T & L Photos: Blog https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog en-us Timothy Price [email protected] (T & L Photos) Wed, 26 Oct 2022 22:16:00 GMT Wed, 26 Oct 2022 22:16:00 GMT https://photos.tandlphotos.com/img/s/v-12/u241939972-o976233838-50.jpg T & L Photos: Blog https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog 120 80 Last Post on Zenfolio https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/last-post-on-zenfolio Due to ongoing problems with uploading files and image processing on this site, I am moving all blog activities back to my WordPress site. All prior posts on this site will remain as they are with links from my WordPress site at www.offcenternoteven.com.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting moving on photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/last-post-on-zenfolio Tue, 01 Jan 2019 00:29:36 GMT
Walk, Run, Splash, Fly https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/walk-run-splash-fly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque cranes light lighting photography river sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/walk-run-splash-fly Mon, 31 Dec 2018 03:44:33 GMT
A Walk in the Snow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/a-walk-in-the-snow

Laurie

 

We got between two and three inches of snow Thursday night, with light snow flurries most of the day today. We went out for a walk in the bosque around noon. Besides the cranes yakking at us and each other, there was a calm silence as the light snowflakes swirled around us. There were no critters out in the snow besides the cranes, a few ducks in the ditch, and geese on the river.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paparazzo standing in the mud along the river (photo by Laurie).

 

 

 

Spunk

 

Silver and Loki

 

Marble

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats cranes ducks geese Laurie light lighting moon Paparazzo photography rio grande Sandias snow Spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/a-walk-in-the-snow Sat, 29 Dec 2018 00:08:14 GMT
We Wish You a Merry Catmas https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/we-wish-you-a-merry-catmas

Sasha pondering the paparazzo before getting involved in a swat at ornaments and tear up tinsel play session.

 

In the thirty-six and a half years that Laurie and I have been married, we have never had a traditional Christmas tree. In keeping with our tradition of non-traditional Christmas trees, I built the kitties a Catmas tree out of three large cottonwood branches that look like antlers once I bolted them together. Then I wrapped some rope between the branches and the ceiling, and loaded the Catmas tree with tinsel the kitties could tear up, and ornaments they could swat at, knock off, and then continue batting around like soccer balls after they bounced round on the floor. Sasha has found it most fun to swat the ornaments around until they fall off the tree, and tear up the tinsel. Marble also really likes playing with the ornaments and tinsel, but she also discovered her tail moves around with the ornaments, so she will try to get her tail by reaching under the platforms almost falling off the Catmas tree in the process. Loki, Silver and Spunk don't play much with the ornaments or tinsel, but the love to lie around on the platforms, especially in the wine box I screwed onto the highest platform. They wait in line for the wine box and sometimes fight over it like they do the kitty hammocks. Lola and Najar have shown little interest in the Catmas tree.

 

Spunk got worn out helping me build the Catmas tree. The branches are big and heavy, and it was a lot of work.

 

Silver, Sasha and Spunk helping decorate the Catmas tree.

 

Sasha trying out swatting an ornament while Spunk and Laurie watch.

 

Abstraction by Silver

 

Silver pondering an ornament

 

I finally got all the lights up. Sasha looks on from the chair, while Silver lounges in the wine box.

 

Marble and Loki watching Sasha swat at an ornament and tear up tinsel.

 

Marble looking under the ornaments at the silly paparazzo.

 

Sasha going for the tinsel

 

Caught the swat.

 

Sasha batting at an ornament

 

Loki pondering the meaning of Catmas.

Merry Catmas! From Spunk, Najar, Lola, Sasha, Sliver, Marble and Loki.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art catmas catmas tree cats light lighting Loki Lola Marble Najar ornaments photography Sasha Silver Spunk tinsel wine box https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/we-wish-you-a-merry-catmas Tue, 25 Dec 2018 02:16:06 GMT
Cranes, Train & A Full Moon on Winter Solstice https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/cranes-train-a-full-moon-on-winter-solstice

Sunset on solstice at Beaver Point.

 

Crane Point at dusk a half mile north of Beaver Point.

 

A mile north of Beaver Point a lone crane stretches his wings in the afterglow reflecting off the river.

 

The full moon exposes a wolfman lurking in the clouds.

 

A train passing by flickers through the bare cottonwoods on the other side of the river.

 

The lone crane ponders the paparazzo on the bank.

 

The full moon exposes a dragon in the clouds.

 

Lights from traffic on I-25 through the bare cottonwoods on the other side of the river.

 

The full moon on solstice through the clouds.

 

Back at Beaver Point, the Sandias under muted moonlight.

 

Towers near the Balloon Park from Beaver Point.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cottonwoods cranes full moon light lighting photography rio grande sandias traffic train winter solstice https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/cranes-train-a-full-moon-on-winter-solstice Sat, 22 Dec 2018 03:35:01 GMT
I Had A Dream https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/i-had-a-dream

Old chicken shed built around 1948. My dad and I lifted the roof on the north side in the 1970's so we could walk in the shed, and I put the corrugated fiberglass on the framework that holds the roof up to provide light.

 

Back in 2012 when we had the house I grew up in demolished (You can see the demolition here). I had the demolition team save the 17' x 13" x 8" beam that my dad had acquired from a church that burned down in the 1960's. I had a dream of putting that giant beam under the roof in the shed, and taking down 16 feet of the north wall so we could park two or three of our project cars in the shed.  I started my holiday leave this week, and decided to make the shed my first priority. Monday and Tuesday I cleaned a whole lot of junk out of the front part of the shed, took it to the dump, and then moved a lot of stuff we had on shelves along the north wall to the back of the shed. On Wednesday, I dug two 4 feet deep holes, 16 feet apart, cut telephone poles and put them in the holes for the uprights to hold the 17 feet long giant beam. Tristan and Craig came out today, we lifted the giant beam into place, secured it, and then we started to tear down the cinderblock wall to open up the 16 feet under the beam. Tristan and Craig had a lot of fun knocking down the cinderblocks with a sledge hammer. I need to get a masonry blade to make clean cuts in the cinderblocks next to the telephone poles so I can frame in the opening. Then I'll fill in the holes the telephone poles are in with concrete.

 

North wall with the two telephone poles in their holes.

 

The 17 feet long giant beam.

 

Giant beam in place, most of the north wall between the telephone poles down.

 

Inside looking out with the giant beam in place on the telephone poles, and most of the wall down between the telephone poles, exposing a few of our project cars.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beam cinderblocks demolition light lighting photography shed https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/i-had-a-dream Fri, 21 Dec 2018 02:19:54 GMT
Shrink Wrapped https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/shrink-wrapped

Spunk's though for the day: "Is shrink wrap as good as a tinfoil hat?"

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting photography shrink wrap Spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/shrink-wrapped Tue, 18 Dec 2018 00:11:16 GMT
Fly Away https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/fly-away

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cranes fly light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/fly-away Fri, 14 Dec 2018 00:36:05 GMT
Fire & Phantasm https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/fire-phantasm

Corrales had a bonfire at the end of their Twinkle Light Parade on December 1st.

 

 

 

Walking home along Corrales Road, I liked how this wall and gate was lit up by headlights as cars drove by. I tried to time the exposure with the headlights to get maximum illumination before the car or truck came into the camera's view. I left the camera on aperture priority because I didn't want to mess with manual settings in the sub-freezing temperature. This first shot was a fail. Filename: 115B0118.CR2. Date Created: 12/1/18, 7:34:48 PM. ƒ/5.6, 0.5 sec, ISO 3200. Canon 17-40mm ƒ/4.0 lens @ 40mm.
 

In the second shot my timing was way off and the camera gave me a 1.6 second exposure. I held the camera as steady as possible as the truck drove by during the exposure. I noticed when I opened the file on the computer, I had caught a phantasm walking or floating on the other side of the road during the long exposure. Filename: 115B0119.CR2. Date Created: 12/1/18, 7:34:51 PM. ƒ/5.6, 1.6 sec, ISO 3200. Canon 17-40mm ƒ/4.0 lens @ 40mm.
 

 

I timed the third shot right and got the image I was trying for. I used ƒ/5.6 to get enough DOF for the cracks in the road to show up clearly. 115B0120.CR2. Date Created: 12/1/18, 7:35:03 PM. ƒ/5.6, 1/6 sec, ISO 3200. Canon 17-40mm ƒ/4.0 lens @ 40mm.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bonfire corrales fire gate light lighting phantasm photography road wall https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/fire-phantasm Fri, 07 Dec 2018 22:51:07 GMT
First Snow on the 2nd https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/first-snow-on-the-2nd

A nice smile from the red VW Bug.

 

We got our first snow of the season early this morning. About an inch and a half of snow fell producing 0.16 inch of precipitation according to our rain gage. The kitties and I went out first thing this morning to play in the snow and do photos.


Black Bamboo bowing under the weight of the snow. Marble in the foreground.

 

 

The catio

 

Layers of snow covered dried grasses, black bamboo and trees at 7:02 AM.

 

Snow doesn't last long out here. Layers of dried grasses, black bamboo and trees at 9:48 AM.

 

 

 

Cornfield and Cranes

 

Cranes in the apple orchard

 

 

 

 

 

Mia's tree

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bamboo black bamboo bosque cats cranes grande light lighting Marble Mia's tree photography rio Sandhill Crranes sandias snow trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/12/first-snow-on-the-2nd Sun, 02 Dec 2018 23:35:22 GMT
Calf Butts Ass https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/calf-butts-ass

The Calves are back.

 

Who's that sticking his nose in our photo?

 

It's a little wise ass.

 

Get out of our photo.

 

Let me by Butthead!

 

Hey Toro Toro!

 

Toro Toro Toro!

 

¡Olé!

 

¿Qué pasa Asinus?

 

Stupid Toro!

 

Anything to eat around here?

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art ass burro calves cows donkey light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/calf-butts-ass Wed, 28 Nov 2018 01:37:18 GMT
Monochrome & Monobath https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/monochrome-monobath

 

Back in prehistoric times, I fondly remember when Kodak, Fujifilm, Ilford, etc. would announce a new film, I would discuss reviews on the soon to be released film with fellow photographers in anticipation of the film going on sale. Once the film became available, we would test it and discuss its qualities, such as, color depth, saturation, grain, contrast, details in highlights and shadows, tolerance for over and under exposure, etc. We all had our favorite films, and discussions over which film was best for a given situation could become quite animated.

Given these digital daze with all the talk about sensor sizes, megapixels and all the features packed into cameras and the ubiquitous devices that come with cameras, you might not think much of anything new is being developed on the prehistoric film front. While digital technology dealt a death blow to Kodachrome film and processing, and most photo labs around the world have long gone by the wayside, film, like vinyl records, has managed to avoid extinction. And, surprisingly enough, a few companies have taken some DNA from old film technology and produced new and exciting products. 

CineStill Film is one of those companies — you can read about CineStill Film at https://cinestillfilm.com/pages/about-cinestill-film. They first started by stabilizing high quality movie film so that it could be repackaged in 135mm film canisters and rolls of 120 film and developed with the standard C41 color negative process. They also repackage B&W movie film that can be processed with standard black and white developers. If you have ever developed B&W film, you are familiar with the multi-bath process with the solutions at 68ºF: 1) developer (6+ minutes), 2) stop bath (stinky 30 seconds), 3) rinse (optional to clear the stop batch), 4) fixer(10 minutes or so), 5) wash (15 minutes or longer) 6) hypo clearing agent (optional) and 7) hang to dry. 

CineStill Film has reduced the 5 to 7 step process for developing B&W film to 3 steps, and cut the time in half with their DF96 Monobath developer & fix single-step solution for B&W film. DF96 Monobath is an odorless solution that CineStill Film introduced in June of this year, but I didn’t get around to buying a liter until this month. 

I processed a test roll yesterday and scanned a few images from the negatives (I used a low resolution to save time so the scanned images are not super sharp). The first thing I found interesting about DF96 Monobath is that temperature controls normal development, push development (more density and grain) or pull development (less density). For example, normal development takes place between 70ºF and 80ºF. Temperatures over 82ºF will push the negatives, and temperatures under 68ºF will pull the negatives (DF96 Monobath has a ±2ºF temperature tolerance). I was also surprised that the temperatures for “normal” development are more in the range used to develop color film. Developing at 80ºF means I can develop film in the summertime when my darkroom is around 80ºF. Since I haven’t put an air-conditioner in my darkroom, I usually wait until winter to develop film when the darkroom is 68ºF.

I developed a roll of CineStill Film BwXX Double-x negative film that I shot at 200 ISO in daylight. Following the directions, I heated the DF96 Monobath to 80ºF and developed/fixed the film for 6 minutes while constantly agitating the developing tank. It only takes 3 minutes to develop and fix the film at 80ºF, but an additional 3 minutes of agitation is suggested for archival fixing. I washed the film for 5 minutes as directed, added a few drops of hypo clearing agent, and hung the strip of film to dry. The negatives came out well developed and well fixed (clean and clear of residue). More niceties about DF96 Monobath are 1) you don't have to dilute it with water — you use it straight out of the bottle. 2) You pour the solution back into the bottle each time you use it, and keep using the solution until it is exhausted. 3) A liter is supposed develop 16 or more rolls of film.


Contact sheet

 

Loki

 

Torch

 

Freeze dried rose

 

Silver

 

Black bamboo

 

DF96 Monobath replaces four tanks of solutions

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art b&w cinestill film developing film df96 monobath film light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/monochrome-monobath Sun, 25 Nov 2018 03:34:23 GMT
Thanksgiving Landscapes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/thanksgiving-landscapes

Dawn on Thanksgiving

 

Thanksgiving Day was one of those rare days in the Albuquerque area when we had cloud cover and no sunshine all day. The clouds started clearing up as the sun went down providing some color in the western skies. The temperature stayed around 40º F throughout the day, and then quickly fell into the 30's after sunset. We took a walk in the bosque and along the river at the south end of Corrales in the late afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque clouds light lighting photography river sandias Thanksgiving https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/thanksgiving-landscapes Sat, 24 Nov 2018 01:51:41 GMT
Cranes Under Full Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/cranes-under-full-moon

 

The "full" Full Moon doesn't happen until tomorrow, but the moon is 98.6% full tonight, which is close enough for cranes, rock & roll and my phone's battery. Tonight was the first night the cranes congregated at the area we call "The Beach" did not scatter and fly away when we emerged from the tamarisk. Instead, some of the cranes kept a close eye on us while others went about their business of poking around in the water and pecking at each other. A half mile north is what we call "Crane Point" because there are always 50 to a 100 or more cranes there by the late afternoon, and several more  fly in and land as the darkness closes in. The cranes at Crane Point have not flown away when we come scraping through the tamarisk for over a week now. We can stand on the bank in full view, talk to the cranes, and talk to each other, while I snap the shutter to capture whatever action or inaction that might be going on. I've included a sequence of three cranes coming in and landing at Crane Point in the dusk. They are extremely graceful as they fly in with their landing gear down, but a few feet above the water they put on their brakes and they go from graceful to looking more like three stooges coming in for touchdown. Some of the other cranes duck and watch, looking like they would palm their faces if they were able. After their awkward landings, the Cranes quickly regain the composure, and stand proudly in ankle deep water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque cranes full moon light lighting moon photography rio grande sandias https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/cranes-under-full-moon Thu, 22 Nov 2018 03:21:03 GMT
November Moon — Sliver to Half https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/november-moon-sliver-to-half

 

November moon eight evenings from the 9th through the 16th.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting moon photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/november-moon-sliver-to-half Sun, 18 Nov 2018 01:55:55 GMT
sPods https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/spods

 

Seedpods (sPods) from the trumpet vines hang down over the path to the front door. The path is rather long, and the sPods bang against my head as I walk to and fro, which is quite annoying; however, I leave the sPods hanging to bang against my head as I walk under them because now that it's cold outside they are drying up, splitting open, and the birds flit and frolic about in the tangle of vines and eat the seeds inside the pods.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds finches light lighting photography seedpods trumpet vines https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/spods Sat, 17 Nov 2018 03:34:07 GMT
Once Upon A Wormhole https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/once-upon-a-wormhole

If you are familiar with relativity and/or paranormal phenomena, then you might know something about wormholes. Among the theories about wormholes, there has been speculation that wormholes could be used as shortcuts to cross through the time-space continuum, making short work of long journeys across the universe. Of course, attempting to slip through wormholes to make intergalactic jaunts could be fraught with danger — the wormhole might suddenly collapse, moving through high levels of radioactivity, encounters with exotic matter, colliding with aliens slipping the opposite direction through the same wormhole, wormhole insurance is not available, and there is no precedents for litigation against careless aliens speed slipping through wormholes.

While much of the speculation about wormholes has been about using them as shortcuts for space travel, I’ve long suspected that wormholes exist on a more local level, especially on our property, where I have dropped tools and eyeglasses, watched them fall and disappear before my eyes, never to be found again. I believe they fell into wormholes and slipped into another time out of my sight. Those tools and eyeglasses may very well be lying in the same space where they fell, but the time shift makes them impossible for me to find them in the present.

Since I do a lot of photography in vey low light, especially with the time change, I believe I got a photo of a wormhole while trying to photograph an owl in the the dark. And that brings up more questions — did the owl somehow initiate the wormhole? Do owls know how to travel through wormholes? 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art darkness exotic matter light lighting night paranormal photography relativity space-time continuum wormholes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/once-upon-a-wormhole Tue, 13 Nov 2018 03:30:57 GMT
Quarter Moon on a Cloudy Night https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/quarter-moon-on-a-cloudy-night

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting moon photography quarter moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/quarter-moon-on-a-cloudy-night Mon, 12 Nov 2018 02:59:17 GMT
Silly Silver https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/silly-silver

Silver is a silly kitty. He really gets the most out of hammocking. He also makes the best out of lying on the shelf waiting for a hammock to open up. You can see an animated gif of Silver hammocking at  https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2018/11/10/silly-silver/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats hammocking. light lighting photography silver https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/silly-silver Sat, 10 Nov 2018 23:35:59 GMT
Owl in Darkness Sliver Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/owl-in-darkness-sliver-moon

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art darkness light lighting moon owl photography sliver moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/owl-in-darkness-sliver-moon Fri, 09 Nov 2018 02:25:57 GMT
Election Day https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/election-day

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art balloons elections light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/election-day Wed, 07 Nov 2018 00:08:21 GMT
Cranes Lindy Hop https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/cranes-lindy-hop

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cranes hop light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/cranes-lindy-hop Mon, 05 Nov 2018 01:29:00 GMT
Inside Looking Out, Outside Looking In https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/inside-looking-out-outside-looking-in  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art balloons light. lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/11/inside-looking-out-outside-looking-in Sat, 03 Nov 2018 02:03:13 GMT
Stormy https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/stormy

We had stormy weather that started last night, and we are supposed to have freezing temperatures tonight. We've had light frost most mornings for the past week, so the cottonwoods are turning from yellow to brown. If we get a hard frost tonight, most of the trees will turn brown over the next few days.

Zenfolio has been having various technical issues the past few weeks, which included an issue that made it so no one could comment for several days. It looks like the problem with comments has been solved, but issues remain which make posting problematic and irritating. 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque clouds cottonwoods light lighting photography rio grande sandias storms sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/stormy Wed, 31 Oct 2018 23:53:51 GMT
Murals https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/murals

 

Murals along the Canal in the 19th Arrondissement, Paris, France.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 19th Arrondissement art boat canal France light lighting murals Paris photography ship https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/murals Thu, 25 Oct 2018 23:30:58 GMT
Bells https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/bells

 

Bells in Notre Dame's southwest bell tower.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bell tower bells light lighting Notre Dame photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/bells Thu, 25 Oct 2018 00:08:45 GMT
Lok & Lol Unplugged https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/lok-lol-unplugged Loki and Lola unplugged

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting loki lola photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/lok-lol-unplugged Wed, 24 Oct 2018 03:13:54 GMT
Flew Into A Burning Ring Of Fire https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/flew-into-a-burning-ring-of-fire

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds clouds cranes light lighting photography sandhill cranes sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/flew-into-a-burning-ring-of-fire Tue, 23 Oct 2018 01:34:06 GMT
Bosque in Daylight https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/bosque-in-daylight

We went out for a walk in the bosque this afternoon. Today you can see the colors in daylight.

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque cottonwoods fall colors light lighting photography rio grande Sandias https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/bosque-in-daylight Mon, 22 Oct 2018 00:33:53 GMT
Lavender Edged https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/lavender-edged

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art flowers light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/lavender-edged Sun, 21 Oct 2018 02:35:51 GMT
Cloudy Night Cranes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/cloudy-night-cranes ƒ/6.3, 1/30, ISO 6400

 

Low clouds blew through the sky at a fast pace last night, hugging the Sandias as they rolled over the crest. The cranes are still shy, especially in the looming darkness after sunset. They fly away as soon as I step out of the foliage onto the river.

 

ƒ/6.3, 1/30, ISO 6400
 

 

The Rio Grande is so low that a sad and lonely tumbleweed got stuck in the shallows unable to float downstream or roll with the current. 

ƒ/6.3, 1/125, ISO 1000
 

 

ƒ/4.0, 1/250, ISO 800
 

 

ƒ/4.0, 1/250, ISO 6400
 

 

ƒ/4.0, 1/250, ISO 6400
 

 

ƒ/4.0, 1/250, ISO 6400
 

 

ƒ/4.0, 1/250, ISO 6400
 

 

ƒ/4.0, 1/250, ISO 6400
 

 

ƒ/4.0, 1/250, ISO 6400
 

 

ƒ/4.0, 1/250, ISO 6400
 

 

ƒ/4.0, 1/250, ISO 6400
 

 

As darkness fell, a half moon peeked through the clouds from time to time.

ƒ/4.0, 1/320, ISO 1600
 

 

ƒ/4.0, 1/100, ISO 6400
 

 

The moon slipped out from behind the clouds and got stuck in a tree.

ƒ/4.0, 1/15, ISO 6400
 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque clouds cranes light lighting moon photography sandias tumbleweed https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/cloudy-night-cranes Sat, 20 Oct 2018 00:26:55 GMT
Like a Sasha out of Sheol https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/like-a-sasha-out-of-sheol

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting photography Sasha sheol https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/like-a-sasha-out-of-sheol Fri, 19 Oct 2018 01:58:38 GMT
Get Your Cranes In A Row https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/get-your-cranes-in-a-row

 

The cranes started flying over our house last week, but with the Balloon Fiesta, bad weather and getting home late, today was the first chance I had to get close to them. I got these shots shortly after sunset.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds bosque cranes light lighting photography rio grande river sandhill cranes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/get-your-cranes-in-a-row Thu, 18 Oct 2018 02:13:04 GMT
Living a Dream https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/living-a-dream

 

On Saturday, OC&NE correspondent Diana Duran got to fly in a balloon. Who is Diana? Diana is an intern architect, and architecture student working on her masters degree in architecture. Diana works for Cherry/See/Reames Architects (CSR), the architecture firm that shares space with ARC. Earlier in the year, Diana and Francelia, another intern architect at CSR, worked with me on a large security project for Albuquerque Public Schools. Diana mentioned that one of her dreams was to fly in a hot air balloon, so when I applied for media credentials for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta this year, I added her as a photographer with OC&NE. I supplied her with a camera and lens, and she did a fantastic job doing photos the various times she was at the balloon park during the fiesta. On Saturday she flew with Jeff Haliczer in his balloon named Synchronicity. Jeff also has a special shape balloon of Humpty Dumpty upside down named "Off The Wall". You can read Jeff's bio at: http://offthewallballoon.com/Jeffs%20Bio.html. Rob Kaplan was another media correspondent who flew with Diana on Saturday morning. Rob is a Video Editor at NBC Universal, and his work can be seen regularly on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.  The first 15 photos in this post are by me of Jeff and his crew setting up Synchronicity, and of Diana ready to fly and taking off.  Diana added a few words about her dream, followed by 46 of Diana's photos taken on the ground and in the air.

 

Diana in front of the flames.

 

Jeff and his co-pilot Bandit. Jeff says "Dog is my co-pilot"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taxying into position for takeoff.

 

Holding the basket while revving the burners.

 

Lift off!

 

 

 

 

Living a Dream
by Diana Duran

This weekend one of my dreams came true. It started around six years ago watching the news at my house in Colombia. I told everyone in the room that one day I was going to be there. Dad told me: Keep that dream with you in your heart, time and life will make it happen. Little did I know that I was going to be living in Albuquerque where precisely this event takes place. To me the most magical event I have seen in the world. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a work of art, engineering, and passion. 
 
This year, thanks to amazing people, I had the opportunity to enjoy a balloon ride. After many days trying to sort between weather, luck, and life between school and work, everything finally lined up on Saturday for me to have a beautiful experience.  Jeff Haliczer is the skilled pilot of his balloon named ”Synchronicity". The take-off was peaceful, and once in the air, he pointed out a couple of rules to follow inside the balloon. He proceeded to move towards the river where we did the famous "Splash-and-Dash" in the Rio Grande, and then followed the air currents for an hour and a half.  The views were surreal, however, the sky was covered in dense clouds that prevented the sun from doing its magic in the valley, but that gave us a fantastic view of the Sandias and all the other surrounding balloons. 
 
I doubt there is a comparable feeling to flying in a balloon. I will do it again and again. I will never forget this experience. 

 

Bandit supervising the set up

 

Jeff and Bandit

 

Jeff holding the flap open for me to stick my head in and do an interior shot of the balloon. Rob Kaplan is waiting his turn.

 

Diana's view from the inside of Synchronicity.

 

Final pre-flight preparation and consultation with Bandit and ground crew member.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the bosque on the east side of the Rio Grande.

 

 

Fourth Street and the railroad tracks.

 

Sandia Lakes Recreation Area on the Sandia Pueblo. The lakes are directly across from our property on the east side of the Rio Grande.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Splash and Dash in the Rio Grande.

 

This is a great aerial view of what we call "Beaver Point". Most of the photos I do of beaver in the Rio Grande are taken from this point. Most of the photos of the Sandias that I have posted over the years are taken from this point. The the photo of the super blood moon rising I did in 2015 was taken from this point. The Corrales Fire Department recently installed a 195.5 mile marker at Beaver Point. You can see it on the edge of the at the end of the trail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A great view of the Sandias.

 

Balloons starting to land in fields in Corrales.

 

 

 

Landing at the north end of Corrales.

 

 

 

 

Holding the balloon in place while it deflates.

 

 

Preparing the balloon to be put in its storage basket.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) albuquerque international balloon fiesta art balloons Diana Duran Jeff Haliczer light lighting photography Rob Kaplan synchronicity balloon views from a balloon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/living-a-dream Wed, 17 Oct 2018 02:41:08 GMT
Saturday at the Balloon Park was Kind of like the Forth of July https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/saturday-at-the-balloon-park-was-kind-of-like-the-forth-of-july

 

Today was the last day of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, and it got rained out; however, Saturday morning I was on the field early, and got out among the balloons while it was still dark. The glow from the burners, flames and laser light show were like the 4th of July on the ground surround by balloons. Clouds blanketing the top of the Sandias were magical just before sunrise. All the balloons launched on Saturday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art balloon fiesta balloon glow balloons laser light show light lighting photography sandias sunrise https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/saturday-at-the-balloon-park-was-kind-of-like-the-forth-of-july Mon, 15 Oct 2018 01:03:13 GMT
A Great Pumpkin Fest https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/a-great-pumpkin-fest

 

While there happens to be an extra million people in Albuquerque for the Balloon Fiesta, Wagner's Farms is having their annual Apple & Pumpkin Festival. There were lots of people lined up for hay rides to the orchard just north of our property to pick apples. In the field on Dixon Road, behind the farm store, they had a pumpkin patch. At the farm store they had lots and lots of pumpkins, hot dogs and hamburgers, red chile ristras, green chile roasting and a band named Severo y Grupo Fuego was playing.  Laurie and I walked up to the Festival, Laurie got a caramel apple, and then we listened to a few songs before walking back home.

 

On our way to Wagner's, we stopped to get a photo of Laurie with our cattle ramp. Not everyone owns their own heirloom cattle ramp.

 

People on there way to the orchard to pick apples.

 

 

 

The pumpkin patch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red Chile Ristras

 

Roasting green chiles

 

 

 

Severo y Grupo Fuego

 

SEVERO MARTINEZ (lead vocals), ADRIAN MEDINA (keyboard) LENNY ROMERO (drums), CAMERON BOURG (bass) and ALBERT (ALBIE) TAFOYA (guitar)

 

SEVERO MARTINEZ

 

LENNY ROMERO

 

CAMERON BOURG

 

 

ALBERT (ALBIE) TAFOYA

 

Severo Grupo Fuego has a good sound. They played "La Cumbia Del Sapito" an old favorite of ours. Above is a video clip of them playing "La Cumbia Del Sapito".

 

"Un paso pa delante"

 

"y otro paraatras"

 

Bad parking starts with infancy.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) apples art cattle ramp festival green chile hay rides light lighting photography pumpkins red chile ristras severo y grupo fuego tractors wagner's farm https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/a-great-pumpkin-fest Sun, 14 Oct 2018 01:04:49 GMT
Christ Rises Again https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/christ-rises-again The morning began with the earth shaking. Then...

 

Christ rose from the crowd.

 

 

 

 

 

While most of the regular balloons lifted off to compete in the day's ring toss and bean bag drop competition, many of the special shape balloons inflated but did not take off.

 

 

The cow balloon inflated.

 

Then they took it down and inflated a normal shaped cow balloon for the competition, I assume.

 

Rolling up the cow while the cow prepares for lift off.

 

 

This gangly green thing that spilled out into the road turned out to be a frog.

 

 

 

 

Doughboy, Frog, Pirate and Tom and Jerry.

 

 

A monumental Big Red Dog.

 

 

 

 

 

"Arizona, take off your rainbow shades" Mark Lindsay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The competition was to fly to the field or navigate back to the field and either toss a ring over a pole or drop a bean bag on an X.

 

The Albuquerque Police Department's horses were very popular.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) APD art balloons Christ Balloon cow balloon frog balloon horses light lighting photography ring toss special shapes balloons https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/christ-rises-again Sat, 13 Oct 2018 01:13:29 GMT
Balloons in TechColor & TunnelVision https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/balloons-in-techcolor-tunnelvision

 

Wednesday morning I borrowed an 8mm-15mm fisheye to super-wide-angle zoom lens from the Canon Tent. The weather was iffy, so when the green flag finally went up, giving the sign the balloonists could fly, it was after 8:00 am. The wind on the ground was brisk, so the balloons inflated by themselves or in small groups, then they took off as soon as the balloons were inflated, instead of inflating in large groups and lifting off in waves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

¡Adios muchachos, muchachas!

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta art balloons canon canon imaging fisheye lens light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/balloons-in-techcolor-tunnelvision Fri, 12 Oct 2018 00:49:41 GMT
MAID in the SHADE by Rosy the Riveter https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/maid-in-the-shade-by-rosy-the-riveter Maid in the Shade B-25J Bomber that was on display at the Double Eagle Airport on Albuquerque's Westside.

 

MAID in the SHADE is a B-25J is a twin engine medium bomber that was based out of Serraggia Airbase, Corsica from Nov 1 – Dec 31, 1944. She flew 13 bombing missions in Italy and 2 over Yugoslavia. B-25J Bombers where fast and used for low altitude strafe and skip bombing. It took 28 years to restore MAID in the SHADE, and all the people who worked on the original restoration have since died. One person involved with the bomber said they were particularly effective for sinking ships. The nose of the plane would be fitted with four 50 caliber machine guns. The bomber would fly just above the water under the target ship's fire, then the pilot would open fire with the four machine guns as he flew over the deck of the ship, and they would drop several small bombs with parachutes attached to slow the bombs hitting the ship to allow the bomber to get out of the way before the bombs exploded. He said they were 100% effective in sinking ships. You can read more about MAID in the SHADE and how she got her name at: https://www.azcaf.org/b-25j-maid-shade-got-name/.

The doors on the bomb bay are signed by various people who served in WWII. One signature is by Betty Hayes as "Rosy the Riveter". She worked in the plant in Kansas City, KS in 1942 according to an article about her and Maid in the Shade by Carole Ann McKelvey in the Montrose Daily Press News in 2016. You can read about Betty at: https://www.montrosepress.com/news/forget-about-rosie-montrose-has-it-s-own-betty-the/article_a3a03f68-74b2-11e6-afb9-030d9344559f.html.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The model for the nose art was selected from a contest. There is the right side of the plane.

 

Rosy the Riveter (1994 is when she signed the bomb bay door)

 

This is the left side of the plane, which is slightly different. Can you see the difference?

 

The left bomb bay door with all the signatures including Rosy's.

 

 

Right and left side nose art.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art B-25J bomber light lighting photography Rosy the Riveter https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/maid-in-the-shade-by-rosy-the-riveter Mon, 08 Oct 2018 00:40:40 GMT
Vincent https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/vincent

 

The wind was to strong for the balloons to fly today, so they just all inflated on the field. That allowed me to get the different faces of Vincent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All burners on for the National Anthem.

 

 

The owl balloon is from Great Britain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yoda and Señor Vader.

 

 

 

Canon is the official sponsor.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art balloons burners light lighting owl balloon photography POW MIA Vincent Van Gogh Balloon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/vincent Mon, 08 Oct 2018 00:28:08 GMT
Reflections from the 1st Day of the 47th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/reflections-from-the-1st-day-of-the-47th-albuquerque-international-balloon-fiesta The Rio Grande is very low, and reflective.

 

The 47th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta kicked off today with major traffic snarl starting in the wee hours of the morning. Our intention was get to the field by 5:30 am so we could get on the list for a balloon ride. However, it seemed all of Albuquerque wanted to get on the field this morning and the cars were backed up for two or three miles in every direction. I determined we were not going to get on the field before 6:00 am, let alone 7:00 am, before the balloons would launch. I managed to get out of the traffic jam, and took the long way around to get back home. We walked out on to the river, watched and photographed the balloons in the sky with a few touching down on the water and mudflats, while kayakers, canoers, and paddle boarders floated down the Rio Grande, often getting stuck in the shallow places along the way.

 

This is the first time I'd seen an owl balloon. I was hoping it would land in the river, but it flew over us to the west and disappeared behind the trees — typical owl behavior.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other people on the river told me I was occupied photographing other balloons when Van Gogh was facing us, so I only ended up getting him in profile.

 

 

 

 

Kitty balloon across from the paddlers.

 

The lead flotilla of the "Spanish Armada" of kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards that followed.

 

The armada heading our way.

 

 

 

They overtake the kitty balloon.

 

The kitty balloon buzzes the paddlers.

 

The last paddle boarder fell off his board and got swamped. He was still chasing after the board when he rounded a bend in the river and disappeared. We visited with other people on the river for a few more minutes and then walked home. 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 47th albuquerque international balloon fiesta art balloons canoes kayaks light lighting paddle boards photography rio grande sandias https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/10/reflections-from-the-1st-day-of-the-47th-albuquerque-international-balloon-fiesta Sun, 07 Oct 2018 00:55:54 GMT
Jeremiah https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/jeremiah

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bullfrog light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/jeremiah Thu, 27 Sep 2018 23:35:19 GMT
Hanging Out https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/hanging-out

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography spider https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/hanging-out Wed, 26 Sep 2018 22:50:36 GMT
Full On Rise https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/full-on-rise 98% full moon rising Sunday evening. It was too dark to get detail in the moon and detail in the landscape.

 

Full moon looking like a bright star over the Sandias and Rio Grande on Monday night.

 

Full moon through the screen and kitty wire on the east facing bedroom window.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art full moon kitty wire leaves light lighting moon photography rio grande sandias screen vine https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/full-on-rise Tue, 25 Sep 2018 23:58:42 GMT
A Talk With Mr. pT https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/a-talk-with-mr-pt Pesky Paparazzo: "Hey Mr. pT? What's going on?"

 

Mr. pT: "I'm standing on one foot. What does it look like I'm doing?" Pesky Paparazzo: "I'm surprised you didn't fly away. I'm standing only 15 feet below you!"

 

Mr. pT: "What's that you said? I couldn't hear you with all the crunching of leaves under your feet." Pesky Paparazzo: "I'M STANDING RIGHT UNDER YOU!"

 

Mr. pT: "Oh my! You are awfully close. You seem pretty harmless, I guess." 

 

Mr. pT: "It's been a long hard day flying about, standing in water up to my knees, fishing in murky waters. Now I'm comfy in my tree, and the sun is setting. I'm too tired to fly away."
 

 

Mr. pT: "Look over there. It's my friend the Flicker. Hi Flick!"

 

Flick: "Hey Mr. pT. Who's the dude in black with the long white beak?"

 

Mr. pT: "That's our neighborhood pesky paparazzo. He's out in the woods every night, but he doesn't come down this way very often." 
 

 

Mr. pT: "Doesn't look much like rain does it paparazzo?" Pesky Paparazzo: "Clear blue skies as far as I can see. Do you roost in this tree often?"

 

Mr. pT: "Hold on a minute I have an itch I need to scratch." Pesky Paparazzo: "You sure are easily distracted easily..."

 

Mr. pT: "Oh I know I am. I'm so sorry and ashamed that I'm so easily distracted."  Pesky Paparazzo: "There's nothing to be ashamed of. Don't worry..."

 

Mr pT: " You're right. I'm neither sorry or ashamed. I was just pulling your leg." Pesky Paparazzo: "Drama Queen!"

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cottonwood flicker great blue heron light lighting photography pterodactyl https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/a-talk-with-mr-pt Tue, 25 Sep 2018 00:45:13 GMT
Looking https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/looking What do you see, Silver?

 

Is it a bird?

 

Is it a plane?

 

 

AAAaaah! It's Sasha!

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting photography Sasha Silver https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/looking Sun, 23 Sep 2018 22:58:00 GMT
Bosque Butterflies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/bosque-butterflies Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)

 

I went for a walk in the bosque around noon. There were lots and lots of Clouded Sulphur butterflies feeding on the purple wildflowers. A few Checkered Whites where also feeding among the Clouded Sulphurs. I saw one tiny Western Pygmy-Blue that liked tumbleweeds and grass for some reason. The Western Pygmy-Blue was so small that the auto focus through my 70-200mm lens could not see it. I had to switch to manual focus.

 

Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
 

Western Pygmy-Blue (Brephidium exile)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque butterflies light lighting photography wildflowers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/bosque-butterflies Sat, 22 Sep 2018 23:21:23 GMT
Tangled Heart Tree https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/tangled-heart-tree Little Owl perched on a tangled heart tree, watching the stars, chirping at jet lights as they clawed the sky.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cottonwood great horned owl light lighting little owl owl photography tangled heart tree https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/tangled-heart-tree Fri, 21 Sep 2018 23:38:56 GMT
Osprey https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/osprey Western Osprey (Pandion Falco [Rock Me Amadeus] haliaetus)
 

I was not the only one out surveying the damage done to the beaver dams yesterday.

 

Military Osprey (Bell Boeing [That's Why We're Here] V-22)

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bell bird boeng helicopter light lighting osprey photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/osprey Thu, 20 Sep 2018 23:54:10 GMT
They Done Done in the Dam https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/they-done-done-in-the-dam The beaver dam when it was first built in November 2017.

 

The Conservancy couldn't take it any longer, and after 11 months of leaving the beaver dam under the bridge we use to get to the bosque, they tore it out.  The Angry Beavers asked me to repost their video "Bite 'Em on the Old Shin Bone" as a reminder of the mean and heartless the Conservancy is. Their video and the lyrics are at the end of this post.

 

Beaver swimming for cover.

 

Bridge without a beaver dam under it, September 2018.

 

Bite 'Em On The Old Shin Bone

Bite ‘Em On The Old Shin Bone
The Angry Beavers and The Average White Boys
Music: Shel Silverstein
Lyrics: Timothy Price

Ha ha ha, I don't believe it
Hah! Don't touch it
Hey you going to tell them who we are?

Well We’re bucktoothed builders
We got golden slappers
We love to lay sticks in a row… (Sounds like beavers)
We build real beauty, dams to tell the truth
We cut ten thousand willows you know… (Yah! Right!)
Fish have all kinds of gills, and it’s kind of surreal
Then there’s the man we’ve never known
He’s shrill, yelling, bitchin’, when he blows up our kitchen 
Wanna bite him on the old shinbone

(Old Shinbone) Wanna bite him right through his cover
(Bone…) Gonna bite five chomps for my mother
(Bone…) Wanna chew off his smiling face
Bite him on the old shinbone (That’s a very good idea you know)

We watch two legged ladies on the ditch bank daily
They walkin in tight jeans
We got a poor old gray haired biologist
Who thinks we’re really keen
Now the conservancy men wanna blowup our homes
And our homes get really blown
Like the blow when they bitchin and blowin up our kitchens
Wanna bite them on the old shinbones

(Old Shinbone) Wanna bite him right through his cover
(Bone…) Gonna bite five chomps for my mother
(Bone…) Wanna chew off his smiling face
Bite him on the old shinbone

[Talking]
Hey, I know how
Beaver roll...

[Instrumental]

Oh that's really beautiful man!

We got a lot of little teeny blue scaled guppies
Don’t do anything all day
And there’s a genuine government guru
Who says dynamite's a better way
Build nice dams but the government guy
Doesn’t think we need a home
We keep building stronger, but their dynamite gets longer
And we bite em on old shinbones

(Old Shinbone) Wanna bite him right through his cover
(Bone…) Gonna bite five chomps for my mother
(Bone…) Wanna chew off his smiling face
Bite him on the old shinbone
Bite him on the old shinbone

Wanna bite him right through his cover
(Bone…) Gonna bite five chomps for my mother
(Bone…) Wanna chew off his smiling face
Bite him on the old shinbone
 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beavers dam light lighting music parody photography video https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/they-done-done-in-the-dam Thu, 20 Sep 2018 01:18:09 GMT
Owl Goes Abstract https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/owl-goes-abstract

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) abstract art light lighting owl photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/owl-goes-abstract Wed, 19 Sep 2018 00:37:35 GMT
How to Photograph Your Dragon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/how-to-photograph-your-dragon Najar looks sweet, innocent and playful but it's just a ruse to draw you in closer before she attacks. 

 

Najar is one of our smallest kitties, but she is super quick, and attacks from any position with a quick flurry of paws, claws and fangs, and then is back in position ready for another attach before her victims know what got them. We call her the Night Furry after Toothless in "How to Tame Your Dragon."

 

You probably missed the attack between photos. She faster than a camera's shutter.

 

Another slight position change between attacks.

 

A direct challenge.

 

Feigning distraction.

 

After that last round of attacks, Najar gets in a cat nap in her dragon lair. AKA makeup box lid.

 

Protecting her lair from the other kitties who want to steal it.

 

Feigning "feeling kind of sleepy now!"

 

"Getting a little close there Paparazzo!"

 

"Enemy cat starboard. Cut the clicks Paparazzo."

 

"Cats on the left. More cats on the right. Stupid Paprazzo straight ahead, and a mess of makeup stuff behind. If I go into a furry, you all will be sorry!"

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art box cats dragon lid light lighting makeup Najar photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/how-to-photograph-your-dragon Tue, 18 Sep 2018 00:22:49 GMT
Four Planets and a Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/four-planets-and-a-moon

I've been trying to get a panorama of Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and Venus in an arc across the night sky for several nights now. It seems to be when the moon is half full I get the right combination of darkness in the sky and illumination from the moon to get some detail in the trees and horizon so Camera Raw can match edges and stitch the panoramas together. The moon looks more like a star than the moon, but the moon is too bright to get a correct exposure of it and still see the planets and surroundings.  I've included two slightly different views from the levee (the second panorama is about 500 feet south of the first) with a duplicate of each image identifying the planets and the moon (I didn't really need to label the moon, but the images didn't look right without the moon labeled). Laurie is somewhere far ahead of me on the levee, as she kept walking while I stopped to take the photos. I also included a composite photo of the moon's phases from 9/11 to 9/15. For whatever reason, that I don't remember, I did not get a photo of the moon on 9/12.

 

 

Moon on 9/11, 9/13, 9/14 and 9/15.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art Jupiter Laurie levee light lighting Mars moon moon phases photography planets Saturn Venus https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/four-planets-and-a-moon Sun, 16 Sep 2018 23:23:18 GMT
www.chatchaifican.net https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/www-chatchaifican-net

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography spider spider web web https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/www-chatchaifican-net Sun, 16 Sep 2018 00:38:22 GMT
Crocs in the Clear Ditch https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/crocs-in-the-clear-ditch

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) algae art clear ditch crocs light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/crocs-in-the-clear-ditch Fri, 14 Sep 2018 22:12:15 GMT
Thread-Waisted Wasp https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/thread-waisted-wasp

 

A Thread-Waisted Wasp was foraging on the garlic chives in the late afternoon. These wasps are considered to be extremely strong despite their fragile looking frames. The females dig burrows where they lay their eggs, and then they find a caterpillar, preferably a big fat tomato worm more than double her size, grabs it with her powerful jaws, stings it to paralyze it, then drags it to the burrow where she laid her eggs, stuffs the caterpillar in the burrow, and covers the opening with dirt and rocks to hide her stash. When the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the caterpillar until they pupate and dig out of the burrow as full grown wasps. Thread-waisted Wasps are not aggressive toward humans, unless the humans in question happen to look like giant caterpillars or, even better, great big plump tomato worms. Thread-Waisted Wasps will sting in self defense — if stepped on or handled roughly, for example.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art garlic chives light lighting photography thread-wasted wasp wasp https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/thread-waisted-wasp Thu, 13 Sep 2018 23:44:20 GMT
Under a Sliver Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/under-a-sliver-moon

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting moon photography sliver moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/under-a-sliver-moon Thu, 13 Sep 2018 00:04:22 GMT
In Coming Out Going https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/in-coming-out-going

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds geese light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/in-coming-out-going Tue, 11 Sep 2018 23:57:29 GMT
Backlit https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/backlit

 

In case anyone has been wondering about the owls, Little Owl says hi! We see owls almost ever night, and I often photograph them, usually in very low light. Last night Little Owl and Big Owl were in a tree on our property, flew over to the bosque, and then they both showed up by Beaver Point when I was out calling to the beavers. The sun had set, but Little Owl landed on a branch facing the afterglow from sunset.

 

Iceberg

 

Beaver swimming across the river at golden hour.

 

After the beaver made it to the other side of the river he tread water by a gnawed branch trying his best to blend in.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beaver great horned owl iceberg light lighting little owl owl photography rio grande river rose sunflowers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/backlit Tue, 11 Sep 2018 00:31:29 GMT
Rorschach Pterodactyls https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/rorschach-pterodactyls

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art heron light lighting photography pterodactyl Rorschach https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/rorschach-pterodactyls Mon, 10 Sep 2018 00:00:24 GMT
Buzzing the Sun https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/buzzing-the-sun

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds buzzards light lighting photography sun vultures https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/buzzing-the-sun Sun, 09 Sep 2018 02:26:50 GMT
Bleach Blonde https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/bleach-blonde What's your problem Paparazzo? Haven't you seen a bleach blonde porcupine before?

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bleach blonde blonde light lighting photography porcupine https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/bleach-blonde Sat, 08 Sep 2018 02:27:46 GMT
I'm Blue https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/im-blue

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art blue butterfly light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/im-blue Fri, 07 Sep 2018 00:14:51 GMT
The Commute https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/the-commute

 

I usually go home by a different route, but with Labor Day officially closing the summer holidays, the public schools and universities back in session and everyone back to work, the streets are mess with traffic jams from crashes, road construction, and railroad crossings. 

 

Wait a minute, that looks like the last train car, but it's going the wrong direction.

 

Everything starts to fade.

 

Might as well put your feet up and take a nap.

 

For those who feel like they can't take it anymore, Esther Davis and Domino's have teamed up to offer pizza and psychiatric care.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cars commute dominos drive feet ford light lighting photography psychiatry railroad crossing train https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/the-commute Thu, 06 Sep 2018 00:33:36 GMT
Lok & Lol https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/lok-lol Lok

 

Loki (lok) and Lola (Lol) are kind of like a Rock & Roll pair of kitties. When I'm in bed, if one is on my legs, the other is on my chest and visa versa. 

 

Lol

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting Lok Lok & Lol Loki Lol Lola photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/lok-lol Wed, 05 Sep 2018 02:50:39 GMT
Bottom Dwellers & Redneck Ways https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/bottom-dwellers-redneck-ways Raccoon prints in the mud.

 

Or new refrigerator that we purchased 16 years ago on June 2, 2002 passed away sometime after we went to bed last night. Coincidently, the irrigation ditch ran dry last night leaving the bottom dwellers scrambling to find puddles in hopes they don't dry up before water runs again. 

This morning I fired up our old 1982 Ford F100 pickup truck, threw a dolly in the back, and took off to procure us a new refrigerator.  My plan was to buy a new refrigerator on a Labor Day sale, load it into the truck, bring it home, take the expired refrigerator out to the shed and repurpose it into a well insulated storage cabinet. Then I would have rolled the new refrigerator into the old one's place, and simply been done with it.

But life is not so simple anymore. Much to my surprise, while I could purchase any number of refrigerators on sale for prices ranging from $470 to $4,700, I could not simply buy one, have it loaded onto my 1982 Ford F100 pickup truck and take it home. Refrigerators in the stores are for looking at, deciding which model you want, and then you purchase one, and the store delivers the new refrigerator at some later date, and then the delivery staff take the expired refrigerator away to be recycled after the new one is delivered. 

So here we have Labor Day and I can't even labor by bringing home a new refrigerator and taking the old one out to the shed and repurposing it. Sad as it is, these modern days have thwarted my redneck ways much to Laurie's delight. 

 

Crawdad or Crayfish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baby Bullfrog.

 


Cottonwood leaf.

 

 

Baby Bullfrog.

 

Baby Blue Tailed lizard.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bottom dwellers bullfrog crawdad crayfish ditch light lighting lizard photography redneck refrigerators tracks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/bottom-dwellers-redneck-ways Mon, 03 Sep 2018 23:34:50 GMT
Najar https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/najar

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting Najar photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/najar Mon, 03 Sep 2018 00:47:05 GMT
Storming on a Friday Night https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/storming-on-a-friday-night

With my raincoat in one hand and my camera in the other, I walked out under cloudy skies and caught the stormy action that unfolded around me.

 

Mia's tree stood stark and defiant against the threatening clouds.

 

Walls of rain blew in from the west.

 

Lighting and thunder shook the world below.

 

Lighting revealed a spout of rain.

 

Hairline fracture in the sky.

 

Another strike showed the spout looking more like a funnel cloud.

 

 

Lightning cut through cloudbursts like illuminated tornados.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting lightning photography river sandias storm tree https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/9/storming-on-a-friday-night Sat, 01 Sep 2018 23:35:59 GMT
The Landing https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/the-landing

Duck landing on the Rio Grande at sunset.

 

Reminded me of a few airplanes I've been on.

