night.This one picture was taking at about 4am,my first cup of coffee,out in back.Had my normal company of Mr. Bear and Ms.Paws

Needless to say the bird feeders are now down !!!

Seemed like a good idea.

Dinner out for my birthday

 

Never thought I'd reach 66.Looking back over the years,makes one realize how really short this life is.Would I have done things differently......some yes.But we can't go back...can we.


On with my entry here.It had been awhile since we had been to the Longhorn Steakhouse.We had the 7oz. Steak and lobster tail...excellent just excellent.

Squirrel vs Birdfeeder

 

Day light coffee in back yard

Morning all,
Just came back in house after enjoying another late cup of coffee out back.

Out back under 9" umbrella at table is enjoyable for me anytime.Early morning 4 or 5ish,is "Bears" first time out.Now it has become a time for "Ms Paws" also.She has been curious about what goes on out there......so with harness and lead,she now asks to sit in my lap OUTSIDE.Understand she is a house cat only.She learns the rules (in our lap only,no lunging for geckos,low flying birds etc)very well and is doing great.

Where was I....oh ya...just came in after watching the squirrels (about 8 or 9 )playing and running in my large tree along border fence.Very entertaining to say the least.They drive "Bear" up the wall,with their antics.

I hung 2 bird feeders out to catch some photos of birds,which I'll post here next time.The bird feeders have been quite a challenge for the squirrel population.They are both advertised as "Squirrel" proof,and have so far lived up to the labeling.

Pictures to follow.


Bob

PS: Finally getting some much needed rain.

Dog's Eating Mechanics

The Dog’s Mechanics of Eating
Oct.05, 2006 in Dog Nutrition
Many dog owners think that every different breed of dog must be fed different, according to some sort of specification. However, the eating behavior of a dog is characteristic of the whole species, not of any individual breed, since all dogs eat the same way. As a result, there are certain general considerations that can be made when feeding any dog.

A dog is not required to eat its food the same way a man does. A dog has no hands. It's jaws are suited for biting and cutting rather than chewing. There are few "gag" reflex nerves at the back of a dog's mouth, but many in a person's throat. A dog has fewer taste buds on its tongue, but a much greater sense of smell than a man has. There are many other differences as well.

How A Dog Eats

While the eating behavior of a dog may seem strange or awkward to some dog owners, to the dog it is the most comfortable and satisfactory way of getting its food from its bowl into its stomach. The normal pattern of swallowing in a dog is often described as "bolting." The dog picks up a piece of food with its front teeth and with a short, quick thrust of its head, tosses the piece of food back onto the top of its tongue. The piece of food is then rolled (without being chewed) to the back of the mouth. As the piece reaches the base of the tongue, a reflex causes the back of the tongue to push the food upward and backward into the esophagus. From there it is carried directly into the stomach.

When a piece of food is too large to be swallowed, the dog holds the food with its paws and uses its front teeth to tear off smaller pieces that can be swallowed. If the food is too tough to be torn, the dog will cut it into pieces small enough to be swallowed, using two specialized jaw teeth.

These teeth are called carnassial teeth and have large shearing surfaces that act like scissor blades which can cut through such tough substances as muscle, hide, gristle, and even bone. While the powerful jaw muscles of a dog are useful for cutting chunks of food into swallowing size, these muscles are used very little for actually chewing those pieces. A dog's teeth are few in number and poorly equipped for mastication.

Yesterday's work

http://photosrus2008.smugmug.com/gallery/7534020_DgmWX/1/486579319_4jMDV


Honeymoon Island State Park

Daily

My Bad for not getting in here more often.

Bear and I went over to Community Park that is very close to the house last night about 7:30p.I needed to practice on taking shots under the artificial lights of the stadium.I can't seem to get my settings right.So...I went to try getting it right.It was COLD for us Florida folks so the session didn't last that long :-( I will go back!
My day starts at 5am so,it is really stretching the day doing outings this time of night.

I've been getting out for shoots at the dog parks that the cities and county offer.I'm trying to work my way out from my home. Never realized how many dog parks there where until I did my research.Some are great and some are after thoughts, just to say they (cities) have a dog park. Our county parks here in Pinellas are beautiful and well maintained,something we may take for granted.

Bear is gathering a large number of buddies at each of the parks we visit.By the time we get back home after a shoot,he is worn out and ready for a nap..Good thing.