 

Snowy Egret skimming the water.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds duck landing light lighting photography rio grande river snow egret https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/the-landing Sat, 01 Sep 2018 00:28:52 GMT
Shrink Wrapped https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/shrink-wrapped

Loki

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting Loki photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/shrink-wrapped Thu, 30 Aug 2018 23:32:10 GMT
Hay https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/hay

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art hay hay bales light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/hay Wed, 29 Aug 2018 23:26:23 GMT
Misty Morning Spotlights At Sunrise https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/misty-morning-spotlights-at-sunrise

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds cottonwoods dawn garden light lighting mist photography spotlights sunrise https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/misty-morning-spotlights-at-sunrise Tue, 28 Aug 2018 23:17:31 GMT
Road Repairs with a Roadrunner https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/road-repairs-with-a-roadrunner I was repairing my lonely road.

 

When a roadrunner came walking by alone.

 

"Whatcha doing?" he asked.

 

Filling up a sink hole in my lonely road.

 

"But you're all alone. There's no one to work beside you?"

 

"No one to run your wheel barrow for you?"

 

"No one to help lift those concrete slabs?"

 

No. There's no one who will help me on this lonely road.

 

It's my lonely road and I repair in on my own.

 

I fill the hole so you and others won't fall in it.

 

I fill the hole so wheels don't get stuck in it.

 

"Sorry I can't help you. I'm just a roadrunner out walking all alone."

 

"This concrete is hard and heavy, my break can't break it."

 

"I must be on my way."

 

Bye roadrunner. Watch your speed. Now I'm back to working alone.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) alone art dead end light lighting photography price lane road roadrunner work https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/road-repairs-with-a-roadrunner Tue, 28 Aug 2018 00:31:59 GMT
Through the Grapevine https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/through-the-grapevine

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats grapes grapevine ladder light lighting photography Spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/through-the-grapevine Mon, 27 Aug 2018 02:23:34 GMT
Day in the Garden https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/day-in-the-garden Spunk

 

Here's a series of photos from the garden today. The sunset and moonrise were taken from the levee last night. The sun hasn't set yet, plus we are having a major thunderstorm that's dumped 2/10 of an inch of rain in the past 30 minutes.

 

Misty dawn

 

Cosmos

 

Marble

 

Pearl Crecsent

 

Cosmos

 

Native bee

 

Another native bee

 

Silver

 

Garlic Chives

 

Cosmos

 

Cosmos

 

"I thought I saw a hummingbird?"

 

Hummingbird

 

"Oh! I did. I did see a hummingbird."

 

"Stupid cat!"

 

Sasha

 

Hummingbird flapping at me.

 

Backlit Gladiola.

 

Honey Perfume

 

Gladiola

 

Orb Spider

 

Veteran's Honor

 

Orb Spider

 

Last night's sunset

 

Moonrise last night

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bee cats clouds cosmos flowers light lighting Marble moonrise photography roses Sasha Silver spider Spunk sunrise sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/day-in-the-garden Sat, 25 Aug 2018 23:57:00 GMT
Slaughterhouse to Arts and Science https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/slaughterhouse-to-arts-and-science Mairie Du XIX Town Hall
 

Continuing our tour of the 19th Arrondissement in northeast Paris, on the 19th of July 2018, this set of photos is from outside the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont up to the Cité des sciences et de l'industrie, which was the old slaughterhouse and textile district.

 

The blue area defines the route the photos cover.

 

NASA car. I don't know if it's electric, gas, peddled or some combination thereof.

 

Jean Macé was an educator, journalist and politician best known for establishing the Ligue de l'enseignement (League of Education) in 1866.

 

Buildings along the way.

 

Small cemetery where we saw the graveyard cats — https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2018/07/19/graveyard-cats/
 

 

 

 

Concrete building outside the cemetery gates.

 

Restaurants along the way.

 

The Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris is covered in netting because the glued panels are coming loose and falling off. The panels are being replaced.

 

La Grande Halle De La Villette is an old slaughterhouse turned into a cultural center. The Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris is on the left and the Cité de la Musique and Concert Hall are on the right.

 

 

Fountain in front of La Grande Halle.

 

Cité de la Musique Stone and Glass Concert Hall Complex (Philharmonie 2) behind the cafe, and the Concert Hall (Philharmonie 1) is to the left.

 

Top of the Galerie de la Villette.

 

La folie numérique event venue.

 

One of the many red structures around La Villette urban park with cultural institutions.

 

Raised walk above Galerie de l'Ourcq.

 

Looking southwest down the canal.

 

Play structure in Jardin du dragon.

 

The Cité des sciences et de l'industrie on the left and La Géode, which is an iMax type cinema inside a mirrored ball.

 

La Géode
 

Cité des sciences et de l'industrie.
 

Water feature in front of the Cité des sciences et de l'industrie.

 

Reflections in La Géode.
 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 19th arrondissement art Cité de la Musique Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris france Grande Halle De La Villette Jean Macé La Géode light lighting Ligue de l'enseignement Mairie Du XIX paris photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/slaughterhouse-to-arts-and-science Sat, 25 Aug 2018 00:13:49 GMT
A Whole Lotta Grooming Going On https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/a-whole-lotta-grooming-going-on Swim

 

Get ready. Get set...

 

Groom

 

Lick

 

Gnaw

 

Hug

 

Groom

 

Wash

 

Preen

 

Clean

 

Finished

 

!Hasta la vista!

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beaver grooming light lighting photography rio grande https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/a-whole-lotta-grooming-going-on Thu, 23 Aug 2018 22:48:40 GMT
Burning Ball of Fire https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/burning-ball-of-fire I gazed into a burning ball of fire...

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography smoke sun sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/burning-ball-of-fire Thu, 23 Aug 2018 00:17:44 GMT
Gargoyles Then & Now https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/gargoyles-then-now

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats france gargoyles light lighting notre dame paris photography Silver Spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/gargoyles-then-now Wed, 22 Aug 2018 00:14:02 GMT
More Smoke From Another Distant Fire https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/more-smoke-from-another-distant-fire Smokey skies from distant fires turned the sun into a large spot above the trees near the horizon last night.

 

The pink on the Sandias at sunset was covered by the smoke.

 

The sun was like a big ball over Sayre's barn.

 

The moon had a peachy color through the smoke.

 

Mars on the left under a twig. Saturn barely visible between the branches at left-center. The moon as a starburst in the center. Jupiter all alone on the center-right. Venus hanging on the edge on the far right.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art barn bosque field jupiter light lighting mars moon night. photography rio grande sandias saturn smoke sundown trees venus https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/more-smoke-from-another-distant-fire Tue, 21 Aug 2018 00:55:42 GMT
The 19th on The 19th https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/the-19th-on-the-19th One of many locks on the canals in northeast Paris.

 

On July 19, 2018, we met Anne, who I know from blogging, at République, and she took us on a long walking tour of the 10th and 19th Arrondissements. This first series of photos goes up to the highest point at Temple de la Sybille in the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont (under the "A" in "ARR." on the map below). I include a wide-ange view and various telescopic views from the Temple.

 

 

Door on the way to République.

 

République
 

Footbridge over the canal by a lock.

 

Hôtel du Nord used in a 1938 film of the same name.

 

History of Hôtel du Nord

 

Communist Party Headquarters

 

The courtyard of a hospital where Anne had been a patient.

 

Various buildings were in disrepair and had netting to keep pieces of the buildings from falling off.

 

Neighborhood along the way.

 

Living buildings with plants growing from roofs and balconies.

 

The Temple de la Sybille from another hill in the park.

 

Temple de la Sybille

 

Wide-ange view of Paris from north-northwest on the left to north-northeast on the right. The park was once a rock quarry.

 

View looking northwest.

 

Looking southeast.

 

Looking north.

 

Sacré-Cœur looking to the northwest.
 

Looking north.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 19th arrondissement art flowers france hôtel du nord lighting parc des buttes-chaumont paris park photography république sacré-cœur temple de la sybille https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/the-19th-on-the-19th Mon, 20 Aug 2018 01:07:58 GMT
Birds, Bees, Flowers, Butterflies, Cats https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/birds-bees-flowers-butterflies-cats

 

 

 

 

Spunk

 

 

 

 

 

Loki

 

 

 

 

 

Spunk eyes

 

 

 

 

 

Sasha

 

 

 

 

Marble

 

 

 

 

Lola

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sasha

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bees birds butterflies cats flowers light lighting Loki Lola Marble photography roses Sasha Spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/birds-bees-flowers-butterflies-cats Sat, 18 Aug 2018 23:03:41 GMT
Along the Way https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/along-the-way Saint-Étienne-du-Mont Catholic Church
 

Along the way to the New Sorbonne, 5th arrondissement, Paris, France.

 

Altar area. Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet Catholic Church
 

 

Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet Catholic Church
 

 

Pipe organ. Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet Catholic Church
 

Escalier Végétalisé Rue Rollin. View from Rue Monge.
 

Corner of Rue des Bernardins and Rue des Écoles

 

The corner of Rue Lagrange and Rue Galande

 

 

 

 

Corner of Rue Lagrange and Rue de l'Hôtel Colbert
 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) and architecture art Bernardins buildings churchCorner des Écoles france light lighting of paris photography Rue https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/along-the-way Fri, 17 Aug 2018 23:57:43 GMT
Bagworm Ballet https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/bagworm-ballet

Bagworms are a real problem. We made a major assault on them last year by picking them off of everything we could reach, tying them in plastic bags and throwing them into the trash. We have fewer bagworms this year, but we still get a few hanging around. This bagworm was very active in its leaf bag dangling from a cottonwood. I photographed its ballet-like performance before I mercilessly disposed of it.

 

Élevé

 

Cambré

 

Épaulement

 

Cambré à gauche

 

Cambré à droite
 

Tours chaînés déboulés (with help from the breeze)


 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bagworms ballet ballet terms light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/bagworm-ballet Fri, 17 Aug 2018 00:38:50 GMT
Walking in the Rain https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/walking-in-the-rain

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography rain https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/walking-in-the-rain Thu, 16 Aug 2018 01:41:20 GMT
Ode de Toilette https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/ode-de-toilette

The above style toilette is fairly common on the streets in Paris. But when you are out on the street they are not always as plentiful as we would have liked. More than once when we finally found one, really needing to use it, the darn thing would be out of order. Then we would find a bar, buy coffee and fizzy water, and they would let us use their restrooms.

 

There are several articles on the Internet right now about the "Uritrottoir", eco-freindly public street urinals that have apparently popped up in Paris recently. If they were on the streets a month ago, we missed them, but I got photos of a few other toilets around Paris. This article from EWN Eyewitness News has a good lead photo that illustrates why the Uritrottoirs are not sitting or standing well with Parisians: https://ewn.co.za/2018/08/14/paris-residents-peeved-at-very-public-eco-friendly-urinals.
 

We walked up and down both sides of the Seine in the red zone I marked out in the above map. If I had come across a Uritrottoir I would have photographed it. We walked all over NE, east and SE Paris this trip. According to my Fitbit, I logged 208,180 steps for a total of 98.45 miles during the eight days we were in Paris. 
 

I did see these public urinals in several areas in Paris. However, I never saw anyone using them.

 

This is a fine example of a toilette in a men's room in the New Sorbonne. Note there is no lid to worry about putting up or down, convenient yellow floor, and grab bars that double as toilet paper holders.

 

This is the abstract version outside the National Conservatory.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art france light lighting paris photography seine toilets urinals Uritrottoir https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/ode-de-toilette Wed, 15 Aug 2018 01:16:25 GMT
Bitten by a Tse-tse Fly https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/bitten-by-a-tse-tse-fly

I was lying on the deck, and...

 

Thinking about things to come, and...

 

I was minding my own business mind you. And...

 

I felt something in the air, and...

 

Something touched my hair, and...

 

Touching down on my neck, and...

 

My energy is draining. I'm feeling kind of sleepy now. I was bitten by a Tse-tse fly.

 

Oh! come on Spunk. That was a mosquito not a tse-tse fly, and it didn't bite you. I think you've been listening to too much Wall of Voodoo.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats deck light lighting mosquito photography Spunk tse-tse fly wall of voodoo https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/bitten-by-a-tse-tse-fly Tue, 14 Aug 2018 01:10:22 GMT
Peachy Keen https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/peachy-keen

I didn't have time to prune the fruit trees back in February. As it turned out, 2018 is the first year in the past 12 years that we did not get late killer frosts. So guess what? Correct! Our fruit trees have fruit. Lots and lots of fruit. Our 5 in 1 plum tree we planted in 2000 gave us plums for the first time this year, and the peach tree is prolific — between bending branches and all the wind falls it seems like we have peaches everywhere. I spent most of the day peeling peaches, layering them with sugar in containers and freezing them. 

 

 

Sliced layer of peaches ready for sugar.

 

Egg cartons work well for holding fruit.

 

The production area.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art fruit light lighting peaches photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/peachy-keen Mon, 13 Aug 2018 00:00:55 GMT
Inside the Castle https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/inside-the-castle

A lot of photos of the interior with views from the interior of Vincennes Castle on the eastern edge of Paris, France.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art doors fire places france hallways light lighting paris photography stairs vaulted ceilings vincennes castle https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/inside-the-castle Sat, 11 Aug 2018 23:34:08 GMT
Selfie https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/selfie

The Natural History Museum in Paris had a special exhibit with a skeleton of Tyrannosaurus Rex that they were making a big deal about. The complete skeleton was assembled in a running posture in a dark, narrow room, with a "selfie" skull projected on the floor where people were supposed to stand or kneel to take selfies with T-Rex.

 

View in front of the "selfie" spot.

 

 

 

The room was so narrow that it was difficult to get a side view of T-Rex even doing a panorama with a 17mm super-wide angle lens.

 

 

The room was was joined by two corridors on the tail end of T-Rex. This shot shows how narrow the room is.

 

On the way out from T-Rex, they had games the kids were playing. In this one, dinosaurs imitated whatever motion a person in the circle did. 

 

In this display, the kid on the bike is chasing T-Rex on the screen in front of the bike, while being chased by T-Rex on the screen behind the bike.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art flowers france games kids lighting museum natural history paris photography selfie t-rex tyrannosaurus rex https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/selfie Sat, 11 Aug 2018 00:16:05 GMT
Sunset 'n Cats https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/sunset-n-cats

Spunk: "Oh brother! Not another series of the stupid sunset photos! Don't you have , you know, like cute cat photos?"

 

 

How about you looking pathetic, begging to be let in?

 

 

            Or Loki doing his bat imitation?

 

 

Silver in the middle of rolling around in a box?

 

 

How about Sasha looking silly on the file cabinet?

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats clouds light lighting Loki photography Sandias Sasha Silver Spunk sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/sunset-n-cats Fri, 10 Aug 2018 00:41:23 GMT
Them Bones https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/them-bones

Lots of bones in the Natural History Museum in Paris.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love this guy.

 

 

 

Views from the second story balcony.

 

 

 

 

 

Pteranodon

 

I believe this is a brontosaurus, but it could be a brachiosaurus.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bones dinosaurs france light lighting natural history paris photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/them-bones Thu, 09 Aug 2018 01:30:15 GMT
Whoo's There? https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/whoos-there "Who who whoo goes there?"

 

"Hey New Owl it's me!"     "Whoo are you? I don't believe I know you."

 

"Oh New Owl. Don't you remember me?"        "Hmmph! I can't say I've seen you before!"

 

"Oh come on! You know. The pesky paparazzo."        "Did you say paparazzo? The pesky guy with the long white beak who clicks a lot?"

 

"That's Meee!"     "Oh! Pesky Paparazzo. Is that really you? Where have you been?"

 

"I've been to Paris to visit the Louvre..."       "It's about time you came back. It's been pretty boring around the bosque."

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art great horned owl light lighting new owl owls photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/whoos-there Wed, 08 Aug 2018 00:44:08 GMT
Fire in the Sky https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/fire-in-the-sky

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting photography sunset thunderstorm https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/fire-in-the-sky Tue, 07 Aug 2018 01:34:19 GMT
A Different Sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/a-different-sunset

 

The first time in almost a week that we were able to go out for a walk at sunset without thunderstorms threatening to drench us with heavy rain and pommel us with hail, we got to see a very different sunset.

 

 

A night heron streaked by at light speed.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds cottonwoods light lighting night heron photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/a-different-sunset Sun, 05 Aug 2018 22:22:18 GMT
Humming https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/humming

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds butterfly bush hummingbird hummingbird moth light lighting moths photography trumpet flower https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/humming Sat, 04 Aug 2018 22:51:45 GMT
Inside The Holy Chapel https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/inside-the-holy-chapel

 

The write up on The Holy Chapel in the brochure about the Vincennes Castle reads "Founded by Charles V in 1379, the chapel is modeled on the Sainte-Chapelle* of the Palais de la Cité in Paris, though it has only one floor, with oratories reserved for the queen on the right and the king on the left, and to the north east a building containing a sacristy and treasure room.

The work initiated during the reign of Charles V was continued under Charles VI and completed long afterwards under Henry II (1547-1559)."

*"Sainte-Chapelle: royal chapel built by Saint Louis to house the the relics of Christ's Passion (the Crown of Thorns, a fragment of the Holy Cross, the sponge and the spear)." 

You can see my photos of Sainte-Chapelle from when we were in Paris in 2013 at: https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/france-day-24-marie-antoinette/

 

 

 

 

 

Tomb of Louis Antoine Henri de Bourbon Condé, Duke of Enghien.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art chapel Charles V Charles VI church Henri II light lighting Louis Antoine Henri de Bourbon Condé Duke of Enghien. photography Sainte-Chapelle Vincennes Castle https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/inside-the-holy-chapel Fri, 03 Aug 2018 23:42:33 GMT
Drive-by https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/drive-by Paris, July 2018

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art car france hands legs light lighting paris phone phone photo photography skirt women https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/drive-by Fri, 03 Aug 2018 02:16:34 GMT
Wild Wild Skies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/wild-wild-skies

 

When I started my walk yesterday afternoon, before I ran into the Mr. pT on the ditch bank, there were thunderheads over the Sandias. Before I went back to the house after following Mr pT around for an hour or so, I stopped by Beaver Point and the large thunderheads had dissipated into a series of smaller thunder heads under a thin layer of clouds. About 7:50 pm, when we would normally go out to the river to watch the sunset, billowing cotton ball clouds were rolling in, followed by dark clouds, followed by lightning and thunder, followed by heavy rain. The thunderstorm became very intense about 8:45 pm, and after a series of lighting strikes all arounds us our lights flickered off and on and finally went out. We used flashlights to finish our nightly routines, read a little bit, and then got ready for bed. Power was restored an hour and a half later at 10:20 pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque clouds light lighting lightning photography power failure rio grande sandias thunder thunderheads https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/8/wild-wild-skies Thu, 02 Aug 2018 00:56:17 GMT
Pterodactyl Tuesday https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/pterodactyl-tuesday I went for a walk in the bosque around 4:30 pm to avoid the evening thunderstorms that have been dumping heavy rain and hail on us every evening this week. I walked north about 3/4 mile through the bosque and then up over the levee to see what was happening in the clearwater ditch, and came face to beak with the pterodactyl. 

Mr. pT few off making all kinds of interesting shapes with his wings.

 

 

 

 

He landed about a 1/4 mile north in the ditch, so I continued north following him, and got within about 300 yards of him standing in the water.

 

 

Then he flew again in my direction.

 

He flew right by where I was standing.

 

Over the tops of the cottonwoods, heading for the river.

 

I knew exactly where he was headed, so I backtracked and followed a trail that goes out to the river a few hundred yards north of where Mr. pT and I first ran into each other.

 

As I suspected, when I slipped out of the brush, down the bank onto a slip of a mudflat along the river, there was Mr. pT looking surprised to see me. He stood still staring at me like "What The Feather is it with this crazy paparazzo who keeps following me around? Doesn't he ever give up?" I stood in place, slowly sinking in the mud watching and photographing Mr. pT. After about 15 minutes of staring at each other, Mr. pT decided I was not much of a threat after all and he started posing and fishing for minnows in the shallows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When he got tired of fishing around, he flew across the river and landed on the mud flats on the opposite bank.

 

I headed back south and before going back home, I went out to Beaver Point to see if there was any action in the Rio.

 

While I was standing the bank, looking at the river, bosque and mountains, Mr pT. flew by heading south.

 

 

 

 

Who's following who, Mr. pT?

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds bosque clearwater ditch cottonwoods great blue heron light lighting mr pt photography pterodactyl rio grande river sandias https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/pterodactyl-tuesday Wed, 01 Aug 2018 02:41:18 GMT
Article Dyslexia https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/article-dyslexia

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bridge cid eiffel tower El Cid france light lighting paris photography seine ships https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/article-dyslexia Tue, 31 Jul 2018 00:09:12 GMT
The Call https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/the-call

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art call france light lighting paris phone photography seine steps woman https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/the-call Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:42:33 GMT
Captive https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/captive

Apparitions once thoughts
Whipped by winds
Cling to rain drops
Caught by web
One by one
Millions of dreams 
Held captive

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art dreams grass light lighting photography rain web https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/captive Sun, 29 Jul 2018 00:28:42 GMT
Les Oiseaux https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/les-oiseaux gull

 

These are most of the various birds I photographed in Paris.

 

 

Carrion Crow

 

Pigeons

 

Black Headed Gull

 

Common Starlings

 

Eurasian Jay

 

Eurasian Magpie

 

Eurasian Kestrel

 

Ducks

Mallard

 

Mallard Hens

 

Ducklings

 

Mama duck watching her ducklings. I was not able to identify what type of duck she is.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds ducks gulls jay kestrel light lighting magpie photography starlings https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/les-oiseaux Sat, 28 Jul 2018 00:24:52 GMT
No Longer In Seine https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/no-longer-in-seine

 

After going through Notre Dame's towers, we walked to the Eiffel Tower along the Seine. On the way we came across several public access bicycles that had been pulled from the river so they were no longer in Seine.

 

 

 

 

And a shopping cart.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bicycles eiffel tower gobbee bike light lighting photography seine shopping cart https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/no-longer-in-seine Fri, 27 Jul 2018 02:02:31 GMT
Labyrinth https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/labyrinth The labyrinth garden you encounter when you walk into the courtyard foreshadows what you will experience in the building.

 

While our trip home from Paris was rather uneventful, the trip to Paris was not so easy going. Our flight from Albuquerque to Chicago was an hour and half late arriving to Albuquerque, then it was almost another hour before we were in the air on our way to Chicago. There was a two and a half hour layover in Chicago, which had been pretty much eaten up with delays by the time we were airborne. Not long after we took off, the pilot announced that he had figured out a shortcut to Chicago, which might get us there in time to catch the flight to Paris. Our plane arrived at the gate at the time the flight to Paris was scheduled to take off, but since several passengers on our flight were going to Paris, they held the plane, and a group of us had to make the long run under the runway to the next terminal to board the plane to Paris. Our flight to Paris finally got off only 45 minutes late.

We arrived in Paris pretty close to the scheduled arrival time about 9:45 am. We got through immigration, collected our bags and started trying to figure out where to find our prepaid shuttle. As soon as I got off the plane, my phone buzzed with a message that I was on the Orange network and under the T-Mobile agreement I had unlimited data and texting and 20¢ a minute for voice. I expected Laurie's phone to get the same message, but we never got her phone to connect to a carrier so she had no service unless she was connected to WIFI. Once I got both phones connected to WIFI I found an email with instructions for the shuttle, which were not very clear. It said to be on the sidewalk with our luggage outside door 45. We were standing in front of door 45, but it was locked and we saw no way to get outside. Then I got some more instruction that said to be by door 32. We were directed to go downstairs and outside to get to door 32. Once we were outside at door 32, another person said no you have to be inside by door 45. We tried to get back inside but the doors would not open. A group of pilots were standing outside one door, and I asked them how to get inside. They said the airport was locked down for a security check. While we had been running around trying to figure things out, there had been several announcements asking the owner of a black suitcase to pick it up. They apparently locked down the airport because of that abandoned suitcase.

They finally reopened the airport, and the shuttle driver found us. We were the second of three couples he was picking up. After we got in the van, he headed over to another terminal to pick up the last two passengers. On the way, one of the gates would not open, blocking his access to the terminal. He drove off through the exit lane for cars not allowed to pass through the gates, made another lap, got up to the gates and they still would not open. Several taxi drivers behind us were honking and yelling, and finally four other drivers came up and they were all yelling into the microphone in the control box for someone to open the gate. Finally a tech came out, opened the control box and the gate opened and our driver and the taxis were able to get through.

We were dropped off at the hospital that our hotel is in about 1:30 pm. We went inside and the hospital's security guard gave us vague instructions about how to find the hotel (thinking about it later, he probably only had a vague idea about where the hotel is in that giant building). We started looking for the hotel. The signs for the hotel were very small and not easy to see. We soon discovered that the stairs in each wing did not go the all the floors. When we found the wing with the elevator that would take us up to the hotel, the elevator was out of service. There were vague instructions to go to the last wing and use the elevator on the right, go to the 5th floor and walk back through the hospital wing to the hotel. We did that and got to several dead ends. We went back to the 3rd wing and I carried my bags up the stairs and got to a level that stopped with doors that lead to the balcony outside, two areas that we clearly marked hospital wards, and another set of doors to a hallway that had another staircase in it. I walked up the staircase two more floors to the top of the stairs, through another door and found the hotel. The young man at the desk said we had to go to the 6th floor in the elevator in the last wing and walk back through the hospital. I ran back down the stairs, to where Laurie was waiting, we went up to the 6th floor on the elvator in the last wing, and back through the hospital wing to the hotel. Other than being very difficult to find when their elevator doesn't work, the hotel is wonderful.

 

The hospital was rebuilt in 1380 and then remodeled in 1801 to remove the church-like façade. The building takes up around 4 normal-sized city blocks. The skylight by the chimney on end of the third wing on the right side of the photo is the room we stayed in. I took this photo from the tower at Notre Dame.

 

How the building appeared to us as we walked around jet-lagged trying to find the hotel.

 

Another view of the labyrinth garden.

 

The corridor that leads to each of the wings.

 

Looking through the hand blown, imperfect glass and the west side of the building.

 

Looking back at the doors where we entered the corridor.

 

In the entrance to the wing with the stairs and elevators.

 

Each wing had a set of stairs like these, but the stairs went to different floors in each wing.

 

Looking up.

 

Out on the balcony looking south.

 

A jet-lagged view of the west side of the building.

 

On the balcony looking north.

 

Normal view of the west side of the building.

 

Looking down the stairs.

 

The top of the stairs at the fourth floor landing.

 

Laurie in front of a third floor window.

 

The next set of stairs that were through a set of doors on the fourth floor.

 

Had to go up another two floors to get to the hotel.

 

View down from the sixth to the fourth floor.

 

The room was small, but it has air-conditioning, a real luxury in Paris, and a small, modern bathroom in the room. It was very reasonably priced as well.

 

If you come in after 8:00 pm, a given in Paris in July, the hospital guard has to buzz you in through another set of doors east of the hospital's main entrance. Once you are in the building, you have to find your way through dimly light corridors and dark stairwells to get up to the hotel. Several times when we came in after 10:00 pm, a group of heavily armed solders suddenly appeared and came in right behind us. We never figured out if they just happened to be making their rounds when we came in or that they thought we looked suspicious and they were making sure we were not up to no good.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) architecture art corridors elevators france garden hospital hotel labryinth light lighting paris photography stairs travel https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/labyrinth Thu, 26 Jul 2018 00:43:36 GMT
Contraband from Notre Dame https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/contraband-from-notre-dame The rather explosive words on the votive candle from Notre Dame roughly translate to "Here I am Lord before you."

 

We got up at 4:30 am Paris time on Monday morning to get ready before the shuttle picked us up at 5:20 to take us to the airport for our 9:00 am flight to San Francisco. When we went through security at the airport, they pulled Laurie's carry-on aside because they x-ray showed something suspicious. The French TSA officer went through her suitcase and found the votive candle she had from Notre Dame, held it up and told the officer at the x-ray "this is it", as they recognized it was a votive candle from Notre Dame. Eleven hours later, TSA in San Francisco pulled off Laurie's carry-on for further inspection, but the officer was very suspicious of what seemed to be contraband from Notre Dame. She looked very puzzled. Not only did it have some type of foreign writing and symbols on it, the thing also had what looked like a fuse. She asked Laurie if it was hand-made. Laurie told her it was a votive candle from Notre Dame, and the officer looked more puzzled, but finally decided it wasn't an explosive, even if it did have a fuse. I told Laurie the officer probably didn't know what Notre Dame is, and now that I think about it, she might not have known what a candle is either. Other than TSA's confusion over the candle, we had no other issues and the flights were on time. We walked in the door to find our kitties waiting for us at 9:30 pm Corrales time, exactly 25 hours after we got up that morning.

 

Blasted thing has a fuse.

 

It does somewhat resemble a plus-size stick of dynamite.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) airports art candle dame flight light lighting luggage notra photography security travel tsa votive candle https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/contraband-from-notre-dame Wed, 25 Jul 2018 05:10:49 GMT
Gone With The Gargoyles https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/gone-with-the-gargoyles The famous gargoyle

 

We are leaving to the airport in a few hours, so we my be gone with the gargoyles when you see this post. We got up early Sunday morning and went out to Notre Dame when it opened. No lines, but a steady stream of people came in for mass. After walking around inside for a while after mass, we went out and I attempted to make a reservation to go up in the towers. We've been having a lot of trouble with phones, computers and applications this trip and making a reservation for the towers at Notre Dame was no exception. The mobile app kept giving me errors, so I had to use the reservation kiosk on the sidewalk, and after two attempts I got a confirmation on the screen, but I never received the confirmation text on my phone, which has been pretty standard all week with various apps for museums.

 

I had made a reservation for 11:40, so we went over to the entrance for the towers at 11:20 and told one of the attendants that I had made reservations, but never got a text. He directed us to another attendant who was staging people, and we explained to him the best we could that I had registered for 11:40, but never received a text, and asked what we should do. He put us in line and told us to wait. When he got all the 11:40 people together, he had us go into the staging area, and we continued on from there.

 

There was another couple there who apparently were having similar problems with reservations. A man came up and asked me if I spoke English, and if I had a confirmation that looked like what he had on his phone. I told him I had not received a text message. Although, I noticed whatever he had on his phone did not look like what other people had on their phones. He walked up to the attendant who had put us in line, showed him his phone, and appeared to be demanding that the attendant do something. The attendant shooed him out onto the edge of the sidewalk, told him to go away, and then went back to staging people. The man and his wife walked off grumbling. 

 

Another famous gargoyle.

 

Did you know there is an elephant gargoyle?

 

There's even a gargoyle to deal with cranky tourists.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art france gargoyles light lighting notre dame paris photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/gone-with-the-gargoyles Sun, 22 Jul 2018 22:33:14 GMT
Fashion Wheels https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/fashion-wheels

 

A family waiting at a crosswalk on their wheels. They rolled across the street with the pedestrians and turned into the garden at the Medieval Museum. Having a set of wheels for each family member is a really good solution to getting the family around Paris without driving and parking a car.

 

 

Tonight's sunset.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art electric wheels fashion light lighting photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/fashion-wheels Sat, 21 Jul 2018 21:06:11 GMT
A Long Walk Into The Past https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/a-long-walk-into-the-past The Holy Chapel

 

We walked fives miles east to Château of Vincennes, which is outside of Paris proper. With all the photo distractions along the way, walking all the way around the site on the outside of the walls, and exploring the chapel and castle, our Fitbits recorded 33,000 steps, 15 miles, and 37 floors. We left the hotel around 12:30 pm and got back at 9:00 pm. 

 

Château of Vincennes is built on the site of a 12th century hunting lodge that was in the Vincennes forest. At the beginning of the 100 years war, John II started Château of Vincennes in 1350 and worked on it until the end of his reign in 1364. Charles V completed it around 1370. Château of Vincennes has played a major role in French history. Monarchs took refuge in it during the 16th and 17th centuries and there was construction on it until 1682 when Louis XIV moved to Versailles. After that Château of Vincennes was no longer a royal residence, however, beginning with the revolution it was used as an arsenal. On March 16, 1808, Napoleon consolidated his military, and, by decree, leveled the wall towers to adapt the site for modern artillery.

 

Castle

 

The stormy weather helped create a medieval atmosphere at the château.

 

Courtyard on the left. Moat on the right.

 

castle entrance.

 

Inside the castle walls.

 

The first clock tower.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art castle cathedral Château of Vincennes clouds france light lighting paris photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/a-long-walk-into-the-past Fri, 20 Jul 2018 22:00:22 GMT
Gargoyle in a Bubble https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/gargoyle-in-a-bubble

 

 

After the conference let out yesterday afternoon, we stopped by a boulangerie patisserie and got a bocadillo, quiche and chocolate cake to go, and took our dinner to the park behind Notre Dame. While we ate our dinner, we watched rats run between our feet to get to the garden, and got buzzed by large wood pigeons trying to decide which trees they wanted to roost in for the night. Laurie was trying to go over her paper she presented today, but then we got ran out of the park at 9:15 pm by the security guard closing the park. On the way to the west side of Notre Dame, I got a photo of the sunset with Notre Dame before we walked up to the front of the Cathedral where Laurie finished going over her paper, and I photographed the various happenings.

 

The rats are fast, so I couldn't get a shot of them running to the garden. This one paused for a moment, which allowed me to get a photo before it scurried off under the cover of garden plants.

 

Wood Pigeons goose stepping

 

 

Love hurts. Love locks.

 

Dinner on the Seine.

 

Oblivious

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art boat boulangerie patisserie bubble dinner gargoyle light lighting notre dame photography rats sunset wood pigeon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/gargoyle-in-a-bubble Wed, 18 Jul 2018 14:58:04 GMT
The Twelve https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/the-twelve

Apostles on the SW corner.

 

There is an effort going on the clean up and restore the exterior of Norte Dame. The twelve Apostles look nice and clean.

 

There most of the people in the photo are waiting in a very long line to get into Notre Dame. The line has three bends in it across the plaza.

 

Apostles on the SE corner.

 

Notre Dame at golden hour.

 

Apostles on the NE corner.

 

View from the south bank on the Seine.

 

Apostles on the NW corner. I did not have a photo of these Apostles because it's impossible to get a shot of them from the street. Since there was no one in the room across from our room in the hotel, the porter let me in the room so I could get this shot through the skylight.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) apostles art france light lighting notre dame paris photography statues https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/the-twelve Tue, 17 Jul 2018 16:14:47 GMT
World Cup Madness https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/world-cup-madness

Watching the game at one of many bars.

 

If, by chance, you don't know the outcome of the World Cup Soccer final, France beat Croatia 4-2. The streets of Paris close to Notre Dame were filled with fans celebrating the win until the early hours this morning.


 

Fans overflowed into the streets to watch the game from outside bars.

 

 

Fans celebrating in the street after France scores the first point of the game.

 

Goal!

 

Fans poured into the streets yelling, screaming and singing at the end of the game.

 

 

Fans dance, scream, splash and sing in a fountain.

 

The lion looks like it's cheering with the fans.

 

 

 

Fireworks filled the air with colored smoke. Red and blue smoke covered up the white smoke.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) celebration fans france notre dam paris soccer art light lighting photography world cup' https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/world-cup-madness Mon, 16 Jul 2018 14:50:13 GMT
Fly, Fly Away https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/fly-fly-away

 

We are flying off to Paris tomorrow. I most likely will not post a blog tomorrow, and it depends on what's going on Sunday after we get to Paris whether I post a blog or not. Sunday is the World Cup final with France playing Croatia for the World Cup Title.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bastille day birds france light lighting paris photography plane world cup https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/fly-fly-away Sat, 14 Jul 2018 01:55:07 GMT
View From The Parking Lot https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/view-from-the-parking-lot

Monsoon season is underway. I had to stop by the pharmacy on the way home. The afternoon thunderheads were building up over the Sandias.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting photography sandias thunderheads https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/view-from-the-parking-lot Fri, 13 Jul 2018 02:17:40 GMT
Cat Trap https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/cat-trap

 

We are off to Paris, France on Saturday, and the cats are going to be shut in with the catio being their only connection to the outside world for 10 days while we are gone. They will go crazy being shut inside now that they have been able to go outside and come back inside as they please during the day for the past several months. Therefore, I'm sure they will rush the front door and try to slip outside when Laurie's parents come over to feed them.

Since Loki, Silver and Marble are afraid of everyone but us, and they freak out, run and hide whenever other people come in the house, if they got out while we are gone, Laurie's parents would have a really difficult time getting them back in. If we left the kitty door to the outside open while we are gone, we would come home to a house full of bunnies, lizards and birds, since we have been taking away two or three lizards a day from the kitties that they bring into the house, a couple of birds a week, and Silver has brought three baby bunnies and a gopher into the house over the past six weeks.

While thinking about how to minimize the risk of the kitties getting out while we are gone, I got the bright idea to wire-in the porch at the front door, so it's like a vestibule or "cat trap". That way if the kitties rush the door and slip out, they will be trapped in the wired-in porch, making it easier to get them back inside.

Using scrap wood, an old door, and wire from the infinite shed of doom, I got most of the cat trap built last night, so this morning Spunk and Silver were checking out my work from the outside looking in. Since it's new, they were quite excited about it, and Laurie said they made a big deal out of coming in and going out through the door on the cat trap all day. I finished the cat trap tonight, and let silver slip out the front door to test it. He started to make a break for the great outdoors, but he was stopped the the cat trap's closed door. He then walked the perimeter of the cat trap, look up and saw wire covered the top, decided there was no way out, and came back inside. Success!

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cat track cats light lighting photography Silver Spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/cat-trap Thu, 12 Jul 2018 04:28:53 GMT
Big & Small https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/big-small

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art flowers insects light lighting photography wasp https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/big-small Wed, 11 Jul 2018 03:20:00 GMT
Najar @ 6400 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/najar-6400

 

Close ups of Najar illuminated by the lights over the counter — 200mm, ƒ/5.6, 1/80, ISO 6400.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting Najar photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/najar-6400 Tue, 10 Jul 2018 03:53:06 GMT
Western Tiger Swallowtail & Sunbeams https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/western-tiger-swallowtail-sunbeams

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art butterfly light lighting photography sunbeams western tiger swallowtail https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/western-tiger-swallowtail-sunbeams Mon, 09 Jul 2018 00:53:40 GMT
A Portrait of the Hummer as a Young Bird https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/a-portrait-of-the-hummer-as-a-young-bird

 

Once upon a time, and a very good time it was, there was a hummer sitting on a branch outside the window and this hummer that was outside the window looked with a sideways glance at the lens named Canon spying on it from the other side of the window through the foliage of the sweet trumpet vine that mostly covered the window. And so it sat there looking lovely.

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art hummingbird light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/a-portrait-of-the-hummer-as-a-young-bird Sun, 08 Jul 2018 01:24:08 GMT
Summertime Blues https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/summertime-blues

 


 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art blues cats heat light lighting photography Spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/summertime-blues Sat, 07 Jul 2018 01:20:18 GMT
Towhee Talking https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/towhee-talking

"Ciao Paparazzo!"

 

This young spotted towhee had a lot say when we walked past him the other night.

 

"Blah blah BLAH blah blah Blah BLAH."

 

"Blah BLAH blah BLAH BLAH BLAH blah."

 

"Nuff said!"

 

"¡Hasta la vista! "

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds light lighting photography spotted towhee towhee https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/towhee-talking Fri, 06 Jul 2018 01:14:24 GMT
4th of July https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/4th-of-july

 

Annual Corrales 4th of July Parade.

 

Hooray!

 

Unicorns

 

Unicycles

 

 

 

 

We've been like waiting forever!

 

 

Hang ten.

 

 

 

 

The sirens were not so sweetly singing.

 

Alpacas

 

 

 

I wonder if they ride unicycles on you as part of the massage.

 

Lots of candy and stuff was thrown out for the kids all along the parade route — mostly by political campaigns.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 4th alpacas art cars dogs goats horses July kids light lighting photography skeletons unicycle women https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/4th-of-july Thu, 05 Jul 2018 00:43:18 GMT
Night Hawks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/night-hawks

 

Night Hawks are fast and erratic flyers, much like bats and hummingbirds, as they catch insects on the wing at sunset.

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunset intermission

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds clouds light lighting night hawks photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/night-hawks Wed, 04 Jul 2018 01:14:18 GMT
Five B's https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/five-bs

 

Beetle, Butterfly, Boa, Bovine, and Birds are the Five B's

 

 

Snake eyes

 

I waited for Blue to stick out her tongue, but she would do it. I guess the cats had her tongue.

 

 A ravenous feral bovine that broke into the neighbor's hay and then walked along the ditch bank munching on weeds and grass like it hadn't eaten in a week. It didn't have a brand or an ear tag, so we don't know who it belongs too, but it wasn't afraid of people, so it seemed to be a local cow.

 

Beaker hanging out behind his windshield.

 

Søren

 

Søren's namesake wrote:

“If I were to wish for anything, I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of the potential, for the eye which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints, possibility never. And what wine is so sparkling, what so fragrant, what so intoxicating, as possibility!”†

 

All Søren had to say was "More Cowbell! Stupid cat!"

 

†Except from Søren Kierkegaard’s Either/Or: A Fragment of Life

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beaker birds boa bovine bugs butterfly cow eyes light lighting photography snake søren https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/five-bs Tue, 03 Jul 2018 01:45:42 GMT
Purple Haze https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/purple-haze

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bugs butterflies damselfly flowers haze insects light lighting photography purple https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/7/purple-haze Mon, 02 Jul 2018 00:43:48 GMT
Blue Grosbeak at 3200 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/blue-grosbeak-at-3200

 

Images of Blue Grosbeaks after sunset. The raw files are cropped, but not processed, leaving the grain. The photos are shot at various distances at 200mm, 1/160 to 1/200 of a second at ƒ/4, ISO 3200, and cropped 200% to 300%.

 

 

We night herons glow in the dark.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds black crowned night heron blue grosbeak ISO 3200 light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/blue-grosbeak-at-3200 Sun, 01 Jul 2018 00:17:47 GMT
Life Was A Highway https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/life-was-a-highway

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art frame glasses highway light lighting photography stripe yellow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/life-was-a-highway Sat, 30 Jun 2018 01:19:47 GMT
Waiting for the Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/waiting-for-the-moon

Subtle pinks and purples covered the Sandias while I waited on the beach for the full moon to rise.

 

Moonrise

 

A phalanx of Phalacrocorax brasilianus flew by.

 

 

 

 

A grasshopper blended in with the grains of sand.

 

 

Tiny toad among cottonwood sprouts.

 

 

Fish stirred the waters as they swam in the shallows against the current.

 

 

Tiny heart-shaped blossoms reflected the moonlight.

 

The last photograph of the moonrise before I headed north to see the owls.

 

As we walked through the bosque on our way to see the owls, New Mama Owl flew out of a cottonwood, preched on branch near us, and surveyed her surroundings while we talked to her. She flew off when a couple with a dog walked by.

 

Heading on north to see the owlets, a coyote ran across our path and disappeared into the foliage.

 

With the moon making a halo around his head, New Owl gave me his ever familiar "Make my day!" look as we stared at each other in the darkness.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds coyote flower full moon grasshopper light lighting moon moonrise owls photography rio grande sandias toad https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/waiting-for-the-moon Fri, 29 Jun 2018 00:58:11 GMT
We're Cool https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/were-cool

Besides occasional smoke banks rolling in and a few thunderheads building up for a short time in the late afternoon, we have had clear skies, little wind and triple digit temperatures. The air has been so dry that our swamp cooler is keeping the house 30 degrees lower than the temperatures outdoors. So we're cool!

 

 

Smoke from a distant fire.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art blue skies cool dry heat hot light lighting photography rio grande sandias temperature https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/were-cool Thu, 28 Jun 2018 01:18:04 GMT
Bullfrog Reflecting https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/bullfrog-reflecting

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bullfrog light lighting photography reflecting reflections https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/bullfrog-reflecting Wed, 27 Jun 2018 00:04:48 GMT
A Persistence of Hummingbirds https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/a-persistence-of-hummingbirds

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art hummingbirds light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/a-persistence-of-hummingbirds Tue, 26 Jun 2018 01:20:34 GMT
Dreaming https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/dreaming

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography rio grande toad https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/dreaming Mon, 25 Jun 2018 04:12:17 GMT
Beauty & The Barf https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/beauty-the-barf

 

 

 

Spunk in grass by the Beta Rose. Photo by Laurie.

 

"¡Hola pesky Paparazzo! ¿Qué pasa?"

 

"Excusez-moi, je dois aller faire une pelote de régurgitation."

 

"That looks like a good place to puke down there."

 

"Anyone besides that pesky paparazzo looking?"

 

"Working it up..."

 

"Ack ack ack ack ack... AAaack!"

 

"Wow! That was a bony one."

 

Owl pellet (barf) with lots of bones.

 

By the size of some of the bones, rabbits and skunks were most likely part of the meals.

 


 

Bones, hair and whatever else the owls can't digest.

 

Special for you today — A variety pack of four owl pellets.

 

"Hmmm! What should I have for dinner?"

 

"Whoa! That's a really beautiful moon peeking through the clouds. Did you get of photo of it pesky paparazzo?"

 

 

"Looks like dinner foraging in the leaves ahead."

 

"¡Hasta la vista! Au revoir! Pesky paparazzo."

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art barf cats clouds flowers french great horned owl light lighting moon owl pellets owls paparazzo photography roses spanish spunk weeds https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/beauty-the-barf Sun, 24 Jun 2018 01:32:31 GMT
Peekaboo Green & Blue https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/peekaboo-green-blue

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art blue green leaf light lighting photography wasp https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/peekaboo-green-blue Sat, 23 Jun 2018 00:12:18 GMT
Like Snow in June https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/like-snow-in-june

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cotton fence light lighting photography snow-like https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/like-snow-in-june Fri, 22 Jun 2018 01:32:21 GMT
The Blue Wasp https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/the-blue-wasp

Blue Wasp: "Here's a promising hole."

 

If you are old enough, you might remember "The Green Hornet" TV series from the late 1960's — Bruce Lee played Kato. We have the Blue Wasp, who was out on the levee the other night looking in holes for spiders she could turn into zombies and lay her eggs on. After the eggs hatch, the larvae eat the spider while they mature.

 

Blue Wasp: "Hey! Any spiders down there?"  Spiders: "There are no spiders around these parts!"

 

I think the spiders were lying Ms. Blue Wasp.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art blue wasp light lighting photography wasp https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/the-blue-wasp Thu, 21 Jun 2018 04:58:46 GMT
Super Sliver Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/super-sliver-moon

Super sliver moon balanced above the power line.

 

I got these photos last week, but owls, cats and insects got in the way. I almost forgot about them.

 

Super sliver moon with bats fluttering around.

 

Super sliver moon slipping into the clouds between the trees.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bats clouds light lighting moon photography power line sliver moon sunset trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/super-sliver-moon Wed, 20 Jun 2018 01:21:52 GMT
The Irresistible Cuteness of Owls https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/the-irresistible-cuteness-of-owls

Sister Owl and New 3rd Owlet who we had not seen before.

 

We walked north to where the New Owl Family hangs out at 7:30 pm yesterday, about an forty-five minutes earlier than usual, with Susan and Tristan to see if the owls were out. New Owl, Sister Owl, New Mama Owl, and another juvenile we had not seen with the New Owl family were all out, and being irresistibly cute. After New Owl and Sister Owl flew further into the bosque, Tristan I walked down to where they had been perched and found "owl pellets" (owl barf of regurgitated bones, fur, skin and such they can't digest) on the ground and collected three or four pellets to analyze (owl barf will be a later post). The three owls sat up in the cottonwood watching us examine their pellets and looked at us like we were crazy. After that I was photographing them in the tree, and they kept turning their heads around, looking different directions. Tristan and Susan thought it was funny to hear me telling the owls to turn around and look at me so I could see their faces.

 

Sister Owl looking cool on the end of her perch.

 

New Owl giving me a back sided "Go ahead. Make my day!" look.

 

"What are those two doing down there? Is that our barf they are playing with? Ew that's really gross!"

 

Sister Owl, New 3rd Owlet and New Owl perched above.

 

New Owl watching Sister Owl walk up the trunk of the tree to where New 3rd Owlet is before he flew up to the branch above them.

 

New 3rd Owlet

 

New Mama Owl

 

New Mama Owl loves to model.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 3rd art cottonwood great horned owls owlets light lighting mama owl new new owl owlet" owls pellets photography sister owl https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/the-irresistible-cuteness-of-owls Tue, 19 Jun 2018 01:56:58 GMT
Spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/spunk

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting photography spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/spunk Mon, 18 Jun 2018 04:42:27 GMT
What to Do on a Rainy Day https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/what-to-do-on-a-rainy-day

Silver checking to see if it's raining on the west slide of the house.

 

Anyone who follows this blog knows we get very little rain in the high deserts of north-central New Mexico. We have gone for months without measurable precipitation, drought conditions are severe, and the Forest Service closed the Sandias on Thursday because risk of fire is really high. We had a bit of rain that lasted around 30 minutes last Sunday. Starting very early this morning, rain moved in, and, as rarely happens around here, we had a steady rain that lasted most of the day. Silver was very unhappy about the rain on Sunday, and today he was beside himself. He would go out on the deck where he could lie on the deck furniture under the canopy, but if he tried to venture out to his favorite places in the yard, he got wet. He kept coming inside and having me open the front door to see if it was still raining on the west side of the house, which is not as silly as it sounds, because we have had rain on one side of the house and dry on the other many times. That's just life with rain the southwest, where we can have full sun and a downpour, overcast and rain on one side of a building and sunny and dry on the other all at the same time.

Eventually, we all sat out on the deck under the canopy, and watched and listened to the rain while the kitties groomed themselves and each other. The kitties' licking gave me an idea for a parody music video, which turned out to be a fun thing to do on a raining day. You can see "Whole Lotta' Lickin' Goin' On", along with the lyrics after the last photo of Silver checking to see whether the weather is permitting.

 

Silver thinking about going out on the deck.

 

Silver deciding whether he can go out in the weather.

 

Whole Lotta' Lickin' Goin' On

 

Whole Lotta’ lickin' Goin’ On
Music: Jerry Lee Lewis
Lyrics: Timothy Price
(Originally “Whole Lotta’ Shakin’ Goin’ On” by Big Maybelle)

 

Come along kitties, whole lotta’ lickin' goin' on
Yes, I said come along kitties, kitty you can't go wrong
We ain't chicken, there’s a whole lotta’ lickin' goin' on

Well, I said come along kitties, we got rainin’ in the yard
Woo-huh, come along kitties, it’s really comin’ down hard
We ain't chicken, there’s a whole lotta’ lickin' goin' on

Well, I said lick, kitty, lick
I said lick, kitty, lick
I said lick yeah, kitty, lick yeah
And then lick, kitty, lick
Come on over, whole lotta’ lickin' goin' on
Oh, let's go!

Alright

Well, I said come along kitties, we got rainin’ in the yard
Whose yard? What yard? My yard
Come along kitties, it’s really comin’ down hard
Yeah! We ain't chicken, there’s a whole lotta’ lickin' goin' on

Easy now
lick it
Ah, lick it, kitty
Yeah
You can lick each other one more time
Ye-ah-ha-ah, I said come on over, kitties
Whole lotta’ lickin' goin' on
Now, kitties get down and lick one paw now
lick, kitty, lick
All you gotta do, kitty, is kinda lie in one spot
Wiggle around just a little lick, that's when you got it, yeah
Come on kitty, whole lotta’ lickin' goin' on
Now let's go one time

lick kitties, lick, lick kitties, lick
Woo, lick kitties, come on kitties, lick, kitties, lick
Come on over, whole lotta’ lickin' goin' on

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) cats jerry lee lewis licking light lighting music parody photography rain silver spunk video https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/what-to-do-on-a-rainy-day Sun, 17 Jun 2018 01:33:31 GMT
Have Macro Will Bug https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/have-macro-will-bug

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bees beetle flies flowers insects light lighting photography spider https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/have-macro-will-bug Sat, 16 Jun 2018 01:04:59 GMT
Beaver in Jetties on Bank https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/beaver-in-jetties-on-bank

Smokey air under stormy skies

 

You can see an animated GIF of the beaver on the bank at https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2018/06/14/beaver-in-jetties-on-bank/.

 

Beaver in the jetties.

 

Beaver cutting willows.

 

Taking willows down the bank.

 

 

 

 

 

Swimming off with willows.

 

Under cover of jetties,

 

Smokey sunset under stormy skies.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beaver jetties light lighting photography sandias smoke sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/beaver-in-jetties-on-bank Thu, 14 Jun 2018 23:18:34 GMT
Sasha & Silver on ICE https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/sasha-silver-on-ice

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art boxes cats ice light lighting photography sasha silver https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/sasha-silver-on-ice Thu, 14 Jun 2018 00:58:30 GMT
Rest for the Weary https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/rest-for-the-weary

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) alley art couch downtown homeless light lighting photography street https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/rest-for-the-weary Tue, 12 Jun 2018 23:15:43 GMT
R-9 After 9:09 Lost in Open Space https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/r-9-after-9-09-lost-in-open-space

Lost in Open Space

 

8:18:32 PM: We began our usual evening walk by checking out the sunset colors on the Sandias.

 

8:27:28 PM: We walked out on the beach to see how the tadpoles were doing. There was lots of talk, yelling back and forth, and laughing from what sounded like a group of young people to the north, who I assumed were having a good time rafting on the river.

 

8:33:32 PM: After we started walking north on the trail in the bosque to the point where the new owl family live, New Mama Owl flew by, landed on a nearby cottonwood, and looked like she wanted more photos taken.

 

8:43:00 PM: I walked around the cottonwood and she poked her head up.

 

8:34:04 PM: I walked closer to New Mama Owl and she made a nice looking off in the distance pose.

Leaving New Mama Owl behind, we got back on the trail and continued north. We ran into our neighbor Sarah and her friend Susan coming back from checking out New Owl and Sister Owl. We chatted for a few seconds about what the owls were doing, and then we continued on our way. We could hear the group on the river yelling back and forth to each other, but none of us thought anything of it because people are often out rafting on the river, making all kinds of noise. 

 

8:40:30 PM: We got up on the top of the bank to find New Owl and Sister Owl bobbing their heads and looking around. Soon they both flew over to the edge of the bank and pounced on some kind of prey they saw moving around in the weeds. I watched them pounce from one place or another for a couple of minutes.

 

8:42:52 PM: Sister Owl and New Owl on the top of the bank discussing their short hunting activities.

 

8:45:33 PM: Sister Owl watching New Owl flying into the tree. After that we continued on our walk working on steps, active minutes and stairs that our Fitbits record. While we are walking Rescue 9 and two Corrales Police cars crossed the bridge at Dixon Road, about 3/4 of a mile south of where we were and start driving toward us. They stopped and started again a couple of times until the got about 100 feet from where we were and a group of firefighters and two police officers got out of their vehicles and walked toward us. I asked them what they are looking for, and they said people lost in the bosque. I told them that must be the group we heard on the river directly east of us.

 

9:09:21 PM: R-9 after 9:09.

 

 

When we got back to the bridge the Fire Marshal was in his truck at the bridge. He said the young people got lost in some of the dense foliage and he thought they might have lost their boat. He asked if we had seen the mile markers he and an Eagle Scout had put up along the river for the rafters. We hadn't, but the lost group had called in the mile marker they were at, which helped the rescuers locate them. By the time we reached his truck, he told us the firefighters and police officers had located all the people in the group. We often see rafters on the Rio Grande, and they usually ask us how far it is to Alameda bridge, or where Dixon Road is. The mile markers are a great idea. The Eagle Scout made the mile markers out of angle iron from old jetties, which is a great use of old jetties.

Of course, all of us who are in the bosque almost everyday can't image how anyone could get lost, especially if they have a phone to call for help. A quick look on Google Maps shows that the levee is at maximum only 100 yards or so from the edge of the river, west through the bosque. The sky was completely clear last night, and the sun was on display for everyone to see all the way to sunset.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque cottonwoods fire chief firefighters jetties light lighting lost owls photography police r-9 rafting rescue rescue 9 river https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/r-9-after-9-09-lost-in-open-space Tue, 12 Jun 2018 01:59:50 GMT
Owliance Famille https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/owliance-famille

Little Owl earlier in the week giving me mad dogs.

 

Fat Owl snoozing on a branch in a cottonwood across the ditch from where Little Owl was mad-dogging me.

 

Big Owl practicing his ballet standing in third position, on a branch below Fat Owl in the tree across the ditch from where Little Owl was mad-dogging me.

 

Mama Owl keeping an eye on Little Owl yesterday. Little Owl was on the next tree over from Mama Owl. Big Owl and Fat Owl were nowhere to be seen.

 

Little Owl checking out something close to where I'm standing.

 

 

A mile north of BO, LO and FO, live the New Owl Family.

New Mama Owl

 

Close up of New Mama Owl.

 

Walking a few hundred feet north of where New Mama Owl was perched in the above photos a few days ago, I saw what looked like two owls on the edge of the levee about 400 feet ahead of me. The light is really low so it was hard to make them out even looking through the telephoto lens. We discussed whether there were two owls or just one owl and a weed as we walking toward them.

Tim: There is definitely one owl, I think the other is a weed.

Laurie: It looks like the weed is turning it's head around.

Tim: I don't know it still looks like a weed.

Laurie: Now the weed is bobbing its head up and down.

Tim: You're right. The weed is an owl.

 

As we got close enough we could see New Owl looking at us, and his sister hanging out behind a weed.

 

New Owl flew into the bosque, leaving Sister Owl alone on the bank with the approaching paparazzo and bella donna.

 

Sister Owl takes a final look at the pair approaching before flying into the bosque with New Owl.

 

New Owl is surprised I can see him in the darkness (Don't tell New Owl, but I could barely see him).

 

Typical "Go ahead! Make my day!" look by New Owl.

 

Sister Owl looking cool before she flew off into the darkness.

 

Last night I spied New Owl on the top of the bank and Sister Owl near the bottom of the bank.

 

After New Owl flew onto a cottonwood in the bosque, Sister Owl let me get very close to her before she flew into a tree.

 

New Owl right before he flew off deeper into the bosque.

 

Sister Owl.

 

To give you an idea of how dark it can be when I'm photographing the owls, this is a jpeg from the un-processed, un-cropped raw file of Sister Owl.

When I walked by the same location on my way back home, all three owls were on the ditch bank again. I could barely see them as black blobs against the lighter bank. They all flew into the bosque and disappeared into the darkness when I got too close.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bank bosque cottonwood great horned owls levee light lighting owls photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/owliance-famille Mon, 11 Jun 2018 00:37:47 GMT
Seven Rose Saturday https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/seven-rose-saturday

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/seven-rose-saturday Sun, 10 Jun 2018 00:30:38 GMT
The Bearable Lightness of Butterfly https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/the-bearable-lightness-of-butterfly

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art butterfly light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/the-bearable-lightness-of-butterfly Sat, 09 Jun 2018 04:22:00 GMT
Spunk Goes A-Viking https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/spunk-goes-a-viking

Vikings eh! They are tough ones, you say?

 

We'll just see how tough those Icelandic Vikings are.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whoa! Those vikings are tougher than I thought.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats jesse byock light lighting photography spunk viking age iceland vikings https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/spunk-goes-a-viking Fri, 08 Jun 2018 01:08:05 GMT
New Owl https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/new-owl

 

After checking on Big Owl, Little Owl, and Fat Owl, who were all in different spots, in different trees from the tree they were born in, I ran into New Owl, another juvenile owl, about a mile north of BO, LO and FO. Even though it was getting dark, I got some decent shots of New Owl sitting in a tree and flying across the ditch.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cottonwood great horned owls light lighting new owl owls photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/new-owl Thu, 07 Jun 2018 03:49:11 GMT
Kranky Kitty https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/kranky-kitty

 

Silver was quite the cranky kitty on Sunday having to wait under the canopy for it to stop raining before he could go back out and play. Spunk was like "¡No pasa nada!"

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art canopy cats cranky deck kitties light lighting photography rain silver spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/kranky-kitty Wed, 06 Jun 2018 01:41:51 GMT
The Beaver that Fell to Earth https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/the-beaver-that-fell-to-earth

 

Pink light fading sun
Ducklings scamper jettis safe 
Beaver falls to earth


 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beaver duck ducklings jettis light lighting photography pink rio grande river sandias sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/the-beaver-that-fell-to-earth Tue, 05 Jun 2018 04:11:24 GMT
Fashion Snake https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/fashion-snake

Western Hognose going into warp speed.

 

We found this new born Western Hognose snake crawling along the trail in the bosque. I picked it up and handed it to Laurie for a photo shoot of it. The tiny snake went really well with Laurie's nails. After photographing it we let it go in some leaves and grass off the trail.

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art fashion light lighting nails photography snake western hognose snake https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/fashion-snake Sun, 03 Jun 2018 22:23:06 GMT
Owls & Cats https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/owls-cats

Fat owl and Little Owl. Big Owl has moved to the tree next door.

 

Najar

 

Little Owl: "Wake me up when he go goes!"

 

Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham

 

Spunk: "It's been a hard days night and I've been working like a... like a d... like a do... like a... Damn! I just can't say the 'D' word. Oh! Yeah! En Español '¡Y he estado trabajando como un perro! That's more like it."

 

The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night (Subtitulada)

 

 

Little Owl: "Hey he's still there! You weren't supposed to wake me up until he go goes."

 

"Lazy Log" Silver's adaptation of Luis Armstrong's "Lazy River"

Up on a lazy log in the old sun’s beam
That lazy, hazy catio where I like to lie down and dream
Linger in the shade of a little trumpet vine
Throw away your troubles, and dream a little dream like mine

 

Lazy River by Luis Armstrong (live 1958)

“Up a lazy river by the old mill stream
That lazy, hazy river where we both can dream
Linger in the shade of an old oak tree
Throw away your troubles, dream a dream with me

Up a lazy river where the robin's song
Wakes up in the mornin', as we roll along
Blue skies up above.... Everyone's in love
Up a lazy river, how happy we will be, now
Up a lazy river with me

[Instrumental]

Up a lazy river by the old mill run
That lazy, lazy river in the noon day sun
You can linger in the shade of that fine ole tree
Throw, away your troubles, baby, dream with me

Up a lazy river where the robin's song
Wakes a brand new mornin' as we roll along
There are blue skies up above... And as long as we're in love
Up a lazy river, how happy we could be
If you go up a lazy river with me
Ah said with me now..... Goin'up that... Lazy river..... With me”

 

Owls: "Oh Come on Silver!  Is that the best you can do? There is a song and video written about us called 'Do the Owl'. Check it out:

 

Do the Owl by The Wiggles

“Hoot, hoot
Hoot, hoot
Do the owl!
Owl!

Hoot, hoot
Hoot, hoot
Do the owl!
Owl!

The owl is a type of bird
Found all around the world
Use your hands and make big owl eyes
We're gonna do the owl

Hoot, hoot
Hoot, hoot
Do the owl!
Owl!

Hoot, hoot
Hoot, hoot
Do the owl!
Owl!

They come out by the light of the moon
That's when they find their food
So stretch your silent wings
We're gonna do the owl!

Hoot, hoot

They live in a cave or tree
They use their great big eyes to see
Flying from tree to tree
We're gonna do the owl!

Hoot, hoot
Hoot, hoot
Do the owl!
Owl!”

[repeat the chorus a whole bunch of times]

 

Marble: "That is one of the silliest videos I have ever seen! Hey Owls, we have a song also called 'Stray Cat Strut', and they mention me in the first line!" Check it out:

Stray Cat Strut by the Stray Cats

 

“Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

Black and orange stray cat sittin' on a fence 
Ain't got enough dough to pay the rent 
I'm flat broke, but I don't care 
I strut right by with my tail in the air 

Stray cat strut, I'm a (Ladies' cat)
I'm a feline Casanova (Hey, man, that's where it's at) 
Get a shoe thrown at me from a mean old man 
Get my dinner from a garbage can 

Meow
Yeah, don't cross my path 

I don't bother chasing mice around, oh, no
I slink down the alley looking for a fight 
Howling to the moonlight on a hot summer night 
Singin' the blues while the lady cats cry
"Wild stray cat, you're a real gone guy
I wish I could be as carefree and wild
But I got cat class, and I got cat style"

I don't bother chasing mice around
I slink down the alley looking for a fight 
Howling to the moonlight on a hot summer night 
Singin' the blues while the lady cats cry
"Wild stray cat, you're a real gone guy
I wish I could be as carefree and wild
But I got cat class, and I got cat style"

Meow”

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats cottonwood do the owl fat owl great horned owls lazy river light lighting little owl luis armstrong marble najar owls photography silver spunk stray cat strut stray cats the wiggles wake me up before you go go wham https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/owls-cats Sun, 03 Jun 2018 02:23:51 GMT
ABC Macro View https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/abc-macro-view

Chuckles

 

A = Assassin bug. B = Bee. C = Chuckles. Macro View = Up close and personal view. ABC Macro View = Assassin bug with Bee on Chuckles up close and personal view. If you are squeamish about bugs, then Macro View might equal "upchuck and personal view."

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art assassin bug bee chuckles insects light lighting photography roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/6/abc-macro-view Sat, 02 Jun 2018 01:22:54 GMT
Photographic Maneuvers In The Dark https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/photographic-maneuvers-in-the-dark

 

Under the light of a peachy moon, my camera helps shed a little light on activities in the dark

 

Blurry bats flit back and forth, up and down as they swarm all around us.

 

A muskrat swims from the edge of the bank on the Rio Grande.

 

A cow grazes as a beaver hauls a willow branch from one bank to the other.

 

Night Hawk.

 

Night Heron.

 

 

 

A Porcupine lumbers on the bank of the irrigation ditch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Geese with three goslings remaining. 

 

Little Owl stretches his wings.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bats beaver dark geese goslings light lighting muskrat night hawk night heron owls photography porcupine https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/photographic-maneuvers-in-the-dark Fri, 01 Jun 2018 00:30:17 GMT
Economy Crime Politics https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/economy-crime-politics

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) albuquerque art downtown kamikazi light lighting photography twisted insane zia symbol https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/economy-crime-politics Thu, 31 May 2018 01:40:52 GMT
Owl Update https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/owl-update

 

A Sense of Scale

Big Owl (on the left behind leaves), Fat Owl and Mama Owl together in the late afternoon.

 

Five eyed mad dogs for the paparazzo.

 

Big Owl: "Stupid Paparazzo!" Fat owl: "There goes mama." (little owl was still in the hole)

 


Little Owl Goes Solo

Little Owl finally got out of the hole, and while the other two were off exploring nearby cottonwoods, Little Owl was entertaining himself on the branch above the hole.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mama Owl Goes Solo

Last night Mama Owl was watching Little Owl from a low branch on a cottonwood on the east side of the irrigation ditch. We were between her and Little Owl, and she gave us a little show.

 

 

 

 

 

Owlets in Different Trees

Last night, Big Owl was in a cottonwood south of the tree they grew up in. Little Owl was in the original tree where Mama Owl could see him. It turns out Fat Owl was in the tree with Little Owl, but he was so covered up by the leaves and branches, I could not get a photo of him.

A new tree

 

Big Owl backlit in the new tree.

 

Little Owl

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art big owl cottonwoods fat owl great horned owls light lighting little owl mama owl owls photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/owl-update Wed, 30 May 2018 01:01:44 GMT
Go Go Catzilla https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/go-go-catzilla Coyote 102.5 FM plays their entire song library from A to Z over Memorial Day weekend. They happened to be on the Gs when I was out and about Saturday, and played Godzilla by Blue Oyster Cult. I hadn’t heard “Godzilla” in a dinosaur’s age, and as I listened to the repetition in the lyrics, I started thinking about how the song fit with Spunk, and how he has played with a leopard tail from an old halloween costume since he was a kitten. Here we are four years later, and Spunk still plays with his tail, gets it out of his toy box every night (often multiple times a night when we put it back in his toy box before going to bed), along with multiple lids from yogurt containers, and leaves his tail and the lids in various places around the house. Where he leaves his tail and lids depends on where we are when he gets them out of his toy box. When we are out walking on the ditch in the evening, he leaves his tail by the door. Often when we are sitting at the counter, he announces his tail and drops it in the middle of the room. When we are in bed, we wake up to find his tail and lids in the bedroom, bathroom and hallway. This morning, his tail was on my nightstand.

Inspired by hearing “Godzilla” on Coyote 102.5 Saturday, I got up early Sunday morning, wrote the parody lyrics, prepped the music, had the Average White Boys learn the song and practice it a few times, and then got everyone in my darkroom (which doubles as a recording studio) and recorded “Catzilla”. Sunday evening I recorded a few videos of Spunk playing with a toy mouse, swatting at the camera, and walking around in a pile of boxes we left on the floor for the cats to play in. I got up early this morning and went through old videos of Spunk, searched my photo archives for photos of Spunk with his tail, and put together the music video. Enjoy “Catzilla”.

 

Catzilla

 

Catzilla
Music – Blue Oyster Cult
Lyrics – Timothy Price

With a purposeful meow and a wailing sound
He pulls out his tail and drops it down

Helpless lids in-line like a train
He moans and wails, he wants us to look at them

He picks up his tail and he drops it back down
He wades through the boxes to the center lies down

Oh, no, where’s he going to go
Go go Catzilla
Oh, no, like a yoyo
Go go Catzilla

Oh, no, where’s he going to go
Go go Catzilla
Oh, no, like a yoyo
Go go Catzilla

Oh, no, where’s he going to go
Go go Catzilla
Oh, no, like a yoyo
Go go Catzilla

The kitty does it again and again how much fun he makes us all grin
Catzilla!

The kitty does it again and again how much fun he makes us all grin
Catzilla!

The kitty does it again and again how much fun he makes us all grin
Catzilla!

The kitty does it again and again how much fun he makes us all grin
Catzilla!

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art blue oyster cult cats coyote 102.5 fm godzilla light lighting music video parody photography spunk video https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/go-go-catzilla Mon, 28 May 2018 22:24:39 GMT
Black-Crowned Night Heron https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/black-crowned-night-heron

 

We have a new heron on the block. This one flew up out of the clearwater ditch, crossed over into the bosque and landed on a cottonwood. I did not recognize it and had to look it up when I got home. The Black-Crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) is a wide-ranging bird that can be found throughout most of North America, parts of Europe, Asia and China during the spring-time for breeding. They range all year through most of South America, Africa, India and Malasia.


 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds black-crowned night heron light lighting nycticorax nycticorax photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/black-crowned-night-heron Mon, 28 May 2018 01:07:16 GMT
Smoky Sun Cloudy Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/smoky-sun-cloudy-moon

Sun cutting through a smoky sky

 

Smoke from a fire in the Gila National Forest southwest of Albuquerque blew north today filling the air with a blue/gray haze under overcast skies. As the clouds started breaking up in the late afternoon, the sun looked like a sharp yellow disk painted on an orange background as it cut through the smoky atmosphere hanging above the horizon. The moon rose through smoky skies under mottled clouds, a combination that created ever changing shapes like shadow mimes playing the heavens.

 

 

 

Mouse with a duck behind

 

NEWS FLASH!!!!

16:39 — Little Owl still in the hole giving me a heads up.

 

16:41 — Little Owl still in the hole giving me a profile.

 

20:36 — Under the light of my flashlight, we can see that either Little Owl finally got out of the hole or a fuzzy, out of focus, little Yeti (Yetis are never in focus) is standing by Little Owl's hole.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds cottonwood fire light lighting little owl moon owl photography smoke sun https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/smoky-sun-cloudy-moon Sun, 27 May 2018 04:32:51 GMT
Blue Skies & Damselflies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/blue-skies-damselflies

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art blue blue sky damselflies grass green light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/blue-skies-damselflies Sat, 26 May 2018 02:19:09 GMT
SNAKE! https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/snake

S Sn Sna Snak SNAKE!

 

I heard rustling around in the bathroom, went to investigate and Najar was Jumping straight up in the air from inside the bathtub. I walked up to discover she had a little bull snake in the bathtub, which was striking at her and make her jump straight up in the air.  I rescued the poor little snake from Najar, and while I was holding the snake at the counter, Spunk came up and started rubbing on me. When he saw the snake, he jumped straight up in the air and barely touched the counter when he came down before he was on the floor giving me the rather puzzled look in the above photo. After I showed the cute little bull snake to Laurie, I took it out and let it go in a large pile of branches where the cats wouldn't get it again (at least right away).

Later I went out to round up the kitties and Silver was pestering something by the fence, which turned out to be a western coachwhip snake. I took Silver inside, and went back out to find Marble pestering the snake. I took Marble inside and went back outside to get photos of the snake. It was a little worked up between the dog on the other side of the fence, and Silver and Marble pestering it. So it was in my face, sticking its tongue in and out in a purposeful and threatening manner. I finally gather up the coachwhip snake, which turned out to be about four feet long, and took him to the large pile of branches where he would have better protection. You can see an animated GIF I put together of him tongueing at https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/snake/.

A few days later, Lane, Suzette, Jim, Ann and I were walking on the ditch bank when Suzette yelled that a snake was chasing them. I went back to find a large bull snake crawling along the edge of the bank, but it headed down the bank into sticks and leaves when I walked up. I got one photo of it, then I tried to get it back up on the bank where I could get clear photos of it out of the sticks and leaves, but it hissed and struck at me and put up a lot of resistance before slipping through the fence.  Lane had mentioned earlier that he thought the difference between bull snakes and gopher snakes was that bull snakes chase you. I've never been chased by a bull snake, but it certainly seemed to be going after Ann and Suzette.

 

The cute little bull snake I rescued from Najar.

 

Western Coachwhip snake

 

It got in my face about the cats pestering it.

 

Tongueing

 

Skirt chasing bull snake.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bull snake light lighting photography snake spunk western coachwhip snake https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/snake Fri, 25 May 2018 00:24:25 GMT
The Little Owl Who Couldn't https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/the-little-owl-who-couldnt

Little Owl: "I'm going to break out of this hole!" Fat Owl: "Okey Dokey."

 

Big Owl: "Go for it."
 

Little Owl: "Here goes..."

 

Fat Owl: "I say there. You're embarrassing me, boy!"

 

Elvis: "Come on Little Owl. You can do it."

 

Little Owl: "I can do it! I can do it!" Fat Owl: "I say there. You're ridiculous, boy!"

 

Little Owl: "AAaahhh! I getting sucked back into the black hole." Fat Owl: "I don't believe what I'm seeing."

 

Fat Owl: "Good job there my boy." Little Owl: "$%*@#$ hole!"

 

Little Owl: "What now?" Fat Owl: "I haven't a clue."

 

Big Owl: "Ha ha ha ha. Great show dude!"

 

Little Owl: "Not funny. Big Owl!" Fat Owl: "I haven't a clue!"

 

In unison: "Who asked you, Elvis?"

 

Elvis: "Not his best. Not his best at all!"

 

Little Owl: "What are you gawking at you stupid paparazzo?"

 

Fat Owl: "I think that stupid paparazzo is gawking at you"

 

Little Owl: "I'm going back in my hole."

 

Fat Owl: "That's all folks!"

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art big owl cottonwood elvis fat owl horse light lighting little owl owls photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/the-little-owl-who-couldnt Wed, 23 May 2018 23:33:47 GMT
White https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/white


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art iris light lighting peony photography roses white https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/white Wed, 23 May 2018 03:21:15 GMT
We Got a Little Rain Today https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/we-got-a-little-rain-today

 

After months of zero precipitation, we got a little rain today. An afternoon thunderstorm pelted us with large drops of heavy rain and a little bit of hail for about 30 minutes around 2:00 pm. I heard on the radio that emergency crews were involved in a swift water rescue in the large drainage channel that separates the east and west bound lanes on I-40. According to one website, one person was killed and five others rescued from swift water in flooding arroyos around the metro area this afternoon. I checked the rain gage first thing when I got home and we received 0.18 inch of rain at our house. The National Weather Service website is reporting 0.17 inch of rain for Albuquerque.


 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography rain thunderstorms https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/we-got-a-little-rain-today Tue, 22 May 2018 00:35:07 GMT
Muskrats Abstracts https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/muskrats-abstracts

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) abstracts art clearwater ditch light lighting muskrats photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/muskrats-abstracts Mon, 21 May 2018 04:12:22 GMT
Fifth Annual Corrales Rose Society Dr Huey Tour https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/fifth-annual-corrales-rose-society-dr-huey-tour

 

We had our 5th Annual Corrales Rose Society Dr Huey Tour today. With so many of our other roses blooming early and almost bloomed out, we were thinking Dr Huey might be bloomed out by the time we had a free weekend for the tour. But Dr Huey was still in full bloom all over Corrales.

 

Our giant Dr Huey

 

 

One of Antonio's Dr Hueys

 

 

 

The giant climbing Dr Huey on West Ella.

 

Dr Huey at the vineyard.

 

Another of our fine Dr Hueys

 

 

Dr Huey with Peace

 

One of our iris gardens with Dr Huey.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art corrales dr huey iris light lighting peace photography roses tour https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/fifth-annual-corrales-rose-society-dr-huey-tour Sun, 20 May 2018 02:22:23 GMT
Let Us Entertain You https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/let-us-entertain-you

Ooh! Do you see what mama has?

 

The owlets and their mama have become the nightly entertainment this week.


Mama owl with a garter snake.

 

Owlet 1: "What are you doing?" Owlet 2: "That snake was great. I'm Flying! Can't you tell?"

 

"This is how you fly!"

 

"And like this!"

 

"Okay. I'm done you can come out now!"

 

Owlet 2: "Are you really done? Are you sure it's really safe?" Owlet 1: "Yes. I'm sure."

 

"It looks like all those silly people are still watching us."

 

Intermission — Sliver moon and Venus over cottonwoods at dusk.

 

Owlet 1: "Do you see mama anywhere?" Owlet 2: "Is that her?"

 

Owlet lounging higher in the tree late in the afternoon.

 

Squint like Clint in the bright afternoon light.

 

"Is that mama with dinner?"

 

"What are you looking at you stupid paparazzo?"

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cottonwood light lighting owlets owls photography snake https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/let-us-entertain-you Sat, 19 May 2018 00:51:24 GMT
Inside Looking Out https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/inside-looking-out

Entrance

 

“Ice cold water is runnin' through my veins.
They try and drag me back to work again.
Pain and blisters on my mind and hands.Ӡ
Flying all day dropping three tons of bombs.††

 

 

Nose gunner

 

Cockpit

 

Cockpit panorama

 

Bomb bay

 

Bomb bay looking at cockpit

 

Radios looking into ammo belt feeders over belly turret

 

Ammo belts over belly turret

 

Ammo belts where they feed into belly turret

 

Tail fin

 

Machine gun

 

radio

 

 

 

Rear entrance

 

Tail gunner

 

B17

 

 

†Verse from "Inside-Looking Out”. 1966 single by the Animals. Also recorded by Grand Funk Railroad in 1969.
†† My version of the last line of the verse.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) ammo belt art b17 cockpit inside looking out light lighting machine guns nose gunner photography plane tail gunner https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/inside-looking-out Fri, 18 May 2018 01:43:34 GMT
Two Doors Down... https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/two-doors-down

Two owlets looking at us gawking at them.

 

Two doors down the owls have owlets that are cute and having a party poking their heads up above the edge of the hollow in the cottonwood, bobbing their heads from side to side, and hissing at the dog in the yard that was barking at us. The light was low as the sun had set behind the owlets, and the canopy of the cottonwoods cut the light down even more. The camera was having a hard time focusing on the owlets as autofocus was going for the cottonwood, so I had to use manual focus in the low light.  Mama owl landed in a cottonwood tree across the ditch from the owlets. Since she was facing west, there was enough light on her to get a good exposure.

 

This shot looks like there might be three owlets.

 

Mama owl

 

The blurry owlet is bobbing from side to side.

 

Another shot that looks like a third owl on the left.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cottonwoods great horned owls light lighting owlets owls photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/two-doors-down Thu, 17 May 2018 00:59:53 GMT
TBA https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/tba

 

Three Bat Abstractions are the result of bats buzzing me last night after sunset.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) abstractions art bats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/tba Wed, 16 May 2018 00:07:52 GMT
Repo Man https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/repo-man

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) albuquerque art downtown light lighting photography shopping baskets truck https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/repo-man Mon, 14 May 2018 23:53:19 GMT
Macros 4 Mother's Day https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/macros-4-mothers-day

Solar system balloon

 

Loki, Lola and I were still in bed at sunrise. Loki was sprawled out from my thighs to my stomach, purring therapeutically as I scritched him around his face. Lola was laying on my right arm and shoulder with her head snuggled under my chin. We were all quite comfortable enjoying a peaceful morning.  Our scratch and purr fest ended abruptly when Loki and Lola sat up straight to the swooshing sound of burners. Both of the kitties ran across my chest to the window to see what was making the noise. They probably recognized the sound of the balloons' burners, and were looking for the balloons — all our cats love watching hot air balloons when they float over the house. I got up, grabbed my camera and walked out the front door to find two black balloons passing overhead. One was solid black, the other had the solar system on it. I made coffee using Coconut Almond Delight flavored beans for Laurie's coffee, and the usual dark roast beans for my coffee.  I did a few chores before going outside to drag hoses around and start drip systems on the Sunday rotation. I noticed a lot of bees, tiny butterflies and a ladybug were foraging in the flowers and purple salvia every time I went out to check on water, take breaks from research, and while I was walking back and forth from the grill preparing our mother's day meal. The bees, butterflies and ladybug called for me to use a macro lens for Mother's Day.

 

All black

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Huey joined us on the deck

 

 

 

The ladybug was shy and kept hiding behind leaves.

 

 

Crab spider reminded me it was time to prepare our mother's day meal.

 

I thew a couple of streaks and giant shrimp on the grill.

 

Prepared corn, seasoned fries, salad, and topped the steaks with green chile and extra sharp cheddar cheese.

 

My steak was medium rare. Laurie likes hers more on the rare side. All was delicious.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art balloons bees butterflies corn crab spider flowers french fries hot air balloons light lighting mother's day photography salad shrimp spiders steak https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/macros-4-mothers-day Sun, 13 May 2018 22:46:47 GMT
Open 4 Mother's Day https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/open-4-mothers-day

Spunk and Lola think it's about time I got my butt into gear, cleaned and opened the deck.

 

I got new flowers to plant in the pots around the deck, cleaned up the deck, and opened the deck for mother's day. Tomorrow we are going to do some grilling and party with the kitties between all the stuff that has to be done to finish up the school year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats deck flowers light lighting lola photography spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/open-4-mothers-day Sun, 13 May 2018 00:32:03 GMT
A Tail and Two Temperatures https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/a-tail-and-two-temperatures

Lola

 

There are really four temperatures represented, but I'm comparing two each of the temperatures — 1) indoor/outdoor and 2) under canopy/in the shade. The second photo of our weather station screen shows an indoor temperature of 70.2ºF and an indoor humidity of 55% at 18:13. The outdoor temperature is 90.7ºF and the outdoor humidity is 12%. So how is it the indoor temperature is so much cooler and the humidity so much higher than it was outdoors? I'm running an evaporative cooler, also known as a "swamp cooler". The reason the outdoor humidity is at 12% is because I irrigated last night and the ground around the outdoor thermometer is saturated. According the the Weather Channel, the relative humidity in Albuquerque at 18:15 was 8%. 

The temperature by Lola's tail around 18:00 was about 88ºF under the canopy on the deck. The temperature on the thermometer hanging on the fence in the shade behind Rio Samba at 18:05 was about 84ºF. It was 4 degrees cooler in the shade than on the deck. The deck was 2 degrees cooler than out in the open, and the outdoor humidity was low enough, that the swamp cooler was able to keep the house 20 degrees cooler than the outdoor temperature.


 

 

Rio Samba

 

You are really silly. You know that don't you?

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats. light lighting lola photography swamp coolers temperature thermometers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/a-tail-and-two-temperatures Sat, 12 May 2018 01:06:03 GMT
New Fountain https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/new-fountain

 

I was following the demolition of the old fountain and construction of this new fountain last year (http://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/mayor-berry-tear-down-this-fountain http://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/and-the-fountain-comes-tumbling-down, http://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/no-joy), but between dealing with foot pain and changes in schedule, I had not taken a walk to Civic Plaza in months. I walked by it the other morning and the new fountain was running.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art civic plaza downtown fountain light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/new-fountain Fri, 11 May 2018 01:18:22 GMT
Rough Love https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/rough-love

Love. Rough around the edges.

 

Tuscan Sun

 

America

 

Pink Iceberg

 

Betty Boop

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) america art betty boop light lighting love photography pink iceberg roses tuscan sun https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/rough-love Thu, 10 May 2018 00:31:59 GMT
Bovine, Bats & Beaver https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/bovine-bats-beaver

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bats beaver bosque bovine cows light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/bovine-bats-beaver Wed, 09 May 2018 00:40:14 GMT
Osprey Overhead https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/osprey-overhead

The osprey were silhouettes against the cloudy sky.

 

We were on the beach when Laurie said "what bird is that?" A very large bird was flying close to the water, but we couldn't tell what it was in the low, flat light under overcast skies. I thought maybe is was a heron, but Laurie said it didn't look like how a heron flies. It flew over us, pretty close, but flew right on by. Even though it was a silhouette against the overcast sky, I recognized it was an Osprey. Soon a second Osprey flew up and then circled overhead checking us out before it continued flying north after the first Osprey. With a lot of adjustments, I was able to get pretty good detail out of the silhouettes. Osprey are not desert birds in the least, so they either breed along the Rio Grande (we get Mississippi Kites that come to breed in the Rio Grande Valley) or the Osprey migrate along the Rio Grande, because I see them about this time every year.

 

The flat light along the river looking south. The two Osprey were flying north just above the water along this stretch of the river.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flying directly overhead looking down at the silly paparazzo.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds light lighting osprey photography rio grande https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/osprey-overhead Tue, 08 May 2018 02:44:05 GMT
Big Balled Wizard https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/big-balled-wizard The AWB are at it again with another parody video. This one is lamenting Sliver’s big beautiful balls, which he lost when we had him neutered. I think he recovered better than we did. Lyrics are posted below the video for your reading pleasure.

 

Big Balled Wizard

 

Big Balled Wizard

Music: Pete Townshend
Lyrics: Timothy Price
Vocals: AWB
Silver Kitty: Silver
Vet: Anonymous

When he was a young cat
He had big silver balls
He laid out on the counter
On display to one and all
Ain’t seen nothing like them
In any amusement hall

So guess what the vet did?
She cut off his silver balls.

He laid there like Adonis 
He licked his silver things
Feeling proud and smug
He always kept them clean
His pride and intuition
He showed them off to all

So guess what the vet did?
She cut off his silver balls.

He was a big balled wizard
But with an evil twist
The big balled wizard he lost his catliness

Why did we have to do it
I don’t know
His balls they looked so good

He didn’t have no distractions
Didn’t care about buzzers and bells
Surgery lights were flashing
He thought he was in hell
Doesn’t want a replay
He never saw them fall

So guess what the vet did?
She cut off his silver balls.

So we had to take on the big bally king
We just took away his big ball crown from him

When he lays out on the table
He doesn’t get no rest
He’s cute when he’s all sprawled out
You can see he’s lost his best
His tail’s like a crazy weiner
He never saw them fall…

So guess what the vet did?
She cut off his silver balls.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting parody photography pin ball wizard silver silver balls video https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/big-balled-wizard Mon, 07 May 2018 04:31:11 GMT
Beaver Spotting https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/beaver-spotting

Munching on and along the bank on the other side of the river.

 

Beaver like to come out and play after sunset, when the dusk is turning to darkness or later. So we look for beaver along the river's edge almost every evening, in what has become a "beaver spotting" ritual, because they are not always out when there is barely enough light to see them, let alone get a 3200 ISO shot or two of them. But every now and then we spot beaver on the opposite bank of the Rio Grande eating, swimming or just hanging out having a beaver chat. Sure enough the other evening, not long after sundown, two beaver were munching on the bank across the river from where we were standing. Once they saw we had "spotted" them, the one in the water took a dive, while the one on the bank slid down into the water and started swimming south. When the pesky paparazzo kept clicking away, the southward swimming beaver became annoyed, slapped the water with its tail, dove under, came back up a few yards later, and continued swimming south. If I had a long enough lens, I might be able to get the serial numbers on their teeth.

Note: I looked up in the Urban Dictionary to see if "beaver spotting" had any weird, common slang associated with it. I couldn't find anything specific to "beaver spotting", only the normal slag for "beavers", and a reference to "spotted beaver". So we are making "beaver spotting" — the act of looking for and "spotting" Castor canadensis, the furry "bucktoothed builders" with "golden slappers" (see Bite 'Em ON the Old Shin Bone parody video by the Angry Beavers and AWB) —  a legitimate activity.

 


A quick and blurry slip down the bank.

 

Swimming south.

 

"Take that you pesky paparazzo!" Excellent tail slap.

 

Onward! Southward!

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beaver beaver spotting light lighting photography rio grande tail slapping https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/beaver-spotting Sun, 06 May 2018 00:36:08 GMT
Hawk Spotting https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/hawk-spotting

Cooper's Hawk roosting at the top of a cottonwood.

 

Bothered by the paparazzo pointing a big lens at it, the hawk takes flight...

 

...and fly, flies away.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds cooper's hawk cottonwood hawk light lighting paparazzo photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/hawk-spotting Fri, 04 May 2018 23:38:35 GMT
Goose Spotting https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/goose-spotting

 

A pair of geese had four goslings on the beach this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds geese goslings light lighting photography rio grande https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/goose-spotting Fri, 04 May 2018 02:25:38 GMT
Train Spotting https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/train-spotting

 

There is "Train Spotting" where you spot a train, photograph it, and mark down the number on the locomotive. In Britain train spotting is often done while one is standing on the platform marking down the numbers on trains that pass through — train spotting in bad weather is thought to be the best way to go about it. Out here in the desert southwest, we get lots of sunshine and wind when we go off train spotting.

Speaking of the British, there is a British movie called "Trainspotting" that came out in 1996. It was rated R "for graphic heroin use and resulting depravity, strong language, sex, nudity and some violence." Apparently some people think it is an incredible movie. I can't say, I never saw it. A sequel called "T2 Trainspotting" came out last year. Twenty years later "T2..." gets an R rating "for drug use, language throughout, strong sexual content, graphic nudity and some violence." I find it especially interesting that part of the R rating is for "language throughout". Is that like a British talkie that goes on and on? I didn't see T2 either. 

On the darker side of life, trainspotting is said to be a euphemism for shooting up heroin where a black line forms on the addict's arm at the injection point that looks like a track. Addicts try to "spot" optimum veins with no tracks. A "hit" from heroin is thought to feel the same as the impact from a locomotive. I don't want to experience either.

Then there is "trainspotting" as the act of looking over DJs' shoulders to see what records they are playing.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art dj heroin light lighting locomotive movie photography records trains trainspotting https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/train-spotting Thu, 03 May 2018 01:51:45 GMT
No April Showers, Still Have May Flowers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/no-april-showers-still-have-may-flowers

Double Delight

 

We got zero measurable precipitation in April; however, today, May 1st, we have a lot more roses and flowers blooming than we usually do this time of year. I was able to start watering using the drip system for the few hours the hoses would thaw in the afternoons on weekends in late January. I steadily increased the time on the drip systems every weekend as it got warmer. We were still getting frost every night until about two weeks ago, but without the frosty nights extending through April into May like it has done in years past, many of the roses and flowers decided it's safe to bloom early this year. I also irrigated at the end of March and the end of April, so the plants are happy despite the super dry conditions.

 

Multi-colored Iris

 

America

 

Allium

 

Baby Blanket

 

Iceberg

 

Bronze Iris

 

Purple Iris

 

Elle

 

Yellow & White Iris

 

Fragrant Memory

 

Light Yellow Iris

 

Abraham Darby

 

A tangle of wisteria

 

Blue Iris

 

Betty Boop

 

White & Purple Iris

 

Pink Iceberg

 

Sensation Lilac

 

Double Delight

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art flowers iris light lighting lilac photography roses wisteria https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/5/no-april-showers-still-have-may-flowers Wed, 02 May 2018 02:24:15 GMT
Phalacrocorax brasilianus https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/phalacrocorax-brasilianus

Neotropic Cormorant - Phalacrocorax brasilianus on a log in the middle of the Rio Grande in Corrales, NM.

 

The Phalacrocorax brasilianus AKA Neotropic Cormorant has a "resident" range from central Mexico south throughout South America according to a Wiki page about it. If it ventures this far north up the Rio Grande valley it's an "accidental occurrence".  The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's All About Birds website has a map that shows Neotropic Cormorants can be found north in the Rio Grande Valley to breed: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Neotropic_Cormorant/maps-range (the spot in New Mexico on the Cornell map is about where Bosque del Apache is, 100 miles south of Corrales). This Neotropic Cormorant may be an accidental tourist. Or it could have come up here with another Phalacrocorax brasilianus to breed and then got dumped by its mate. Or it could be a lonely Phalacrocorax brasilianus that ended up "accidentally occurring" in Corrales (much farther north than usual) while looking for a mate. Whatever the reason this silly bird decided to occasion our stretch of the river will remain a mystery, but apparently it is a rare, and welcome, accidental occurrence to see a Neotropic Cormorant this far north.

 

Testing the breeze.

 

Anyone looking?

 

Hang eight dude!

 

Neotropic Cormorant in flight

 

On your mark

 

Ready

 

Set
 

Go!

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds light lighting neotropic cormorant phalacrocorax brasilianus photography rio grande https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/phalacrocorax-brasilianus Tue, 01 May 2018 02:24:35 GMT
Batty https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/batty

Collage of silhouettes of bat flying under the almost full moon.

 

The bats were out last night flying around while we were walking on the levee. Bats are fast and erratic and they come out after sundown, so I rarely get clear shots of them. Last night the moon was almost full, and the clouds made a bright background that I was able get some fairly clear silhouettes of the bats.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bats clouds light lighting moon photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/batty Sun, 29 Apr 2018 23:03:56 GMT
Hoodooing https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/hoodooing

Red-eared Sliders hoodooing while a Mallard quickly swims by.

 

Some of the Red-eared Slider turtles that live in the duck pond at UNM were balanced on thin stumps in the middle of the duck pond, which made them look like hoodoos (geologic). There are a lot of turtles in the duck pond that like to lay out on the rocks in the late afternoon sunshine.

 

Red-eared Sliders and a Softshell turtle on the rocks.

 

The turtle on the right stuck his head out to check out the homeless man who decided to take a bath in the duck pond while we were there. The man, who was undressing as we walked by him on the edge of the pond, asked me if swimming was allowed in the duck pond. I told him I couldn't say (there are no "No Swimming" signs posted), but I advised him not to get in the water. He then asked me if he could go swimming. I told him I had no authority to say one way or the other about swimming in the duck pond, but I advised him not to get in the filthy water. He then asked me if I minded if he got in the water. I told him it was up to him. When the turtled poked his head out, I looked over my shoulder and saw the man out bathing in the middle of the duck pond. 

 

Swimming slider

 

Reflecting

 

Synchronized Sliders

 

Rocking in the later afternoon sun

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art duck pond ducks homeless light lighting photography red-eared sliders shoftshell turtle turtles unm https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/hoodooing Sat, 28 Apr 2018 23:44:09 GMT
First Blooms and Fuzzy Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/first-blooms-and-fuzzy-moon

Lady Banks

 

Lady banks started blooming late last week. This week, while we were attending the annual spring medieval lecture series at UNM, Austrian Copper bloomed, along with Altisimo. Double Delight started to bloom today. While walking on the levee at sunset tonight, the moon finally rose above the dense clouds and presented itself soft and fuzzy as it climbed above the tree line of the bosque, behind a veil of thin clouds.

 

Lady Banks

 

Austrian Copper

 

Altisimo

 

Double Delight

 

Pink Sandias through the bosque

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) altisimo art austrian copper bosque double delight first bloom fuzzy moon lady banks light lighting moon photography roses sandias https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/first-blooms-and-fuzzy-moon Sat, 28 Apr 2018 03:27:03 GMT
Springs Preserve https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/springs-preserve

 

On our way out of Las Vegas last Sunday morning, we stopped by the Springs Preserve nature center to see the botanical gardens and butterfly exhibit. We didn't have time to explore the desert tortoise habitat or any of the indoor exhibits. But it's a great place with very friendly staff and lots of things to do and see if you have a full day to explore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bees butterflies hummingbird las vegas light lighting photography springs preserve https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/springs-preserve Sun, 22 Apr 2018 22:56:58 GMT
UNLV https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/unlv

 

There are several curious aspects to the University of Nevada Las Vegas, UNLV, we noticed the first time we walked onto the campus. First of all, it's right under the flight path from the airport, so jetliners, with an occasional military plane, are taking off every five minutes or so all day long. Secondly, it's hard to see the buildings for the trees, which helps to make it a beautiful campus. Third and most curious, besides a few "Go Rebels" posters on light poles, the mascot for UNLV is missing from the portions of the campus we were on. "UNLV" is prominently displayed on most everything down to the soap dispensers in the restrooms, but "Rebels" and their mascot is not to be seen. Contrast that with the University of New Mexico Lobos, where "Lobos" and their mascot of a cartoonish wolf can be seen everywhere on campus. We finally saw the mascot on a commercial building selling "Go Rebel" clothing across the street from UNLV. The mascot, a cowboy of sorts (a mountain man according to the UNLV website), is hard to read and brought up various speculation about what the various parts of the mascot were until we figured out it was a cartoon characterization of a cowboy-like person — we are not quite sure how a mountain man is a rebel, either. James Dean was a rebel, Elvis with his pelvis was rebellious, but a mountain man? You can read the history of the evolution of UNLV's mascot at https://www.unlv.edu/campuslife/mascot-nickname.

 

Trees

 

Big 'ol jet airliner.

 

More trees

 

Cactus in bloom

 

wildflowers

 

Celebrating 60 years

 

 

 

USAF jet

 

Striated mountains

 

There is a lot of superstructure in the structures.

 

12 Steps + 18 more on the way to overcoming ignorance.

 

Great-tailed Grackle drinking from a dripper.

 

"What are you gawking at? Haven't you seen a Great-tailed Grackle drink before?"

 

Kitty paw prints in the concrete sidewalk.

 

 

More steps

 

EPA building with Ferris Wheel behind.

 

Looking west, the campus buildings blend into the buildings on the Strip.

 

Desert landscaping.

 

Adobe sculpture

 

 

'Stache the Rebel mascot on a store across the street from UNLV.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art campus grackle light lighting mascot photography stache unlv https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/unlv Sun, 22 Apr 2018 01:35:23 GMT
Elvis & Priscilla https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/elvis-priscilla

Priscilla on the left, Elvis on the right.

 

Meet the Embassy Suites Swans, Elvis and Priscilla. They are beautiful white, Royal Swans who live in the water feature at the hotel. They are calm and friendly, but Elvis is much more out there for the camera. Pretty similar to their namesakes, I'd say.

 

 

Priscilla getting a snack.

 

Elvis with reflections.

 

Priscilla with abstractions.

 

Elvis

 

Elvis

 

Elvis

 

Elvis

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography royal swans. elvis priscilla swans https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/elvis-priscilla Sat, 21 Apr 2018 00:25:24 GMT
Sweet Suite https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/sweet-suite

View of interior courtyard from outside our room on the 6th floor.

 

The suggested hotel for people attending the MAP/RMMRA conference was the Embassy Suites Hotel on Swenson Ave., along the western edge of the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). The hotel was wonderful with all kinds on amenities, and, best of all, no casino associated with it. The rooms were large, spacious suites with living room, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. There was a large, tranquil interior courtyard with tables, seating and a water feature with swans. Breakfast was included, with your choice of eggs cooked the way you like, omelettes, or French toast with sides of sausage, bacon, and hash brown potatoes, and various pastries, fruits, and beverages. A couple of men who looked Spanish whipped out breakfast after breakfast with the efficiency of a cafe bar in Madrid, Spain.

 

Living room view from the door.

 

living room view from the kitchen.

 

Kitchen and living room.

 

bedroom

 

View of UNLV campus from the bedroom window.

 

Sunrise from the bedroom window.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art embassy suites hotel light lighting photography unlv https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/sweet-suite Fri, 20 Apr 2018 00:06:23 GMT
Dam Bridge https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/dam-bridge

Looking toward the Arizona side of the Colorado River canyon.

 

The Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge spans the Colorado River between Arizona and Nevada south of Hoover dam on U.S. Highway 93. It was built to bypass Hoover Dam making travel to Las Vegas from Kingman, AZ, and vice versa, much quicker and easier. After 9/11, the federal government restricted access to all major dams in the USA, but until the Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge was built, the only way to go to and from Las Vegas on U.S. Highway 93 was to drive over Hoover Dam. Now there is one way in and out to access the bridge walkway and Hoover Dam from the Nevada side, with a checkpoint every vehicle going to Hoover Dam has to stop at. The line of vehicles can be very long waiting to get through the checkpoint. We didn't have time to drive over the dam and get photos of the bridge, and stop and walk the bridge, so we opted to walk the bridge and photograph Hoover Dam.  There is a very nice set of displays as you walk up to the bridge that explains how the bridge was built.

 

One of the displays on how the bridge was built.

 

Welcome to Nevada.

 

Laurie

 

Overflow spillway is at the top of the photo.

 

Hoover Dam

 

At the center of the bridge I have one foot in Nevada, the other in Arizona.

 

Towers of power farm are part of the electrical distribution system.

 

 

Intake towers on the Nevada side.

 

 

Intake towers on the Arizona side.

 

Arizona welcome sign on the east end of the bridge.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) arizona art hoover dam lake mead light lighting mike o'callaghan–pat tillman memorial bridge nevada photography towers u.s. highway 93 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/dam-bridge Thu, 19 Apr 2018 00:57:11 GMT
Tunnel Vision https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/tunnel-vision

Hoover Dam Lodge standing among the volcanic rock.