I'm going to go finish editing of shots I took up in Oldsmar the other day,then we are off to try and get one of parks I have not gotten to yet.

Cya,

Bob

Funny how life is

Just got done e-mailing with may ex in Calif.What a very happy experience.We haven't communicated in years,it was very nice to be updated on kids,and grand children.

Life is really way to short.

Cold for Florida

 

Jan 12 2009

Football Football Football

I think I'm footballed out.Sat and Sun were wasted days for me to get ANYTHING accomplished.The networks lead us down this path with staggering the games at different times "HOW NICE"

Hurry up SUPER Bowl !!

Trying to get pictures organized in Smugmug and watch TV just didn't work well for me.

What I did love was, seeing all the PROS play up in the cold weather and college games in warm weather....go figure.

I processed 1,320 "bad snapshots" of our 1996 motorcycle trip Sat and Sun to get them ready to up load to Smugmug...boy did I screw those pictures up back then...live and learn!

Living presidents Jan 07, 2009

Picture Storage Server

I don't believe I have ever heard anyone say "I love to move,I do it every chance I get"

Well I've got to move and I HATE IT NOW AND AS LONG AS IT TAKES TO MOVE. No I don't have to move from my home.Just move from Picasa Web Pages over to Smugmug with my pictures.

So you say..."no big deal just move them and take Bear for his trip to the park or go take pictures somewhere"

IT ISN'T THAT EASY ! I have 18,000 pictures. That's why I have 2 500gb external hard drives on 2 of the computers.



I can't share them if they are on those black boxes.

Speaking of sharing, the server I have been using is Google's Picasa Web Albums,which is a great program by the way.But those saved are not HIGH RESOLUTION pictures.

So I spent a little more and signed on to Smugmug, http://photosrus2008.smugmug.com/

More to follow:

Starting the New Year off right

One of my resolutions for the new year was to get in here and update more often.

So...I quick update from the last few months.You all know I'm into photography.That being said,in the past I had numerous cameras to take "Snap shots" and that seemed OK.I took the snap shots,had the film :-( developed,took a look at the results,threw out the "Bad" shots and saved the good hard copies in albums.The not so good but not bad hard copies went in a shoe box,we all know the story from here on.I never got into shooting slides,so there was never any of that type of filing going on.

The albums piled up and the shoe boxes found a home somewhere in the house.When we entertained or had family over,we would drag the albums out and all would try to get close enough to really view the pictures in these albums.....TIMES CHANGED.

I now have a spare computer in the entertainment center,which is dedicated to playing a slide show of 19,000 pictures on a 22 inch HD monitor.NOTE:I never realized until now how BAD,scanned Polaroid pictures can view on a 22 inch wide screen...

As we progressed from film to digital,computers not only for "Al Gore",and cameras that tell us to "Please remove lens cap" Technology Raised Itself yet another notch.

More to come:



Local gas price

New Year

New Camera

 

Dec. 19, 2008 I finally received my long awaited Fugi s100fs camera.Now the learning process begins.Not all camera's are created alike :-( But it would not be fun if they were.

We do learn from our children !

A Baby's Hug

We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, 'Hi.' He pounded his fat baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with merriment.

I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map.

We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. 'Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster,' the man said to Erik.

My husband and I exchanged looks, 'What do we do?'


Erik continued to laugh and answer, 'Hi.'

Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, 'Do ya patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek- a-boo.'

Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk.

My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments.

We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. 'Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik,' I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's 'pick-me-up' position. Before I could stop him, Erik & gt; had propelled himself from my arms to the man.

Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time.

I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, 'You take care of this baby.'

Somehow I managed, 'I will,' from a throat > > > that contained a stone.

He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, 'God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift.'

I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, 'My God, my God, forgive me.'

I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking, 'Are you willing to share your son for a moment?' when He shared His for all eternity.

The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, 'To enter ... , we must become as little children.'

If this has blessed you, please bless others by sending it on. Sometimes, it takes a child to remind us of what is really important. We must always remember who we are, where we came from and, most importantly, how we feel about others. The clothes on your back or the car that you drive or the house that you live in does not define you at all; it is how you treat your fellow man that identifies who you are.

This one is a keeper.

'It is better to be liked for the true you, than to be loved for who people think you are......'