 

We stayed at the Hoover Dam Lodge, which is 17 stories with a casino, Wednesday night. First thing Thursday morning, I went out for a walk and climbed down to a trail that's an old railroad bed. As I hiked toward Hoover Dam, with Lake Mead on my left, I came across a couple of tunnels. I don't know what it is about old railroad tunnels, but they are really fun. Since I didn't have a lot of time, I quickly walked through the tunnels, took photos from inside and out, and walked back to the hotel.

 

The old railroad bed with Lake Mead in the background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the marinas that is part of the Lake Mead recreation area.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art hoover dam lodge lake mead light lighting photography railroad bed tunnels https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/tunnel-vision Wed, 18 Apr 2018 01:11:22 GMT
Road to Hoover Dam https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/road-to-hoover-dam

We drove to Boulder City, NV from Corrales on Wednesday, November 11 on our way to Las Vegas for the joint MAP/RMMRA conference. The wind howled at 50 mph or more all the way. Whenever we stopped to take a break or get gas, the wind was so strong that I didn't bother to photograph anything. On U.S. Highway 93 to Hoover Dam, I got this photo of the many taillights in front of us getting blown about by the strong winds. After we got to the hotel at Boulder City, the wind blew at the same intensity all night. Because the wind was so strong, the woman who checked us in said she was putting everyone in an area of the hotel most protected from the wind. The room was very nice, with a great view. After we got settled in, Laurie looked at the terms on the door and asked "How much are we paying for this room?" I told her I got an Internet special that was $80 for the night. The terms on the door said the room was $500 a night. $500 would be excessive. I think they put $500 a night on the terms as a maximum, and to make you think you are getting a really super deal.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art i-40 las vegas light lighting map photography rmmra https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/road-to-hoover-dam Tue, 17 Apr 2018 02:50:47 GMT
Viva Las Vegas https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/viva-las-vegas

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art las vegas light lighting map photography rmmra unlv https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/viva-las-vegas Sun, 15 Apr 2018 05:01:07 GMT
So Much for Liberty https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/so-much-for-liberty

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) american flag art chainlink concertina wire fence flag liberty light lighting photography stars and stripes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/so-much-for-liberty Tue, 10 Apr 2018 23:46:04 GMT
Blossoms & Blooms https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/blossoms-blooms

Peach

 

Tulip

 

Daffodils

 

Nectarine

 

Tulip

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art blooms blossoms daffodils light lighting nectarine peach photography tulips https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/blossoms-blooms Tue, 10 Apr 2018 02:00:26 GMT
Ray-O-Sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/ray-o-sunset

 

After having little or no color at sunset last week, Saturday's sunset was quite nice.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/ray-o-sunset Mon, 09 Apr 2018 02:44:17 GMT
Spunk's Turn https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/spunks-turn

 

Spunk is the last of the kitties to have a post this week. He got in Laurie's bag this morning when she was on her way to an open house at school. Later, we made the rounds of the property to do a photo shoot of Spunk in the wild.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spunk had to take a nap after the photo session.

 

Still a little sleepy, he managed to get to the rail on the deck on his way back inside.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats laurie light lighting photography school spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/spunks-turn Sun, 08 Apr 2018 00:32:09 GMT
Marble in the Mix https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/marble-in-the-mix

 

Continuing with the solo kitty series, Marble wanted to get in on the mix.

 

 

"Wow! That is a really big noisy bird!

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting marble photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/marble-in-the-mix Fri, 06 Apr 2018 23:18:05 GMT
Najar Happens https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/najar-happens

 

Najar, who is usually camera shy, was not going to be outdone by Lola, Silver, Loki and Sasha, especially when it comes to making different faces and expressions, so she put on the cute.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enough! I'm bored.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting najar photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/najar-happens Fri, 06 Apr 2018 02:45:47 GMT
Where in the World is Sasha Sandiego? https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/where-in-the-world-is-sasha-sandiego

 

While on the subject of vintage computer games from the 1990's, Sasha wanted to be like Carmen Sandiego and posed in mystery places.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art carmen sandiego cats light lighting photography sasha vintage computer games https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/where-in-the-world-is-sasha-sandiego Thu, 05 Apr 2018 03:27:27 GMT
Leisure Cat Loki Hammocking Like A Lounge Lizard https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/leisure-cat-loki-hammocking-like-a-lounge-lizard

 

When Loki heard about the old computer game Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards, he did his best to do a kitty imitation of Leisure Suit Larry.  I think he did an excellent imitation of LSL.


 

 

 

Loki couldn't contain himself and burst out laughing.

 

Enough of that nonsense.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats leisure suit larry light lighting loki lounge lizards photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/leisure-cat-loki-hammocking-like-a-lounge-lizard Wed, 04 Apr 2018 03:52:24 GMT
Extreme Lounging https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/extreme-lounging

 

Silver, determined not to be outdone by Lola's lollygag-style lounging, showed off the nuances, subtleties and his mastery of extreme lounging.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 1843 art cats economist light lighting lounging photography silver stretching https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/extreme-lounging Tue, 03 Apr 2018 00:04:03 GMT
Lounging with Lola https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/lounging-with-lola

 

We spent Easter Sunday doing various chores, feeding the snake, and working on papers and presentations.  Between the various happenings, I took a break to lounge with Lola.


 

 

 

 

We ended up with a little Easter bunny to celebrate Easter

 

Last night about 10:00 pm, I went out to find Loki. He was laying in some grass with something next to him. As I got closer I saw it was a little bunny lying against Loki. Loki moved back when I walked up, and the bunny hopped up to Loki and tried the snuggle up against him again. I picked up Loki and took him inside, and Laurie went back out with me to check out the bunny. The bunny didn't seem injured, and it tried to snuggle up to Laurie's fuzzy slippers. I got a tall box, we put grass in it, put the bunny in the box, and put the box with the bunny in the bird room for the night. In the morning the bunny had jumped out of the box, and was hiding under a rolling file drawer. I moved the file drawer and photographed the bunny before we got him back in the box. We took him outside and I got one photo of him before he hopped off to safety in a large pile of branches.

 

After I coxed him out of the box, he hesitated long enough for me to get one shot before he hopped into a pile of branches.

 

Easter beavers

We went out on a walk after sundown, and this time there were three beavers on the opposite bank of the river munching on willow branches.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beaver bunny cats easter beaver easter bunny light lighting lola photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/4/lounging-with-lola Mon, 02 Apr 2018 02:11:08 GMT
Two Pterodactyls at Twilight https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/two-pterodactyls-at-twilight

Two pterodactyls in treetops on opposite sides of the clearwater ditch.

 

We were out walking on the levee long after sunset when I spotted two pterodactyls in the treetops. There was a third pterodactyl, but it flew down into the ditch where it was too dark to see it. Since pterodactyls are usually solitary, we're thinking it must be breeding season.

 

I got fairly close to this one before it flew.

 

 

 

It flew across the ditch to the tree the other pterodactyl was in.

 

They must be very lightweight as they perch on very thin, flimsy branches.

 

Looking very dragon-like as it settles on the branches.

 

A final, really good dragon-like pose worthy of an insignia.

 

The pterodactyl on its spindly branches remained unfazed by all the flapping about from the other as it settled on the branches.

 

We got a little closer and they took flight.

 

Fly, fly away.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clearwater ditch cottonwood dragons great blue heron light lighting photography pterodactyls twilight https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/two-pterodactyls-at-twilight Sun, 01 Apr 2018 03:43:42 GMT
Spunk in the Middle https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/spunk-in-the-middle

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats hammock light lighting loki photography shelf silver spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/spunk-in-the-middle Sat, 31 Mar 2018 03:09:39 GMT
Keeping With Tradition https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/keeping-with-tradition

Water in my irrigation ditch after I cleaned out the cottonwood leaves so the water flowed freely. I cleaned out the ditches and dug out the places where the gophers had filled up the ditches a couple of weeks ago, but the wind blew a lot of leaves back in the ditches, so I have to follow the water with a rake pulling out leaves for the first few waterings.

 

Every year about this time I do a post about the first water, when I start irrigating after the winter break. Then there are tales about battling gophers, playing with porcupine, and dodging skunks while enlisting the help of La Llorona and Chupacabra. However, one aspect of irrigating and the acequia system that I have not explained in the past is that the acequia system in north-central New Mexico, including the acequia system I have used all my life, is not only the oldest public works in North America, but the oldest continuously used public works in North America.  While Spanish colonists brought their engineering know-how to build acequia systems, and Spanish laws governing the acequias when they settled in north-central New Mexico over 400 years ago, many of the Pueblos had basic irrigation systems, so the acequias as public works where in place hundreds of years before the Spanish arrived.

The Spanish acequia system is based on communal water sharing. Traditionally, each system or community elects a mayordomo who allocates water to the ditches for irrigation based on available water and need. The acequias in the Corrales, Albuquerque, and valley south of Albuquerque have been governed by the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District for years, and they employ "ditch riders" who act as mayordomos for the sections of the main ditches they work. 

Two methods of allocating water are used by mayordomos: the Syrian and the Yemenite. The Syrian method allocates water based on the proportion of irrigated land, and the yemenite is a fixed amount of water for each piece of land based on a set time to irrigate. In practice both methods are used depending on water availability. In times of ample water mayordomos will allocate water using the Syrian method, but when water is in short supply, which is normally the case in New Mexico, they use the Yemenite method and allocate water by fixed amounts and times to irrigate. Spanish laws concerning acequias were adopted by New Mexico territorial law and then written into the State’s constitution. The practices and administration of the acequia systems have changed little over the past 400 years in New Mexico.

 

I let the water in under the watchful eye of an almost full moon that had just risen over the Sandias.

 

The main gate on the acequia madre backs up water and creates pressure to push water through the smaller, private ditches.

 

Water falling over the main gate.

 

The main gate on the section we use along the main ditch.

 

Cottonwoods reflecting in the water.

 

View of the trees, Sandias and rising moon standing behind our gate on the main ditch.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) acequia madre acequias art cottonwoods irrigating light lighting mayordomo moon photography sandias https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/keeping-with-tradition Fri, 30 Mar 2018 03:27:09 GMT
Frosty Foggy Morning https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/frosty-foggy-morning

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art dawn fog frost light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/frosty-foggy-morning Thu, 29 Mar 2018 01:59:51 GMT
For A Few Dollars More https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/for-a-few-dollars-more

 

"What's wrong with this camera?" I asked as I listened to the shutter click off at different speed settings. "It's broken!" Ray replied as I opened the back and watched the shutter drag into place, and snap across the opening every time I cocked the film advance lever and pushed the shutter release button. "Everything seems to work fine to me." I told Ray. "Does it have tape across the bayonet mount with red X's on it?" he asked. "Yes!" I replied. "Then it's broken, but I don't remember what's wrong with it." I dug around in the broken lens box that was sitting next to the broken camera body box, and found a decent looking broken lens that fit the body, pulled off the red X'd tape, attached the lens, and ran the camera and lens through another round of testing. "This broken camera and broken lens seem to work pretty well as far as I can tell." I told Ray. "The light meter probably doesn't work then." Ray replied sounding a little exasperated. "If you want them I'll add them to your order for only a few dollars more." He told me. "Deal!"

The broken camera is a 1972 Nikon F2 with a DP-1 Finder. The lens is a Vivitar 28-210mm zoom lens with macro focus. I put batteries in the camera after I got home, and the light meter seemed to work just fine, as well, but there was no telling how accurate the meter or shutter speeds are without running a roll of film through it. I had and old roll of C41 (color process) 400 ASA B&W film that I ran through the camera. I dropped off the roll of film for processing at Camera & Darkroom and told Ray that we would soon see how the broken camera and lens performed. When I picked up the negatives and prints, Ray looked through the prints with me, and told me "There must have been something wrong with that body. I won't sell them as working unless they are really clean." The photos came out quite well considering they were done with a broken camera, broken lens, and a roll of film years beyond its expiration date.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art b&w f2 film lens light lighting nikon photography vivitar https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/for-a-few-dollars-more Wed, 28 Mar 2018 02:00:52 GMT
Hanging Green https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/hanging-green

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art green hanging light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/hanging-green Tue, 27 Mar 2018 00:48:15 GMT
Today's Flowers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/todays-flowers

White in yellow crocus.

 

Since a sunset happened yesterday, preempting flowers, here are today's flowers.

 

Color change daffies are almost pink.

 

Another fancy daffy.

 

Spunk and crocus,

 

Popcorn flowers

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats crocus daffodils flowers light lighting photography popcorn flowers spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/todays-flowers Mon, 26 Mar 2018 01:21:51 GMT
Sunsets Happen https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/sunsets-happen

 

Thirty minutes before sunset, the sky was completely overcast with thick, dark clouds. I started preparing photos I had taken of flowers earlier in the day when the sun was shining; however, a few minutes before the sun went down, the clouds broke up and a sunset happened.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cottonwoods light lighting photography sandias sunsets https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/sunsets-happen Sun, 25 Mar 2018 02:41:19 GMT
Magnificent Seven https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/magnificent-seven

Loki

 

Lola

 

Marble

 

Najar

 

Sasha

 

Silver

 

Spunk

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting loki lola marble najar photography sasha silver spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/magnificent-seven Fri, 23 Mar 2018 23:55:05 GMT
Icy and 77 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/icy-and-77

It was 77º F (25º C) when I took this icy photo.

 

Sunset from last night.

 

The color change daffy was orange today.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art daffy flower fog ice light lighting photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/icy-and-77 Fri, 23 Mar 2018 00:58:08 GMT
Dried Flower on a Grid https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/dried-flower-on-a-grid

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art dried flower flower grid light lighting orange flower photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/dried-flower-on-a-grid Thu, 22 Mar 2018 01:05:02 GMT
Tell Tail Tale https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/tell-tail-tale

Many meows and three and a half years later, Spunk's tail is still one of his favorite toys. He uses his tail to tell us a tall tail tale almost every night. We put his tail in a basket filled with other toys in the kitchen, and through the night he brings us various toys with announcements, pronouncements and some long meowy stories. His tail is almost always the first toy he gets out, and we never know where we will find it. We often put it back in the basket more than once before we go to bed, so he can get it out again carry it to the other end of the house, and tell us another story. Many times he just brings his tail in and quietly leaves it in an ominous spot without an announcement, pronouncement or tall tail tale. This morning I woke to find Spunk's tail on the lamp on the nightstand on my side of the bed.

If you want to see Spunk playing with his tail in the early days, visit the following posts from 2014:

The Tail's Tale (this one has a video)

https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2014/09/27/the-tails-tale/

Spunk, Sprouts, a Tail

https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2014/11/13/spunk-sprouts-a-tail/

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting photography spunk tail tale https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/tell-tail-tale Wed, 21 Mar 2018 01:55:10 GMT
Peachy Keen https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/peachy-keen

Peaching.

 

Three of the frilly yellow daffies opened and turned to a frilly peachy color.

 

Daffy not open is still yellow.

 

Almost fully peach.

 

On the edge of peach.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art daffodils frilly light lighting peach peachy peachy keen photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/peachy-keen Tue, 20 Mar 2018 00:45:00 GMT
Seven Minutes on the Seventeenth https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/seven-minutes-on-the-seventeenth

On the beach at 7:13:19 pm, 03/17/2018. A sliver of dusty pink on the Sandias as the sun started slipping behind the horizon.

 

Wild clouds in pink and gray danced and swirled to the north at 7:14:23 pm.

 

Western skies at sunset. 7:15:05 pm.

 

I made my way through the bosque to the levee to see what colors were on the horizon. I discovered mostly blue/gray skies and a Great Blue Heron perched on top of a cottonwood when I got to the top of the levee at 7:19:19 pm.

 

As I walked south toward the heron, the sky changed to a kaleidoscope of clouds colored in pastel shades of pink and blue, purple and red, orange and gray behind the cottonwoods from my new perspective at 7:19:44 pm.

 

The heron directly west of me. 7:20:01 pm.

 

Now that I was closer to the heron, he started to shift his position. 7:20:14 pm.

 

The heron straightened up and took a quick look around. 7:20:17 pm.

 

"!Hasta la vista!" The heron flew north as pinks faded to blues, blues faded to gray. 7:20:23 pm.

 

As I looked at the thumbnails of this series of photos, the timestamps stood out. While I was in the middle of photographing the changing skies and fleeting light on the river, in the bosque, and on the levee at sunset, seven minutes was like an eternity in an instant as the drama unfolded before my lens. 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds cottonwood great blue heron heron kaleidoscope of colors light lighting photography pink sandias sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/seven-minutes-on-the-seventeenth Mon, 19 Mar 2018 01:27:47 GMT
Of Pancake & Macros https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/of-pancake-macros

Tiny daffodil in the catio.

 

As macro season continues to rev up, tiny daffodils are blooming in the catio. I made a County Apple Pancake from a recipe in an ad in the April/May 2018 Fine Cooking. Lots of red tulips are in full bloom along the west side of the walk to the front door, and color change daffodils are just starting to open on the east side of the walk. One lonely, purple crocus managed to fight its way through the yellow crocus.

 

County Apple Pancake with coconut milk from a recipe in an ad for Andre Prost Coconut Milk.

 

This yellow daffodil will change to peach once it has fully opened.

 

The blackberries turned red in the oven.

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art daffodil flowers light lighting pancake photography pistil stamen tulip https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/of-pancake-macros Sat, 17 Mar 2018 23:17:32 GMT
Holy Macro https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/holy-macro

Blue bee working a blossom

 

It was a nice day for a another macro tour in the white plum blossoms.

 

One benefit of pesky house flies is they hold still and let me get really close.

 

This silver bee is an interesting fellow. He flits around and only lands on blossoms for a split second. It's a lucky quick focus, snap combination when I get this guy in focus.

 

Marble out blending in.

 

Up close and personal portrait of a butterfly.

 

Silver bee sat on a branch at arms lengths away from me to take a break. The instant I tried to move closer it was out of there.

 

Wallowing in pollen.

 

Since the butterfly only dropped by long enough for a portrait, Spunk was happy to sit in the tree and smell the blossoms.

 

Blue bee has three extra eyes on top of its head.

 

Silver bee grabbing a lick on the wing.

 

Hairs to this fly.

 

Loki's been rolling in gopher dirt.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bees blossoms butterfly cats flies light lighting loki macro marble photography spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/holy-macro Sat, 17 Mar 2018 01:28:36 GMT
Blue Night https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/blue-night

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art blue bosque clouds light lighting night photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/blue-night Fri, 16 Mar 2018 02:43:45 GMT
Chasing Butterflies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/chasing-butterflies

Spunk sees something dark fluttering around in the distance.

 

After cleaning the grasses I chopped, and digging the gopher mounds out of the irrigation ditches, I walked by the blooming plum tree and noticed a couple of butterflies. It didn't take long for the kitties to become interested in me photographing the plum tree. Spunk, Marble and Loki gathered around, and it took only a moment for both Spunk and Marble to see the butterflies and start climbing the tree trying to get them. Loki was not interested in silly butterflies. At first the butterflies flew off, but since the plum is the only tree in bloom they were soon back, ignoring the cats. I think even their little insect brains figured out that the kitties couldn't get to them, and the stupid paparazzo was obviously no threat. So I snapped away, Spunk and Marble climbed around in the branches trying to get to the butterflies, while the butterflies flew from one blossom to the next as if the three of us didn't exist.

 

"Hmmm! How can I get to those two?"

 

 

"Oh! Oh! Oh! They are sooo close."

 

The butterflies stayed out on the ends of the branches with the cats prowling in the tree, which made it easier for me to photograph them. There were also a few bees working the blossoms, as well.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bees butterflies cats light lighting marble photography spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/chasing-butterflies Thu, 15 Mar 2018 00:48:57 GMT
Macro Mugs https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/macro-mugs

Marble

 

Sasha

 

Loki

 

Silver

 

Spunk

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting loki marble photography sasha silver spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/macro-mugs Wed, 14 Mar 2018 01:22:49 GMT
Burned Out https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/burned-out

 

One of Lowe's trucks had an electrical fire and got burned out.

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art burned light lighting lowes photography truck https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/burned-out Tue, 13 Mar 2018 02:45:07 GMT
Macro Madness https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/macro-madness

 

Early blooming tulips are coming up and our five-on-one plum tree bloomed yesterday. We had sunshine and 72º F (22.2º C) yesterday, but today we've had cloud cover all day, temperatures barely reaching 45º F (7.2º C), and a cold drizzling rain that started in the afternoon that has persisted into the evening hours. So far we have received only 6/100 of an inch of precipitation from the hours long drizzle.


 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art blossoms flowers light lighting macro photography plum rain tulips https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/macro-madness Mon, 12 Mar 2018 00:15:40 GMT
Hammocking Fun 101 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/hammocking-fun-101

 

Silver demonstrating how to have fun while hammocking.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats hammock hammocking light lighting photography silver https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/hammocking-fun-101 Sun, 11 Mar 2018 00:47:47 GMT
Marble https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/marble

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting marble photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/marble Sat, 10 Mar 2018 03:30:12 GMT
Rays https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/rays

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) albuquerque art clouds downtown light lighting photography rays https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/rays Fri, 09 Mar 2018 00:51:47 GMT
Macro Dry https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/macro-dry

Working in the yard inspired me to get out my macro lens and photograph some of the dry "winter interest" before cutting it down in preparation for irrigating when the ditches come on line later this month. We have had particularly dry air in New Mexico this week with humidity in the single digits down to 6%.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 6% humidity art dry light lighting macro photography plants seeds https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/macro-dry Thu, 08 Mar 2018 01:26:36 GMT
Sasha https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/sasha

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting photography sasha https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/sasha Wed, 07 Mar 2018 01:49:02 GMT
Crow-Magnon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/crow-magnon

crow wave picture

 

From the Off Center & Not Even Ministry of Made-up & Silly Physics, a crow-magnon is a quasi-crow-particle of collective crow excitation forming the crow's electron spin into a crystal crow lattice. Often found in a disturbed state, the equivalent crow wave picture gives us a quantum crow mechanics from which a crow-magnon can be viewed as a quantized crow spin wave. Crow-magnons carry varied amounts of crow energy that result in crow lattice momentum, which often turn into spin-1 crow, indicating they obey no rules and usually result in silly crow behavior.

 

collective crow excitation

 

crystal crow lattice

 

quantum crow mechanics

 

spin-1 crow

 

quasi-crow-particle

 

quantized crow spin wave

 

crow lattice momentum

 

crow's electron spin

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art crows light lighting photography silly physics https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/crow-magnon Tue, 06 Mar 2018 02:03:30 GMT
First Flower https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/first-flower

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art crocus flowers light lighting macro photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/first-flower Mon, 05 Mar 2018 02:00:22 GMT
Gata Bonita https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/gata-bonita

 

Another activity at the car show was face painting. The newly transformed kitty's father asked me to photograph her. So I snapped a few photos as I was walking by and handed him my business card. I was impressed with the quality of the face painting.


Gata bonita

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art car show cats face painting light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/gata-bonita Sun, 04 Mar 2018 02:04:28 GMT
Four https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/four

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art darth vader kids light lighting photography star war stormtrouper https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/four Sat, 03 Mar 2018 03:05:35 GMT
Didn't Get The Memo https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/didnt-get-the-memo

A lot of changes seem to happen close together. After the Park-It Place decided to raise monthly parking fees by 44% for Lot 16 where I parked for several years now, the City's parking garage at 2nd and Gold is the same monthly rate that I was paying for Lot 16. However, the City's parking garage at 2nd and Gold is the same parking garage that I was banned for life (BFL) back in  January 2016, and the Mayor never gave me the pardon I requested. Apparently, the parking department didn't get the BFL memo on me, because I went to the parking permit department and they sold me a parking permit. I'm now a BFL in possession of a parking permit.


Silver had a run-in with Pepé Le Pew, so now he sleeps alone on the countertop of stinkin' dreams.

 

Speaking of foul, the spark plugs I changed in February 2016 with the help of Rosencrantz needed to be changed. Without Rosencrantz to help out, I had the dealer change the plugs.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art banned for life bfl cats light lighting parking parking garage pepé le pew photography rosencrantz silver https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/3/didnt-get-the-memo Fri, 02 Mar 2018 03:26:25 GMT
Remembering Rozencrantz https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/remembering-rozencrantz

 

We buried Rosencrantz next to Guildenstern under the light of the moon last night. I bought Rosencrantz and Guildenstern on a 2 for 1 special at a pet store in Rio Rancho in 2000, before selling cats at pet stores was outlawed. We had gotten Diné in September of 1999, so the three of them were our Y2K kitties. Guildenstern died in August of 2016, and Diné died in April last year, so it is surprising that Rosencrantz out lived both Guildenstern and Diné, given his kidney problems since 2014 after he got in a fight with a dog, and ended up with a very bad infection. We had been giving him subcutaneous fluids daily since 2015. Rosencrantz was the last of our Y2K kitties and we really miss him, Guildenstern and Diné, along with the others we have lost over the past few years.

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Rosencrantz 2003. I got my first digital camera in 2003.

 

GQ Pose

 

 

 

Mad dogs

 

He loved rolling in catnip

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting photography rosencrantz https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/remembering-rozencrantz Thu, 01 Mar 2018 04:13:05 GMT
Dish Network https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/dish-network

Lola

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats dishes iphone light lighting lola photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/dish-network Tue, 27 Feb 2018 01:44:19 GMT
Cat O' Blinds Tale https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/cat-o-blinds-tale

While I was waiting for my new, used Macbook Pro to come in, I cleaned up a lot of dead foliage out of the wisteria and trumpet vines growing on the sides of the house. There was a large tangle of vines that mostly covered the east facing bedroom window. After years of use and cats crashing through them, the mini-blinds we had on that window were unusable, so I had removed them quite some time ago. With the covering of vines gone, the sunrise shines directly on our pillows this time of year. After waking up to a blinding sun Saturday morning, I went directly to Lowe's, bought a set of vertical blinds and installed them on the window. I figured vertical blinds would be much more cat friendly than mini-blinds, and Najar demonstrated just how kitty friendly the new blinds are.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art blinds cats light lighting najar photography vertical blinds https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/cat-o-blinds-tale Mon, 26 Feb 2018 02:13:54 GMT
No Photos https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/no-photos My MacBook Pro has gone south. I cannot pinpoint the issue, but something is keeping it from booting. Apple can't do much because it's 6 years old, outside their window of support. Since it exhibits the same behavior from four different hard drives with four different versions of Mac OS X, and while trying to boot in recovery mode over the Internet, I, with agreement of an Apple tech I got some phone support from, determined the problem is not associated with hard drives or the operating system. Until I can get a suitable replacement computer photos are on hold.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) computers macbook pro macintosh no photos problems https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/no-photos Mon, 12 Feb 2018 01:43:25 GMT
KIMO Moon Green Red Go 11 Stop 11 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/kimo-moon-green-red-go-11-stop-11

KIMO Moon Green

 

KIMO Moon Red

 

Go

 

11

 

11 Stop 11

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 11 albuquerque art crosswalk downtown kimo light lighting moon photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/kimo-moon-green-red-go-11-stop-11 Sun, 11 Feb 2018 02:41:06 GMT
Blue Shed https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/blue-shed

Blue shed her skin, so now she is shiny, iridescent and beautiful.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art blue boa constrictor light lighting photography shed skin snake https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/blue-shed Sat, 10 Feb 2018 03:05:41 GMT
Another One Bites The Dusk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/another-one-bites-the-dusk

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art dusk light lighting photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/another-one-bites-the-dusk Fri, 09 Feb 2018 03:25:46 GMT
Knee Deep https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/knee-deep

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art horse light lighting photography rider rio grande https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/knee-deep Thu, 08 Feb 2018 01:11:32 GMT
You've Got Gull https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/youve-got-gull

Eagle-like

 

"No! It's NOT flamingo! It's called 'Flamenco'!" 

 

 

Ostriching

 

¡Hasta la vista Baby!

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) antics art birds light lighting photography rio grande river seagulls https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/youve-got-gull Wed, 07 Feb 2018 01:16:40 GMT
Mya's Love https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/myas-love

Vintage Indian Motorbike

 

Vintage and custom bicycles at the car show.

 

Mya's "Love" lowrider bike

 

Raggedy Ann with maybe Andy crossdressing

 

Love bike

 

This is a true lowrider bike complete with a hydraulic system 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bicycles custom bicycles indian motorbike light lighting lowrider lowrider bicycles motorbike photography raggedy ann vintage motorbike https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/myas-love Tue, 06 Feb 2018 01:35:49 GMT
Crow Show https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/crow-show

 

Crows had gathered in the trees above the path to the beach. They perched, flew, landed, cawed, laughed at us, and carried on with aerial antics as we walked trough the brush out onto the beach. From the beach they swarmed the shores and the trees, often skimming the water before taking off and flying south over the bosque along El Camino Cuervo. While there were scads of crows along the Rio Grande, there were only a few cranes to be seen and heard before sunset.

 

Gathering

Gathering

After the sun faded away, and the Sandias turned gray, we walked north about a mile. As we were walking back in almost total darkness, the river suddenly came alive with the squawking of geese and chatter of cranes that sounded like thousands of them talking all at once. The squawks and clucks came closer at times as pairs and small flocks of cranes and geese flew over us. We could barely make out their silhouettes under the stars, but we could see they were flying north. I made a short video of the chatter in the darkness, added a poem with some footage I took of the cranes and geese flying south over the Rio Grande in December.

 

Crows on the water, on the bank, in the trees and in the air.

 

Nice form dude!

 

 

 

Hey ya'll watch this!

 

Stealth bomber

 

El Camino Cuervo

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque cranes crows geese light lighting photography rio grande sandias sunset trees video https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/crow-show Mon, 05 Feb 2018 00:14:12 GMT
WAR 600 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/war-600

 

I have never seen Breaking Bad, but this 1962 Chevrolet Impala is an impressive tribute to the show.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art breaking bad car show cars chevrolet impala light lighting photography supernationals https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/war-600 Sun, 04 Feb 2018 03:51:08 GMT
Giving a Hoot https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/giving-a-hoot

A pair of Great Horned Owls are on a branch way back in the center of the photo. It was quite a bit darker than the photo. I brought up the exposure by several stops.

 

Ozzy and Olivia Owl were having quite a conversation last night when we were out walking in the bosque after sunset. They are really cute when they hoot because they lean forward and stick their tails in the air. While I was out the bosque tonight, a heard an owl hooting, but couldn't see it. I called out asking where the owl was, and Olivia flew up on a branch where I could see her posed for a few minutes and then flew off to another appointment.

 

Ozzy on the left and Olivia on the right.

 

Both are hooting. Ozzy really has his tail up.

 

Watching the last of the light fade on the Sandias.

 

Olivia, telling Ozzy a thing or two.

 

Olivia doing her impression of an owl.

 

Giving a last hoot before flying to another spot.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque great horned owls light lighting night owls photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/giving-a-hoot Sat, 03 Feb 2018 03:26:41 GMT
Dawn Comet Dusk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/dawn-comet-dusk

Fiery dawn

 

Icy comet

 

Painterly dusk

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds comet dawn dusk light lighting photography sunrise sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/2/dawn-comet-dusk Fri, 02 Feb 2018 03:44:59 GMT
A Bloody Touch of Blue https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/a-bloody-touch-of-blue Super Blue Blood Moon January 31, 2018Super Blue Blood Moon January 31, 2018

I shot the first moon at the top of the photo at 3:58 am, and I shot the last moon disappearing behind the tree at 6:47 am. By 6:48 am, the moon had slipped behind the clouds on the horizon and was no longer visible. The moonshots between the first and last moonshots were taken approximately 16 minutes apart. As the dawn started to creep in, the red-orange color of the blood moon changed to a purplish pink color before it got swallowed up by the cold blue sky and clouds on the horizon. The temperature was 18º F for this early morning photo shoot of the super blue blood moon.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art blood blue moon eclipse light lighting moon moon" photography super blue blood moon super moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/a-bloody-touch-of-blue Thu, 01 Feb 2018 01:50:40 GMT
Whaazz Up? https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/whaazz-up

Sasha taking control of my computer with Najar at the right and Lola on screen.

You can see a cute gif involving this scene at https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2018/01/30/whaazz-up/

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting lola najar photography sasha https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/whaazz-up Wed, 31 Jan 2018 01:59:42 GMT
Dueling Hammocks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/dueling-hammocks

Spunk is the first one to check out the new hammock

 

The kitties got tired of fighting over the single hammock and begged me to put up another hammock. I finally gave in, shortened the longer shelf and added a second hammock. The kitties are much happier now.

 

Spunk testing the shortened shelf

 

Loki approves

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats hammocks light lighting loki marble photography spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/dueling-hammocks Tue, 30 Jan 2018 01:25:11 GMT
Perspective on the Sandias https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/perspective-on-the-sandias

 

Sandias from North Beach at the north end of Corrales.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art blue sky clouds light lighting photography rio grande sandias https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/perspective-on-the-sandias Mon, 29 Jan 2018 01:53:39 GMT
Tim Dandy to the Rescue https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/tim-dandy-to-the-rescue

 

Sasha has been putting on a feline damsel in distress act by getting stuck on the roof of the house, and acting sad and helpless until I climb up on a ladder and rescue her. Today, she escalated her act by getting stuck in a tree in the no cat's land where an irrigation ditch runs between our property and our neighbor to the south. I had to get out my 15 foot long extension ladder, climb over the fence with it, and I duly discovered it was not long enough to reach Sasha. I got the loppers and cut a few branches, which allowed me to get the ladder a little closer where I could step in the fork in the tree, reach up and work her around the branch and rescue her.

The incident reminded me of Black Oak Arkansas' song from the mid 1970's "Jim Dandy". I got the first verse of a parody written:

Sasha was stuck up in a tree top
Twenty feet or so to the drop
Got a ladder climbed to the fork
Pulled her down in due course
Tim dandy to the rescue
Go Tim Dandy Go!

But when I looked up the song to remind me of how many verses it has, I found a video of BOA performing Jim Dandy on "The Midnight Special" in 1975, and realized they were like a parody unto themselves. I remember when Jim Dandy was played on the radio in the mid 1970's, but I don't know how many people would know the song today. Having to rescue Sasha from a tree was as silly as BOA's song.

 



 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art black oak arkansas cats jim dandy ladder light lighting photography rescue sasha https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/tim-dandy-to-the-rescue Sun, 28 Jan 2018 03:10:40 GMT
Doing Time https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/doing-time

Poor Lola had to go to the vet today, which meant doing time in the kitty slammer (carrier) for the eternal ride to the vet and back. I noticed she was getting crankier than I am, so I figured a trip to the vet was in order. She has a slight infection, so now I have to risk my life twice daily to give her antibiotics.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art carrier cats light lighting lola photography vet https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/doing-time Sat, 27 Jan 2018 02:13:51 GMT
Seagulls In Our Midst https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/seagulls-in-our-midst

On my way home from doing research on land grants in Sandoval County, I stopped by north beach where Corrales and Rio Rancho meet at the river. The was a flock of seagulls hanging out in the river, and they were very clown-like as they dived for fish in the shallow waters of the Rio Grande.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds light lighting photography rio grande seagulls https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/seagulls-in-our-midst Fri, 26 Jan 2018 01:13:47 GMT
Dragoning https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/dragoning

Najar "Dragoning" on Laurie's shoulders.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats dragoning laurie light lighting najar photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/dragoning Thu, 25 Jan 2018 02:05:14 GMT
View from the Top https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/view-from-the-top

Looking to the northwest

 

Views from the rooftop of the Old First  National Bank Building at 3rd Street and Central (Old Route 66) in downtown Albuquerque, New Meico.

Looking to the northeast

 

Looking to the south

 

Looking at the letter Box

 

Looking to the East

 

Looking to the west

 

Looking to the southwest

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) albuquerque art downtown light lighting old first national bank building photography rooftop route 66 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/view-from-the-top Wed, 24 Jan 2018 03:12:34 GMT
Red Tailed Hawk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/red-tailed-hawk

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds hawk light lighting photography red tailed hawk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/red-tailed-hawk Tue, 23 Jan 2018 00:30:28 GMT
Stormy Sunday https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/stormy-sunday

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting photography rio grande sandias storm https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/stormy-sunday Mon, 22 Jan 2018 02:19:33 GMT
Dawning https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/dawning

1/19/18, 6:46:51 AM

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds dawn light lighting photography red https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/dawning Sun, 21 Jan 2018 00:48:34 GMT
Loki Sees The Light https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/loki-sees-the-light

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting loki photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/loki-sees-the-light Sat, 20 Jan 2018 02:00:39 GMT
Tanglewood Owl https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/tanglewood-owl

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting owl photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/tanglewood-owl Fri, 19 Jan 2018 00:42:28 GMT
Trashy Crow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/trashy-crow

 

This crow was pulling trash out of the trash bin around the corner from Pets Mart and throwing it all over the sidewalk. I only had my carry camera with a 40mm lens on me, so when I tried to get close to the crow, he flew up on the building and cussed at me until I backed away from the trash bin. Hence he would fly back down and resume pulling trash out of the bin. I tried a few more times to sneak up on him while he was preoccupied, but each time he noticed I was closer and flew back up on the parapet and rained his crow curses down upon me. I finally had to settle for wide shots from a long way off. I zoomed in 200% in camera raw to show the trashy crow at work. 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art crow light lighting photography sidwalk trash https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/trashy-crow Thu, 18 Jan 2018 01:54:49 GMT
Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/tie-me-up-tie-me-down

Rosencrantz and Spunk

 

 

If you are familiar with Pedro Almodóvar's movie of the same name, you will know there is no similarity between our cats in ties and the movie. But it's a great title for both the movie and our curious kitties helping us sort through ties. We can't get out any clothing , especially ties, without Spunk and the other cats getting in the middle of the action, trying things on, and eating them if we are not watchful.


Sasha

 

Spunk

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting photography rosencrantz sasha spunk tie me up tie me down ties https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/tie-me-up-tie-me-down Wed, 17 Jan 2018 01:14:22 GMT
Dawn @ 17, Dusk @ 40 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/dawn-17-dusk-40

Dawn @ 17º F x 17mm

 

Dawn @ 17º F x 33mm

 

Dusk @ 40º F x 40mm

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 17mm 17º 40mm 40º art daw dusk light lighting photography sunrise sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/dawn-17-dusk-40 Tue, 16 Jan 2018 02:06:09 GMT
Cute Coot https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/cute-coot

American Coot on the Rio Grande

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art coot duck light lighting photography rio grande https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/cute-coot Mon, 15 Jan 2018 04:20:22 GMT
Golden Showers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/golden-showers

Spunk was here!

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting photography pumpkin spunk squash https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/golden-showers Sun, 14 Jan 2018 02:48:20 GMT
Synchronized Sleeping https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/synchronized-sleeping

Silver and Lola getting in a little synchronized sleeping

 

Drone view

 

Lola's awakened by the presents of a pesky paparazzo

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting lola nap photography silver sleeping synchronized sleeping https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/synchronized-sleeping Sat, 13 Jan 2018 01:22:07 GMT
Broken Water https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/broken-water

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art broken water light lighting photography water https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/broken-water Fri, 12 Jan 2018 00:32:11 GMT
On the 97th Day... https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/on-the-97th-day

A puddle from rain after 96 consecutive days without precipitation.

 

Buzzed by a crane

 

The landing

 

Snow on the Sandias

 

Cranes standing around in the swallows of the Rio Grande

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cranes light lighting photography rain sandias https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/on-the-97th-day Thu, 11 Jan 2018 03:03:27 GMT
Corn https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/corn

Popcorn of phone at 20:55.

 

One my way home last night I was flipping between radio stations to avoid commercials, when I came across a local talk show discussing iPhone addiction among teenagers in response to some of Apple's shareholders suggesting Apple take on the role of the parents and do something about iPhone addition among young people.  A woman who had called into the show was saying that her 16 year old daughter was using her iPhone so much that her daughter would "lose consciousness". She mentioned in passing that "Everyone knows if you leave a kernel of popcorn on an iPhone it will pop from the radiation!" I'm thinking this woman is a troll who is so full of corn there is no room left for the BS. I could imagine the talk show host rolling his eyes while the woman went on about all the harm iPhones do to people. It seems only iPhones are bad in her mind, as there was no mention of smart phones in general. When the talk show host asked her if her daughter still has her iPhone. The woman said she did — maybe the woman hates her daughter and is trying to kill her off with an iPhone.

We got home a little before 9:00 pm last night, and the first thing I did was grab a kernel of popcorn and stick on my iPhone. I picked up the phone at 05:30 this morning to turn off the alarm and the popcorn rolled off, unpopped. I put the kernel back on the phone and went about my morning chores. When I went in to get my phone at 06:47, the kernel still hadn't popped, and after photographing my iPhone with the yet to pop kernel of popcorn, I got distracted and walked back to the kitchen, leaving the phone on the nightstand with the kernel of popcorn on it. I fully intended to go back and get my phone, but I got distracted again, and left for work without it. I discovered I had left my iPhone at home, with the popcorn on it, when I got to the office.

I got home at 4:35 pm, and the first thing I did was go to the bedroom to check on the popcorn kernel. It could have been the radiation or it could be the Spectre exploit, but not only had the kernel finally popped, a mutated cornstalk had grown out of the popped kernel of corn. It was a hideous sight, and goes to show how our evil iPhones are turning us into mutant GMO beings controlled by the likes of the Spectre super bug.

 

The kernel of popcorn unpopped at 06:47 after sitting on my iPhone for nearly 10 hours

 

Surprise! Popped corn wth mutant cornstalk that had grown out of it.

 

Popped corn after sitting 19.5 hours on my iPhone.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art corn cornstalk gmo iphone light lighting mutant cornstalk photography popcorn radiation spectre bug https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/corn Wed, 10 Jan 2018 01:52:49 GMT
Drought Stricken Triathlon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/drought-stricken-triathlon

 

With no precipitation for over 90 consecutive days in the middle Rio Grande Valley, "Run, Bike, Swim" turned into "Run with a bike in a dry swimming pool!"

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bike dry swimming pool light lighting photography run triathlon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/drought-stricken-triathlon Tue, 09 Jan 2018 00:51:49 GMT
Way To Fe https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/way-to-fe

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography rail runner seats shoes train https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/way-to-fe Mon, 08 Jan 2018 01:47:59 GMT
Kinda Like a Photo https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/kinda-like-a-photo

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bird crow light lighting moon photography super moon trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/kinda-like-a-photo Sat, 06 Jan 2018 23:14:06 GMT
Jugging, Cuteness, Kitty Control Energy Dissipator https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/jugging-cuteness-kitty-control-energy-dissipator

Sasha jugging

 

Spunk putting on the cute

 

Trying out the kitty Control Energy Dissipator

 

Laurie got this photo of two cats and a paparazzo

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting marble photography sasha silver spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/jugging-cuteness-kitty-control-energy-dissipator Sat, 06 Jan 2018 03:18:17 GMT
Morning Glow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/morning-glow

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art dawn light lighting morning photography sunrise https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/morning-glow Fri, 05 Jan 2018 01:33:25 GMT
You're Bothering Me Boy! https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/youre-bothering-me-boy

Silver hammocking

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) anasazi beans art cats hammock hammocking light lighting photography silver https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/youre-bothering-me-boy Thu, 04 Jan 2018 01:21:19 GMT
Super Moonset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/super-moonset

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting moon moonset photography super moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/super-moonset Wed, 03 Jan 2018 01:09:07 GMT
Seagull & Crow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/seagull-crow

 

A seagull was flying around the parking lot at the grocery store. It finally landed on a light pole. A crow soon joined it and gave it an ear full. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds crow light light pole lighting parking lot photography seagull https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2018/1/seagull-crow Tue, 02 Jan 2018 01:57:53 GMT
Adiós 2017 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/adi-s-2017

The last pink of 2017

 

The last sunset of 2017

 

The last photo of a beaver swimming of 2017

 

The last glow of 2017

 

One day short of a Blue Moon — only 98.8% full

 

The last moon over trees shot of 2017

 

The last moon shadow shot of 2017

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beaver cottonwoods glow light lighting moon photography rio grande sandias shadow sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/adi-s-2017 Mon, 01 Jan 2018 03:39:02 GMT
The Year in Review — I Kissed a Calf (I didn’t like it) https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/the-year-in-review-i-kissed-a-calf-i-didn-t-like-it

 

There were some good times and high points in an otherwise difficult year. Envy and intolerance bring out evil in what you thought were otherwise good people. While the trend seems to be reviewing photos and quotes blogged over the year, I don’t see any reason to rehash old posts. But since it seems to be a good idea to have something that summarizes the year, enter the Average White Boys (AWB), and the Cute Cuddly Calf Band (CCCB). With a little prodding, they gave me inspiration and helped me put together a parody video that is a good allegory for 2017 in review. Its off key innuendos, delivered in perfect compás, are light hearted, humorous metaphors for anyone who got a lot of undeserving BS in 2017.

 

I kissed a Calf

 

I Kissed a Calf
Music by Katy Perry
Lyrics by Timothy Price
Vocals by the AWB
Calves by the CCCB

 

I was simply walking by your fence, I heard you tooting
I looked, you caught my eye you know, you’re so good looking
It’s not what we are use to, but we had to give it a try
It was interspecies curiosity that caught our attention.

 

I kissed a calf I didn’t like it
The sloppy taste of hairy bovine
I kissed a calf just to try it
Ugh a big wet tongue was behind it
It’s just so wrong
There’s nothing right
This bovine romance has to end tonight
I kissed a calf I didn’t like it (I didn’t like it).

 

So now I feel you’re not the same, what does it matter?
You are just a four legged game, just messing with nature
It’s not what guys and cows do, not how we should behave
Was I confused or what, you know you taste like hay.

 

I kissed a calf I didn’t like it
The sloppy taste of hairy bovine
I kissed a calf just to try it
Ugh a big wet tongue was behind it
It’s just so wrong
There’s nothing right
This bovine romance has to end tonight
I kissed a calf I didn’t like it (I didn’t like it).

 

You calves seemed kind of magical
Hairy skin, rough lips, not kissable
Big tongue is not so touchable
If you ask me I’ll deny it
Is it a big deal or innocent?

 

I kissed a calf I didn’t like it
The sloppy taste of hairy bovine
I kissed a calf just to try it
Ugh a big wet tongue was behind it
It’s just so wrong
There’s nothing right
This bovine romance has to end tonight
I kissed a calf I didn’t like (I didn’t like it).

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) allegory art bovine calves innuendo kisses light lighting metaphors photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/the-year-in-review-i-kissed-a-calf-i-didn-t-like-it Sun, 31 Dec 2017 02:23:02 GMT
Sliding https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/sliding

 

With all of Laurie's family in town, Liz and Leah pulled out slides, a projector and a slide sorter, and we all gathered and partook in the retro-family-activity of sliding. We got through several boxes of slides from the 50's, 60's and 70's with much nostalgia for Laurie, her sisters and parents, and much amusement, with spots of hilarity, for husbands and the boys. All of us had great fun looking back at times gone by.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography projector retro activity slides sorter https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/sliding Sat, 30 Dec 2017 01:21:57 GMT
Jay in the Jetties https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/jay-in-the-jetties

Western Blue Jay in among the Jetties

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art jetties light lighting photography rio grande western blue jay https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/jay-in-the-jetties Fri, 29 Dec 2017 00:35:16 GMT
The Thinker https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/the-thinker

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cranes light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/the-thinker Thu, 28 Dec 2017 01:50:23 GMT
The Day After... https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/the-day-after

Rosencrantz: "Is that it?"

 

Loki: "Do you see anymore stuff in there?" Spunk: "It's awfully dark in here!"

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting loki photography rosencrantz spunk wrapping paper https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/the-day-after Wed, 27 Dec 2017 01:50:40 GMT
Christmas on the Rio https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/christmas-on-the-rio

 

Late afternoon Christmas day 2017 on the Rio Grande at the south end of Corrales, NM, USA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Had a half moon to light our way back home

 

The Fab in the dark — A view of Intel on the hill in Rio Rancho from where the drainage channel meets the clear ditch at the south end of Corrales.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art intel light lighting moon photography rio grande sandias south corrales https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/christmas-on-the-rio Tue, 26 Dec 2017 06:00:58 GMT
We Wish You A Kitty Christmas https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/we-wish-you-a-kitty-christmas

Spunk

 

All the kitties, Laurie and I wish everyone a kitty Christmas.

 

Najar

 

Sasha

 

Rosencrantz

 

Caught Santa on a flyby when I was photographing the quarter moon tonight.

 

Marble

 

Loki

 

Silver

 

Lola

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting loki lola marble moon najar photography rosencrantz santa sasha silver spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/we-wish-you-a-kitty-christmas Mon, 25 Dec 2017 04:30:25 GMT
Prey in the Mist https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/prey-in-the-mist

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art heron light lighting mist photography prey pterodactyl volcano https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/prey-in-the-mist Sun, 24 Dec 2017 05:54:43 GMT
Sunlight Kisses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/sunlight-kisses

 


Sunlight kisses mountains goodnight
Day is done
Clear sky cold
Dressed in blue
Tries on pink under gray
Night likes dark
Goes for same old black

Branches curled 
Clear cold night
Circles sliver moon
Cranes settle
Breezes whip darkened skies
Only eagle dares to fly

Into path’s darkened way
Clawing fingers 
Reach through briars
Tearing clothes
Scratching skin
Screeching voices fall
We loose their clinging holds

Reflections dive deep
Swift water’s still
Winter’s magic ethereal light
Walks on water’s solid ground
Under thin light’s gleaming eye 
Watchful sliver moon
Soft shadows lead us home

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bald eagle cold cranes kisses light lighting moon photography rio grande shadows sliver moon sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/sunlight-kisses Sat, 23 Dec 2017 03:43:18 GMT
Take Off https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/take-off

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cranes duck light lighting photography rio grande bosque cottonwoods sandhill crane https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/take-off Fri, 22 Dec 2017 03:19:01 GMT
Stranded https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/stranded

Spunk: "Listen carefully PAPARAZZO. Put down that stupid camera and get me off this stupid roof!"

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting photography roof spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/stranded Thu, 21 Dec 2017 04:56:47 GMT
Pterodactyl & Sliver Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/pterodactyl-sliver-moon

 

Hunting pterodactyl under sliver moon
Leafless branches claw at cloudless sky
Dusk turns dark shivering cold
Primordial shriek breaks frozen gloom
Silhouetted against twilight’s glow
Aim, shoot shutter fires clicks
Pterodactyl shot with sliver moon

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art dusk great blue heron heron light lighting photography pterodactyl sliver moon sunset trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/pterodactyl-sliver-moon Wed, 20 Dec 2017 03:47:01 GMT
Full House https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/full-house

The lights on in the empty baseball stadium south of the pit had a nice shine to them.

 

Tristan graduated with a Bachelor's of Liberal Arts in Linguistics and Philosophy. She took part in the graduation ceremony, so off we went to the Pit. The University of New Mexico's Fall 2017 Commencement Ceremony was a popular affair. All the seats they had available for the audience were filled. Graduation ceremonies are the last bit of torture the university puts students and their families through, along with any friends dear enough to attend, before the university turns the graduates loose on the world.

The 2017 ceremony was no exception. The keynote speaker loved to hear herself talk and she said "I", "Me", "Mine" at least 3 million times, but I lost count after the bored crowd got louder than her. Soon after she started her speech, people in the audience started talking among themselves, playing their mobile devices, getting up to get popcorn and burritos — basically doing whatever they could to entertain themselves while ignoring the speaker. I was entertained listening to and observing the audience's actions and reactions to the keynote speaker. After about 30 minutes of "I, me, mine", she seemed to make a final point. The crowd cheered at the prospect of her keynote finally being over. She paused for a moment, then, encouraged by the applause, started her chin wagging again and went on for another 15 minutes. Her talk was excruciating and she said nothing that seemed to be of much interest to anyone but herself. 

They went through some more formalities, recognized various faculty, gave out faculty awards, and finally started recognizing the graduates, which was quite entertaining after the keynote speaker and other formalities. There were lots of students receiving PhDs. About the same number of students received Master's degrees as those who received PhDs. Of all the undergrad degrees, students receiving Bachelor's degrees in Arts and Sciences were the vast majority taking part in the ceremony. I think Bachelor's in Nursing was the smallest number represented when only two students stood up to be recognized. The next largest block of graduates received Bachelor's of Business Administration. The rest of the colleges had handfuls of students taking part in the ceremony.

 

The Pit full of graduates, families and friends.

 

Tristan shaking the President's hand after receiving a diploma.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art commencement graduation keynote light lighting photography speakers unm https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/full-house Tue, 19 Dec 2017 01:50:29 GMT
Fencing https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/fencing

Not to be foiled by walking narrow planks, Loki was determined to show off his fencing skills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About face.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats fence fencing foil light lighting loki photography wood fence https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/fencing Mon, 18 Dec 2017 02:24:05 GMT
Two Santas, Dos Equis https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/two-santas-dos-equis

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light. lighting lindy's cafe photography santa wade xx https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/two-santas-dos-equis Sun, 17 Dec 2017 00:43:09 GMT
A New Trail https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/a-new-trail

A new trail! Where does it lead?

 

The Rio Grande, of course. View looking to the northeast.

 

View looking south.

 

Heading back.

 

The trail is not as well travelled continuing South.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque light lighting photography rio grande sandias trails https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/a-new-trail Fri, 15 Dec 2017 23:31:59 GMT
Pile of Cats https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/pile-of-cats

Silver, Marble, Lola and Sasha

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting lola marble photography sasha silver https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/pile-of-cats Fri, 15 Dec 2017 05:01:19 GMT
Winged Encounter https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/winged-encounter

I was standing in a clearing in the bosque photographing a Red-tailed Hawk circling over head, when a flock of cranes flew under the hawk. The Hawk circled fairly close to the cranes and then flew south. Surprisingly, a group of cranes made an about face and started following the hawk. The hawk gained altitude and disappeared behind the cottonwoods with the peloton of cranes not far behind. I could not see what eventually happened with the chase — the bosque canopy blocked my view to the south — but I presume the hawk and cranes eventually went their separate ways without any physical altercation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds cottonwoods cranes hawk light lighting photography red-tailed hawk sandhill cranes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/winged-encounter Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:55:57 GMT
Frosted Prints https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/frosted-prints

As temperatures drop into the single digits on the Fahrenheit scale, kitty prints are frosted. Although, it has been so dry that the frost is lightly scattered crystals in most surfaces. 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cold freezing frost light lighting paw prints photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/frosted-prints Wed, 13 Dec 2017 02:00:49 GMT
Washboard Sky https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/washboard-sky

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting photography sky sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/washboard-sky Tue, 12 Dec 2017 01:29:20 GMT
Incoming https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/incoming

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art crow light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/incoming Mon, 11 Dec 2017 00:28:20 GMT
Caballera Andante https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/caballera-andante

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) andante art caballera horse light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/caballera-andante Sun, 10 Dec 2017 02:12:35 GMT
Conversation with Santa https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/conversation-with-santa

Santa: "Hmmm! I'll have to think about that."   Bruce: "I'm having my doubts."

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bruce light lighting lindy's diner photography santa https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/conversation-with-santa Sat, 09 Dec 2017 00:27:54 GMT
Light Writing on the Wall https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/light-writing-on-the-wall

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography reflections wall https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/light-writing-on-the-wall Fri, 08 Dec 2017 01:22:30 GMT
Red & Green, Package From Beijing https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/red-green-package-from-beijing

 

The body clips I ordered for Laurie's Mazdaspeed 3 from China, and the new "Chile Capital of the World" license plate I ordered for my Mazda RX-8 were delivered today. Laurie caught the rocker panel skirt on a parking bumper that was sticking out in the road and it broke most of the fastening clips that hold the skirt on. I tried to get clips in town, but parts stores don't carry most body parts for Mazda because Mazda is a low production car company compared to Toyota, Honda and American car producers. Mazda produces models in lots of tens of thousands a year as compared to the millions of models produced by most other car manufactures. I located the clips from Mazda and one or two specialty parts companies on-line, but they wanted $4 to $8 per clip, so a dozen clips would have cost me $48 to $96. I found a bag of 50 clips from a seller in China for a grand total of $1.86 with shipping. I ordered the clips on November 11th, so it took twenty six days by China Post to get to me. It's not Amazon Prime, but it was very reasonable. I have bought several items from China and Japan on eBay, and the quality, service and shipping have always been reasonable.

I got on-line last week to renew the registration on my Mazda RX-8, and the MVD website suggested I upgrade to a "Chile Capital of the World" license plate for only $6.50. The MVD must be taking lessons from Amazon. I love the red and green chile license plate design, so of course I had to go for it. By changing license plates, I get a month registration for the $6.50 and then I will renew for two years at the end of the month. Excellent deal.


]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art chile china china post license plate light. lighting mazda mazda rx-8 mazdaspeed3 photography red and green https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/red-green-package-from-beijing Thu, 07 Dec 2017 04:15:57 GMT
Ten plus One https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/ten-plus-one

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cottonwoods crows light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/ten-plus-one Wed, 06 Dec 2017 01:47:21 GMT
The Sound of Cranes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/the-sound-of-cranes
 

Behind ripples, branches grab 
Super moon in liquid clouds
Breaks the hold, trees and pother
Sets the night alight

Dawn light breaks which darkness holds 
branches grab at morning light
Crane calls break on silent breeze
Solo, one, then two, then more

Super moon falls to the west
Set to Face a rising sun
Dawn blushes in cloud laced gown
Dendrite reaches for the sky

 

 

 

 

 

 

CranesCranes flying, landing and calling out to each other

This video shows Sandhill Cranes standing in a field, more cranes flying in and circling around, with a few cranes landing. A small flock of Snow Geese give a cameo performance taking flight from the orchard in the middle of the video. You can hear the cranes' unique voices as they announce their arrival or voice their opinions about the goings on in the field and orchard.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cranes dawn light lighting moon photography sandhill cranes super moon video https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/the-sound-of-cranes Tue, 05 Dec 2017 03:46:27 GMT
Assorted Cats https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/assorted-cats

Sasha (bottom), Silver (middle), Lola (top) making like a packaged deal.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting lola photography sasha silver https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/assorted-cats Mon, 04 Dec 2017 01:30:45 GMT
Super Soft https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/super-soft

 

The almost super moon rose over the Sandias behind thin clouds that gave it a soft, fuzzy look. The last of the cranes standing in the field finally decided to fly over to the Rio Grande to roost. They gave us a rather silly showing at take off. The sound of low thunder drums filled the air as they beat their wings against the cold, lazy zephyr. The thunder drums turned to a swooshing rhythm as they squeaked by, flying low over the treetops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cranes light lighting moon photography rio grande sandhill cranes sandias soft super moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/super-soft Sun, 03 Dec 2017 02:45:04 GMT
Bird Line https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/bird-line

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds light lighting line photography pigeons pole power line https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/12/bird-line Sat, 02 Dec 2017 00:39:03 GMT
Apple & Cinnamon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/apple-cinnamon

 

Manzana Verde with a cinnamon sucker.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) apple art cinnamon light lighting manzana verde photography sucker https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/apple-cinnamon Fri, 01 Dec 2017 02:00:06 GMT
Enchanted House in the Hills https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/enchanted-house-in-the-hills

I photographed a property in Santa Fe, NM that the owner calls "The Enchanted House in the Hills!" It's a very beautiful, traditional, flat roofed adobe house with exposed beam ceilings. The house has two units that the owner rents for vacations and holidays on Air B&B and VRBO. It's on the road to the Santa Fe Ski Area, across form Ten Thousand Waves Spa. If you are looking for a nice place the spend some time at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains with access to the ski area, hiking, Santa Fe and the spa, you can book Enchanted House in the Hills on Air B&B at https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/17075886 or VRBO at https://www.vrbo.com/1004779.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you can't see the virtual tour on this screen Click Here to open the virtual tour in a new page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) adobe architecture art holiday house light lighting photography santa fe vacation https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/enchanted-house-in-the-hills Thu, 30 Nov 2017 03:30:11 GMT
All Studied Out https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/all-studied-out

Spunk is all worn out from his long hours of studying and mastering catography (yellow), catology (purple), catanomics (green), catosophy (orange), and catstrology (blue).

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art folders glasses light lighting photography spunk study https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/all-studied-out Wed, 29 Nov 2017 03:05:18 GMT
A Gathering of Angels https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/a-gathering-of-angels

 

Like a gathering of Angels
Circling high into the heavens
Making joyful noises
They call out to everyone
“We are on our way to paradise”
Please join us if you can

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds cranes heavens light lighting paradise photography sandhill cranes sky https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/a-gathering-of-angels Tue, 28 Nov 2017 02:32:19 GMT
Bovine in Black & Bull https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/bovine-in-black-bull

 

 

We went out at the same time and the calves where waiting for us. The black calves started acting up and big daddy Bull had to come over and say "Hi" as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art black calves bull calves cows light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/bovine-in-black-bull Mon, 27 Nov 2017 03:26:27 GMT
Jet Streams https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/jet-streams

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art jet streams jets light lighting moons photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/jet-streams Sun, 26 Nov 2017 01:14:17 GMT
Cuddly Calf https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/cuddly-calf

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art calf cows light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/cuddly-calf Sat, 25 Nov 2017 01:35:57 GMT
Thanksgiving Sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/thanksgiving-sunset

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography rio grande sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/thanksgiving-sunset Fri, 24 Nov 2017 06:48:22 GMT
Golden Hour Cranes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/golden-hour-cranes

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cranes golden hour light lighting photography sandhill cranes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/golden-hour-cranes Thu, 23 Nov 2017 01:37:34 GMT
Happy November Birthdays From Tesla https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/happy-november-birthdays-from-tesla

Putting it up or taking it down?

 

Tesla wishes everyone born in the month of November a Happy Birthday!

 

How'd that "HDAY" get on the wall?

 

 

Tesla Birthday

Tesla made an especially cat-like video that shows what really happened.

 

Waazzup?

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats happy birthday light lighting photography tesla video https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/happy-november-birthdays-from-tesla Wed, 22 Nov 2017 01:57:53 GMT
Dam https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/dam

 

Busy beavers' latest dam on the clearwater ditch under the bridge we us to access the bosque. We'll see how long it lasts before the Conservancy men take it out. If you didn't see the post with the music video by the Angry Beavers and the AWB, you might want to check it out at http://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/bite-em-on-the-old-shin-bone.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beaver dam beavers clear ditch light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/dam Tue, 21 Nov 2017 01:47:49 GMT
Fly By https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/fly-by

A Red Tailed Hawk flew over me while I was in the yard, made one circle over head and headed south.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds hawk light lighting photography red tailed hawk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/fly-by Mon, 20 Nov 2017 00:52:56 GMT
Poofed https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/poofed

Sasha stalking Spunk.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting photography sasha https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/poofed Sun, 19 Nov 2017 00:14:24 GMT
Glowing in Stereo https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/glowing-in-stereo

Two balloons doing a private glow on the soccer field in Corrales, NM.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art balloons corrales field glow hot air balloons light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/glowing-in-stereo Sat, 18 Nov 2017 04:00:54 GMT
Sandias in the Mist https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/sandias-in-the-mist

Fujifilm X-E1, 27mm ƒ/2.8 pancake lens 

 

I took a detour on my way to work this morning to get a few shots of the Sandias in the mist from a vacant lot at the north end of San Mateo, west of I-25. I included three photos, and added info on the cameras and lenses because the color is quite different between the two cameras. The Fujifilm X-E1, which has an APS-C sensor, gives a cooler color with the white balance set on AWB. The Canon 1Ds Mark II, with a full-frame sensor, gives a warmer color set on AWB. Note: AWB is "average white balance", not "average white boys", in the case of the cameras estimating the temperature of the light.

 

Panorama with a Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II, 70-200mm ƒ/4 lens @ 70mm

 

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II, 70-200mm ƒ/4 lens @ 92mm

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting mist photography sandias vacant lot https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/sandias-in-the-mist Fri, 17 Nov 2017 02:53:13 GMT
The Wonders of Beer https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/the-wonders-of-beer

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beer light lighting photography posters https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/the-wonders-of-beer Thu, 16 Nov 2017 03:06:12 GMT
Endorsed by the Birds https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/endorsed-by-the-birds

This sign is posted on the east side of the bridge we cross the get to the bosque.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art audubon birds bosque light lighting photography sunglasses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/endorsed-by-the-birds Wed, 15 Nov 2017 00:27:47 GMT
Into the Void https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/into-the-void

Pterodactyls circle overhead as horsemen ride into the void at dusk.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art dusk herons horses light lighting photography pterodactyls riders https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/into-the-void Tue, 14 Nov 2017 01:51:20 GMT
ONLY... https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/only

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) alameda art cars cnm light lighting photography street musician workforce https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/only Mon, 13 Nov 2017 01:38:54 GMT
Birds at Dusk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/birds-at-dusk

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds bosque clouds dusk light lighting photography rio grande sandias https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/birds-at-dusk Sun, 12 Nov 2017 02:46:22 GMT
Horseless Carriage https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/horseless-carriage

Carriage chained up on the porch of the house next door to where we stayed in Tucson.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art carriage horseless light lighting photography tucson https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/horseless-carriage Sat, 11 Nov 2017 02:23:34 GMT
Stairway To... https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/stairway-to

 

The science building on the AU campus has an arch at the front with what appears to be a history of science.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) architecture art au light lighting photography science stairway tucson https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/stairway-to Fri, 10 Nov 2017 05:15:21 GMT
Color Change https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/color-change

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque color landscape leaves light lighting photography rio grande sandias https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/color-change Thu, 09 Nov 2017 01:44:26 GMT
LOL Cats https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/lol-cats

Spunk: "Pull-eeze let me in so I can save you from those weirdos!"

 

Loki: "What 'weirdos' are you talking about?  Like chill out dude! Talk to the paw!"

 

Silver: "There's weirdos around here? Really? Who's sayin'?"

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting loki photography silver spunk weirdos https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/lol-cats Wed, 08 Nov 2017 03:20:28 GMT
Another One Bites the Dust https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/another-one-bites-the-dust

I received another thin envelope from a medical group in the mail this afternoon. This is the fifth letter I've received this year from a Pres group, Cancer Center, and my family doctor. I knew immediately what it was about, the introductions are always the same: "To my patients at..." followed by the medical group name or practice. Then they drop the bombshell in the next paragraph: "I am writing this letter to inform you that I am leaving my practice at..." again followed by the medical group name or practice. Every time I read "I'm writing this letter..." it reminds me of the introductions in my grandfather's letters from "Somewhere in France" in 1918 where he began each letter "Dear Mother, I am going to write you..." 

The letters from the doctors usually go on to tell you what other doctor might see you in place of the doctor who is leaving; however, in some cases they leave you hanging. It's like a nice way of saying, without saying anything, that you're SOL! — there seems to be a smirky "LOL!" between the lines, as well.

In the case of my family doctor, who retired earlier this year, after the standard introduction and the part about retiring, he suggested we go by his office an pick up your charts, and ended with a good luck finding another doctor. Good luck is right — physicians who are family practitioners don't seem to exist anymore.  

The letter from the primary care doc I had at the Canter Center last July basically said "¡Hasta la vista! Baby. I won't be back!"  With no verbiage about a replacement. I learned from my oncologist that the primary care doc moved to Montana. To my knowledge the Cancer Center still has not replaced him.

As another doc bites the dust in New Mexico, I'm feeling quite isolated from getting basic, primary care, and no one to turn to, outside of my oncologist, to ask for specialized care. 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats doctors land of enchantment light lighting new mexico photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/another-one-bites-the-dust Tue, 07 Nov 2017 03:13:19 GMT
Red Track Green Track https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/red-track-green-track

 

Tuscsn Street Car.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art crane light lighting moon night photography streetcar tracks tucson https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/red-track-green-track Mon, 06 Nov 2017 02:40:41 GMT
Cat Napping https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/cat-napping

Marble and Loki sharing the hammock to get in some cat napping.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cat nap cats hammock light lighting loki marble photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/cat-napping Sun, 05 Nov 2017 04:54:59 GMT
Bite 'Em ON The Old Shin Bone https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/bite-em-on-the-old-shin-bone Anyone who has followed this blog for any time has seen various photos of the beavers and beaver dams in the clearwater ditch that runs along the west side of the Rio Grande through Corrales. I have also published various posts about the Conservancy waging war against the beavers and tearing out the beaver’s dams. So the beavers build their dams and the conservancy tear them out out in a never ending cycle that gets referred to as "That Dam War."

The beavers had recently built five or six fine dams along a mile long section of the clearwater ditch from the access bridge we use to cross the ditch. The Conservancy tore the dams out, and the disgusted beavers formed a group they named “The Angry Beavers” and enlisted help from me and The Average White Boys to produce a music video about the government guys always blowing up their homes. When I asked them what they most wanted to do to the Conservancy men, the Angry Beavers were unanimous about wanting to “bite them on the old shin bone.” 

So we all collaborated using Beaver UX/UI, came up with lyrics and a concept for the parody. I searched through our never ending "shed of infinite doom” and found a couple of old sticks of dynamite, a plunger, and some old gas welding glasses for props. The AWBs took turns letting the beavers bite them on their shinbones for the shinbone shots. They were really good sports about getting all wet and cold in the icy 38º F clear ditch water.  The AWBs also took turns being the “government guys”. Working together, we produced a new parody music video called “Bite ‘Em On The Old Shin Bone”. The lyrics are posted below the video so you can follow along.

 

Bite 'Em On The Old Shin Bone

 

Bite ‘Em On The Old Shin Bone
The Angry Beavers and The Average White Boys
Music: Shel Silverstein
Lyrics: Timothy Price

 

Ha ha ha, I don't believe it
Hah! Don't touch it
Hey you going to tell them who we are?

Well We’re bucktoothed builders
We got golden slappers
We love to lay sticks in a row… (Sounds like beavers)
We build real beauty, dams to tell the truth
We cut ten thousand willows you know… (Yah! Right!)
Fish have all kinds of gills, and it’s kind of surreal
Then there’s the man we’ve never known
He’s shrill, yelling, bitchin’, when he blows up our kitchen 
Wanna bite him on the old shinbone

(Old Shinbone) Wanna bite him right through his cover
(Bone…) Gonna bite five chomps for my mother
(Bone…) Wanna chew off his smiling face
Bite him on the old shinbone (That’s a very good idea you know)

We watch two legged ladies on the ditch bank daily
They walkin in tight jeans
We got a poor old gray haired biologist
Who thinks we’re really keen
Now the conservancy men wanna blowup our homes
And our homes get really blown
Like the blow when they bitchin and blowin up our kitchens
Wanna bite them on the old shinbones

(Old Shinbone) Wanna bite him right through his cover
(Bone…) Gonna bite five chomps for my mother
(Bone…) Wanna chew off his smiling face
Bite him on the old shinbone

[Talking]
Hey, I know how
Beaver roll...

[Instrumental]

Oh that's really beautiful man!

We got a lot of little teeny blue scaled guppies
Don’t do anything all day
And there’s a genuine government guru
Who says dynamite's a better way
Build nice dams but the government guy
Doesn’t think we need a home
We keep building stronger, but their dynamite gets longer
And we bite em on old shinbones

(Old Shinbone) Wanna bite him right through his cover
(Bone…) Gonna bite five chomps for my mother
(Bone…) Wanna chew off his smiling face
Bite him on the old shinbone
Bite him on the old shinbone

Wanna bite him right through his cover
(Bone…) Gonna bite five chomps for my mother
(Bone…) Wanna chew off his smiling face
Bite him on the old shinbone

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art awbs beavers light lighting music parody music video photography video https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/bite-em-on-the-old-shin-bone Sat, 04 Nov 2017 05:11:14 GMT
Lark VIII, The Desert Ark https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/lark-viii-the-desert-ark

 

When you arrive at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, you are greeted by The Desert Ark, a 1960 Studebaker Lark VIII Wagon. A museum staff member happened to drive up in a cart while we were admiring the car. As it turned out, he was to person who restored it for the museum. He gave us a brief, but informative history of the museum and the car. The sign in the back of the wagon reads:

For more than 30 years, a man named Hal Gras drove numerous station wagons known as “The Desert Art” to schools, events, etc. He would carry a variety of animals, including badgers, porcupines, snakes, ringtail cats, among others, and sometimes even a mountain lion, George L., bringing a little piece of the desert to all.

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) arizona art desert desert museum lark viii light lighting photography studebaker the desert ark https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/lark-viii-the-desert-ark Fri, 03 Nov 2017 01:06:41 GMT
Bear Canyon Critters https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/bear-canyon-critters

When I hiked 13 miles in Bear Canyon while we were in Tucson on October 21st, it was hot with temps in the 90's. Therefore, I did not see an abundance of critters out and about in the heat. However, I did see and photograph a hawk, butterfly, chipmunk, and a couple of lizards. I saw several yellow and black butterflies fluttering around, but they never landed where I could photograph them.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) arizona art bear canyon butterfly chipmunk hawk light lighting lizards photography tucson https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/bear-canyon-critters Thu, 02 Nov 2017 02:51:06 GMT
Spunk Was Here https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/spunk-was-here

Spunk left creepy paw prints for Halloween.

 

 

 

 

Interesting Halloween sunset

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats clouds halloween light lighting photography spunk sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/spunk-was-here Wed, 01 Nov 2017 01:42:42 GMT
Gray Hawk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/gray-hawk

Gray Hawk, also know as the Mexican goshawk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

¡Adios muchachos, muchachas!

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) arizona art goshawk gray hawk hawks light lighting mexican photography sonora desert museum tucson https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/gray-hawk Tue, 31 Oct 2017 02:51:16 GMT
Sandhills and Pink https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/sandhills-and-pink

 

The Sandhill Cranes are back — flying up and down the Rio Grande at sunset every night on the way to their roosting spots.

 

 

Crows and cranes flying south over the Rio Grande.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cranes light lighting photography pink rio grande sandhill cranes sandias sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/sandhills-and-pink Mon, 30 Oct 2017 01:00:10 GMT
The Watcher https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/the-watcher

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting photography sasha https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/the-watcher Sun, 29 Oct 2017 03:36:32 GMT
Barney https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/barney

 

 

When Barney the Barn Owl flew out of the aviary, all the crowd went "Aaahhh! How cute!" He is certainly adorable. He flew silently between perches entertaining his adoring crowd.

 

Barn Owls are graceful and silent in flight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barney took a bow at the end of the show.

 

Flying back to the aviary.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) arizona art barn owls desert museum light lighting owls photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/barney Sat, 28 Oct 2017 00:50:46 GMT
Bluebird of Happiness https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/bluebird-of-happiness

 

This Western Blue Jay loved being in front of the camera. After another photographer and I were finished photographing him in a tree, we started walking down a path, and he flew right in front of us, onto a bench where he stood turning around and posing. When Laurie and I moved on, he flew to a fork in a tree next to where we were looking at other birds and continued looking for lens time.

The Bluebird of Happiness is found in different cultures from Chinese to Russian to Navajo. Most appropriate for a lens-hogging Western Blue Jay is the Navajo Bluebird song:

"Bluebird said to me, 'Get up, my grandchild. It is dawn, it said to me.Ӡ

You can listen to the Bluebird song sung in Navajo on Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDUhfbFfd1s

 

 

 

 

†Navajo Songs from Canyon De Chelly New World 80406-2
(Recorded at Chinle, and Canyon De Chelly, Arizona, September 1975)
http://www.newworldrecords.org/liner_notes/80406.pdf

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds bludird song bluebird light lighting navajo photography western blue jay https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/bluebird-of-happiness Fri, 27 Oct 2017 04:13:52 GMT
Fish, Lizards, Spider, Snakes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/fish-lizards-spider-snakes

Big silver

 

What's a desert museum to do if it doesn't have tropical fish on display? Not only does the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum have tropical fish, they also have a resident stingray that you can touch for an extra $3. We opted out of the stingray touch, but we did visit the tropical fish display. The museum also has a wonderful reptile and invertebrate display that has a lot of very healthy spiders, frogs, lizards, and snakes.

WARNING! There are photos of a spider and few of the rattlesnakes they had on display after the lizards. If you are afraid of spiders and snakes, stop at the lizards or before.

 

 

Crusty the crab

 

Seahorses always look sad and pensive to me.

 

These little eels came up out of the sand looking for food. They are really cute.

 

Eels having a conversation about some eel matter.

 

Lounging Chuckwalla

 

Gila Monster. A truly venomous lizard.

 

A giant tarantula that finished off some poor soul.

 

Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake

 

Tiger Rattlesnake with its toys.

 

A big, beautiful Arizona Black Rattlesnake.

 

Up close and personal with the Arizona Black Rattlesnake.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art chuckwalla eels fish gila monster light lighting lizards photography rattlesnakes seahorses spider tarantula https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/fish-lizards-spider-snakes Thu, 26 Oct 2017 03:15:25 GMT
Harris Hawks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/harris-hawks

 

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum has a raptor free flight exhibit, which we happened to be just in time for. The stars of the show we experienced were the Harris Hawks. Four Harris Hawks performed for the finale of the free flight show. Harris Hawks have made a regional adaptation to the harsh conditions in the Sonoran Desert by hunting in groups. The Sonoran Desert is the only place that Harris Hawks have been observed hunting and working together in groups. Their distribution in the US is limited to southern Arizona, southeastern New Mexico, and southwest Texas. Their larger distribution is throughout most of Mexico, the west coast of Central America, and the lower elevations of South America.  Free flight shows are great for photographing these raptors because they are close enough to get a lot of detail and action shots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds desert museum free flight harris hawks light lighting photography raptors https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/harris-hawks Wed, 25 Oct 2017 03:26:54 GMT
Cougar, Coyotes and Boars... https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/cougar-coyotes-and-boars

One nice thing about the roads in the scenic area west of Tucson is they have pullouts every 1/4 mile or so where you can pull off the road to take pictures.

 

We took Susan's advice and visited the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum on Sunday afternoon. It was well worth the effort and long drive home into the wee hours of the morning.  As I drove up West Gates Pass Road on the way to the museum, I kept feeling like I was having "déjà vu all over again", but I couldn't conjure up a memory. On our way back over the pass, I finally remembered. I rode a bicycle race that went over West Gate Pass back in 1994.

I was racing with Kent and Carol Ann Bostick in those days, and we got to Tucson in the late afternoon on a Saturday, and the first event was an evening time trial up West Gates Pass Road up to the top of the pass, where the turnaround was, and then we sped back down the hill to the finish. I put a 56 tooth chainring on my bike, so after the turnaround, riding back down the downhill, that 56 tooth chainring on my bike (normally I used a 53 tooth chainring) increased my feet per crank revolution in top gear (56x12) to 123 feet per revolution from 116 feet per revolution with my normal 53x12 top gear, so I was able to fly down the hill.  Needless to say I won the time trial for my category, and got a prize of $30 for my efforts.

The road race on Sunday was 80 miles around the mountain. The race started and ended at the bottom of West Gates Pass Road and made a big loop around the mountain. I finished second by the width of a tire in that race, and won an ugly Cow Jersey for my efforts. I asked the race director where the cash prizes were. He said the Jersey was worth $75. I told him "fine, here's the jersey give me $75!" In the end I took that stupid jersey home with me, but I was so disgusted after working so hard to get a second place by such a slim margin for a stupid cow jersey, that I gave up racing after that. So the "déjà vu all over again" was of my last big road race.

 

The first sign we saw in the museum parking lot.

 

One cool cat

 

One cool coyote

 

Another really fat coyote showing off, kicking up dust. Obviously the museum staff feeds the coyotes.

 

The temperature was 95º F. This javelina (wild boar) was lying, mostly hidden, in the shade of a rock overhang.

 

Another javelina was basking in the shade of creosote bushes and a saguaro cactus.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bicycle racing cougar coyote javelina light lighting pass photography tucson wild boar https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/cougar-coyotes-and-boars Tue, 24 Oct 2017 05:44:21 GMT
Bear Canyon Trail https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/bear-canyon-trail

Saguaro, prickly pear cactus, and landscape along the Bear Canyon Trail, Tucson, AZ

 

The destination in the distance

 

 

 

 

 

Pools of water at Seven Falls

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bear canyon light lighting photography prickly pear saguaro seven falls tucson https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/bear-canyon-trail Mon, 23 Oct 2017 04:00:00 GMT
As the Crow Flies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/as-the-crow-flies

 

 

A crow flying in Bear Canyon northeast of Tucson, AZ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bear canyon birds crow light lighting photography tucson https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/as-the-crow-flies Sun, 22 Oct 2017 05:39:03 GMT
"Abandoning That Which Once Defined" — Austin Martin, 2011 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/-abandoning-that-which-once-defined-austin-martin-2011

Plaque near the giant hobo knapsack sculpture.

 

There is an interesting sculpture of a giant knapsack on a stick, stereotypical of hobos' knapsacks, lying on the ground abandoned off to one side of the Science building. It does seem to make a point about "abandoning that which once defined". 

 

"Abandoning That Which Once Defined" — Austin Martin 2011

 

A very nicely done memorial to the University of Arizona Alumni who were killed in World Wars I and II, Korea and Vietnam is in a rotunda on the bottom floor of the Student Union Building.

 

Memorial of Alumni lost in World War I and World War II.

 

A fountain that is part of the war memorial in the Student Union Building, University of Arizona, Tucson.

 

Memorial of Alumni lost in Korea and Vietnam.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) abandoning architecture art conflicts defined light lighting photography sculpture wars https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/-abandoning-that-which-once-defined-austin-martin-2011 Sat, 21 Oct 2017 03:55:08 GMT
Way to Tucson https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/way-to-tucson

 

We drove to Tucson today. These are a few photos along the way.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds driving light lighting photography rain storm trip tucson https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/way-to-tucson Fri, 20 Oct 2017 05:32:46 GMT
STOP https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/stop

Cat prints on the windshield

 

Sky at dawn

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds dawn light lighting paw prints photography stop sign windshield https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/stop Thu, 19 Oct 2017 00:47:01 GMT
Miscellanies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/miscellanies

Whooping it up at a birthday party.

 

Lola in her "Catzilla" persona bristling at Spunk while giving him mad dogs and the stink eye.

 

Spunk: "Cut it out Lola! You're making the place smell like stinking mad dogs!"

 

The cats finally killed off the old, decrepit, hardly working pink mini blinds we had over the windows in the bedroom for the past 27 years. They had been attempting to missile attack birds, mice, squirrels, ghosts, whatever that has started hanging out in the foliage on the outside of the window at night. Loki and Sasha would take turns making flying leaps through the mini blinds, whomping against the glass, and then trampling all over us on the rebound. Instead of replacing the blinds, I installed translucent plastic over most of each window, and reinstalled the window sills at an angle so the cats can no longer sit or walk on them. So far the flying missile attacks have been effectively cut off, and they have only made a few attempts to jump up and look over the translucent plastic while we've been in bed.

 

Loki hammocked while I worked on the windows.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats catzilla eye" light lighting loki lola mad dogs mini blinds party phones photography s"stink spunk window treatment windows https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/miscellanies Wed, 18 Oct 2017 03:05:25 GMT
Trapped https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/trapped

 

Once it danced and floated free
Tumbling on the wind
Grabbed by wire twisted links
Loosely bound iron grip
Held fast against the winds of change
Brilliance trapped
Bent bonds hold fast

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art chainlink leaf light lighting link photography poetry https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/trapped Tue, 17 Oct 2017 02:47:24 GMT
Up from the Mist https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/up-from-the-mist

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art balloons light. lighting mist photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/up-from-the-mist Mon, 16 Oct 2017 04:25:39 GMT
Lick It. Lick It Good! https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/lick-it-lick-it-good

Spunk grooming in the morning sunshine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

All clean and beautiful

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting photography spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/lick-it-lick-it-good Sat, 14 Oct 2017 23:01:36 GMT
Oh, Fudge https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/oh-fudge

A macro of fudge frosting on Friday the 13th.

 

An aerial view.

 

Oh, cupcake.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cupcake fudge frosting light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/oh-fudge Sat, 14 Oct 2017 01:06:08 GMT
Let em Glow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/let-em-glow

Glowdeo as seen from the escarpment on the borderline of Corrales and Rio Rancho.

 

You can see an automated gif of the fireworks at https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2017/10/12/let-em-glow/

 

AfterGlow fireworks show.

 

Finale

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) afterglow art balloons corrales glowdeo light lighting photography rio rancho special shapes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/let-em-glow Fri, 13 Oct 2017 03:17:09 GMT
Muddy https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/muddy

Prints from me and pterodactyls walking around in the mud on the sandbar in the middle of the Rio Grande.

 

Balloons, mudflats and foliage

 

 

My muddy boots with clean toes. Spunk was really excited when he saw how muddy I was, so he rubbed all over my boots cleaning the mud off the toes.

 

 

Interesting that the mud did not stick to Spunk. He's like a teflon kitty.

 

 

Rosencrantz sharpening his claws in celebration of muddiness.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art boots cats light lighting mud photography rio grande rosencrantz spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/muddy Thu, 12 Oct 2017 03:33:56 GMT
Good Question https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/good-question

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art balloons blue light lighting photography plants reflections https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/good-question Wed, 11 Oct 2017 02:40:56 GMT
Early Boaters https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/early-boaters

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art boaters canoe kayaks light lighting mist photography rio grande sunrise https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/early-boaters Tue, 10 Oct 2017 03:20:42 GMT
Ghosts of Balloonists Past https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/ghosts-of-balloonists-past

Sid Cutter, Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson, Larry Newman, Ron Clark, Carol Rymer Davis, Richard Abruzzo, Steve Fossett, David Levin, Jeff Hooten, Daniel Kirk, Stephen Lachendro, Thomas Boylan, Alfred Nichols

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) carol abruzzo alfred anderson art balloons ben boylan clark cutter daniel david davis fossett ghosts hooten hot air balloons jeff kirk lachendro larry levin light lighting maxie mist newman nichols photography richard ron rymer sid stephen steve thomas https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/ghosts-of-balloonists-past Mon, 09 Oct 2017 01:21:44 GMT
First Frost https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/first-frost

 

Spunk and I went out at sunrise to see if the balloons were coming our way. We didn't see balloons this morning, but we saw frost on everything.

 

 

 

 

Crab sider with prey

 

Spunk happy to be out in the cold morning light.

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats flowers frost light lighting photography plants roses spider spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/first-frost Sat, 07 Oct 2017 22:46:35 GMT
Pre-Flight Friday https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/pre-flight-friday

 

The 2017 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta officially starts tomorrow, October 7, 2017. However, Friday's pre-flight up the Rio Grande and over to the west side flew right by our property. The clouds were beautifully backlit as the early morning winds draped them over the Sandias. The Rio Grande is running high from recent rains. While the balloons flew just above the Tamarisk on the sandbar in the middle of the river, none of them tried a "splash-n-dash" that I witnessed — wise not to set their baskets in the fast moving current.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art balloons bosque international balloon fiesta light lighting photography rio grande sandias tamarisk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/pre-flight-friday Sat, 07 Oct 2017 01:52:36 GMT
Let the Light Shine Down https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/let-the-light-shine-down

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/let-the-light-shine-down Fri, 06 Oct 2017 03:59:15 GMT
Wet Plates Dry Place https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/wet-plates-dry-place

 

The collodion process was invented in 1851 by Frederick Scott Archer and Gustave Le Gray independently and pretty much simultaneously. You may be more familiar with the collodion process known as the "tintype" which is basically what Kevin Black who has Santa Fe Wet Plate is doing on aluminum plates. Kevin can be reached at 215-592-0830 or [email protected]. I was very excited to see Kevin's booth at the Corrales Harvest Festival, because I was going to get into the wet plate and other classic alternative processes, but all the health issues and life got in the way.  

The big deal with the wet plate process is that the plate, glass, tin or aluminum, has to be sensitized, loaded into the plate holder, the plate holder loaded into the camera, the wet plate exposed, the plate holder taken into a darkroom, the plate removed from the plate holder, developed by pouring pyrogallic acid over the plate, and the plate fixed before the wet plate dries. Once the plate dries it becomes waterproof so the developer cannot penetrate the emulsion.  The photographer has about 10 minutes after the plate is removed from the silver nitrate solution to load the plate in the camera, expose the plate, remove the plate from the camera, and develop and fix the plate before it dries. In order to do wet plate photography in the field, the photographer had to have a portable darkroom to facilitate making and processing the plates on the spot.

A collodion wet plate is very slow by modern film and digital ISO standards, at around 1 ISO; however, that is quite fast compared to other processes used in the 1850's like the daguerreotype which it eventually replaced.  The collodion process was used mostly to make negatives on glass plates, but there was also an ambrotype process, which was an underexposed negative backed with black paper or velvet; and the tintype process on a black polished metal surface, also known as a ferrotype.

 

Kevin Black in his portrait studio booth with sample tintype collodion prints at the Corrales Harvest Festival. His portable darkroom stands behind him.

 

Sample tintype prints on aluminum plates.

 

Keven getting the chemicals all ready to process a portrait.

 

Chemicals in the open portable darkroom.

 

Portable darkroom. The black container sitting at an angle next to the paper towels has the silver nitrate solution.

 

 

To sensitize the plate, Kevin pours a little bit of the collodion on the black side of an aluminum plate.

 

He moves the plate around to get the collodion to spread evenly.

 

Once the solution is spread evenly and starts to get tacky, he pours off the excess solution back into the bottle.

 

A nicely spread, collodion covered plate

 

He put the tacky plate in the silver nitrate bath, and prepared the plate holder for the plate.

 

Using a peephole in the darkroom, which has red light filtering into it, he removes the sensitized plate from the silver nitrate solution, and loads the plate into the plate holder.

 

Once the plate is secured in the plate holder, he poses his subject, and focuses the camera on her.

 

He places the plate holder into the camera, and pulls the dark slide out of the plate holder.

 

He gets ready to make the exposure.

 

He holds up the reflector and makes the exposure.

 

After the plate was exposed, Kevin replaced the dark slide, removed the plate holder from the camera, and placed it in the darkroom so he could process the plate.

 

He processed they plate by pouring pyrogallic acid over it, and placed the plate in a fixing solution.

 

After the plate was in the fixer for a few minutes, Kevin opened up the darkroom to reveal the plate with the portrait of the woman.

 

After the plate is fixed, washed and dried, Kevin varnishes the surface to make the surface more durable and scratch resistant.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) alternative process ambrotype art camera collodion darkroom ferrotype light lighting photography pyrogallic acid tintype wet plate https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/wet-plates-dry-place Thu, 05 Oct 2017 03:46:11 GMT
Llámame, Alpaca https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/llama-me-alpaca

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) alpaca art light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/llama-me-alpaca Wed, 04 Oct 2017 03:06:58 GMT
Perros del los Muertos https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/perros-del-los-muertos

 

Corrales held its annual Harvest Festival over the weekend and the festivities began with the pet parade. This year's theme was Dia de los Muertos, and there were plenty of Perros del los Muertos in the parade.


 

 

Hell on wheels

 

Pequeño perro de los muertos walking the distance even if it kills him.

 

All focused

 

El Principito

 

Botas de vacas muertas

 

Gatos infiltrados

 

Brides of the Baskerville

 

Perro oso

 

Esqueletos y perros muertos — great name for a rock group

 

MOTU — Get it?

 

Are you kidding me?

 

Too excited to be dead

 

Purgatorio Chihuahua

 

These guys should have gotten the prize for like makeup.

 

Wait just a minute, Puerco. You are not a Perro de los Muertos. 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art corrales dead dogs harvest festival light lighting muertos parade peros pet parade photography pig https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/perros-del-los-muertos Tue, 03 Oct 2017 02:22:56 GMT
Soft White https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/soft-white

 

After cycles of cloudy, lightning, thunder, rain, clear through the day and night, we woke to a soft white filtering the sunrise and droplets on everything.

 

Veteran's Honor

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bamboo clouds droplets light lighting mist photography rose sunrise trees veteran's honor https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/10/soft-white Mon, 02 Oct 2017 02:00:17 GMT
Cotton Balls https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/cotton-balls

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds cotton ball clouds light lighting photography sky https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/cotton-balls Sat, 30 Sep 2017 23:20:18 GMT
Social Hour @ 12K Feet https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/social-hour-12k-feet

One of these things is not like the others.

 

Once we finally got to Cumberland Pass in Laurie's Mazdaspeed3 just before noon, we were the only people around. We got out and wondered at the views as we wandered around on the large, relatively flat area that made up the pass. Soon a lone motorcyclist rode up, parked his bike and started looking around at the views with Laurie and me. About 10 minutes later, a group of four motorcyclists showed up and we all started talking about the conditions of the roads, where we'd been where we were going, etc. The first motorcyclist discovered his front tire was flat, came over and asked the other cyclists we were talking to if any of them had a hand pump — he had apparently forgotten his. I told him to hold on, because we had an emergency kit in the car that had an air compressor. We got the compressor hooked up to his valve stem and had his tire pumped up in a few minutes. He headed towards Pitkin and asked if we were going back that direction, so if his tire went flat before he got to Pitkin we could help him again. Although we originally planned to drive to Tin Cup, we had nixed that plan because the road to Cumberland Pass from Pitkin was very rough, gullied, rocky and slow going, and all the people who had arrived from Taylor Reservoir said the road was terrible and they were on dirt bikes, ATVs or Jeeps. We assured him we'd be along to help if he needed it.  Not long after that Various ATVs and more motorcyclists arrived. Everyone was friendly, had comments about the roads and the scenery, and stories to tell. It seemed that no matter what people were riding or driving, no matter what our backgrounds were, we all had one thing in common — we had prevailed, conquered the mountain and made it to the top of the world on Cumberland Pass at 12,015 feet  (3,662 meters) above sea level.

 

While is says 15 M.P.H, the max speed I could set the cruise control on was 5 M.P.H.

 

While you might expect a group of young folks on these large 500 cc and 600 cc dirt bikes, most of the riders were around my age.

 

Happy to be on top of the world

 

Motocycles and various ATVs.

 

Vitual Tour of Cumberland Pass.

Click here to go to the web page with the tour.

 

One ATV had Bowser, a 175 pound Saint Bernard, in the back. When he saw Laurie and I walking toward the ATV, he slipped through an opening in the bars he wasn't supposed to fit through, and he got tangled up in leashes. Laurie held onto Bowser while the owners and I got him untangled. Bowser was very excited, ready to play, and the owners didn't want him to get loose and then have to chase him all over the top of a mountain. We finally got him untangled and back in his proper place in the ATV.

 

Laurie and Bowser

 

Bowser giving Laurie a big sloppy saintly kiss

 

Laurie's Mazdaspeed3 with the motorcyclist who had the flat tire in the background.  With all the socializing, wandering round, checking out the old mine shafts, and then more socializing with all the different people who had come up to the pass, we were there for almost 2 hours. On our way back down, we came across the cyclist who had the flat tire on his way back up to the pass from Pitkin. We stopped and talked for a few minutes. He found some campers who had tools and tire irons, so he was able to change the tube in his front tire. He said he figured out that he had not forgotten his pump and tire repair kit, but that they had been stolen. He had his bike shipped out to Utah from Missouri. He had zip-tied the pouches where he had his gloves, pump and tire kit, but after he picked up his bike from the shipper, the zip-ties had be cut on the pouch where his gloves were and the gloves were missing. He hadn't noticed that the pump and tire repair kit were missing until he had the flat on Cumberland Pass.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art atv bowser cumberland pass dog light lighting mazdaspeed3 motorcycles mountains photography rough roads saint bernard https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/social-hour-12k-feet Sat, 30 Sep 2017 02:24:13 GMT
The Rain this Time Gave Point Nine https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/the-rain-this-time-gave-point-nine

Downpour downtown

 

The rain began with a downpour in downtown Albuquerque starting around 4:30 PM yesterday afternoon. It was still raining hard when I headed home at 7:30 PM, and continued raining all the way home. When I turned onto our road by the cattle ramp, all I could see as far as the "brights" on the headlights would reach was water covering the road from edge to edge until it faded into black beyond the falling rain. I drove on the flooded road all the way to the property, where the mulch-covered driveway was doing its best to absorb the water. Once inside, I checked the rain gage, and it showed 0.54 inch precipitation at 8:15 PM. The rain continued to pour all through the night and finally stopped before sunrise. At 6:50 AM this morning, the rain gauge read 0.90 inch of rain. The weatherman on the radio had predicted 1 to 1.5 inches of rain from the storm. I went out before sunrise this morning to see if the road was still flooded, but only small puddles remained at the east end of the road — the dry ground had already absorbed most of the water. When I headed to work a little after 9:00 AM, a large puddle remained on the road near our cattle ramp.

 

Twelve hours of nonstop rain, resulted in 9/10 of an inch of precipitation

 

A large, persistent puddle near the cattle ramp

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds downpour downtown light lighting photography puddles rain https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/the-rain-this-time-gave-point-nine Fri, 29 Sep 2017 01:58:07 GMT
Classic Rock https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/classic-rock

On the way to Cumberland Pass, CO. Napoleon Mountain on the right and Fitzpatrick Peak on the left.

 

Mt. Democrat, Fremont Pass, CO.

 

Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Boulder Co.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art colorado landscapes light lighting mountains pass peaks photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/classic-rock Thu, 28 Sep 2017 03:02:28 GMT
Orbit of Anaxyrus and Stenopelmatus https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/orbit-of-anaxyrus-and-stenopelmatus

In the microcosm of universes painted in circles of light and dark, Anaxyrus woodhousii and Stenopelmatus fuscus made their rounds on terra firma.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) anaxyrus woodhousii art child of the earth jerusalem cricket light lighting photography stenopelmatus fuscus toad woodhouse toad https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/orbit-of-anaxyrus-and-stenopelmatus Wed, 27 Sep 2017 01:36:03 GMT
The Molybdenum Mambo https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/the-molybdenum-mambo

 

The Climax Mine on the Fremont Pass, 11,318 ft (3,450 m), is quite an operation with an interesting history.  As the sign reads, molybdenum is used to harden steel. If you ever had a bicycle with a chromoly frame, you were riding on a molybdenum mix.

Laurie was wearing similar colors to the molybdenum ore cars on display in the outdoor museum across the road from the mine. The colors inspired her to do the molybdenum mambo. You can see a gif of the molybdenum mambo at: https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2017/09/25/the-molybdenum-mambo/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art climax mine colorado fremont pass landscape laurie light lighting mine molybdenum molybdenum mambo photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/the-molybdenum-mambo Tue, 26 Sep 2017 04:04:25 GMT
Night Spider https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/night-spider

Orb spider rebuilding her web on the bridge over the clearwater ditch. The web is gnarly because it gets blown apart by the wind during the day, and she rebuilds it every night.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting orb spider photography spider spider web web https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/night-spider Mon, 25 Sep 2017 02:28:10 GMT
How to Move a Buffalo https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/how-to-move-a-buffalo

Ralphie, CU Boulder's mascot

 

The year two-thousand seventeen marks the 50th Anniversary of having Ralphie the buffalo as CU Boulder's mascot.  The current Ralphie is a rather calm female who patiently stands in her portable corral surrounded by buff herders who don't let anyone get too close. When it's time to move Ralphie to her trailer, 15 rather buff, buff herders surround the corral, pick it up about a foot of the ground, and walk Ralphie to her trailer. Four cheerleaders lead the way, followed by the head buff herder clearing people out of the way as the herders, corral and Ralphie moved along the sidewalk. When they got to the trailer, the buff herders backed the corral to the ramp and quickly herded Ralphie into the trailer. Ralphie seemed more than happy to go into the trailer as she went in really quickly — I missed the action as she was in the trailer and the door was closed before I could get through the crowd that had surrounded the corral to watch the action. After she was loaded, the buff herders secured the corral on the side of the trailer, all the buff herders climbed onto the sides and top of the trailer or got into the truck, and the truck slowly pulled Ralphie away in her trailer to the stadium where she would perform at half time.

 

Ralphie hanging out in her portable corral

 

Cheerleaders lead the way

 

Head buff herder clears the way

 

Buff herders on parade

 

Walk this way

 

On the backside of the buffs

 

Recording Ralphie being loaded on the trailer

 

Getting ready to run off with Ralphie

 

securing the last section of the corral on the trailer

 

Head 'em out boys!

 

Ralphie on the run to the stadium for the half time show

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art buff herders buffalo cheerleaders corral cu boulder light lighting photography ralphie trailer https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/how-to-move-a-buffalo Sun, 24 Sep 2017 03:16:25 GMT
Pitkin https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/pitkin

Sunrise in the mist over Pitkin

 

Originally named Quartzville, Pitkin, Colorado was founded in 1879 and renamed to honor Governor Frederick W. Pitkin. The 1880 census recorded a population of 1891. Ten years later it had lost 80% of it's population with the mining bust, falling to 371. The population slowly declined over the next 80 years where it hit a low of 44 in 1970. The population has stayed around 60 since then; however, 2000 was an outlier with the census showing 124 year-round residents. The 2010 Census recorded a population of 66 with a 2016 estimate of 69. 

Pitkin is at 9,242 feet, roughly 28 miles northeast of Gunnison, CO. It's a small and friendly community with a lot of seasonal residents, including Bob and Lin Hope, owners of the Pitkin Hotel where we stayed Sunday night. Lin and Bob are both recently retired geologists who purchased the Pitkin Hotel partly because it has the Bunkhouse where they can host geology seminars in the summer. Lin said there are various large groups of people who stay in the Bunkhouse every year. They open the first of June and close around the end of October. The rooms are cosy, and there is a large commons area, a commercial kitchen, and a large grill so you can prepare any food you desire if you have the ingredients. When we got there, a couple of guests were grilling steaks, and preparing potatoes and vegetables for dinner. The sign outside the kitchen read "Ring for Service and Then Help Yourself" 

 

Frost on our Mazdaspeed3 spoiler Monday morning at sunrise

 

Pitkin Hotel, built in 1904

 

Guest Room 2

 

Guest Room 1 where we stayed

 

Second floor landing and hallway

 

Cowboy Bunkhouse

 

Room with two beds

 

Commons room

 

Oh deer!

 

Pitkin Hotel and City Hall

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bunkhouse city hall light lighting photography pitkin hotel pitkin co https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/pitkin Sat, 23 Sep 2017 05:06:55 GMT
Tailgating One Oh! One https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/tailgating-one-oh-one

This is one of the first large tailgating operations I came across. They asked if I wanted to try some of the food, and I politely declined, but once they found out I was from New Mexico, they insisted I try one of their breakfast burritos.  I was handed a burrito and a beer, but I told the host I didn't drink beer and he said "Great! Gives me a good excuse to have another beer!" This tailgate setup was sponsored by WMC, Inc. an engineering consulting group out of St Louis, I believe, who is opening a branch in Denver. On the menu for free were various burritos, bratwurst, pancakes, hamburgers, eggs cooked to order, beer and an open bar. And the hosts were so gracious and friendly.

 

I imagined Tailgating to be a process of showing up early to the parking lot of a football stadium before a game, pulling out coolers and hanging out around the coolers drinking whatever beverages are allowed, and whooping it up a little in preparation for the game. Not in the least at CU Boulder, as I got a crash course in Tailgating 1 Oh! 1 on Saturday, September 17th when the CU Buffalos faced off against the Northern Colorado Bears.

Basically the whole campus is open for tailgating from a few small groups to large, well organized groups setting up for pre-game festivities. Everything is "Buff" and at first I thought it concerned all the young people with athletic bodies running around, but I was soon set straight that "Buff" is for "Buffalo". They have a live buffalo mascot named Ralphie, who performs at halftime. Besides multiple grills, food warmers, beer on tap, and lots of coolers filled with beverages, each formal and informal tailgate had "Cornhole" boards set up with people trying to toss beanbags through the holes in the boards. I got the complete rules of Cornhole explained while making the rounds.

Besides the various setups in most of the parking lots around campus, Franklin Field outside of Folsom Field Stadium had tents set up for various activities around the perimeter of the field. In a large grassy field in front of the Duane Physics and Astrophysics Building they had tables with umbrellas, a bandstand, a bar, and Ralphie, the buffalo, in a corral. The President of the Regents, I believe, was being introduced while I was wandering around the area. Then I came across the Golden Buffalo Marching band lined up around the Imig Music building, ready to march to the stadium. The band formed a long line as they must of had 200 or more musicians.

Almost everywhere I walked, people stopped me and asked if I was with the Colorado Daily, and then chatted and explained the various activities associated with tailgating, history of the campus, the architectural style, and the buffalo culture. I was offered food and drink at almost every tailgate party where people inquired about who I was with. All the people were very friendly and hospitable. I also ended up talking to different police officers and they said they had a good crowd and that there was rarely any fighting or other serious trouble at the tailgating or the games. Coming from New Mexico, I found it hard to believe they didn't have fights, but I certainly didn't see any hostilities. 

The Buffalos lost to the Bears.

 

 

Pancakes going on the grill.

 

Tailgating in style with champagne, salad and steak sandwiches.

 

One of many Cornhole games with CU boards.

 

Big screen and tents on Franklin Field.

 

Virtual Tour of Franklin Field.

Click here to go to the web page with the tour.

 

Tables on the field with the Duane Physics and Astrophysics Building in the background.

 

 

 

The Buff crew moving Ralphie.

 

Recording Ralphie.

 

Golden Buffalo Marching band lined up around the Imig Music Building.

 

Cheerleaders lined up to lead the march to the stadium.

 

CU Sousaphones and a little short of Seventy-Six Trombones

 

A "Lonely Hearts Club" member.

 

And yet another crowd of tailgaters.

 

The Buff Bus.

 

The opposing team.

 

Party on!

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art band boulder cu boulder cu buffalos football grilling light lighting nc bears photography tailgating https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/tailgating-one-oh-one Fri, 22 Sep 2017 05:06:51 GMT
Warped Law https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/warped-law

 

The CLASP V conference was held in the Wolf Law Building at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Many of the walls in darkened hallways were covered with photos of students, and various legal quotes from what I assume to be revered legal scholars. I began to wonder if among the various writings on the walls, the Preamble, Articles and Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America might be found framed and hanging where all the law students could read the words that, as future lawyers and judges, they would file lawsuits over, and rule on the “constitutionality” of laws sometimes passed by elected representatives in legislatures and Congress, but more often laws enacted by executive order and regulatory agencies. 

So I wandered around the public areas of the law school looking for the Constitution of the United States of American. I did not see the US Constitution on the wall if it were in plain sight; but that’s not to say it was not there. It might be just a tiny thing, that was easy to miss. The original Preamble to the Constitution is only 52 words, and the original seven articles and ten Amendments were four hand written pages on parchment; but even with an additional 17 amendments, the current US Constitution is around 8,000 words and barely fills 20 pages in 12 point Times New Roman. Seems a perfectly reasonable size for framing.

Actually, I would have been more surprised the find the US Constitution or any part of it displayed prominently in a Law School, than not finding it. I would guess finding the US Constitution on display in a Law School is about as likely as finding the Ten Commandments in a public school. I think there is an unwritten rule of separation of the US Constitution from Law Schools, because while one might think a degree in “Constitutional Law” would be all about the Constitution it’s not. Constitutional Law is really about how to subvert the Constitution, dismantle the Constitution, even destroy the Constitution because the Constitution is old, out-of-date, doesn’t address modern values, and most importantly, it stands in the way of progressive thought and activist values. 

Instead of changing the US Constitution to reflect modern life, Congress simply ignores it, so lawyers for special interests and activists claim any judgments against the advancement of their clients’ agendas are “unconstitutional” when they have no clue of what those 8,000 words have to say about anything let alone their clients’ agendas. 

Thus, as I wandered and wondered about the Law School building, it started to have a very warped and twisted look to it with all those faces on the walls, young students diligently studying case law and judgments handed down on the constitutionality of legal actions made with no real reference to the Constitution. 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) architecture art constitutional law law school light lighting photography university of colorado boulder wolf law building https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/warped-law Thu, 21 Sep 2017 05:54:34 GMT
Home by Milky Way https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/home-by-milk-way

 

High speed drivers
Sun falls low
Catch that light
Stop, click, go

High plains drifters
Night swallows day
Follow stars
By Milky Way

White line fever
Headlights blast
Long, slow hours
Home at last

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art day high plains drifters landscape light lighting milky way night photography stars travel whiteline fever https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/home-by-milk-way Wed, 20 Sep 2017 05:30:38 GMT
The Rockies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/the-rockies

The common room at the Pitkin Hotel in Pitkin, CO where I processed photos and put this blog together tonight.

 

We left Boulder about 2:30 pm, and after various misguided directions from Google, stops to do photos, and a complete whiteout driving over one of the high passes on our way to Pitkin, CO from Boulder, we got to the hotel about 9:00. The drive would have been about four and a half hours straight through with out the directions issues, photo stops and whiteout.

 

These peaks are all over 14,000 feet about sea level.

 

 

 

We drove into the clouds, and into a whiteout driving over a pass in the mountains. We and two other cars pulled over, stopped and let our eyes adjust before slowing heading down the road with our emergency flashers on. The lines on the road were only visible for a couple of feet in front of us, and the reflectors on posts designated the edge of the road. We had to drive a few miles before we descended below the clouds and had a clear view of the road again.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting mountains photography pitkin hotel pitkin co rockies whiteout https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/the-rockies Mon, 18 Sep 2017 05:41:40 GMT
Across the Tracks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/across-the-tracks

 

I had quite a adventure in Boulder, CO today, but we got home so late, I only had time to look at a few of the photos.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art crossing light lighting night photography tracks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/across-the-tracks Sun, 17 Sep 2017 05:52:10 GMT
The Dark Horse https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/the-dark-horse

 

We are in Boulder, CO at CLASP V, an Interdisciplinary Conference on Culture, Language, and Social Practice, where Laurie is presenting a paper tomorrow. After the presentations this evening, we all went to the Dark Horse Bar & Grill to socialize. One of the organizers told me "You have to come to the Dark Horse. It's one of the most interesting places in Boulder." He was not exaggerating — the place is covered floor to ceiling with interesting stuff.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clasp v dark horse bar & grill light lighting linguistics photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/the-dark-horse Sat, 16 Sep 2017 05:23:14 GMT
VT https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/vt

360º panorama of The Beach on the Rio Grande that I used to create a virtual tour.

 

One of the photo ventures that I have been up to lately is learning how to create virtual tours using panorama images. Below are three virtual tours I created using four 360º panoramas. 

 

A virtual tour of The Beach and The Bosque.

Click here to go to the web page with the tour.

 

Virtual Tour of the University Heights United Methodist Church's sanctuary.

Click here to go to the web page with the tour.

 

Virtual Tour of a model home by Pulte Homes on Albuquerque's westside.

Click here to go to the web page with the tour.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 360 panorama art bosque light lighting panorama photography rio grande sandias uhumc virtual tours https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/vt Fri, 15 Sep 2017 01:05:02 GMT
Waiting for Koйot https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/waiting-for-konot

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art downtown indian koйot light lighting photography pueblo waiting woman https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/waiting-for-konot Thu, 14 Sep 2017 04:49:31 GMT
Spam https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/spam

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art church light lighting methodist oak photography rocks spam stained glass https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/spam Wed, 13 Sep 2017 01:28:24 GMT
Sick https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/sick

Yes Sasha. The world is sick*, depressing.

 

*Note: Sasha is not sick. She is making a comment on the state of the world.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography sasha https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/sick Tue, 12 Sep 2017 13:37:53 GMT
Smile https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/smile

Interesting treatment of concreting an irrigation ditch around a cottonwood tree.

 

The irrigation ditch, bosque and Rio Grande about 8 miles south of us.

 

Jetti jax all lined up

 

Bag-O-caterpillers hanging in a cottonwood

 

Mangled jettis and a cottonwood

 

View of the Rio Grande with the Sandias in the background 8 miles south of the views I usually post.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cottonwood irrigation ditch light lighting photography rio grande sandias https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/smile Mon, 11 Sep 2017 03:56:14 GMT
Eye Shine https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/eye-shine

 

Walking under 
moonless sky
Flashlight pokes 
Through clouds on high

 



 

Face to Face 
Black cows on black
Eyes shine bright
Lights flash, dance
 

 

 

Owl in tree 
In formal dress
Laughs and mocks 
Quite a sight

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds cows flashlight light lighting owl photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/eye-shine Sun, 10 Sep 2017 04:19:01 GMT
Pieces of Blue. Primarily. https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/pieces-of-blue-primarily

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art barrels blue charger ditch gate light lighting marlboro oil photography stop yellow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/pieces-of-blue-primarily Sat, 09 Sep 2017 01:19:59 GMT
Royal Fork https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/royal-fork

This is one of the tacky old landmarks that persist in Albuquerque. The Royal Fork Buffet Restaurant was at the corner of 4th and Coal in downtown Albuquerque. The restaurant opened around 1968, and closed in the late 1970's or early 1980's. While we had gone there a few times when I was young, other than the sign, it wasn't really memorable. In trying to find the history of this particular Royal Fork, I saw one reference that said the sign was from 1960, but the first Royal Fork Buffet Restaurant opened in Idaho in 1967.  

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) albuquerque art downtown light lighting photography royal fork buffet restaurant https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/royal-fork Fri, 08 Sep 2017 05:10:30 GMT
DISK — O — DAWG https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/disk-o-dawg

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) albuquerque art disk-o-dawg downtown light lighting no smoking photography side track brewing zendo https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/disk-o-dawg Thu, 07 Sep 2017 03:48:40 GMT
Smoking Up The Skies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/smoking-up-the-skies

Sunset on Sunday, September 3rd. The smoke is adding color but there was not a thick haze.

 

We are now getting a lot of smoke from the fires in various states northwest and west of New Mexico. The smoke really plays havoc with our sinuses and makes our eyes burn, but it does create beautiful colors for sunsets and moonrises.

 

What smoke there was, lit the sky behind the clouds on fire.

 

Tonight the smoke rolled in thick enough for the sun to be viewed as a perfect circle.

 

Wider-angle shows the gray smoke under otherwise clear skies.

 

 

 

An owl was on top of a dead tree along the river complaining to no end about the smoke.

 

Orange moonrise from behind the Sandias.

 

The owl was still complaining as dusk turned to dark.

 

The smoke turns the almost full moon a soft orange.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting moon moonrise owl photography sandias smoke sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/smoking-up-the-skies Wed, 06 Sep 2017 03:29:54 GMT
Spunk Fought the Mouse and the Mouse Won https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/spunk-fought-the-mouse-and-the-mouse-won Spunk and I were making our rounds on the property together about mid-morning. We were by the wood fence on the south side of the property when I almost stepped on a mouse and it ran up the outside of my pants leg. Spunk knocked it off and went after it, chasing it up and down the fence. Spunk soon discovered it was more like Mighty Mouse. It bit Spunk on the paw, Spunk threw it, it came back at Spunk, Spunk gave the mouse a punch in the face with a left hook, and then they had a face off before the mouse ran under Spunk and made it into the neighbor's yard.  The AWBs insisted on making a music video about the encounter. I said there wasn't time, but they assured me they could do it. So one set about writing lyrics, while another found suitable music. Then they recorded the music track, made the video, then they gave me the video so I could edit in the stills. I've posted the video first, followed by the lyrics, and then selected stills from Spunk's losing fight with the mouse this morning.

 

Spunk Fought the Mouse

 

Spunk Fought The Mouse
Words by Timothy Price
Performed by AWB
Music by Sonny Curtis

 

Spunk was a Rockin in the hot sun
Spunk fought the mouse and the mouse won (2x)

Spunk needed action cause he had none
Spunk fought the mouse and the mouse won (2x)

He lost to a mouse and it felt so bad, guess his race was run
It’s not the best fight that he ever had
Spunk fought the mouse and the mouse won (2x)

Go Spunk! Go Spunk! Show that mousy now
Go Spunk! Go Spunk! Show that mousy how

Spunk punched the mouse with a left hook
Spunk fought the mouse and the mouse won (2x)

The mouse won the fight and Spunk lost his fun
Spunk fought the mouse and the mouse won (2x)

He lost to a mouse and it felt so bad, guess his race was run
It’s not the best fight that he ever had
Spunk fought the mouse and the mouse won (2x)

Spunk fought the mouse and the mouse won (4x)

 

 

Spunk about to pounce on the mouse.

 

The mouse jumps up on the fence.

 

climbs and climbs.

 

Spunk's strategy is to let the mouse tire himself out climbing the fence.

 

Spunk makes his move.

 

Spunk knocks the mouse loose from the fence.

 

The mouse challenges Spunk.

 

The mouse tries to get away.

 

Spunk does a quick grab, the mouse bites Spunk and spunk tosses the mouse in front of him (it all happened so fast I couldn't get the action).

 

The mouse comes back at Spunk, and Spunk punches the mouse in the face with a left hook.

 

Un-phased by Spunk's left hook, the mouse challenges Spunk.

 

They get in each other's faces.

 

The mouse takes a swing at Spunk.

 

The mouse ran up on a branch saw the paparazzo with a scary looking device. He turned and made a daring dash under Spunk.

 

Spunk makes a last dash effort to get the mouse, but the mouse gave Spunk the slip — Spunk put up a good fight, but the mouse won.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats fence fight left hook light lighting mouse parody photography spunk video https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/spunk-fought-the-mouse-and-the-mouse-won Tue, 05 Sep 2017 04:19:22 GMT
The Persistence of Green Chile Gloves https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/the-persistence-of-green-chile-gloves

 

After posting the blog and working on the third sack of chiles, while the AWBs continued to party on the deck, my iPhone struck eleven, and my Fitbit said I only had 5000 steps, a little over 2 miles, not quite 30 active minutes and 0 floors. I had an hour to get all my goals for the day of 10,000 steps, 5 miles (10,500 steps), 30 active minutes and 10 floors. In the absence of tall buildings and parking garages, we use the ramps on the levee to get floors. So we walked out to the river under a 3/4 moon to see if I could meet my goals in less than an hour's time. Up and down the levee ramps, I got the 10 floors and up to 8,000 steps in 30 minutes. Then I headed north to clock in 1,000 steps and turn around at 9,000 steps, which would leave me with 1,500 steps to get back to the house and meet all my goals for the day. At about the 8,750 mark, I walked up on a coyote fest of several coyotes yelping and whooping up a storm. They were making enough noise the cows in the bosque started mooing at them to shut up. Since I carry a super bright flashlight, I shined it on the the pack and the rout dispersed allowing me to make it to my 9,000 step turn around. I got back to the house at 11:45 pm with 10,600 steps, a little over five miles, 10 floors and well over 30 active minutes. We went back to work on the green chiles, and finished up at 1:30 am. We went to bed, and the AWBs continued partying on the deck.

I got up at 8:30 am to face the mess from the persistence of chile. Four of the AWBs where still partying on the deck, so I gathered them up and had them come inside to help me clean up the aftermath of the green chiles. Needless to say, they were quite useless when it came to helping me clean, so I had to get them to go somewhere else so I could finally get the place cleaned up. Besides, a few chile seeds left on Lola, the counter shined.

You can see an animated GIF of how the Average White Boys helped clean up at:  https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2017/09/03/a-persistence-of-green-chile-gloves/

 

 


 

The Average White Boys where still at it when I brought them inside.

 

But the thought of helping me made them swagger.

 

Slowly falling over, slipping to the side, and sliding down in the chair.

 

All four out for the count.

 

A clean counter with a only a few seeds left on Lola and the chair.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art average white boys cats chile green chile light lighting lola messy counter photography rubber gloves https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/the-persistence-of-green-chile-gloves Mon, 04 Sep 2017 01:51:59 GMT
The Persistence of Green Chile https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/a-persistence-of-green-chile

Back, left to right, front: green chile martini, green chile beer, green chile milk, green chile red wine, green chile margarita,  green chile white wine, green chile coffee, green chile amaretto on the rocks.

 

While Laurie worked on pealing, deseeding and sacking green chiles while walking on the treadmill...

 

The Average White Boys had a green chile harvest fest by sitting on the deck BSing and drinking the fine green chile drinks introduced in the first photo.

You can see the animated GIF of the AWB celebrating at https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2017/09/02/the-persistence-of-green-chile/

 

"Put down that camera and get to work you silly Paparazzo!"

 

Piles of green chiles waiting to be deseeded and sacked!

 

Videos to do green chiles to. 

 

All the roasters going at Wagner's Farms.

 

Pouring chiles in the roaster.

 

Fire

 

More fire

 

More fire and lots of smoke

 

Chiles hang on for dear life

 

Roasted chiles are poured out into the a sack when finished.

 

A partial play list to listen to while skinning, deseeding and sacking green chiles:

CICIRINELLA TENEVA TENEVA [VIDEOCLIP UFFICIALE] Tequila e Montepulciano Band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4XqW26X3qc

Giovanna e Angiolino
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbcvhVA66lw

AKAGA & ROUSSINOFF -ROCKABILLY ЗВЕЗДА (Official Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_e6CWo7eO0

J AX - IL BELLO D'ESSER BRUTTI (Official Video - Newtopia)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8naQqCovDA

The Jive Aces & Rebecca Grant - Nothing's Too Good For My Baby
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4OZu9MQjhQ

Giovanna e Angiolino
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbcvhVA66lw

Roundtable Rival - Lindsey Stirling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvipPYFebWc

Turbo polka - ATOMIK HARMONIK (Official Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI7wnIfBwxk

Billy Momo - It´s mine - Official video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwSVidgcPe8

J-AX - SOPRA LA MEDIA - OFFICIAL VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyJD5CUib4M

3 Doors Down - Kryptonite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPU8OAjjS4k

Theory of a Deadman - Bitch Came Back [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR4WFPa6xuI

Litfiba - Elettrica
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_R90gTO0J0

Traktor Polka - ATOMIK HARMONIK (Official HD Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uozqaUmISVI

The Kooks - Bad Habit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tUh-x-fp8Q

Donatan Cleo feat. Enej - Brać [Official Video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0trwO1xbv6E

Articolo 31 - Domani Smetto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7WSrlSIF8k

Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 - Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra & Iván Fischer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4788Tmz9Zo

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art average white boys chile drinks green chile laurie light lighting photography play list roasting wagner's farm https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/a-persistence-of-green-chile Sun, 03 Sep 2017 02:11:01 GMT
Gladiolus https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/gladiolus

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art gladiolus light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/9/gladiolus Sat, 02 Sep 2017 01:40:32 GMT
The Few and the Flatulent https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/the-few-and-the-flatulent

I ran out to the river, then down to the beach to see if I could get the pink on the Sandias from the setting sun. There was a soft pink on the Sandias just before the sun went down.

 

I walked back into the bosque and came face to face with cows wandering around, munching on the foliage. They ran north while I went to see what the sunset was doing. As the dusk began to creep into the bosque, I heard the cows mooing urgently and coyotes howling. I ran toward the sound of the commotion in hopes of photographing a cow vs. coyote fight. I heard a coyote yelping, then silence in the bosque.

 

Under a half moon, I walked through the bosque and up onto the top of the levee, where I came up between the heard of cows on my left and one cow on my right. We all stopped, stood still and looked at each other.

 

We were in a true stand-off with no more than twenty feet separating me from the cows on either side. We all stood defiant, hooves and feet planted firmly as we stood our ground.  Silence momentarily fell round us until the cows tried an offensive maneuver and started squeaking out bursts of air, back and forth, until they were playing toccata and flatulence in F Major. I imagined them singing a cow version of Helen Reddy's famous song:

"I am cow hear me roar
With flatulence too loud to ignore
I may look simple, but I do pretend
Cause I’ve let em drop before
Those patties crashing to the floor
Please try to step around my pies

Oh yes, don’t despise
Four stomachs are insane
Yes, reticulum, rumen dice
Omasum, abomasum reduce the grain
If I have to I can eat anything

I am strong
(smelling)
I am invincible
(horns)
I am a cow"

 

I added a few toots to the musical merriment — I have to say we had a gas — until the herd decided they had enough and began moseying south on the levee. Now I stood separating an angry cow from the herd, and decided it was best to get off the bank and let it rejoin the herd.

 

Meanwhile, back in the bosque, Laurie was blocked from joining the "toot-in" by a rather defiant toad who stood his ground asking "Who's that stomping on my trail?" Once he saw it was a beautiful woman, outfitted in rose gold, he let her pass. If it had been a bullfrog blocking the path, he probably would have demanded a kiss before allowing her to pass, but toads have not been known to turn into Princes. Laurie joined me on the levee just as the cows and I finished putting on the airs.

 

All that gas made for a really nice afterglow at dusk.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque clouds cows. flatulence grande levee light lighting photography rio sandias sunset toad https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/the-few-and-the-flatulent Fri, 01 Sep 2017 04:44:58 GMT
Birds Birds Birds https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/birds-birds-birds

Seven Flycatchers in Mia's tree

 

I walked out to the river in the late afternoon before sundown and a nice variety of birds were active.

 

Flycatcher overhead

 

Young Cooper's Hawk

 

Great Blue Heron wading in the Rio Grande

 

Vulture

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds clouds cooper's hawk flycatchers heron light lighting photography rio grande trees vulture https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/birds-birds-birds Thu, 31 Aug 2017 00:32:19 GMT
Soft Sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/soft-sunset

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/soft-sunset Wed, 30 Aug 2017 01:46:20 GMT
Smiling https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/smiling

Laurie got a photo of Spunk having sweet, happy dreams.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting photography smiling spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/smiling Mon, 28 Aug 2017 23:22:03 GMT
Of Cows & Coyotes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/of-cows-coyotes

Three coyotes on the ditch bank watching the paparazzo approach.

 

One steps down, the others look around. Two coyotes left on the ditch bank watching the paparazzo approach.

 

One steps down, the other looks around. One coyote left on the ditch bank watching the paparazzo approach.

 

Sunset happens

 

Standoff between eight cows and the paparazzo in the twilight.

 

Going into cow-warp speed to catch the herd in the twilight.

 

Comes out of cow-warp speed to face down the paparazzo in the twilight.

 

The cow and the paparazzo enjoy a gaggle of geese flying overhead in the twilight.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cows coyotes geese light lighting photography sunset twilight warp speed https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/of-cows-coyotes Mon, 28 Aug 2017 04:48:14 GMT
Sin Água y Solo https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/sin-agua-y-solo

 

Standing prickly on barren ground
Sin água y solo
Beads and bangles mark a roadside passing
Sin água y solo
Dusty protests barked out warnings
Sin água y solo
Import stands by fading colors
Sin água y solo
Fenced in lonely, please can you play?
Sin água y solo

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cactus cross dogs fence light lighting llama photography prickly pear sin agua solidad wire https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/sin-agua-y-solo Sun, 27 Aug 2017 01:29:51 GMT
Sliver Moon Bloody Sky https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/sliver-moon-bloody-sky

 

The sliver moon was facing down a bloody sky this evening. Earlier, a muskrat was swimming in a northerly direction, probably keeping an eye on the paparazzo, and almost collided with an Eastern Snapping Turtle who was swimming in a southerly direction just under the surface. The turtle dove under the muskrat and laid still on the bottom of the clearwater ditch for a long time. The muskrat turned into a hole in the ditch bank.

 

Eastern Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)

 

 

Muskrat almost ran into the turtle

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art chelydra serpentina clouds eastern snapping turtle light lighting moon muskrat photography sliver moon sunset turtle https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/sliver-moon-bloody-sky Sat, 26 Aug 2017 04:15:29 GMT
Rose is Red Spider is Blue https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/rose-is-red-spider-is-blue

Veteran's Honor

 

Orb Spider

 

High Society pulled to the ground by a porcupine

 

Tuscan Sun

 

Lovestruck

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art high society light lighting lovestruck orb spider photography roses spider tuscan sun veteran's honor https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/rose-is-red-spider-is-blue Fri, 25 Aug 2017 04:24:20 GMT
Thunderheads https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/thunderheads

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting photography sandias thunderheads https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/thunderheads Thu, 24 Aug 2017 01:38:26 GMT
Bottle of Wine Socks are Divine https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/bottle-of-wine-socks-are-divine

Wine and socks I won in a raffle

 

I went to a Network After Work meet and great after work this evening. Since it was at the Apothecary Lounge on the roof of the old infirmary turned Hotel Parq Central at I-25 (about a mile from the office), I walked up to the event and back.  I met various people, and dropped a card into the raffle basket. Lucky me! My card was drawn for one of the baskets of wine and socks. On the walk back to the office, after sunset, I took a series of architecture along Old Route 66 in the twilight. As I walked along Central on my way downtown, more than one street person commented on the nice bottle of wine I was carrying. While none of them asked directly, I could tell they were hoping I might donate it to their cause.

When I got back to the office, I photographed CSR's and ARC's lighted signs without lights on inside the office. I installed ARC's sign back around March, but I hadn't been at the office when it's dark until tonight. CSR installed their sign last week.

 

Sunset behind the downtown skyline taken from the rooftop of the Hotel Parq Central

 

Tattooed building

 

Classic old duplex

 

The new Lobo Rainforest student housing on Broadway and Central

 

CSR's new lighted sign

 

ARC's lighted sign looking through the front door.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) albuquerque apothecary lounge arc art central csr downtown light lighting lobo rainforest marketing photography route 66 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/bottle-of-wine-socks-are-divine Wed, 23 Aug 2017 05:55:02 GMT
World Without End Amen https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/world-without-end-amen

Alpha

 

As the world ended, yet again, I thought about the last line in the "Gloria Patri" — "World without end. Amen" — because with all the apocalypses that have come and gone over the millennia, a "World with out end" has persisted.

You can see my animated gif of the solar eclipse at https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2017/08/21/world-without-end-amen/.

 

Maximum
 

Sun gazer

 

Omega

 

Sequence

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art eclipse light lighting photography solar eclipse sun gazer https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/world-without-end-amen Tue, 22 Aug 2017 05:31:21 GMT
Here We Go Again https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/here-we-go-again

 

The world is coming to an end again because there will be a total solar eclipse tomorrow. Albuquerque is not in the path for us to see the total eclipse, so we will only get to see 78% of the sun covered by the moon if we see it at all. The sun went into hiding today behind a thick layer of clouds. The forecast for tomorrow morning is mostly cloudy, so there is a chance the sun will still be in hiding for the eclipse. However, weather forecasts are often meaningless around these parts, so I'll have my solar filters on hand incase the sun comes out for the occasion.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds eclipse light lighting photography solar eclipse sun sunset tree https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/here-we-go-again Mon, 21 Aug 2017 04:35:32 GMT
Low Down Downtown https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/low-down-downtown

Riding low

 

Trash in tow

 

Walking Tall

 

Lecture hall

 

Smoke break

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) albuquerque art break downtown lecture hall light lighting low rider bike photography smoking walking tall https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/low-down-downtown Sun, 20 Aug 2017 01:38:05 GMT
Gone to the Gold https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/gone-to-the-gold

 

In the deep recesses of my simple mind, vague memories of a commercial for hair color said “Only your hair dresser knows for sure!” Or something to that extent, being it was probably fifty years ago that commercial aired. Half a century later, millennials have said “hasta la vista, auf Wiedersehen” to hair color “au naturale” for fifty shades of radiant mane coifed to perfection. 

Laurie has gone to the gold with all rose gold on her glasses, phone, nails and hair. Her hair is now a stunning display of shiny strands that shimmer with movement, showing off layers of radiant, rosy pinks that glow softy like a golden sea of hair at sunset. 

Jina is the stylist who artistically transformed Laurie’s hair into a vibrant display of rosy golds. If you live in the Albuquerque area and you want to do something special or new with your hair you can call Jina at 505-319-7026.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art artist coif hair hair artist hair design hairstyle jina light lighting luarie photography rose gold https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/gone-to-the-gold Sat, 19 Aug 2017 05:01:22 GMT
Lost Our Bearings https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/lost-our-bearings

 

We have all lost our bearings — the bearings went out in our swamp cooler on Monday, and the bearings in Tristan’s MasterCool went south on Wednesday, and our nation has completely lost its bearings to hate and rhetoric of epic proportions. 

I’m a simpleton when it comes to haters who rally for their cause — simply ignore them, I say. If the media and counter rallyers had stayed home, a few hundred haters would have had their say to a few like minded people, gone home and most people would not had known a rally took place, let alone who put it on. But simple minds don’t matter. “You can’t let them spread their hate!” yell the talking heads masquerading as deep thinkers. “You have to confront violent haters with, well, violence and our 'superior' hatred” according to many in the opposition. So as the haters anticipated, the media and opposition showed up and played straight into their hands. The haters got national attention, blood was shed, innocent people died, and now the media, the politicians, the talking heads, and the opposition can’t shut up about it — we have all lost our bearings, and our nation is divided more than ever. It’s like Evil won the lottery.

One common theme among haters is a desire to wipe all Jews off the face of the earth. I have struggled most of my life to figure out why Jews are considered such a threat that whole nations seem to dedicate their sole existence to exterminating them. Again, as a simple minded person when it comes to understanding matters of genocide and hating whole groups of people because they simply exist, I have found most of the explanations for the reason Jews need to be exterminated quite lacking. Thomas Sowell, an economist, gives a fairly convincing argument about Jews being middle men — everyone wants to eliminate the middle man, but I can’t buy into eliminating all Jews just to take out the middle man. But then I heard an interesting argument about how Evil’s war against God has tried for millennia to eliminate the Jews. God made a covenant with the Jews and if Evil, through forces of hate, can eliminate the Jews, God breaks his promise, sins, falls from perfection, and Evil wins the lottery.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bearings evil jews light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/lost-our-bearings Fri, 18 Aug 2017 05:49:30 GMT
Choose Your Dock https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/choose-your-dock

At least we can still choose a dock.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) albuquerque architecture art dock downtown light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/choose-your-dock Thu, 17 Aug 2017 04:11:53 GMT
No JOy https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/no-joy

 

We went down to check out the goings on at Civic Plaza and there was no more JOy.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) albuquerque art civic plaza downdown joy light lighting no joy photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/no-joy Wed, 16 Aug 2017 01:28:43 GMT
Drained by the Swamp https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/drained-by-the-swamp

 

The swamp cooler gave out this afternoon, so I set out to rebuild it. Two motors, new spider bearings, three trips to Lowe's and a lot of frustration later, it still doesn't work right. The next step is replacing the switch, which I will do tomorrow. If that doesn't work, I'll probably give up on it. Although I've been drained by the swamp, the weather gave me a great show with a partial rainbow and an interesting sunset between downpours. 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography rainbow sandias sky sunset swamp cooler trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/drained-by-the-swamp Tue, 15 Aug 2017 04:42:29 GMT
Ballerina https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/ballerina

Ballerina
 

Spunk does his own modern cat imitation of a ballerina.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) ballerina ballet cats clouds flowers light photography roses spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/ballerina Mon, 14 Aug 2017 01:33:31 GMT
Working Inside The Box https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/working-inside-the-box

Loki spills over but manages to fit.

 

It doesn't seem to matter what size the box is, cats have a way of working inside the box.

 

 

 

Silver has to really scrunch.

 

Silver scrunched in well enough for a nap.

 

Spunk, Loki and Silver.

 

Spunk manages to get all fours in the box.

 

Only to spill out moments later.

 

He tries the old "tuck and roll".

 

The "tuck and roll" didn't work.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art box cats light lighting loki magnum double caramel photography rope silver spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/working-inside-the-box Sun, 13 Aug 2017 01:31:50 GMT
White on White https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/white-on-white

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds cattle clouds egret light lighting photography white https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/white-on-white Sat, 12 Aug 2017 03:25:23 GMT
Cattle Ramp Quandary https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/cattle-ramp-quandary

Main gate on the irrigation ditch

 

It's just always been there. Never gave much thought about who it belonged to. Simply assumed it was part of the lot next to the road. I started the irrigation in the rain late in the afternoon, and then cranked up the old truck and drove up the road to cut down some weeds that had grown large and started to creep their way into the road. I cut the weeds on the north side of the road, loaded them into the back of the truck, and started whacking down some of the shorter weeds growing on the south side of the road. I worked my way up to the old cattle ramp near the top of the road, and noticed a recent surveyor's stake stuck in the ground designating where the property owners planned on splitting the lot on the south side of the road, and marking where the northern and southern edges of our properties meet. I looked west from the survey marker and noticed the old cattle ramp is sitting on our property according to where the stake is set.

After I finished with the weeds, I drove them back to the lower forty and piled them in a long standing weed pile. Then I went inside, pulled out the survey we had done a couple of years ago, located the survey rebar on the plat, grabbed a tape measure, walked back up the road, found the survey markers from our survey on the north side of the road, measured out 20 feet from the markers, and, sure enough, the cattle ramp is on our property.

"Why is there an old cattle ramp at the top of your road?" You might ask, and it would be a good question. The person who owned the lot at the top of the road fifty years ago had cattle on it. He had a cattle feeder that ran the width of the lot south of the cattle ramp (it's mostly still there, aging like the ramp), and the cattle ramp was there to load cattle on trucks to take them to market. The original property we are on did not have a road coming in from the west. My parents accessed the property from the ditch bank shown in the first two photos. My parents did some dealing, swapping and buying to get the road and better access to the property from Corrales Road, the main road that runs north and south through Corrales. Like I said, the cattle ramp has been there as long as I can remember, and if there was any assumption about ownership, everyone assumed it was part of the lot on the south side of the road, but, as I discovered today, that is not the case. The ramp sits on our property, so we must assume ownership of it and take responsibility for it.

Now we have to decide what to do about the old cattle ramp. One neighbor who lives along our road wanted to tear it down some years ago, but the property owner of the lot next to the cattle ramp assumed it was on his property and said no. While I was working on the weeds, another neighbor stopped to talk on his way out and said he liked the cattle ramp and wanted me to keep it there. The quandary is that the old cattle ramp is leaning toward the road and if it falls over it will temporarily block the road. So I was thinking I should either take it down before it falls over, or straighten it up and stabilize it so it doesn't fall over. I'm leaning (kind of like the old cattle ramp) towards straightening it up and stabilizing it at the moment.

I was thinking that if I stabilized it, I could put planks on the ramp, get some bulls, run the bulls down the road, up the ramp, and into the back of the truck, and then drive them back to the lower forty. It would be fun to have a "running of the bulls" on the road every now and then.

 

Our gate in on the left. It started raining hard when I walked out to open our gate.

 

Our old Ford F100 full of weeds.

 

The old cattle ramp from behind, looking toward the west.

 

 

The old cattle ramp from the front looking toward the southeast.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cattle ramp ford f100 light lighting photography plat property rebar road stake survey weeds https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/cattle-ramp-quandary Fri, 11 Aug 2017 05:21:39 GMT
Call of the West https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/call-of-the-west

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cow skull cowboy hat hat lantern light lighting old route 66 photography skull wagon wheel west wheel https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/call-of-the-west Thu, 10 Aug 2017 01:32:56 GMT
Daisy With A Mohawk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/daisy-with-a-mohawk

 

If you are the type who believes yellow daisies are pansies, well think again. These babies are feisty florals, sporting the latest punk petals, and making strong statements with their sorrel stamen. Yellow is the new black in the fashionable and flowery world of Rudbeckia hirta, with styles like metal petal, green and yellow spiky fellow, and speaking with forked flowers. Strong, tough and rebellious, these yellow daisies refuse to be pansies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art brown eyed susans daisies light lighting photography punk petals rudbeckia hirta yellow daisies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/daisy-with-a-mohawk Wed, 09 Aug 2017 05:33:44 GMT
Rigor Dormitus https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/rigor-dormitus

 

Loki got a severe case of rigor dormitus while catnapping. 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cat nap cats light lighting loki photography rigor dormitus https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/rigor-dormitus Tue, 08 Aug 2017 01:47:05 GMT
The Monarch & The Queen https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/the-monarch-the-queen

Monarch

 

Queen

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art butterflies light lighting monarch photography queen https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/the-monarch-the-queen Mon, 07 Aug 2017 05:12:22 GMT
Hair https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/hair

 

Laurie has gone for a new look on her hair. This is an ombré style that will be a rose gold ombré when they are finished. To get to the final rose gold is a multi step process that will take another session to complete.  I used both light and dark backgrounds behind the mirror with strong lighting to show off the variations in highlights and colors in the ombré style. The last two photos are a direct comparison of how the light and dark backgrounds affect the highlights and colors in Laurie's hair.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art fashion hairstyle laurie light lighting ombré photography rose gold https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/hair Sun, 06 Aug 2017 05:13:17 GMT
Nails One Oh? One https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/nails-one-oh-one

Lola guarding a new bottle of Rose Gold nail polish

 

Here's an easy guide to doing your own nails:

1) Clean off the counter

2) Get out the nail supplies

3) Set up your computer so you can watch Italian music videos

4) Sit down and start working on your nails

5) Watch the cats swarm

 

A swarm of kitties

 

Loki: "Wacha watching Lola?" Lola: "Some crazy rappers named J-AX and Fedez!"

 

Loki waiting for Spunk to finish jugging so he can jug and get back to the nail scene.

 

Lola: "I can look like that dude!"

 

To jump or not to jump? That is the kitty question.

 

Silver: "Well?" Spunk: "I'm not impressed!"

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats gel nails italian music videos light lighting loki lola marble nails najar photography silver spunk video https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/nails-one-oh-one Sat, 05 Aug 2017 03:16:15 GMT
Jugging https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/jugging

 

We have a fountain, bowls of water, plus we often leave a bathroom faucet dripping so the cats can get a variety of water sources. Yet, in their infinite kitty creativity, they found yet another preferred water source — old distilled water jugs filled with tap water, in which they go "jugging", sticking their tongues in the neck of the jug to get a drink.

We run hot or cold water from the kitchen faucet into the jugs while we wait for the temperature to change. Then we use the jugs of water to fill the kitty fountain and water the plants. The kitties especially like the jugs as a water source, because they lap the water down below the neck of the jug fairly quickly to where their tongues won't reach the water. Then they give us sad eyes and start sticking their paws into the jug, getting them wet and licking the water off their paws until we top off the jug. 

It's a sad show, and if we don't top off the jug so they can lick the water again, the eventually get their paws stuck and dump the full jug of water over. Then they proudly watch as the water glugs out of the jug all over the floor or table. Jugging is just another way of controlling us and forcing us to give them even more attention.

Sasha is especially cute when she goes a jugging.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats jugs licking light lighting photography sasha tongue water https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/jugging Fri, 04 Aug 2017 01:24:56 GMT
Taken by the Night https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/taken-by-the-night

A soft stripe of pink kissed the top of the Sandias at eight-fifteen.

 

A cloud floats lighted behind a tree laid bare by droughts of yore.

 

Magenta, yellow, cyan — eight-twenty bedtime colors.

 

Bats, like the Yeti, impossible to get a clear shot.

 

Clouds wrestle with the moon, in a chokehold at eight-fifty.

 

Nebulized at nine oh three.

 

Nine-twenty-five — an Orb Spider's weave glistens under the light of my torch.

 

Thirty seconds later a scurrying Solifugae is stopped, frozen, blinded by the light.

 

A final distraction at nine-thirty as a bullfrog poked his head above a foggy bottom, lighted from above in the murky waters below. 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bat bullfrog clouds darkness light lighting moon orb spider photography sandias solifugae sunset trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/taken-by-the-night Thu, 03 Aug 2017 01:44:17 GMT
And The Rain Came Tumbling Down https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/and-the-rain-came-tumbling-down

Downpour @ Four

 

River in the alley

 

Blue skies and sunshine @ Four-Thirty

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) albuquerque alley art downpour downtown four four-thirty light lighting photography river sunshine https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/8/and-the-rain-came-tumbling-down Wed, 02 Aug 2017 01:51:53 GMT
Sandias in the Mist https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/sandias-in-the-mist

At ten till eight the Sandias were covered by heavy rain as we stood in light rain on the west side of the river.

 

Fifteen minutes later, about half mile south, we walked out onto a part of the riverbed that had been four feet under water from the beginning of May to the end of June. It was over grown and we had to bushwhack our way to the river.

 

Only a small portion of the riverbed is not overgrown.

 

We finally made it to the river, and the Sandias were still obscured by heavy rain.

 

A lone cattail stands its ground, trying to hold its own against the tamarisk.

 

By eight-thirty we were back at the same point where I took the first photo, and the outline of the Sandias was barely visible through the mist and quickly fading into the darkness.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque cattail grande light lighting mist photography rain rio riverbed sandias tamarisk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/sandias-in-the-mist Tue, 01 Aug 2017 03:50:12 GMT
Selfies with Sophia https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/selfies-with-sophia

 

Sophia, who is Tristan's Congo African Grey, came out to play this afternoon when we dropped some stuff by Tristan's house on our way to a concert.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) african grey parrot art congo african grey light lighting parrot photography selfies sophia https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/selfies-with-sophia Mon, 31 Jul 2017 00:08:01 GMT
Hammocking in Stereo https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/hammocking-in-stereo

 

Silver and Loki were hammocking in stereo, when Marble got up on the shelf and distracted Loki. He couldn't resist playing with her tail, and Silver just sat back and enjoyed the show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats hammock hammoking light lighting loki marble photography silver stereo https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/hammocking-in-stereo Sun, 30 Jul 2017 02:35:32 GMT
Paparazzo & Chicks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/paparazzo-chicks

July 8th. Loppers ready to cut down a tree limb.

 

I had the loppers ready to slice through a large branch when my subconscious heard the silent screams “Don’t cut it! Please don’t cut it!”  I looked over to see a bird’s nest near the end of the branch I was about to cut down. I moved the ladder near the nest, climbed up and looked in the nest to see two tiny, black hummingbird chicks with scraggly, hair-like feathers on their backs. Breathing a sigh of relief that I had heard their silent pleas, and saw their nest before I cut down the tree limb, I started checking their progress daily. I spent the next 19 days documenting their rapid growth and maturing from little black, scraggly blobs to full grown hummingbirds.

 

 

July 8th. Bird's nest on the branch I was about to cut down.

 

July 8th. Two tiny hummingbird chicks in the nest.

 

July 8th. Mama hummingbird sitting on the chicks after dark.

 

July 10th. Hungry little hummers.

 

July 12th. Chick grooming his wings.

 

July 13th. Napping.

 

July 16th. Developing feathers.

 

July 19th. Eyes open.

 

July 23rd. Fully feathered barely fitting.

 

July 25th. Ready to fly.

 

July 26th. One left.

 

July 27th. Empty Nest.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art chicks hummingbirds light lighting loppers nest photography trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/paparazzo-chicks Sat, 29 Jul 2017 00:27:29 GMT
Day in the Life of a Rainbow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/day-in-the-life-of-a-rainbow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque clouds downpour light lighting photography rain rainbow rio grande thunderstorm https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/day-in-the-life-of-a-rainbow Fri, 28 Jul 2017 01:49:49 GMT
What's Bugging You? https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/whats-bugging-you

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beetle bumble bee butterflies grasshopper insects light lighting photography wasp https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/whats-bugging-you Thu, 27 Jul 2017 03:59:55 GMT
Walk Under A Sliver Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/walk-under-a-sliver-moon

The Sandias, bosque and Rio Grande at dusk.

 

Twilight afterglow

 

Sliver moon peeking out from behind black clouds.

 

Clouds disperse leaving a fuzzy sliver moon.

 

The moon becomes sharper as the clouds thin out.

 

The sliver shines bright as darkness covers the trees.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds darkness. dusk light lighting night photography rio grande sandias silver moon sunset trees twilight https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/walk-under-a-sliver-moon Wed, 26 Jul 2017 04:08:31 GMT
Walking the Dog https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/walking-the-dog

Walking the dog at the corner of 3rd Street and Central (Old Route 66), Downtown Albuquerque.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 3rd street albuquerque art central dog donate downtown light lighting old route 66 photography q burger woman https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/walking-the-dog Tue, 25 Jul 2017 03:48:04 GMT
A Touch of Orange https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/a-touch-of-orange

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) albuquerque art b&w civic plaza construction downtown knaack light lighting orange photography propane tank wheelbarrow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/a-touch-of-orange Mon, 24 Jul 2017 01:09:20 GMT
Four Winged Wonders https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/four-winged-wonders

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art dragonflies light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/four-winged-wonders Sat, 22 Jul 2017 23:58:59 GMT
Rain & Shine https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/rain-shine

 

Standing in the sun
Soaked by the rain
Rainbows double up
Arc over trees
Framing mountains

Sun falls down
Rain dries up
FEDEX glows in
pastel skies 
Over fiery horizon

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque clouds fedex jet light lighting photography rain rainbows rio grande sandias sun sunshine trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/rain-shine Sat, 22 Jul 2017 01:42:00 GMT
Light Queen https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/light-queen

Queen

 

Black Swallowtail

 

Queen

 

Pearl Crescent

 

Queen

 

Painted Lady

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art black swallowtail butterflies butterfly bush echinacea light lighting painted lady pearl crescent photography queen https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/light-queen Thu, 20 Jul 2017 23:51:37 GMT
Repeat Offender https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/repeat-offender

 

Some of you might recall that about a year and a half (1.5, 1 1/2)* ago, I was banned for life from the parking garage at Second (2nd) Street and Gold Ave., downtown, even though I had been going there every week for a year to photograph the construction of the Imperial Building.  I laid low for a year, but in keeping with trends in Albuquerque, and New Mexico, I became a repeat offender and began walking stairs every weekday starting back in January of of this year. In 2015 I walked the stairs in the New Mexico Bank and Trust Building at Fourth (4th) Street and Gold Ave., but with my compromised immune system, and no immunizations until April and June of this year, I did not want to climb stairs in an enclosed stairwell. The parking structure works well. It takes about eight (8) minutes to walk up the six (6) floors on the west side of the structure, across the top, down the stairs on the east side, back up the stairs on the east side, back across the top, and back down the stairs on the west side. That gives me twelve (12) floors on my Fitbit and I get sixteen (16) floors when I climb the access stairs to the top of the elevator shaft.

Albuquerque is a crime ridden city according to all the stats, and Lavu, a software company downtown, threatened to move if the city didn't do something about the panhandlers and crime in the area. The city stepped up police presence in downtown, and the parking structure now has extra security people watching for missfits and recidivists who have been banned for life from the parking garage. 

Bruce often goes with me to walk stairs, and today we were stopped by security, and, looking at me, they asked "Aren't you the photographer that was banned for life last year?" I, the repeat offender, parking garage criminal I am, acted totally shocked about such a question and answered "No! It was him!" and pointed at Bruce. "Don't you remember? How could you forget banning that guy?"  The guards look askance at me, and then eyed Bruce for a second before they said "I remember now!" You're coming with us." They escorted Bruce out of the garage, around by the train tracks, and locked him in the clink, which is a grated kiosk above Central Ave. (Old Route 66) at the railroad tracks. I always wondered what they used that kiosk for. Now I know.

 

The time it takes to walk the steps on both sides of the parking garage.

 

The kiosk clink

 

Bruce locked away, sticking his paw out like a cat.

 

Bruce acting like a cat behind bars sympathizing with Tesla.

*Written numbers with Arabic numerals for Mia. We had a discussion about that today — A Freeze Dried Empire.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) albuquerque art bruce downtown lavu light lighting old route 66 parking garage photography stairs train tracks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/repeat-offender Thu, 20 Jul 2017 04:07:10 GMT
Compact ING https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/compact-ing

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) albuquerque art compact downtown garage light lighting parking parking garage photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/compact-ing Tue, 18 Jul 2017 23:48:46 GMT
Keep on Truckin' https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/keep-on-truckin

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting lug nuts photography reflection tanker truck wheel https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/keep-on-truckin Tue, 18 Jul 2017 01:23:07 GMT
In The Slammer https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/in-the-slammer

 

 

Lane's kitty, Tesla, is in the slammer.  Tesla has been on the blog before playing with balloons, and on his cat tree in bow ties, but that's when he was on his better behavior. Lane went to visit Tesla in the kitty Bastille and sent me these photos of poor Tesla behind bars. All the photos today were done by Lane.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bars bastille cats light lighting photography slammer tesla https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/in-the-slammer Mon, 17 Jul 2017 01:25:23 GMT
Pairs https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/pairs

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) albuquerque art couples doors downtown grid hydrant light lighting pairs photography reflections windows https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/pairs Sun, 16 Jul 2017 00:37:10 GMT
Beach, Bosque, Cone Heads https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/beach-bosque-cone-heads

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beach bosque clouds cone heads light lighting photography rio grande sandias https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/beach-bosque-cone-heads Sat, 15 Jul 2017 05:55:49 GMT
Not So Good Vibrations https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/not-so-good-vibrations

A tongue tested 9 volt battery.

 

One of the lingering side effects of chemotherapy is nerve damage, and bouts with nerves slowing dying off. When the nerves are going into their death spirals, they vibrate, like a cellphone on vibrate, and they send electric spikes through my muscles and along my bones. When I don't have my cell phone, I stand there and try to answer myself.  Laurie asked what the nerves shocks felt like and I told her "It's like when you put your tongue on a 9 volt battery!" Surprisingly enough, Laurie said she had never put her tongue on a 9 volt battery.  I was a little shocked by that realization, because I thought most everyone my age had put their tongues on 9 volt batteries when they were kids. It was all the rage when I was young, and, besides the fun of it, it's one way to test a 9 volt battery to see how much juice is left in it. I did a poll at the office and most of the men had put their tongues on 9 volt batteries, and about a third of the women had done it. While some of the women said, "No! That's what the boys did!" they did confess to playing with mercury. Funny that more people in my poll had played with mercury than put their tongues on 9 volt batteries. Of course, most of us tongue shockers played with mercury, also. Laurie wasn't brave enough to put her tongue on a 9 volt battery to see how my nerves feel, but Lola, Spunk and the Mad Mac all tried it.   Have you ever put your tongues on 9 volt batteries?

 

 

To lick or not to lick? That is the question!

 

Lola revving up her tongue for a quick lick.

 

"Wow! That was something."

 

"Hello! I love you, my shocking little Duracell."

 

Spunk: "You really want me to lick this thing?" Me: "Just give those two silver thingies a little snaky lick."

 

"Here goes."

 

"Whoa! You didn't tell me it would be shocking."

 

The Mad Mac had the same reaction as Spunk.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 9 volt battery art battery battery on tongue cats light lighting lola mac mad mac photography se/30 shock spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/not-so-good-vibrations Fri, 14 Jul 2017 03:24:20 GMT
Blue to Gray https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/blue-to-gray

Blue sky with clouds building up in the east at 6:30 pm

 

Dark sky to the west at 8:00 pm

 

Sun breaks through and lights the tops of the trees for a few minutes at 8:15 pm

 

Cloud cover and thundershowers on the Sandias at 8:34 pm

 

Heavy cloud cover with rain in the distance at 8:45 pm

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds cottonwood light lighting photography rio grande sandias https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/blue-to-gray Thu, 13 Jul 2017 04:11:57 GMT
The Persistence Of Donut https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/the-persistence-of-donut

The first time I posted a photo of this donut was March 22, 2017. See it at Big Red Road Kill.

 

Bruce called this "The Stairway to Hell!" He said if you walk out the door you're going straight to the bottom.

 

Cumulonimbus

 

A bear behind

 

Reflecting

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) afd art bear clouds cumulonimbus donut doors fire dept. light lighting parking garage photography stairway sunflowers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/the-persistence-of-donut Wed, 12 Jul 2017 03:27:26 GMT
Lounging https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/lounging

 

Silver and Spunk lounging in the catio.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art catio cats light lighting photography silver spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/lounging Tue, 11 Jul 2017 01:48:41 GMT
A Tell Tail Beaver https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/a-tell-tail-beaver

Beaver slipping into the foliage on the sandbar in the middle of the river.

 

A walked out to the river shortly before sundown, and as I walked up to the river's edge, a beaver was climbing up the bank of the sandbar across from where I stood. By the time I got my camera up and focused, he was disappearing into the foliage that covers the sandbar. I stood on the bank, photographed the Sandias in full sunshine, and watched to see if the beaver would come back out of the foliage. About 5 minutes later, he reemerged with his mouth full of tamarisk cuttings. He slipped down the bank, into the river, and then swam about 100 yards down stream where he stopped along the bank and seemed to be eating the tamarisk. The sun went down, the mountains turned red, and he was in the same place with his tamarisk cuttings when I walked back out to the ditch bank and photographed the sunset.

 

The sandbar is in the shade in the middle of the photo. The bosque on the opposite bank of the Rio Grande is catching the tail edge of the light from the low sun.

 

Beaver sliding down the bank toward the water with his mouth full of tamarisk.

 

He paused for a second and I got a closer shot. I was surprised how much the beaver looks like a little bear.

 

Sliding into the river.

 

Swimming downstream with his tamarisk.

 

Sitting along the bank snacking on the tamarisk.

 

The Sandias turned hot pink in the sunset.

 

The sunset was partly cloudy and orange.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rio Grande Sandias art beaver clouds light lighting photography river sunset tamarisk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/a-tell-tail-beaver Mon, 10 Jul 2017 00:40:19 GMT
A Helping Hawk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/a-helping-hawk

Copper's Hawk: "Hey there! Whatcha doing?" Me: "I'm looking for my glasses that got knocked off my face cutting down elm trees."

 

Cooper's Hawk: "I have an eagle eye! Can I help?" Me: "I need all the help I can get. Thanks!"
 

Cooper's Hawk: "I don't see your glasses around here." Me "I wasn't over there when I lost them."

 

Cooper's Hawk: "Okay, I'll come down closer to where you are." Me: "That would be much better."

 

Cooper's Hawk: "I'm looking. By the way, what do glasses look like?"  Me: "Like the one's that I'm wearing. These are my spare pair."

 

Cooper's Hawk: "I see. I don't see anything that looks like your glasses right off the wing."

 

Cooper's Hawk: "Oh! Wait! is that them?" Me: "Do you see them?"

 

Cooper's Hawk: "Sorry. It wasn't them. I have to go find a mouse or bird for dinner. All that looking for your glasses made me hungry."

 

Cooper's Hawk: "¡Adios! Until next time. I hope you find your glasses." Me: "Thank's for the help Coop. Have a nice dinner on whatever you find."

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Copper's Hawk art bamboo glasses light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/a-helping-hawk Sun, 09 Jul 2017 01:57:28 GMT
Newborns https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/newborns

 

Three newborn Western Tiger Swallowtail butterflies (Papilio rutulus) paid us a visit to feed on one of our butterfly bushes and trumpet vines. Since they were newborn and hungry, they paid no attention to the pesky paparazzo, so I was able to get them from all sides — up and down, underneath, sideways, top, front, and back. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Papilio rutulus Western Tiger Swallowtail art butterflies butterfly bush light lighting photography trumpet vine https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/newborns Sat, 08 Jul 2017 00:47:04 GMT
Rorschach Crows https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/rorschach-crows

 

Unsettled inkblots taken flight
Overhead high desert sky
Rorschach crows fly on by

Caws call spirits
Oedipus and Freud
Complex simple to avoid

Twisted minds shape 
Black and white
Unsettled inkblots taken flight

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Freud Oedipus Rorschach art crows light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/rorschach-crows Fri, 07 Jul 2017 02:32:30 GMT
Fourth Fireworks on the 5th https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/fourth-fireworks-on-the-5th

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 4th 5th art fireworks light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/fourth-fireworks-on-the-5th Thu, 06 Jul 2017 01:11:20 GMT
Hot Dogs, Mad Dogs, Get Your Goat https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/hot-dogs-mad-dogs-get-your-goat

Hot dog

 

Mad dogs

 

Get your goat

 

Where's my Bud, Bud?

 

Hot dogs

 

Walking around a slow dead end

 

Prince

 

iPhone firing squad

 

Working the pole

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 4th of July Corrales art canon costumes dogs flag goat horses iPhone kids light lighting parade photography pole https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/hot-dogs-mad-dogs-get-your-goat Wed, 05 Jul 2017 01:10:32 GMT
Floral Fireworks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/floral-fireworks

Evel Boll Weevil the Assassin Bug invites you to a floral fireworks extravaganza. Enjoy the show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Shasta Daisies art assassin bug echinacea flowers light lighting oriental lilies photography wildflowers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/floral-fireworks Tue, 04 Jul 2017 03:30:25 GMT
Damsels in Red https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/damsels-in-red

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art damselfly light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/damsels-in-red Mon, 03 Jul 2017 04:03:13 GMT
Let Them Do Stairs https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/let-them-do-stairs

Spunk checking out the stairs before his first ascent.

 

Even though hammocking is the perfect lounging behavior for cats, the kitties also wanted stairs so they could get floors on their little kitty Fitbits. After making coffee this morning, I went out and gathered up some old mahogany shelves I had in the shed, built the kitties a set of stairs and mounted them on the wall above my camera shelf on the other side on the hammock I hung yesterday.  While all the kitties checked out the new stairs, Spunk and Marble have been using the stairs and the hammock the most of all the kitties. Spunk went right into modeling mode after I got the stairs installed.

 

Marble making her way up the steps.

 

Spunk was the first one to figure out that he could go over to the bookcase, scratch on the pole and then go back over the shelf and hammock and back down the steps. The rest of the kitties acted stuck on the bookcase, and then jumped off the bookcase to the floor.

 

Marble was not very happy after Spunk pushed her out of the hammock.

 

Spunk grooming while hammocking.

 

Spunk doing a great pose while scratching on the pole.

 

Marble finally reclaimed the hammock from Spunk and did some serious hammocking in the afternoon.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Marble Spunk art bookcase cats hammock light lighting photography pole stairs https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/7/let-them-do-stairs Sun, 02 Jul 2017 05:07:00 GMT
Hammocking https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/hammocking

 

The kitties heard that Hammocking was all the rage, and asked me if I could get them a hammock. I searched the property for various goods to repurpose and came up with a telephone pole for the kitties to climb to get on the shelf. Then I found an old melamine cabinet door, and an old bicycle tire for the shelf. The kitties had been lying around on an empty beanbag that had 20 pounds of Anasazi pinto beans in it, so I took the nylon rope that I had saved from one of the canopies that the wind tore up, and stitched it through the beanbag to make the hammock. I put hooks in the ceiling to hang the shelf and hammock from and voilà! A new shelf and beanbag hammock so the cats can go a hammocking in.

Earlier in the day, I rebuilt the seat on our benchpress. I had welded together the benchpress out of scrap iron 40 years ago, and the plywood that makes up the base of the multi-position seat had weathered to the point that the screws in the various hinged parts were falling out. I sandwiched the plywood between aluminum strips to create strong surfaces to secure the various hinges to, so now the multi-position seat is rebuilt and fully operational. We'll have to see if it lasts another 40 years.

 

Rosencrantz isn't so sure about hammocking.

 

Marble is always looking for high places, so she was very interested in the hammock.

 

Marble had a good vantage point to see what no good the other kitties were up to.

 

The new telephone pole makes a great scratching post.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Marble Rosencrantz art benchpress hammock hammocking light lighting photography pole shelf https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/hammocking Sat, 01 Jul 2017 04:08:01 GMT
Hardhats & Half Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/hardhats-half-moon

Nice fashion statement on the hardhat in the foreground.

 

"It's stuck!"

 

Walking the lines.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque Civic Plaza art basketball construction downtown light lighting lines photography shadows https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/hardhats-half-moon Fri, 30 Jun 2017 04:40:24 GMT
Missed Steps https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/missed-steps

 

I forgot my Fitbit 
Oh this mourn
Steps wasted 
Throughout the day
Heavy steps 
Up down stairs
Accumulate floors 
Unrecorded
All for nothing 
Steps in thousands 
Slipped slided away

Reunited
Late in the day
Steps steps need recording
Out to the bank
Dusk turned to darkness
Up down ramps
Cut into levees
A waxing quarter moon
Wanes in cloudless sky
Only smoke from distant fires
Color the horizon

Heavy treads
Boots scrape on gravely trail
Steps more steps
You need more steps
Press on into
The falling gloom
“Almost there!”
Fibit cheers
“Get 2,453 steps more…”
Only a mile to go
Oh dear

Turned around 
At seven thousand
Headed Back 
On dim lit trail
Owls swooped past
Coyotes yipped
Beavers slapped the water
Get those steps
No matter what
All hail to the fitness
dictator

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art fitbit light lighting moon night owl photography steps https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/missed-steps Thu, 29 Jun 2017 04:43:48 GMT
Yellow & Blue https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/yellow-blue

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque art blue downtown light lighting photography women yellow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/yellow-blue Wed, 28 Jun 2017 03:57:54 GMT
Nighthawk Sliver Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/nighthawk-sliver-moon

 

Nighthawk fluttered here and there as it flew around a sliver moon
Overhead, buzzed by a bat as the phone sounded nine
Covered by a sliver moon hanging over a mountain of clouds behind the trees
The coyote defiantly danced across the ditch bank in the ensuing darkness
Under tangled arms, silhouetted against the sky
Rustling in dark shadows unseen movements only heard
Now deep growls warn the wanton they should be weary
As grays turn darker, shadows come alive
Lavender clouds turned gunmetal blue watch colors fade  


 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bat birds clouds coyote darkness dusk light lighting nighthawk photography sliver moon sunset trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/nighthawk-sliver-moon Tue, 27 Jun 2017 05:04:08 GMT
Spunk in the Wild https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/spunk-in-the-wild

Spunk chewing on grass in the black bamboo.

 

 

Hanging out on the deck rail.

 

 

Getting ready to drink water from the sink on the deck.

 

 

Rolling in the catnip

 

 

Puffed up at something. Probably the Mournful Kitty.

 

 

Chewing on catnip

 

 

Standing around half poofed.

 

 

Spunk and Mournful Kitty imitating Goya's "Cat Fight".

 

 

Spunk back inside.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art catnip cats light lighting mournful kitty photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/spunk-in-the-wild Mon, 26 Jun 2017 03:47:56 GMT
Saturday Night's All Right for Writing https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/saturday-nights-all-right-for-writing Saturday Nights All Right for Writing

Another parody music video production by The Average White Boys that is very appropriate for a Saturday night.  The words are below for your convenience.

 

Saturday Night’s All Right for Writing
Music by Elton John
Lyrics by Timothy Price
Writer/Vocals by An Average White Boy


It’s getting late I found my PaperMate
I’m procrastinating sitting here
Seventy lines that I gotta pine
I have modifiers dangling near

My old Mac’s bonkers and it’s acting kind of funky
And my old adage is to be clear
My writing  is cute like a guy in army Boots
A cowboy hat in his hair
Ohhhhhh

Don’t give us none of your imagination
Write facts be on your discipline
Cause Saturday night’s all right for writing
Let’s get a little action verbiage in

Let’s get about as riled as an op-ed rage
Let’s try to set this page alight
Cause writing on a Saturday night I like
Saturday night’s all right
to write  to write
Ooooo     oo-oo  oh

A lot of words are getting packed in here tonight
I’m looking for a phrase that will seem alright
I might use an antecedent to get what I need
I might bare an infinitive and shout out “conditionally”

Some of the words that I really like
Are future perfect voicing that are out of sight
I’m a high school dropout from the ergative class
Whose passive voices, dangled modified and got a pass
Ohhhhhhh

Don’t give us none of your imagination
Write facts be on your discipline
Cause Saturday night’s all right for writing
Let’s get a little action verbiage in

Let’s get about as riled as an op-ed rage
Let’s try to set this page alight
Cause writing on Saturday night I like
A Saturday night’s all right 
to write to write
Oooooo    oo-oo  ooh

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Elton John Icelandic books Mac SE/30 Saturday night art books light lighting music video photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/saturday-nights-all-right-for-writing Sun, 25 Jun 2017 04:48:47 GMT
Jetties in the Rio https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/jetties-in-the-rio

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rio Grande, Jetties art light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/jetties-in-the-rio Sat, 24 Jun 2017 01:39:50 GMT
The Scoop https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/the-scoop

The latest scoop on happenings in Downtown Albuquerque.

 

It was another scorcher in the parking lot with temperatures reaching 107º F (41.7º C)

 

The buildings were warping in the intense heat. The area on Civic Plaza where the fountain was, is pretty well cleared out.

 

The Lutheran Women's Missionary League is having their convention in Albuquerque.

 

I ran into a Lutheran looking lady near the Convention Center and asked her if she was a Lutheran Woman. She said she was. I asked her if she was attending the Lutheran Women's Missionary League convention. She said she was. I asked her what they did at a Lutheran Woman's convention. She said they studied the bible, prayed, talked about missions, had speakers, and stuff like that. I told her I noticed she had Southern Illinois on her back, and asked her if she was from Illinois. She said yes she was from East St. Louis. I asked her how she liked the heat in Albuquerque. She said she didn't think Albuquerque was so hot. Hmmm?

 

A long lost relative (maybe?) has an installation that includes some blue kitties hanging in her Projects Gallery.

 

Biking and brewing — getting ready to take off from the parking lot of the Zendo Coffee | Art and Sidetrack Brewing parking lot.

 

A group of Lutheran looking ladies got a bunch of old guys to peddle them around downtown. Hallelujah!

 

Let the light shine down

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque Civic Plaza Duke City Peddler Lutheran Lutheran Women Sidetrack Brewery art downtown light lighting photography zendo coffee https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/the-scoop Fri, 23 Jun 2017 03:22:24 GMT
Selfie, Snow, Sunset on Solstice https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/selfie-snow-sunset-on-solstice

Of all things, today was national selfie day. Being the cranky contrarian that I am, I did not do a selfie today. But Laurie, the wild, with-it woman that she is, got a perfect selfie after we trekked through thick, prickly underbrush in slick, slimy mud to get to "the beach" at the bend in the river that was still mostly underwater.

The wind blew a "snow storm" of cotton as the sun slowing sank behind the clouds on the smoke filled horizon, turning the sky red for a short time before the smoke swallowed the bright colors, leaving a dull gray sky at dusk.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cotton light lighting photography selfie snow solstice sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/selfie-snow-sunset-on-solstice Thu, 22 Jun 2017 03:54:48 GMT
Shakespeare on the Plaza https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/shakespeare-on-the-plaza

 

Bruce and I went out around lunchtime to checkout the progress on the various construction projects downtown. As it were, Bruce ended up doing Shakespeare on Civic Plaza with a city working who was inspecting the set to see what repairs needed to be made before the next regular performance. They simply alternated lines back and forth between Comedy of Errors and MacBeth.

 

   “Am I in Earth, in heaven, or in hell?"                "Something wicked this way comes."

 

"This is a sorry sight."       “Yet this my comfort: when your words are done, My woes end likewise with the evening sun.”

 

  "Out, damned spot! out, I say!"             “Until I know this sure uncertainty, I'll entertain the offered fallacy.”

 

  "Fair is foul, and foul is fair."             “Ill deeds is doubled with an evil word.”   

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) . Bruski Comedy of Errors MacBeth Shakespeare art city worker light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/shakespeare-on-the-plaza Wed, 21 Jun 2017 04:43:52 GMT
Spunk Log https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/spunk-log

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art catio cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/spunk-log Tue, 20 Jun 2017 03:53:29 GMT
White Did You Say? https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/white-did-you-say

First white lilies

 

Checkered Beetle on a Shasta Daisy

 

Beetle goes into biplane position, ready for take off.

 

Banzai! Aaaaaaaahhhhh!

 

Afterglow at dusk with horses heading down the bank to cross the ditch.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beetle clouds daisy light lighting lilies photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/white-did-you-say Mon, 19 Jun 2017 04:22:58 GMT
It Was A Hot One https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/it-was-a-hot-one

The post sunset glow of smoke from a fire in the Jemez northwest of Albuquerque.

 

The thermometer mounted six feet off the ground in the middle of the property measured 105º F (40.6º C) this afternoon and the thermometer on the deck read 103ºF. Whether or not either were accurate, it felt like 105º when I was out moving hoses around in the middle of the day.  Spunk finally talked us in to letting him outside into the big free world beyond the catio yesterday. He stayed out and explored most of the day Friday. This morning, he saw Rosencrantz doing his morning catnip roll through the bay windows in the kitchen and asked to go out. I let him out and about 10 minutes later I walked by the sunroom and noticed all the cats gathered by the French doors. I walked over to see what was going on and I saw Spunk chasing the mournful kitty through the labyrinth. After they made the forth lap that I saw, a went out and said "Spunk? Why are you chasing the mournful kitty in circles?" Spunk stopped, fully poofed and looked at me. I walked over to him and he growled at me, but he let me pick him up. I took him back inside. He was quite proud of himself. He went back out with Laurie, and then while I was at the postoffice, she said he demanded to come back in. I think it was getting too hot for him out in the cold cruel world.

 

Spunk on his first day outside working out on the benchpress (photo by Laurie).

 

The Rio Grande is down to normal levels about two or three feet below what is was running yesterday.

 

Orange skies to the south after sunset.

 

Red sky after sunset from smoke.

 

The Average White Boys have been at it again and produced another music video. This one started with me turning Inchcock’s woeful Friday into verse. His line “I was in great pain, and yet high spirits” inspired me to paraphrase various aspects of his woeful day in verse that would somewhat go to the Beatles “A Day in a Life” and I called it “A Day in the Life of Inchy”. I put the verse together quickly as a comment on his blog, and since I hadn’t listened to the original song for awhile, the words generally fit to a loose tune in my head. After I posted my verse in his comments section, I listened to the original song and realized I had forgot the last verse. Silly me or “Tsk!” as Inchcock would say.  Then I started trying to fit the verses to the music, modified them, got very ambitious and put them to music. “A Day in a Life” is not an easy song to sing, especially for a non-singer like me, so making the “Day in the Life of Inchcock” parody was quite difficult for me, but it was a very good exercise in attempting to do my talking/singing style, and a good technical exercise in that it took 4 tracks to come up with the final version — one with the music and three vocal tracks to make everything work and sound the way I wanted them to given the many limitations of my vocal ability. It works pretty well for parody (you can follow along with the words below the video).

 

 

A Day in the Life of Inchcock

 

A Day in the Life of Inchcock
Music by the Beatles
Lyrics by Timothy Price

Great pain, high spirits today oh boy
A lucky man standing by the Methodist Church
I think I should be rather sad
But I just had to laugh

I took the photograph
Out the window, mind you houses and cars
Off to Sherringham for shots, so quick, times have changed
Nicole the nurse she just stood and stared
Trying to stop my blood
Was this really it
Was I off to see the Lord

A Whoopsiedangleplop today oh boy
The phone went off a dingling and a dangling
T’was the nurse bitching about my ambling
‘You’re not in your Flat?’ 
And you don’t have the book
I’d love to turn you Down

Got back, had a Weeee!
Refreshed, and accident Free!
Got back out front and had a cup
Door bell rang and I noticed it was late
It was the Nurse she had no hat
Up the lift in seconds flat
She had a firm, tight end that was smokin’ hot
She poked me in the tummy and I came out of my dream…

Great pain, high spirits today oh boy
Four thousand holes poked in me tummy there were
Although the holes where rather small
I couldn’t count the lot
We still don’t know how many holes it takes to fill old Inchcock

I'd love to turn you Down

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Day in a Life Inchcock Jemez Rio Grande Sandias Spunk art fire light lighting music video photography smoke sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/it-was-a-hot-one Sun, 18 Jun 2017 05:38:28 GMT
Scenes from a Tamale Western https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/scenes-from-a-tamale-western

 

New Mexico has been referred to as "Tamalewood" for all the movies and hit TV show filmed here. These women on their galloping horses after sundown, could be right out of a Tamale Western.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Tamale Western Tamalewood art dusk galloping horses light lighting photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/scenes-from-a-tamale-western Sat, 17 Jun 2017 03:46:38 GMT
Persistence of Cute https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/persistence-of-cute

 

Spunk and Marble in all the cuteness. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Marble Spunk art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/persistence-of-cute Fri, 16 Jun 2017 01:54:06 GMT
The Magical Military Mystery Machine Gun Tour https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/the-magical-military-mystery-machine-gun-tour

Never trust a man in a straw hat driving a 1926 Chevrolet

 

The dream seemed real enough at first, the guy in the straw hat with the 1926 Chevrolet could have been any classic car collector with his car at a car show. But then I asked him about his car and other cars he had. He said he collected military vehicles, and that the 1926 Chevrolet was just a magical car he’d picked up along the way. He invited me to take a closer look at the “Bugle Boy” horn on the side of that 1926 Chevy — that’s when the dream changed from plausible and plunged into surreal.

 

 

The Bugle Boy Horn

 

When I took a closer look, it sucked me through its coil.

 

I landed on a giant machine gun mounted in a 1952 Willy's M38 Jeep

 

Or perhaps I had been scaled down in comparison to the 50 caliber mount.

 

I could see my self hanging on one side.

 

Then the other side.

 

I swung my feet over to the pole that held the 50 cal.

 

And managed to climb down the ammo belt.

 

I jumped off the jeep, and turned around to face an angry looking Hummer. It's smooth looking, "No Hand Hold" tongue felt rough against my face. As I struggled to free myself from the surreal, and drag myself back to something real, I woke to Lola licking my face.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 1926 Chevrolet 50 caliber Machine Gun Bugle Boy horn Hummer Jeep Machine Gun Straw Hat art light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/the-magical-military-mystery-machine-gun-tour Thu, 15 Jun 2017 03:19:38 GMT
Renovating the Renovation https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/renovating-the-renovation

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Civic Plaza Convention Center art basketball light lighting photography renovation skateboard https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/renovating-the-renovation Wed, 14 Jun 2017 03:33:34 GMT
Wait a Second https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/wait-a-second

A one second exposure

 

Crawfish or Crawdad, whichever you want to call it

 

Bullfrog

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bullfrog crawdad crawfish light lighting one second exposure photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/wait-a-second Tue, 13 Jun 2017 04:06:39 GMT
Rollin' Rollin' Rollin' https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/rollin-rollin-rollin

Four horses hangin' in a field

 

Three disappeared

 

The horse that was left turned and fell to the ground in an instant

 

Rolled around

 

Sat up

 

Rolled some more

 

Sat up again

 

Got up

 

Shook himself off

 

Went back to grazing in a cloud of dust

 

The dust cloud moves on and he continued grazing alone

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art grazing horses light lighting photography rolling in the dirt https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/rollin-rollin-rollin Mon, 12 Jun 2017 04:40:35 GMT
The Cat That Ate My New Shoes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/the-cat-that-ate-my-new-shoes

 

 

I gave lyrics inspired by my new shoes and Spunk to the Average White Boys to see what they could do with them. They teamed up with the Glenn Miller Orchestra playing music by Harry Warren, and they all piled into my darkroom, did some mysterious development, and emerged with the new single The Cat That Ate My New Shoes. The music is great, the words are fun, but the voice leaves a lot to be desired; however, the single fits well into the notion of Off Center & Not Even.

I had to make a video with the music file in order to add it to the blog, so I added several appropriate photos of the kitties as visuals for the song. I’ve included the words below the video incase anyone wants to sing along.

 

The Cat that Ate My New Shows

 

The Cat That Ate My New Shoes
The Average White Boys

Music by Harry Warren, performed by Glenn Miller
Words by Timothy Price

Pardon me Rose 
Are you the cat that ate my new shoes
Cost me twenty nine
A real bargain on line
You say it was Spunk 
Spunk’s the one who ate my new shoes
Afforded one pair I had nothing to spare

I set ’em over there ‘bout a quarter to four
Back an hour later and they weren’t anymore
He ate them over there
Spunk consumed the pair
Now he’s upchucking pieces everywhere

When I heard ‘ol Spunk hacking eight to the bar
I knew my shoes they hadn’t gone very far
But good old Spunk
Reduced them both to chunks
Oh no! Cat that ate my new shoes there you are

There’s not gonna be 
A reason for a celebration
Leather and Lace
I think I made a funny face

I’m gonna cry
Until you promise to never chew
So cat that ate my new shoes
Won’t you leave them alone

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Chattanooga Choo Choo Glenn Miller Harry Warren Rosencrantz Spunk The Average White Boys art cats light lighting music photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/the-cat-that-ate-my-new-shoes Sun, 11 Jun 2017 03:35:27 GMT
Gardening In My Good Shoes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/gardening-in-my-good-shoes

Digging up a walnut tree in my good shoes

 

I've worn out all my shoes and boots (the newest pair are over four years old) and they are all starting to hurt my feet, so I finally found a pair of new shoes I like, and I have new boots on order. Until the new boots come in, I'm gardening in my good shoes — and walking on the ditch banks in my good shoes — and walking in the bosque in my good shoes — and walking everywhere in my good shoes — I think I'm already wearing out my good shoes along with myself.

 

Circle garden

 

Mermaid

 

Mermaid

 

Wildflowers with roses and bamboo in the background

 

Mermaid

 

First Cosmos

 

First bloom on Chitalpa

 

Black bamboo with new green canes

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Mermaid art black bamboo chitalpa cosmos garden good shoes light lighting photography shovel wildflowers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/gardening-in-my-good-shoes Sat, 10 Jun 2017 01:38:15 GMT
Green Back https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/green-back

 

Mia, who has Copper Cranes blog, and I were discussing the green backs on the hummingbird, and I mentioned that their feathers look like scales. I looked for a post with these photos of a hummingbird feeding on echinacea to refer Mia to, and realized that I had never posted them because I took the photos in July 2010 before I started this blog.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Copper Cranes art birds hummingbirds light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/green-back Fri, 09 Jun 2017 04:42:30 GMT
Hovering https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/hovering

Hummingbird and cotton hovering over the clearwater ditch

 

 

\

 

 

Intense glow after the sun had set

 

Afterglow long after sunset

 

Moon trying to peek through the clouds

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds clouds hummingbirds light lighting moon photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/hovering Thu, 08 Jun 2017 04:33:59 GMT
Baby Flyer https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/baby-flyer

I saw this juvenile Great Horned Owl moving around before he saw me, so I was able to get pretty close to him before he flew.

 

He flew over to a cottonwood with a broken branch.

 

He watched me as I walked up closer to where he was perched.

 

Once I got close enough, he eyed a new spot to fly to.

 

From his new spot deeper in the bosque, he looked back at me with a "Don't you ever give up dude?" look.

 

This shot was taken right before he flew off into the trees where I couldn't see him.

 

This shot is for reference, as this is how dark it was, and what I could see with my naked eye and through the viewfinder. I set the camera so the recorded images are much lighter and more detailed than you see here, and then I process them and crop them in Camera raw to get the exposure, color and detail to look as good as I can get it to look given the limitations of ISO 3200 under very low light conditions.

 

The sunset from yesterday evening.

 

The sunset tonight.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Great Horned Owls art juvenile Great Horned Owls light lighting owls photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/baby-flyer Wed, 07 Jun 2017 04:31:30 GMT
The Drama Queen https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/the-drama-queen

At first she didn't seem to mind the camera — S and circle pose

 

While out on my walk on the river, I came across a little Western Hognose snake. She was about 16 inches long and wanted to get away, but I kept pulling her back and making her pose — being somewhat of a fashion queen she got into several great poses for me. However, she finally got fed up with me not letting her get away, and went into her drama queen, throes of death, you killed me act by rolling over on her back, opening her mouth and letting her tongue hang over to the side. She was really trying her best to make me feel bad about make her pose for the camera.

 

A close up of her head shows the beak on her nose that gives them the name "Hognose" snakes

 

Another lovely pose with her tongue out

 

She got fed up and started to curl up tightly

 

She flipped over in the throes of death — killed by the pesky paparazzo shooting her with his camera.

 

She rolled over once, dragged her tongue on the ground so it had sand on it to be even more convincing.

 

She rolled upright looked around to see what the paparazzo was doing.

 

She finally decided I wasn't a predator, and started crawling toward the edge of the ditch bank.

 

Another view of her crawling off to safety from the pesky paparazzo.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Western Hognose snake art drama queen light lighting photography snakes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/the-drama-queen Tue, 06 Jun 2017 01:47:40 GMT
New Cat on the Block https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/new-cat-on-the-block

Mystery kitty looking in the kitchen window sticking his tongue out at me.

 

I think he might belong to the neighbor's to the south of us, but this kitty has been coming around mournfully meowing at dawn, peaking in the windows at all hours of the day and night, and driving our kitties crazy. He's a really handsome kitty, and he acts like it wants to make friends, but the second he sees us move toward the door or if I talk to him through the open kitchen window, he's off like a shot. 

Spunk is very worried about this new cat on the block, and in an effort to protect the household from this invader, Spunk has been marking his turf and securing the perimeter.

 

Mystery kitty sitting out in front of the kitchen window posing for me.

 

He sits on the deck and looks in through the glass in the door, but he runs the second he sees either of us coming to the door.

 

 

Spunk "The Urinator" reloading at the bathroom sink

 

Pissy cat Pissy cat where have you gone?
Securing the perimeter from dusk until dawn
Golden beads tumble down surfaces standing on end
From the shake of your tail and the squirt that you send
Saving us from the new cat on the block
Marking your turf, if you could only use chalk
Pissy cat Pissy cat where did you go?
Forget that question I really don’t want to know

 

 

Loki in the catio

 

Loki

 

Marble playing with her mouse and bouncing off the walls

 

Sasha with egg cartons

 

Silver in cat food box with egg carton

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Loki Marble Sasha Silver Spunk art cats light lighting mystery cat photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/new-cat-on-the-block Mon, 05 Jun 2017 03:57:10 GMT
In the Garden https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/in-the-garden

 

Altissimo

 

Painted Lady

 

Elle

 

Honey bee

 

Chestnut rose

 

Towhee

 

Chuckles

 

Towhee

 

Altissimo

 

New Dawn

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bee butterfly garden light lighting photography roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/in-the-garden Sun, 04 Jun 2017 01:34:21 GMT
The Barn https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/the-barn

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art barn light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/the-barn Sat, 03 Jun 2017 01:59:01 GMT
Black Mustangs and a Hen https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/black-mustangs-and-a-hen

 

 

Big sky after sunset

 

 

 

Lonesome dove

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art big sky chicken clouds dove hen horse light lighting lonesome dove mustangs photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/6/black-mustangs-and-a-hen Fri, 02 Jun 2017 03:52:37 GMT
Rectangular Square Perspective https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/rectangular-square-perspective

All squared up perspective in a rectangle

 

Convention Center

 

Square in the middle in the alley

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque alley architecture art convention center downtown light light poles lighting photography shadows squares https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/rectangular-square-perspective Thu, 01 Jun 2017 02:54:03 GMT
Under the Bridge Through the Wire... https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/under-the-bridge-through-the-wire

Under the bridge

 


Through the wire

 

Off to the Rail Yards we go

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) BNSF Pullman Rail Yard" art bridge diner car light lighting photography rivets steel trains https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/under-the-bridge-through-the-wire Wed, 31 May 2017 03:05:37 GMT
Stormy Monday https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/stormy-monday

Memorial Day

 

I walked out to the Rio Grande a 14:25. The weather was partly cloudy and about 80º F.

 

Clouds were starting to build up in the western sky at 14:26

 

I walked south about a mile and then back to the Rio Grande at an hour later and the clouds were building up over the Sandias.

 

There were thick, dark clouds and thunder in the western sky at 15:20.

 

I got back to the house at 15:30 and it started raining hard at 15:39.

 

The wind blew hard, bending the bamboo over.

 

The storm blew over, the skies started clearing by 17:30, and we had grilled steak, potatoes and asparagus to celebrate our 35th Anniversary and Memorial day at 18:15.

 

The clouds were really breaking up by 17:24 and the temperature had dropped to 60º F.

 

We went out for a walk after dinner and the wind had broken a huge branch of the neighbor's cottonwood tree.

 

About 30 minutes before sunset the western sky was almost clear.

 

At 18:16, about 5 minutes after sunset, only a few clouds floated over the Sandias, there was no wind and the, and the temperature was cool.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Memorial Day Rio Grande Sandias art clouds cottonwood light lighting photography rain storm wind https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/stormy-monday Tue, 30 May 2017 05:51:11 GMT
Beaver on the Bank https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/beaver-on-the-bank

I'm not sure the beaver could see us, but he seemed to hear us talking.

 

I was talking to a couple who live two properties south of us who were walking on the ditch bank this evening. The sun had been down about 20 minutes, so it was pretty dark, but I noticed a little movement on the bank across the clear ditch from where we were standing. I asked the couple if they could see the beaver on the bank. The woman said she could see it, but the man was having a difficult time seeing it. I set my ISO up to 3200, focused the best I could on the beaver, and snapped a couple of shots. The couple asked if there was enough light to photograph the beaver. I said, just barely, and showed them the images on the screen. They were amazed that I could get such clear photos out of the darkness, but I explained that while the images looked clear on the camera's little screen, they might not be very clear on the computer. About half of the shots were relatively clear, and these three are the best of the set. It was nice to get photos of the beaver out of the water.

 

Despite our blabbering on about him, he foraged around a little in the grass on the bank.

 

Not too sure about us standing above him talking, he got back in the water. He swam around a little, got back out onto the bank, and then got back into the water. All those shots were marginal.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beaver clear ditch ditch bank light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/beaver-on-the-bank Mon, 29 May 2017 05:23:38 GMT
Living on the Edge https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/living-on-the-edge

Rosencrantz

 

kitties like living and sleeping on the edge of things. The only kitty I did not get a photo of on the edge of anything is Loki.

 

Sasha

 

Spunk

 

Silver

 

Najar

 

Spunk

 

Marble

 

Lola on the edge of a Armani perfume page out of Laurie's Vogue.

 

She rolled in the perfume on the paper, and smelled like perfume all night.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Lola Marble Najar Rosencrantz Sasha Silver Spunk art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/living-on-the-edge Sun, 28 May 2017 04:31:53 GMT
Home Is Where The... https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/home-is-where-the

 

When I saw the graffiti on the lower edge of the fence a couple of things came to mind. Earlier in the month I was switching between radio stations while driving to work, and came on a morning show where a parent was talking about an after school program his kids were in that put on an opera which included a finale where wolves, who were the bad guys, killed President Trump for building a wall. The parent said that a 7 year old girl was interviewed after the opera and explained that Trump and the wolves were both bad guys, but the wolves became good guys after they killed Trump. He said the girl’s mother was proud of her daughter’s interview. When I heard the story, I thought how sad that a 7 year old would be brought up to think that it’s not only acceptable, but good to kill a person who does not hold the same political views as her mother. But sadly, that is the state of many households in American today, and home is where the hatred is.

I also thought about our dancing days in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s when we often had dance practice sessions and dance parties where Spanish speakers from all over the world, Italians, Brazilians, and Japanese and people from the Middle East and Africa would show up. There were artists, dancers, students, musicians, professionals, laborers, and educators all with varying political, sexual and religious affiliations and orientations.  We came together to dance and listen to music, but we discussed politics, religion, race and sexual preferences along with music and dance, and everyone managed to be civil and everyone got along. 

Our daughter, Tristan, grew up in an environment full of people from different cultures, with different skin colors, who spoke different languages, and held a wide range of views on life, politics, religion and morality that were as different from one another as their languages and skin colors, and very different from ours, as well. I don’t believe Tristan could have comprehended the thought of killing a person whose political views were not the same as ours. But sadly those days are gone, and the words spray painted on the bottom of that fence are a terrible reminder of the world in which we live. Maybe someday when people can lay their hating aside, and begin to tolerate one another, someone will paint over it.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art culture home language light lighting photography politics preference radio religion https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/home-is-where-the Sat, 27 May 2017 02:54:15 GMT
Pink On The Water Fire In The Sky https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/pink-on-the-water-fire-in-the-sky

Fire after sunset

 

Starting to burn

 

Closer view of pink water and fiery sky

 

The river's down. I can stand by the tree again. The water was up to where the soil gets lighter.

 

Last of the fire

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rio Grande Sandias. art fiery sky light lighting photography pink water sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/pink-on-the-water-fire-in-the-sky Fri, 26 May 2017 03:42:04 GMT
Cattle Egret https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/cattle-egret

 

I believe these are Cattle Egrets that were flying high hover head.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Cattle Egret art birds egret light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/cattle-egret Thu, 25 May 2017 02:57:05 GMT
Fatboy Express https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/fatboy-express

Four locomotives pulling one passenger car

 

Gloves holding up a shovel

 

Sandias through the looking glass lightly

 

Pull my finger

 

Rock 'n Roll

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque Amtrak Bruski Mayor Kinney art bronze downtown garage gloves light lighting photography shovel train https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/fatboy-express Wed, 24 May 2017 03:27:24 GMT
Hooters https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/hooters

While on our evening walk along the river, I spied this pair of Great Horned Owls sitting high in a cottonwood.

 

The larger owl on the left (I assume the female) turned around and looked back at me before taking flight.

 

By the time she flew out of the trees where I could get a clear shot of her, she was almost over Laurie. Owls are silent in flight, so she flew over Laurie without notice.

 

I walked around the other side of where the male was perched and got a good shot of how well his feathers blend in with the cottonwood's bark.

 

He turned around to see what I was up to, and gave me a sideways glance.

 

So I moved around and got a sideways shot of him.

 

I was waiting to see if he would fly, but he was content on staying perched and looking demure.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Great Horned Owls art bosque cottonwoods hooters light lighting owls photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/hooters Tue, 23 May 2017 05:14:51 GMT
Bullfrogs & Billy Momo https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/bullfrogs-billy-momo

Bullfrog peeking out at me through the moss and algae.

 

 

Billy Momo Released a new video today, Following Me Following You, which is a wonderful song and video.

 

 

Bullfrog sunning himself on the moss and algae in the middle of the clearwater ditch.

 

This bullfrog was really blending into the moss and algae. 

 

Very green bullfrog half buried in mostly red algae.

 

Bullfrog pressing himself into the moss and algae, but not very well camouflaged.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Billy Momo Following Me Following You art bullfrogs frogs light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/bullfrogs-billy-momo Mon, 22 May 2017 03:34:52 GMT
Celebrations of Life https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/celebrations-of-life

 

There are various things we do to celebrate people's lives — weddings, when our children are born, and funerals, for example. I find it ironic that on May 20, 2017, the day I shot a wedding for the first time in 25 years, they buried Richard Delgado, the man who taught me how to photograph weddings 35 years ago. 

I started working for Delgado’s Creative Photography in June 1982, soon after Laurie and I were married. I continued working for him photographing weddings and special events on weekends and evenings, as needed, until May of 1992, when my day job started running late into the evenings, and most weekends as I had to keep up with more responsibilities and large projects. 

During the first couple of years I worked for Delgado, I worked as an assistant photographer while he taught me how to shoot weddings and, most importantly, his style of shooting weddings. I also did some darkroom work at the studio until he moved his studio and did away with the lab. By that time I had finished my graduate degree and had started working at ARC, I was only available during evening hours and weekends. I had also racked up enough experience that I was shooting weddings by myself, as he would book two weddings that on the same day and time, so he would shoot one wedding, while I shot the other. 

Our system worked out pretty well. He would call me and give me the wedding schedule. I would drop by the studio, pick up film and instructions for each wedding, shoot one or more weddings over a weekend, and drop the film by on Monday afternoon. During those years, I rarely saw the photos I took unless I screwed up a couple of shots, then he would show them to me so I could see how I screwed up and not do it again — fortunately, those occasions were few and far between. 

Delgado was a true artist and an accomplished musician, as well. He played violin with the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra (now the New Mexico Philharmonic), and taught orchestra for public schools. During the years I worked for him, Delgado won an International Wedding Photographer the Year award, along with many other awards. He was also recognized as a Master of Photography by the Professional Photographers of America. He closed his studio sometime in the late 1990’s and I lost track of him during the years we lived in Spain. I learned of Delgado’s death on Friday and that his funeral was today.

Delgado had a big influence on my photography, and I have always held a special place for him in my heart for the photographic skills and knowledge he passed on to me.

While thinking about this post, I dug out the photographs of our wedding from 35 years ago. Most people don’t know that Laurie and I had a shotgun wedding. Laurie said “Most people would pay you not to show the photos of our wedding!” Since she didn’t cough up any cash, I’ve added the photos of our shotgun wedding to add a little humor to a day I celebrated the life of one couple, while I mourned the loss of an old friend and mentor.

 

The lighting in the church was on the difficult side, but it created a wonderful atmosphere for a beautiful wedding.

 

There was a time when photographers could hide behind their cameras. Not in a word where cameras are in just about everything. Laurie, the phone paparazza, got a few photos of me, and then complained because I wouldn't hold still.

 

Our long hair couldn't cover up our rednecks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Richard Delgado art celebrations life light lighting photography shotgun wedding weddings https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/celebrations-of-life Sun, 21 May 2017 04:31:49 GMT
Garden View https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/garden-view

Part of our parking lot. These Salvia spread from three plants.

 

Here are various views of our garden just before the sun set the other night.

 

The gate at the entrance to the walk up to the front door.

 

What we call the circle garden with an old, cold damaged chitalpa in the center.

 

The narrow view on the parking lot from the path to the front door.

 

Another view of the circle garden.

 

Our giant Dr Huey to the left, stand of black bamboo between the iris and rose garden and trees along the south side of the property.

 

Intersting clouds and sunset.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Dr Huey arch art black bamboo catalpa clouds garden iris light lighting photography roses salvia https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/garden-view Sat, 20 May 2017 05:12:30 GMT
Albuquerque On The Move! https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/albuquerque-on-the-move

On Gold between First and Second Streets

 

View of the historic marker on the building at the corner of First Street and Gold Avenue, about the photo with a view of Gold Avenue about 1890.

 

View of Gold Avenue, looking west from First Street, taken in 2017 when nothing much was happening.

 

The Noodle King is no more

 

View of Second Street, looking north from Gold Avenue when someone was jaywalking across Second street.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque First Street Gold Avenue Historic Marker Second Street all gender restroom art bus downtown light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/albuquerque-on-the-move Fri, 19 May 2017 02:26:37 GMT
Into the Void https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/into-the-void

Into the void

 

Altered reality

 

Coyote at a discontinuity

 

Handicapped giant black spider

 

On point

 

Muskrat dragging weeds

 

Muskrat with a grassy mustache

 

Purple mountain's majesty

 

Foggy bottom

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rio Grande Sandias art coyote light lighting muskrat photography spider void https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/into-the-void Thu, 18 May 2017 03:48:08 GMT
Old Houses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/old-houses

At the Rail Yards.

 

Corner house on Second Street close to the Rail Yards.

 

On Second Street a few doors down from the corner house close to the Rail Yards.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) . Albuquerque Rail Yards Second Street architecture art houses light lighting old houses photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/old-houses Wed, 17 May 2017 02:28:56 GMT
Achieve New Balance https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/achieve-new-balance

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque Brontosaurus Bruski Route 66 art chair downtown intersection light lighting photography school work https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/achieve-new-balance Tue, 16 May 2017 04:02:25 GMT
Sunrise Splash-n-Dash https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/sunrise-splash-n-dash

I was out at the river at sunrise.

 

After I walked back from the river, I was hooking up the drip system, when I saw a balloon over the river, behind the trees.

 

The pilot held the fire on the burners, and the balloon rose quickly with water streaming off the basket.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rio Grande Sandias art balloon cottonwoods light lighting photography sunrise https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/sunrise-splash-n-dash Mon, 15 May 2017 05:42:45 GMT
Flight of the Flicker https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/flight-of-the-flicker

A Flicker takes flight in the bosque.

 

Perched in the top of a dead elm tree.

 

Takes flight.

 

Wings spread for the launch.

 

Goes into a high speed arrow tuck.

 

I missed the wing stroke between arrow tucks.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bosque flickers light lighting photography woodpeckers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/flight-of-the-flicker Sun, 14 May 2017 04:00:41 GMT
Snakes in Love https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/snakes-in-love

Western Coachwhip, Masticophis flagellum, mating ritual on the ditch bank.

 

Laurie and I went for a walk on the ditch earlier in the afternoon, because Laurie had to go to choir practice in the late afternoon. While on our walk, a pair of Western Coachwhip snakes (Masticophis flagellum) tumbled into our path in a mating ritual where they were constantly wrapping around each other and making their coachwhip like bodies look like a large piece of red and brown rope. At the end of their ritual, the red phased snake crawled off very quickly and disappeared into a hole in the bank, while the brown phased snake looked at us in dismay that we had been watching them before he crawled up the ditch bank at a more leisurely pace and disappeared into another hole in the side of the ditch bank.

"According to folklore, the coachwhip – a non-venomous snake that is surprisingly swift – will pursue and attack a person, squeezing its victim in its coils and lashing him to death with its tail. It will even stick the tip of its tail up a comatose victim's nose just to make certain that breathing has ceased and life has ended. Otherwise, the snake will resume its lashing.  In real life, of course, the coachwhip will not set upon a human, but it will certainly defend itself vigorously if cornered" (see DesertUSA.com — http://www.desertusa.com/reptiles/coachwhip.html).

These two were adult snakes, both were about 5 to 6 feet long. Coachwhip snakes take on the color of their environment, and the brown phased snake was very close to the color of the sand on the ditch bank. The red phased snake, which we used to call "red racers" because of their color and speed (they can crawl up to 7 MPH), is much like the pink in the Sandias, and matches the red soils that are found throughout New Mexico. They feed on lizards and other reptiles, including venomous snakes, birds, eggs, small rodents and insects.

 

Stretched out, wrapped around each other, looking like a rope.

 

Their scales make them look like braided coachwhips and thus their name.

 

Turned around, they looked like they are fighting, but I didn't see them bite each other.

 

The brown phased Coachwhip sees us.

 

Who are those silly looking paparazzi?

 

He crawled slowly up the bank before disappearing into a hole.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Masticophis flagellum Western Coachwhip snakes art light lighting mating ritual photography snakes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/snakes-in-love Sat, 13 May 2017 02:49:50 GMT
Another Boring Beaver https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/another-boring-beaver

From a distance it could have been a muskrat.

 

But as I ran up on it as quietly as possible, I could see it was a beaver.

 

He was leaving colorful patterns in his wake.

 

As I got closer, the patterns in the water intensified.

 

Finally caught up to the beaver and he was making waves.

 

He slowed down and eyed me intensely.

 

I caught him in mid slap before he dove under a tree hanging over the water.

 

He waited in the water at the edge of the tree.

 

He started out from under the tree, saw me and did a slap-n-dive just as I released the shutter. You can see his face and paw under the water.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beaver clear ditch light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/another-boring-beaver Fri, 12 May 2017 03:39:51 GMT
High Water Like Chocolate https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/high-water-like-chocolate

Rio Grande running high this afternoon, May 10, 2017.

 

There has been a lot of thunderstorm activity over the past few days. Heavy rain north of Corrales raised the level of the Rio Grande about three feet (one meter) by 19:30 yesterday, May 9th. The water was very muddy and moving very fast, making it look like boiling chocolate. I walked about 2 miles north in the bosque this afternoon and heard owls hooting back and forth to each other. Following the hoots of the closest owl, I finally spotted the owl a few minutes before 8:00 PM perched high in a cottonwood tree.

 

Rio Grande running very high on May 9, 2017 after a day of thunderstorms. I usually stand out where the trees are when I photograph the mountains.

 

Rio Grande on May 8, 2017 running about 3 feet lower than May 9th and May 10th.

 

Rio Grande, bosque and dramatic Sandias this afternoon.

 

A Great Horned Owl in a cottonwood in the bosque, well after sunset.

 

Wide angle shot of the bosque where I found the owl. Can you find the owl in this photo?

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Great Horned Owl" Rio Grande, Sandias, art bosque light lighting owl photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/high-water-like-chocolate Thu, 11 May 2017 04:33:57 GMT
Am I Beautiful or What? https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/am-i-beautiful-or-what

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) VW art cats ladder light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/am-i-beautiful-or-what Wed, 10 May 2017 04:16:11 GMT
Iris on Parade https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/iris-on-parade

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art flowers iris light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/iris-on-parade Tue, 09 May 2017 03:17:21 GMT
Hawks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/hawks

Hawk in the distance flying over the bosque.

 

This very large bird looks like an Osprey, but it doesn't seem to have read the owner's manual. It looks to be carrying a rodent of some type, but Ospreys are supposed to feed solely on fish. It flew out of the trees, saw me and made a quick turn back into the trees, so I only got one clear shot of it.

 

 

I am guessing this guy is a Northern Goshawk.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting northern goshawk osprey photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/hawks Mon, 08 May 2017 02:50:35 GMT
Moonlit Hide & Seek https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/moonlit-hide-seek

 

Well after sunset, in the darkness lit up by a three quarter moon, a beaver dove under a thicket along the opposite bank of the clearwater ditch. I could see slight movement under the branches, but I could not make out the beaver. I pushed up the ISO on my camera, and with a steady hand, I aimed my trusty telephoto lens at the thicket and snapped a few shots. I stood on the bank and waited as the gloom settled in. Once the beaver finally decided it was safe to venture out, I watched and focused on him until he was completely stretched out — the sound of my shutter caused him to make a quick about face. As he dove under the thicket, he slapped his tail against the water before he slipped under the branches. I waited for a few more minutes, but the darkness settled in, and our game of hide and seek in the moonlight was over.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beaver dusk hide and seek light lighting moonlight photography splash thicket https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/moonlit-hide-seek Sun, 07 May 2017 04:38:42 GMT
19:05:43 — 19:41:50 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/19-05-43-19-41-50

Muskrat. 19:05:43

 

Wood Ducks. 19:12:19

 

Clear ditch. 19:14:01.

 

Tamarisk. 19:25:18.

 

Backlit elm. 19:27:34.

 

 

Sandias. 19:34:55

 

Looking north. 19:38:36.

 

Western skies. 19:41:50.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds elm light lighting muskrat photography sandias sunset tamarisk wood ducks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/19-05-43-19-41-50 Sat, 06 May 2017 03:18:06 GMT
Dream Catchers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/dream-catchers

 

Sweet dreams!

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clematis cottonwood leaves flowers gnats honey suckle iris light lighting photography spider webs spiders https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/dream-catchers Fri, 05 May 2017 03:28:08 GMT
Duckies, Sunsets, Shooting the Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/duckies-sunsets-shooting-the-moon

Laurie photographed a mama duck with her ducklings paddling around in the Duck Pond at UNM.

 

Clouds after sunset last night.

 

Sunset tonight

 

Another view of the sunset tonight.

 

Yet another view of the sunset tonight.

 

Moon peaking through a cloud nebula last night.

 

Moon in a crystal clear sky tonight.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds ducklings ducks light lighting moon photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/duckies-sunsets-shooting-the-moon Thu, 04 May 2017 03:38:45 GMT
Aroma Therapy https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/aroma-therapy

 

Sasha thinks there's nothing like snorting and rolling around on the floor with a stinky pair of socks to help her unwind after a rough day of trying to keep a house full of unruly cats in line. 

 

 

 

 

 

Hey! Get your own stinky sock! Loki!

 

That's better!

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Loki Sasha aroma therapy art cats light lighting photography socks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/aroma-therapy Wed, 03 May 2017 04:11:31 GMT
And The Fountain Comes Tumbling Down https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/and-the-fountain-comes-tumbling-down

View looking north

 

Demolition of the fountain on Civic Plaza in Downtown Albuquerque started this afternoon. I took photos looking in the four cardinal directions and from the ordinal directions around the east side of the plaza and 3rd Street.

 

View looking south

 

View looking east

 

View looking west

 

View looking southwest at the Bobcat on the tracks made of 2X8 inch lumber.

 

View looking southwest. The banners on the fence depict what the plaza will look like when the remodeling is done.

 

View looking southwest

 

View looking southwest including the backside of the orange JO that is northeast of the fountain.

 

View looking northwest

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque Civic Plaza art cardinal directions demolition downtown fountain light lighting ordinal directions photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/5/and-the-fountain-comes-tumbling-down Tue, 02 May 2017 03:19:32 GMT
La Gata con la cara de Mala Leche https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/la-gata-con-la-cara-de-mala-leche

Lola giving Spunk mala leche

 

Lola is really a sweet kitty to people, but when it comes to most other cats, watch out. She goes from sweet to all growls with a "cara de mala leche" as they used to say in Spain. We usually call it "mad dogs", either way, Lola can make some mean faces at the other kitties.

 

Lola giving Spunk more mala leche

 

Lola being sweet and thinking

 

Spunk spotted something

 

Spunk

 

Loki practicing his "squint like Clint"

 

Loki

 

Sasha

 

Najar

 

Silver

 

Rosencrantz

 

Marble in the shelf above the refrigerator

 

 

Marble in the catio

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Loki Lola Marble Najar Rosencrantz Sasha Silver Spunk art cara de mala leche cats leche light lighting mad dogs photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/la-gata-con-la-cara-de-mala-leche Mon, 01 May 2017 03:32:51 GMT
Saturday on the Ditch Bank https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/saturday-on-the-ditch-bank

Looking south at a volcano in the distance.

 

Wild poppy

 

A swallow of some type

 

Towers in the clouds on the snow covered Sandias.

 

Another wild poppy

 

Another swallow in a full speed tuck.

 

Looking south

 

A cubist duck takes flight.

 

Looking north

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art clouds ditch ditch bank light lighting photography poppies snow swallows towers trees volcano https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/saturday-on-the-ditch-bank Sun, 30 Apr 2017 02:48:53 GMT
Iron Knot https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/iron-knot

 

Rain fell hard against the threatening darkness, making craters in the water as we walked to the river. An iron knot somehow sprang from the ground, mysteriously uncovered, as I had walked by the place where it came out of the bosque floor hundreds of times and not seen it. How that one inch iron cable got tied into such a tight knot is a brain twister — no mortal man or woman could have bent that cable into such a tight knot bare handed. Perhaps La Llorona has been tying knots to pass the time. 

The Rio Grande runs higher and higher. The Sandias were almost whited out by clouds, mist and falling rain. The only critters out in the cold rain at dusk were me, Laurie, a few ducks, and a pterodactyl that flew by almost invisible against the gray sky. I stood on the edge of the river, wearing a silly hat, rushing water lapping at my boots, as I pointed out monsters across the waters with clouds coming off my fingertips. One monster laid just under the water's surface, obscured by a broken tamarisk that stood on my right.  The mist started to clear off the foot hills before we walked back to the edge of the bosque. Laurie watched a little squirrely whirly fly over the treetops, and one last gasp of light peeked under the clouds before darkness consumed us. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) La Llorona Rio Grande Sandias art bosque cable clouds dusk hat knot lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/iron-knot Sat, 29 Apr 2017 04:26:53 GMT
For The Birds https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/for-the-birds

Cooper's Hawk

 

Jack Sparrow

 

Swainson's Hawk

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Cooper's Hawk Jack Sparrow Swainson's Hawk art birds light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/for-the-birds Thu, 27 Apr 2017 22:22:46 GMT
A Walk Up Old Route 66 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/a-walk-up-old-route-66

Looking east from the corner of Union Square and Central (Old Route 66) just east of the railroad tracks.

 

I walked up to UNM from downtown for tonight's Medieval lectures. The ART (Albuquerque Rapid Transit) project has Central (Old Route 66) torn up, down to one lane each direction, and the pedestrian/bikeway in the middle of Central. I'm posting some of the more interesting buildings I passed on my walk up Old Route 66 on my way to UNM.

 

Funky Barber Shop

 

I believe this is the first time I photographed the 66 Diner during daylight hours.

 

Phillips 66/Route 66 sign wall just east of the 66 Diner.

 

Funky gated community one Central about a block west of UNM.

 

Looking west on Central from the corner of Central and University.

 

The Felony Cafe is getting a face lift. Its on Central across from Hodgin Hall on the west end of UNM.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 66 Diner Barber Central Old Route 66 Phillips 66 sign wall Shop" art funky architecture', ART, light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/a-walk-up-old-route-66 Thu, 27 Apr 2017 05:28:37 GMT
Noses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/noses

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cows light lighting noses photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/noses Tue, 25 Apr 2017 22:09:51 GMT
Bullfrog, Butterfly, Arachnid https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/bullfrog-butterfly-arachnid

Big Bullfrog sunbathing

 

Tiny little butterfly

 

Spider waits for prey

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) arachnid art bullfrog butterfly light lighting photography spider https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/bullfrog-butterfly-arachnid Mon, 24 Apr 2017 23:26:36 GMT
Rio Grande Beaver https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/rio-grande-beaver

A big wet critter across the raging waters of the Rio Grande on the now flooded sandbar.

 

We went out for a walk on the ditch banks and river just before sunset. When the sunset turned out to be on the lame side, we walked over to the edge of the Rio Grande about 10 minutes after sunset. I could see a large critter across the river on the flooded sandbar, but with the light fading quickly, I couldn't really see the critter clearly, even through my telephoto lens. I assumed it was a beaver, but it looked to be the size of a pig. I bumped up the ISO, and clicked away. A pair of geese landed upstream of the beaver, so he dove underwater, popped back up about a twenty feet downstream, and swam toward a fallen tree laying in the water on the sandbar. I moved over so I could see around a bush, and when the leaves crunched beneath my feet, he dove again. When he came back up another twenty feet or so down stream, he stood half submerged on the flooded sandbar and looked at us for a moment, shifted position and stood still, half submerged, just looking at us as from across the river as darkness fell all around.

 

A Tree floating by while the beaver stands in the shallows on the sandbar.

 

The beaver dove under water and came up a little downstream. His back is to the camera, but the log gives some sense of scale.

 

This is the same log a couple of days ago when the river was about a foot lower and the sandbar wasn't flooded.

 

Geese standing on the edge of the flooded sandbar about 100 feet upstream of the beaver.

 

Whatever is equivalent to the Loch Ness monster swam by us in the waning light.

 

Standing half submerged on the flooded sandbar looking at us standing on the other side of the river.

 

Shifted his position and watched us until we walked off into the darkness.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rio Grande art beaver geese light lighting photography sandbar https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/rio-grande-beaver Mon, 24 Apr 2017 04:12:34 GMT
Record Store Day https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/record-store-day

Time to dust off the turntable

 

I celebrated Record Store Day by going to Charley's 33's & CD's on the corner of Menaul and Pennsylvania to see what they were doing to celebrate Record Store Day.  The owner informed me that I missed all the action, as people lined up around the store before it open at 11:00 AM this morning, and bought up all the Record Store Day specials by noon. Unfortunately, I couldn't get there by 11:00 AM, because I was finding and repairing a leak in the pump house (that's another story for another day). However, it was still a celebration to visit Charley's, talk to the owner and hear stories about Record Store Day and their 30 years in business. Charley's 33's & CD's is a huge store, taking up four retail spaces, and they have a large inventory of LP records, 45's, CD's, cassette tapes, posters, tapestry, clothing and record store paraphernalia. Walking into Charley's took me back a few decades and brought back memories of when I was a teenager and buying the latest hit release was fun and exciting.

As I got older, and we wanted a bouncy dance floor in the house, records became more of a burden — our good turntable took up a lot of space, plus the records would skip when we danced, so I had to record the vinyl to cassette tape; therefore, Laurie and I were very excited when Compact Discs came available and we got into CD's early on — I think we bought our first CD player and CD's in 1984. I remember people telling us at that time that getting into CD's was silly because they wouldn't catch on. I said there would come a day when records wouldn't be available. That day came a lot sooner than I ever expected, but there has always been a small niche market for used vinyl — as I mentioned, Charley's has been in business for the past 30 years; however, new vinyl is making a comeback as people who want the superior fidelity of vinyl seek it out, but now people who want the cool factor and physical asset of a vinyl record are bringing records back into style. I read an article about Record Store Day that said vinyl has become a billion dollar industry again. I sill get email from Disc Makers from the days when we were mass producing music CD's for a local musician, and Disc Makers are producing vinyl again — they have lots of information about how to put together recordings suitable for vinyl. 

Nowadays, I'm happy with digital music, although my first choice is listening to it through our old stereo and a pair of speakers I built when I was designing and building speakers back in the late 1970's. I have not heard very many commercial speakers that sound better than the pair I built.  While I still have boxes and boxes of cassettes tapes, and nothing to play them in, I gave my vinyl collection and good turntable to Tristan — she has room to store the records, young ears to appreciate the fidelity of vinyl, and our record collection is still in the family. While I'm not one who consumes vinyl records, I still do film photography, so I understand the physical asset of a process that has also been consumed by the digital world. Sometimes, those old, physical products and processes are so much more magical and comforting than what can be a cold and lonely digital abyss in cyberspace.

If you missed getting out to a record store for Record Store Day, you can still celebrate at Amazon and purchase the Keepsake album by Lavinia Ross, available in streaming, MP3 and CD, and/or Billy Momo's latest album Seven Rivers Wild, available in MP3, CD and Vinyl.

 

A funny thing happened on my way to the record store

 

Charley's Music Co. T-Shirts + Posters in neon

 

Record Store Day Specials pretty much sold out in the first hour

 

Vinyl is groovy

 

Charley's has lots and lots of space

 

Cassette tapes and Heavy Metal tapestries

 

Posters and clothing

 

Rows and rows of music

 

What's a record store without Alfred E. Neuman in the window?

 

Charley's 33's & CD's and Records, Tapes, CD's, Posters, Tapestries, Stickers and Picture Discs takes up four store fronts.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Billy Momo Charley's 33's & CD's LP Lavinia Ross Record Store Day art light lighting photography posters records tapes tapestry vinyl https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/record-store-day Sun, 23 Apr 2017 02:34:55 GMT
Fish, Flowers, Falling into Darkness https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/fish-flowers-falling-into-darkness

 

Fishes frolicked in the shallows
Splashing spirals colors rippled
Fluid gems against currents swim

Flowers danced in winds at dusk
Glowed against consuming darkness
Snaggletoothed daffy awaits its prey

Sunshine filtered lights Sandias
X hangs under falling blues
Pastel brushes painted darkened skies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Austrian Copper Iris Lady Banks Rio Grande Sucker Sandias art clouds daffodil fish light lighting photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/fish-flowers-falling-into-darkness Sat, 22 Apr 2017 04:35:00 GMT
1969 Mustang 351 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/1969-mustang-351

 

I know for sure that this car is a Ford Mustang. I pretty sure its model year is 1969, and the hood scoop indicates it has a 351 cubic inch engine.  If indeed it has a 351 cubic inch engine, which I really have no reason to doubt, then what I don't know is whether the 351 is a Cleveland or a Windsor; however, if I had to make an educated guess based on the looks of the car, I would guess it has a 351 Cleveland. The 351 Cleveland delivers more horsepower and can run at higher RPMs than the 351 Windsor, because the Cleveland has larger intake ports than the Windsor, and oversized canted valves. This Mustang has a high performance look about it that leads one believe it has a 351 Cleveland under the hood.


]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 351 Cleveland 351 Windsor Ford Mustang art light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/1969-mustang-351 Fri, 21 Apr 2017 03:13:02 GMT
Window Cats https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/window-cats

Doves on the fence just outside the window teasing Spunk

 

Sasha outside looking in

 

The dove's view of Spunk

 

No clouds, high water, light pink on the Sandias

 

No clouds sunset

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rio Grande Sandias Sasha Spunk art birds cats doves light lighting photography sunset trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/window-cats Thu, 20 Apr 2017 02:27:14 GMT
Change Your Perspective https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/change-your-perspective

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque Bruski Civic Plaza Convention Center art downtown light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/change-your-perspective Wed, 19 Apr 2017 02:55:13 GMT
I Taw a Putty Tat https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/i-taw-a-putty-tat

The neighbor's cat reminds me of Sylvester.

 

I got my shots today, which included: Hepetitis B  Vaccine, Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine, Pneumococcal Polyvalent Vaccine, Diptheris, Tetnus, Acellular Pertussis and Polio Vaccine. Both arms are sore and I'm having cold-like symptoms, which are probably a slight reaction to the vaccines. In two months I'll get another round of vaccines.

 

Geese flying to the Rio Grande at dusk.

 

What I thought had potential to be a spectacular sunset, ended up a decent dusk.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sylvester art cats geese light lighting photography sunset vaccinations vaccine https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/i-taw-a-putty-tat Tue, 18 Apr 2017 02:21:05 GMT
The Battle https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/the-battle

 

Prepared for battle, backs to the sun 
The phalanx stood before me
Hundreds of tall, thin wooden warriors
Against sharp spikes and fingers that scratched
I mounted my attack, into a blinding sun

One by one, wooden warriors fell
One-hundred, two-hundred, three-hundred, more
I cut them down and laid them low
They fought until they hit the ground
They scratched, they poked, they cut

Sweat mixed with blood stung my wounds
Red drops fell on wooden warriors
I piled one on top of another
I felled the last one standing
Victorious, I turned and walked away

 

 

 

 

I had to cut down the elm trees and wild plums so I could have access to the irrigation ditch. An annual battle I fight against these fast growing trees.

 

 

Dos X

 

X

 

Planes alive

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) XX and art blood" chem clouds con trails light lighting photography planes spikes sunset sweat trails" trees wooden warriors, https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/the-battle Mon, 17 Apr 2017 00:46:42 GMT
Bunny, Butterflies, Surprise https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/bunny-butterflies-surprise

Easter Bunny out at sunrise

 

Started to hop off when I got too close

 

And quickly got into full bunny run

 

Sleepy Orange butterfly and lizard running by

 

Common Buckeye butterfly

 

I couldn't find this tiny butterfly to identify it. It's probably a Hairstreak butterfly of some type.

 

Flycatcher alone on a branch

 

Surprise! A large bullfrog pops his head out of the water the instance the flycatcher takes off

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bullfrog bunny butterflies flycatcher light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/bunny-butterflies-surprise Sun, 16 Apr 2017 01:17:48 GMT
Lizard Love https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/lizard-love

Hmmm! Looks like a little hanky-panky going on down there!

 

 

The shady side of Susan's east wall turned out to be a hot spot for a lizard hook-up this morning. I drove Susan to an early morning eye appointment. After we got back from her appointment, we sat out on her back porch and visited, watched the birds, and enjoyed coffee and Susan's delicious banana bread. I looked across the yard and saw two Southwestern Fence Lizards scurry halfway down the wall, just above the woodpile, where they began messing around, as it were. I snuck up on them and got photos while they were preoccupied. Afterward, they just hung out on top of the wall and let me click away — they seemed quite satisfied and happy with themselves. 

 

 

Well I never...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Susan art hanky-panky hook-up light lighting lizards photography wall https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/lizard-love Sat, 15 Apr 2017 01:38:30 GMT
Running on Empty https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/running-on-empty

 

When Bruce and I were in the parking area under Civic Plaza photographing the supports, Bruce suggested we go through the Galería on our way out. That seemed like a good idea. I haven't been in the Galería in years even though I pass by it at least once a week walking around downtown. I never go into the Galería because I have no need to — apparently, nobody else has much need to go into the Galería either, because it's basically empty. Most of the spaces are vacant, and I only saw a couple of people in the area while I was photographing it. The fountain is dry, the escalators are off, blocked by planters, and they create an "X" blocking an easy exit to the ground floor above — in order get out of the Galería, we had to either go back through the garage the way we came in, or find our way to the end with the gym and exit at the kiosk on Second Street.

Running on empty, the architectural shapes are interesting, and photogenic with no one in them. Coming in from the parking area under Civic Plaza, passing through the long tunnel becomes dreamlike as you enter into a silent, empty space that should be filled with the sounds of people getting on with their business, shopping, enjoying a meal, sitting at tables and visiting over coffee in the commons, riding up and down the escalators on their way in and out of the Galería, a place that should be teaming with energy and life. But you stand alone, in silence, in a perfectly preserved place, like there's not a living soul around, except you. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque Galeria art downtown light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/running-on-empty Fri, 14 Apr 2017 04:06:25 GMT
Slippery Slider https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/slippery-slider

Slippery slider sunning itself.

 

While I was out walking on the bank of the clearwater ditch, I spied at a distance what looked like it could be a turtle sunning itself. I snuck up on it and got one shot of it sunning before it dove into the water and swam under the moss. Almost as quickly as it slipped away, it resurfaced to check me out and see if I was really a threat. Even though I stood perfectly still, it probably heard the shutter on my camera, because it ducked back underwater and buried itself in the mud on the bottom of the ditch.  I continued on my walk, and then stopped on my way back and looked for the slider. I discovered it had moved under a bit of mud near a log that had one end stuck in the mud and the other end exposed at the surface. I stood and watched for some time, and it finally poked its head out, swam under the log and peeked out from the other side. I thought it might crawl up on the log, but it either noticed the sound of my shutter or the sound of people walking and talking rather loudly on the irrigation ditch, and it dove underwater and disappeared on the other side of the log.

 

Checking me out after slipping into the water and coming back up from under the moss.

 

Burying itself in the mud.

 

Trying to look like a rock under a clump of mud.

 

Looking around to see if the coast or ditch bank is clear.

 

Making its move.

 

slipping under the log.

 

Checking out the scenery before slipping back into the water and disappearing behind the log.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clearwater ditch light lighting photography slider turtle https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/slippery-slider Thu, 13 Apr 2017 03:19:25 GMT
Mayor Berry, Tear Down This Fountain https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/mayor-berry-tear-down-this-fountain

The fountain is behind the "Hard Hats Required..." sign.

 

How do you go about preparing to tear out a leaky old fountain so the city can replace it with a children's play area, bleachers and a large screen TV?  First you fence off the area you are going to demolish. Second you erect a forest of supports on the two parking levels under the area that is fenced off on the plaza so the heavy equipment your crew will be using to tear down the fountain doesn't crash through the ceilings of the two parking levels and end up 20 feet under the plaza.

 

Half of the fountain shows on the right side of the photo.

 

Fence and supports

 

A sweeping view of the supports behind the fence with the Construction Supervisor's desk and chair in the center.

 

More supports

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque Civic Plaza art fountain light lighting parking levels photography supports https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/mayor-berry-tear-down-this-fountain Wed, 12 Apr 2017 03:07:35 GMT
Diné, 1999 — 2017 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/din-1999-2017

We lost Diné this morning to old age. We got her in the summer of 1999 after we got back from living in Spain for three and half years. Tristan had gone up the Four Corners area with her grandparents to help work of houses on the Navajo Reservation. Diné was a kitten running around the on the the houses that was acting like a really sweet, floppy kitten, and since she was pretty much feral, the owners of the house told Tristan, Jim and Ann to take her home. Tristan asked how to say "floppy" in Navajo, which was "nachao" (probably not spelled right), and "floppy people" would be "Diné nachao", so Diné's full name was originally Diné Nachao.

As it turned out, the reason Diné was sweet and floppy was because she was very sick, and her first year was really touch and go, but once she fully recovered and gained all her strength, she was no longer floppy and turned into a very sweet little terror of a kitty. Diné was our only cat for a year before we got Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in the summer of 2000. Nick adopted us in 2002, we adopted Mama Manx and Stretch in 2004, and Lane gave us Puck in 2007. After losing Nick, Stretch, Puck and Mama Manx, we added Spunk, Najar and Sasha in the past 3 years, and most recently Silver, Loki and Marble. But even in the past month Diné was becoming more frail, she was still top cat and was respected by all the other cats, even the rowdy kittens.

Diné loved life, she loved us and we loved her. Everyone who met Diné would comment on how beautiful she was and how unique her markings were. She loved being with Tristan and Laurie, and she liked to be involved in whatever they were doing, but especially gardening, taking naps and sleeping with us. Diné was remarkably strong until this past week where she seemed to get a cold, and got weak very quickly. We've had her in kind of a kitty hospice for the past few days, where Laurie would take a damp washcloth and clean and groom Diné, talk to her, bring her food and Diné really appreciated it. Yesterday, Diné got where she couldn't walk, but she was alert in the morning, so we moved her to the places she liked to go. As she declined in the afternoon, we thought we had lost her a few times, but then she would rally, become alert, and eat and drink a little before going back into a state of drowsiness.

She laid on my lap for a long time last night, and she slept with us all night, but then she died early in the morning soon after we got up. She seemed to hang on to life as long as she could, because she didn't want to miss out on any love, fun or whatever we were up to. Lane and Suzette came out this evening and we gave Diné a nice burial. We will really miss Diné.

 

My first digital photo of Diné in 2003

 

Diné's paws

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Diné, Mama Max, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Stretch and Nick in 2005

 

2013

 

Trying out ear warmers in 2010

 

In the garden

 

Pensive

 

Catzilla

 

With Tristan, 2007

 

With Rosencrantz, April 6, 2017

 

Diné's grave, covered in flowers

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Diné Rosencrantz art cats kitty history light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/din-1999-2017 Tue, 11 Apr 2017 04:11:32 GMT
RepenT https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/repent

 

Since the old guy is standing on the median with cars passing by, is he using RepeNT as a "transitive" verb in an attempt to cause us to feel sorrow and regret for driving our cars instead of riding donkeys, especially on Palm Sunday? Or is he using RepeNT as an "intransitive" verb commanding us to turn away from our sinful ways of driving our cars, and to follow amended forms of our lives by riding donkeys?  Or could he be using RepeNT as a form of "re-pent" wanting us to give up the freedom of driving our cars, become confined to our homes, repressed by public transit or ride donkeys?

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cars intersection intransitive verbs light lighting photography repent transitive verbs https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/repent Mon, 10 Apr 2017 01:47:36 GMT
Floral Fire & Ice https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/floral-fire-ice

Tulips on fire

 

Icy white tulip

 

Lady Banks came into full bloom today

 

Austrian Copper starting to bloom today, also, but it didn't develop into a full bloom like Lady Banks

 

 

 

A double tulip in icy white, pinks and blues looks a little like a rose

 

Fiery tulip starting to fade

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Austrian Copper Lady Banks art fire flowers ice light lighting photography roses tulips https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/floral-fire-ice Sun, 09 Apr 2017 02:22:38 GMT
The Buzzards and the Hummingbird Moth https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/the-buzzards-and-the-hummingbird-moth

 

Buzzards flew above my head today
Flew so high they kissed the moon
A hummingbird moth buzzed round my feet today
Curly tongue in mustard weeds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art buzzards clouds flowers hummingbird month light lighting moon moth photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/the-buzzards-and-the-hummingbird-moth Sat, 08 Apr 2017 02:02:23 GMT
Søren & Spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/s-ren-spunk

 

Søren decided to come and and be social. Originally he wanted to sit on my shoulder, but the shirt I was wearing was too slick for him to keep a good hold on, so he decided my Macbook Pro's monitor was a good place to stand while I worked on photos. He happily groomed himself at first, but left his chest feathers messy when he settled down enough to pay attention and pose for the camera, but he didn't want to hold still. Spunk was in good kitty form trying to show Søren how to pose.


 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) African Gray Macbook Pro Spunk Søren art birds cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/s-ren-spunk Fri, 07 Apr 2017 02:17:51 GMT
Frost Bites https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/frost-bites

We had some of the best wisteria in years.

 

But a biting frost last night took care of the wisteria.

 

White tulip

 

Orange yellow tulips happy on a cool morning.

 

Not so happy with frost biting them.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art flowers frost light lighting photography tulips wisteria https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/frost-bites Thu, 06 Apr 2017 02:09:31 GMT
Suavecito & Spunk do Sennheiser https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/suavecito-spunk-do-sennheiser

 

Suavecito got a new pair of Sennheiser headphones and thought they were pretty cool. Turned out they are the exact same model of Sennheiser headphones that I have, so Spunk had to try them out to see what they sounded like. Spunk listened to "Stray Cat Strut" by the Stray Cats and thought the song was cool and that the headphones sounded great. 

 


 

Sunset on the Sandias tonight

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias Sennheiser Spunk Suavecito Sunset art cats headphones light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/suavecito-spunk-do-sennheiser Wed, 05 Apr 2017 02:30:00 GMT
Fastening Systems https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/fastening-systems

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art fireWire light lighting photography zip zip100 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/fastening-systems Tue, 04 Apr 2017 03:09:26 GMT
Fish, Flowers, Landscapes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/fish-flowers-landscape

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rio Grande Sandias art bosque clouds cottonwoods fish flowers landscape light lighting photography tulips https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/fish-flowers-landscape Mon, 03 Apr 2017 00:51:16 GMT
Guilty https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/guilty


“To paint or to photograph —
That is the question:
Whether ’tis more to my advantage
to color
Photographic accidents and call
them paintings,
Or squeeze the bulb against
a sea of critics
And by exposure kill them?”*


“It is only a general tendency towards the mysterious and bizarre which these workers have in common; they like to suppress all outlines and details and lose them in delicate shadows, so their meaning and intention become hard to discover. They not only make use of every appliance and process known to the photographer’s art, but without the slightest hesitation, …overstep all legitimate boundaries and deliberately mix up photography with the technical devices of painting and the graphic arts.”†

A plea for Straight Photography by Sadakichi Hartmann, 1904. 
Quoted from Photography: Essays & Images Edited by Beaumont Newhall, 1980, p.185. 
*Sadakichi Hartmann, Camera Work 6 (April 1904), p.25.
†Originally printed in American Amateur Photographer 16 (March 1904) pp. 101-109. 

 

I’m guilty. I carry on working with the mysterious and bizarre that Hartmann complained about for eight pages 112 years ago.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Beaumont Newhall Sadakichi Hartmann art clouds heron light lighting photography poetry straight photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/4/guilty Sun, 02 Apr 2017 04:07:36 GMT
Big Sky Calling https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/big-sky-calling

 

Sun crashes to the ground
Throw colors far and wide
Yellow into red consumed by graying blue
Fleeting moments embers glow
Caught by shutter passing clouds
Big sky calling 
Look at me

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds colors light lighting photography sky sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/big-sky-calling Sat, 01 Apr 2017 01:32:07 GMT
Eye of Loki https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/eye-of-loki

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Loki art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/eye-of-loki Fri, 31 Mar 2017 02:33:05 GMT
Five Finger Perspective https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/five-finger-perspective

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) architecture art clouds landscape light lighting photography pipes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/five-finger-perspective Thu, 30 Mar 2017 02:41:55 GMT
The Doctor's Dog https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/the-doctors-dog

My primary care doctor is retiring. I stopped by his office to pick up my medical records. I didn't see my doctor, but I did photograph his dog.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art doctor dog light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/the-doctors-dog Wed, 29 Mar 2017 01:17:11 GMT
cats Cats CATS https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/cats-cats-cats

Najar: "Can't a lady get a little beauty sleep around here? Stupid paparazzo!"

 

Marble has no problem getting her beauty sleep.

 

Silver: "Who sez cats are shallow and one-demensional?"

 

Loki pondering some kind of trickery.

 

Spunk: "Yeah! Right! I'm supposed to look like those #%!@&#$ coasters when I'm surrounded by cat-like vermin?"

 

Le long chat

 

Lola: "How's my Spunk look?"

Paparazzo: "Your head isn't tilted quite right."

 

Lola: "Is THAT Better?"

Paparazzo: "Almost perfect. Smile!"

Lola: "Stupid paparazzo."

 

Marble: "Ahhhh! Nothing like beauty sleep."

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Loki Lola Marble Najar Silver Spunk art cats light lighting paparazzo photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/cats-cats-cats Tue, 28 Mar 2017 03:17:44 GMT
Silence of the Frogs https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/silence-of-the-frogs

 


I stood on the bank
Called for the frogs
Frogs? Hey frogs are you there today?
The sun is shining, rays are warm
Can you all come out to play?
I stood, I listened oh for so long
All I heard was the silence of the frogs

I stood on the bank
Called to the turtles
Turtles? Hey Turtles are you out today? 
The sun is shining, flycatchers wait
Muskrats sit ready to play
I stood, I listened, the turtles are sleeping 
From back in winter still tucked away

A pterodactyl flew overhead
Looked prehistoric floating on the wind
Soared away toward the clouds
Then swooped so low it touched the ground
On the edge of the bank it landed
Stood straight and still 
Watching waiting without a sound

A pterodactyl stood on the bank
It called for the frogs
Frogs? Hey frogs where are you today?
The sun is shining, warm are its rays
I need a quick meal then I’ll be on my way
It stood, it listened, but not very long
It heard the silence of the frogs

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds flycatcher frogs heron light lighting muskrat photography pterodactyl turtles https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/silence-of-the-frogs Mon, 27 Mar 2017 05:52:03 GMT
Red Green https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/red-green

 

The Rio Grande is running high and fast from spring runoff. The muddy water has a lot of red in it from the red soils found northern part of the watershed washing into the rivers. A combination of moss on the bottom of the clearwater ditch and grass growing on the banks made the water look bright green in the harsh morning light.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rio Grande Sandias art clearwater ditch clouds dragonfly grass light lighting moss photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/red-green Sat, 25 Mar 2017 23:06:25 GMT
Kitty with a Curly Tail https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/kitty-with-a-curly-tail

Loki the black kitty formerly known as Midnight

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Loki art black cat cats curly tail light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/kitty-with-a-curly-tail Sat, 25 Mar 2017 01:49:37 GMT
First Water https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/first-water

 

30 degree free fall
Warm skies turn cold
Blue to gray, gray to white

Hailstorm blinds
Muddy water
Speed slowed a restricted flow

Weakened state
Joints ache
Rake claws at drowning leaves

Clouds part
Slivered sunshine
Blue skies peek through

Sun falls
Dusk settles
Gray clouds devour reds and yellows

Darkness covers
spreading waters
A long night lies ahead

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art clouds cottonwoods ditch hailstorm irrigation leaves light lighting photography rake water https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/first-water Fri, 24 Mar 2017 03:10:13 GMT
Big Red Road Kill https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/big-red-road-kill

 

Murder in the alley
A bloody mess
Dead donut impaled
C# concertina
Stollen wheels
Sad loss for homeless 
Infinite arches
Screened for the fight
Madrid in daylight
Castle and Bar
Dreams cancelled

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque C# El Madrid Bar arches art cancelled castle concertina wire downtown dreams light lighting photography razor wire shopping cart https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/big-red-road-kill Thu, 23 Mar 2017 03:28:20 GMT
Mr. Muskrat https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/mr-muskrat

 

Mr. Muskrat swimming in the clearwater ditch.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clearwater ditch light lighting muskrat photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/mr-muskrat Wed, 22 Mar 2017 05:38:07 GMT
Silver Kitty https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/silver-kitty

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Silver art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/silver-kitty Tue, 21 Mar 2017 03:24:14 GMT
Signs of Spring https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/signs-of-spring

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Harry Lauder's Walking Stick art bees blooms crocus flowers light lighting lizard photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/signs-of-spring Mon, 20 Mar 2017 00:20:18 GMT
Worms Then & Now https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/worms-then-now

Left to right: Laurie, Ann, Jim, Liz, Leah, Lane circa 1985.

`

Thirty years ago when I was photographing weddings for a local studio, I was very conscious of "worms" (fingers sticking out over shoulders and from around waistlines) especially when doing group photos. So the Mogfords wanted to to do a family photo with as many "worms" showing as possible. All of the family are in town this weekend, so Ann wanted to recreate the "worms" photo.

 

Left to right: Laurie, Ann, Jim, Liz, Leah, Lane 2017.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art family fingers light lighting photography portrait worms https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/worms-then-now Sun, 19 Mar 2017 05:46:47 GMT
Bicycle Love https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/bicycle-love

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bicycles light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/bicycle-love Sat, 18 Mar 2017 00:03:39 GMT
Lightscapes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/lightscapes

Civic Plaza. Downtown Albuquerque, NM.

 

Convention Center. Downtown Albuquerque, NM.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque art civic plaza convention center downtown light lighting lightscapes photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/lightscapes Fri, 17 Mar 2017 01:35:07 GMT
Too Bad https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/too-bad

 

On cold gray walk
Hot tamales spilled
 
Cold winter sun
Rays slowly soften
A ride to hitch
Poor unsuspecting sole

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Hot Tamales art light lighting photography sidewalk walk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/too-bad Thu, 16 Mar 2017 01:57:47 GMT
π Down, Billy Momo Up https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/-down-billy-momo-up

Sunset for Π day

 

The sun has set on Π Day. Some people brought in pie, because many people pronounce Π as "pie"; but then the Greeks pronounce Π as "pee", so those who pronounce Π as "pee" should have drank a lot of water for Π day. Or to be bi with Π they could have eaten pie and drank (have drunk for purists) a lot of water. Whatever! It all seems circular to me.

But then there is Bill Momo. Never heard of Billy Momo? Neither had I until they decided to follow my blog on WordPress. I always check out followers to see if their blogs are interesting, and Billy Momo turned out to be a Swedish music group made up of Tomas Juto, Oskar Hovell and a few other musicians. Tomas Juto and Oskar Hovell ran off into the woods, made some music together and emerged from the woods as Billy Momo. You can check out their blog at https://billymomo.wordpress.com

I checked out several of their videos on YouTube and was quite taken with their music. It has a really nice folk/rock sound to it with a good bit of sarcasm. They did a song called "Wishing Ain't No Sin" that was on "Better Call Saul", which is a very good song. If you have a few minutes check it out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni3riw4Gz7k. One of my favorite videos so far is called "It's Mine". You can see it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwSVidgcPe8.

 

Sunrise for Billy Momo

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Billy Momo Pi Tomas Juto and Oskar Hovell art light lighting photography sunrise sunset π https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/-down-billy-momo-up Wed, 15 Mar 2017 02:58:45 GMT
Muskrat Speed https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/muskrat-speed

 

I saw a muskrat at warp speed today
Disturbed the light
Made it fray
Split water streaked by light
Illuminating sparks
On the edge of night

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting muskrat photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/muskrat-speed Tue, 14 Mar 2017 00:39:24 GMT
Street Cypher https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/street-cypher

At the corner of 4th Street and Central (Old Route 66) in Downtown Albuquerque

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque Route 66 Street Cypher art downtown light lighting photography sidewalk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/street-cypher Mon, 13 Mar 2017 00:34:37 GMT
Ach Nein! Nine Gnari* https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/ach-nein-nine-gnari

The black kitty formerly known as Midnight†

 

We enter the age of Aquarius
Clawing at the cuffs of Heaven
Fluorine feline in the household
A clowder of kitties
Infested

Novem gatti
Fruits of the Spirit
Nine worthies, three of each 
But who can say which
Pagans, Christians, Jews?

All piled together
Napping nonagon de gnari
Like the symphonies of Beethoven
Each plays their way
Into our hearts

 

Marble

 

Silver

 

Vanessa, who gave us Spunk, is a real cat magnet. She's been living in Northern New Mexico for the past year, and in January, she found these three kittens. They were abandoned in fifteen degree weather and eight foot snow drifts piled up on each side of the road. She rescued all three, but she will probably be moving, so we have taken them in.  We now have nine kitties in the house.

*I'm mixing three languages in the title: German, English and Fula. Gnari is said to mean Cat in the Fula language, New Guinea. I'm assuming the "G" is silent.

†While Midnight is a good name for a black cat, we decided that since we have four black cats, he needs a less obvious name. Since he is more mysterious than Marble and Silver, we are waiting to see what name will best suit his personality.

The poem is all about Nine:
Nine is said to be lucky in Aquarius, and nine is believed to symbolize divine completeness. Fluorine is the atomic number nine, a clowder is a group of cats, and there are nine fruits of the Spirit. Jacques de Longuyon wrote “Voeux du Paon”, a popular 14th century romance, where he introduced the “Nine Worthies”— three Pagans, three Christians and three Jews: Hector, Alexander the Great, and Julius Caesar; King Arthur, Charlemagne, and Godfrey of Bouillon; Joshua, David, and Judas Maccabeus — who were historical, legendary and scriptural figures that characterized the ideals of chivalry in the Middle Ages. A nonagon is a nine sided polygon, and Beethoven wrote nine symphonies.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Aquarius Marble Midnight Nine Worthies Silver Voeux du Paon art cats clowder fluorine light lighting photography three new cats https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/ach-nein-nine-gnari Sun, 12 Mar 2017 01:49:32 GMT
Dirt, Deals, Surreal https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/dirt-deals-surreal

 

 

Seal the deal

 

Scene behind the screen or painted?

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art deals dirt light lighting photography surreal https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/dirt-deals-surreal Sat, 11 Mar 2017 03:22:20 GMT
Jake's Space https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/jakes-space

Looks like Jake has a new truck sitting "Off Road" in the space reserved for Jake.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) FX4 Jake Off Road art do not park here light lighting photography reserved https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/jakes-space Fri, 10 Mar 2017 03:18:17 GMT
He Lit Up Our Lives https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/he-lit-up-our-lives

In the summer of 2011, I was getting spam mail from Kevin, the secretary and Kevin's boss at RKL about a big architectural LED lighting show they were sponsoring. I called Kevin and asked what all the spam mail was about, and he said I had to go to the show because it would be the coolest show ever.  The day of the show, I dropped Laurie off at the University and then dropped by the LED light show on my way to the office. Kevin introduced me to all the vendors who showed me a lot of really cool LED lighting that had just come on the market. As I was leaving, Kevin asked if I had put my name in for the drawing. I had not, so I walked back to the table, filled out the form, and dropped in the the box. I paid no attention to what the prize was, because I never win drawings like that.

A little after 5:00 that afternoon, I got a call. Kevin was on the line — "Dude" he said "You won!" I asked him what he was talking about. I had forgotten all about the drawing. "The drawing!" Kevin said "You won the drawing!"   "Oh! The thing I filled out at the show?" I replied. "Yeah man! You Won!" Kevin said excitedly. "What did I win?" I asked sounding confused. "Oh dude. Don't you even know what you put in for on the drawing?" He asked. "All I remember is you asking me to enter the drawing. I didn't pay attention to what the drawing was for." I told him. "It's a 55 inch Samsung LED Screen and a blue ray player." He said. "Wow!" I replied "I had no idea. That's amazing." "Congratulations!" Kevin said as we discussed when and how I was going to get my prize.

Fast forwarding to the present, as part of the painting we had done at the office over Christmas break in December, I had a glass sign made with ARC’s logo etched in it. I got the signed mounted on the wall at the entrance to the office at the end of January. We had been looking at how to light the sign, so I called Kevin the day after I mounted the sign to see if he had any lighting solutions. We had purchased all of the lighting fixtures in the office from RKL over the years based on Kevin's recommendations. He was a great salesman — he could converse intelligently on most any subject, he remembered everybody’s names, and he had a great sense of humor. We had also developed a good friendship over the many years I knew him as we had many interests in common. 

I dialed Kevin on January 31, 2017 — “Hi Kevin. Tim. I just installed an etched glass sign that I need to light.” 
“How thick is the glass?” he asked “1/4 inch? perfect, I have just what you need. Are you available this afternoon? I have to go by the storage unit and get the kit, and then I’ll swing by in about an hour or so.”

About an hour later Kevin showed up with a bag of various LED light strips made to be mounted on the edge of 1/4 glass, The strips direct light through the glass illuminating the area etched in the glass.

Kevin held the light strip on the bottom, and then on the top of the sign while I photographed it. We figured out the length of the LED strip, and the temperature of the light we needed to order based on the manufacturer’s specs. Kevin sent me a quote for the light a few days later, and I dropped a check off with the order on February 8, 2017. It would take about six weeks for the light strip to be delivered. 

I learned that Kevin died on Saturday, March 4th last Monday. I was shocked and sad. During the last conversation we had, only a month ago, we talked about lighting, music, bicycles and cameras, and we were planning to go out to lunch when the lights came in. Sadly, his funeral was today and I will never share another lunch with Kevin.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) ARC Kevin LED light strip RKL art light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/he-lit-up-our-lives Thu, 09 Mar 2017 05:30:04 GMT
Cold Cat Morning https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/cold-cat-morning

 

When I got up this morning at 06:20, the temperature in the bedroom  was 52º F (11.1º C), and the outside temperature was 21º F (-6.1º C). I tucked Rosencrantz in before going off to do my morning routine of giving Spunk, Sasha and Najar their soft food, making coffee, and getting the birds up; but since Lola had lost her warm body (me), she moved over to Laurie who was still in bed with Diné. Laurie got up not long after I did, and since Lola still wanted a warm body to lay on, Rosencrantz, who was sleeping soundly, tucked in under those cosy covers, was Lola's best bet for a warm body. So Lola moved herself over and laid on top of Rosencrantz. Even though I had turned up to heat to 60º F (16.6º C) on the thermostat in the dance room, it was barely up to 55º F (12.8º C) in the bedroom when Laurie got up; therefore, Rosencrantz was not about to get out from under those warm, cosy covers, and simply looked up to see what the pesky paparazzo was taking pictures of when I was photographing the kitties in all their cuteness.  

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Diné Lola Rosencrantz art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/cold-cat-morning Wed, 08 Mar 2017 03:20:58 GMT
First Butterfly 2017 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/first-butterfly-2017

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art butterflies light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/first-butterfly-2017 Tue, 07 Mar 2017 01:52:50 GMT
The Beach https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/the-beach

Our own "private beach" — just a hop, skip and a jump away.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rio Grande Sandias art beach light lighting photography sand https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/the-beach Mon, 06 Mar 2017 01:28:05 GMT
Another Saturday in a Life https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/another-saturday-in-a-life

A letter from my grandfather to his mother, France1918.

 

Aujourd'hui j'ai vu l'aube dis donc 
un anneau de feu emplissait le ciel 
les jaunes poussaient les rouges 
pourpres vers le gris
la lumière du soleil se battait
mais les nuages refusaient de se rendre

Aujourd'hui j'ai vu les corbeaux voler 
vers le nord
les vents du sud les portaient
sur les berges j'ai écouté sans succès 
Rien
Silence des grues

Aujourd'hui j'ai vu des canards dis donc 
Couleur cannelle, derrière les roseaux 
les abattis des castors gisaient sur les rives
la digue rompue, forcée par l'homme

Aujourd'hui j'ai vu la première fleur 
s'épanouir
ouverte alors que le soleil se glissait à 
travers le gris
le jaune poussait à travers les feuilles 
sèches et brunes
fermée tôt
avant que le soleil se couche

Aujourd'hui j'ai vu le crépuscule dis donc 
l'est rose se glissait à travers le gris 
nuageux
le vent tombé, l'obscurité tout autour
les hiboux hululant appellent 
la nuit à la vie

 

Paris, France, 2013.

 

Notre Dame. Paris, France 2013.

 

Crow near the Louvre. Paris, France, 2013.

 

Ducks near the Louvre. Paris, France, 2013.

 

The Beaver. Book of Beasts, circa 1230 CE

 

Yellow flower. Paris, France, 2013.

 

Dusk. Paris, France, 2013

 

Night Owls. Book of Beasts, circa 1230 CE

 

Anne, somewhere in France, February, 2017, graciously offered to translate the poem I wrote for the "Saturday in a Life" post into French. She did a beautiful translation that Marina used in her translating class at UNM. She had her students translate the French back to English and then compare it to the original. I asked Anne if there was anything she wanted me to say about her in this post she wrote: "when I was young, I wanted to be a translator or an interpreter. I was and I'm very found of literature and above all, English literature: that's why, when I first read your poem, so perfect in its simplicity (and matching so well with your pictures), it pleased me so much that I wanted to translate it."

I thought about what photos I wanted to use for "Another Saturday in a Life". The beavers had built a new dam on the clear ditch, but a week later the Conservancy had not torn it out yet and the cinnamon ducks had moved on. Jerri dropped by this afternoon and told us she was getting reading for a trip to Provence, France. We were showing her photos of the villages we visited in Provence in 2013, and I got the idea to see what I had from Paris in 2013 and use photos from Paris to illustrate the poem.  Since there are no beavers in Paris that I know of, and I didn't happen to photograph any owls, either, I photographed the pages on the beaver and the night owls from my facsimile of the Book of Beasts, circa 1230 CE.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Book of Beasts France French Notre Dame Paris art crow ducks light lighting photography yellow flower https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/another-saturday-in-a-life Sun, 05 Mar 2017 03:27:12 GMT
Hot Wheels https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/hot-wheels

On our way out to lunch this afternoon, a Sheriff's Deputy was putting money in the parking meter before he went into the Model Shoe Shine Parlor to get his shoes shined. I asked him if he really had to put money in the meter, and he told me probably not, but he does it since everyone else has to feed the meters. There's a model officer and citizen for you — a lot of people who park along Gold don't bother to pay the meters and then get mad when they get a $20 parking ticket. I asked him if the Camaro he had parked there was the latest design for the Sheriff's Department. He told me it's the only car like it in the department. He said it's painted like a Hot Wheels car to appeal to the kids he works with as part of his duties in the anti-gang unit. Pretty clever of the Sheriff's Department to put one of their deputies in a Hot Wheels-like Camaro for the kids to drool over.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Camaro Chevy Deputy Espresso Fino Hot Wheels Model Shoe Shine Parlor Sheriff art cars. light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/hot-wheels Sat, 04 Mar 2017 03:02:42 GMT
Help Wanted https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/help-wanted

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bicycle fixed gear bike help help wanted light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/help-wanted Fri, 03 Mar 2017 02:12:26 GMT
Foaming at the Chase https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/foaming-at-the-chase

Chase behind the ladder with framing for a new chase to cover the new sewer pipe near the ceiling.

 

 

The Dictionary of Construction defines an architectural chase as "a continuous enclosure in a structure that acts as a housing for pipe, wiring conduits, ducts, etc. A chase is usually located in or adjacent to a column, which provides some physical protection."  The chase in this office is used to cover an iron support column, water pipes, sewer pipes, and electrical conduit between the second story and the ground floor. Since we bypassed 75 feet of sewer line from the top of the chase to the library where we installed a double clean out and installed a new sewer line to the south end of the building, we had the sewer pipes in the chase removed, and capped. To seal the porous brick wall exposed inside the chase, we had the chase filled with foam as an alternative to opening the chase from floor to ceiling and plastering the wall behind the pipes. The foam will make a much better seal than plaster would have, because it expands behind the pipes, conduit and support, and completely fills all the spaces between the bricks.

 

Pipes, wiring conduit, and an iron support column inside the chase.

 

Chase with sewer pipes removed exposing porous brick in the wall behind.

 

Construction workers spraying foam inside the chase.

 

Foam coming out of the top of the chase

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) architecture art chase column conduit foam ladder light lighting photography pipe https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/3/foaming-at-the-chase Thu, 02 Mar 2017 05:17:09 GMT
Flight of the Blue https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/flight-of-the-blue

 

A great blue heron flew up out of the ditch in front of me and landed in a cottonwood tree along the levee a few hundred feet away. I walked slowly along the lower bank, and photographed it holding dead still trying its best to look like a tree branch. The great blue herons are surprisingly well camouflaged when they are perched on cottonwood branches. I climbed the levee and it let me get to the top of the levee, closer to it than I have ever gotten to a great blue heron, before it took off, maneuvering through the cottonwoods, and flying over the river, where it disappeared into the bosque on the east bank of the Rio Grande.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rio Grande art cottonwoods great blue heron heron levee light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/flight-of-the-blue Wed, 01 Mar 2017 03:25:14 GMT
Stuck in the Middle with Gray https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/stuck-in-the-middle-with-gray

Dawn Sunday morning looked much like the first photo from our property, but we couldn't see the mountains because of low clouds and fog. Yet Susan, who lives only ten miles to the southeast of us, and much closer to the mountains, posted a beautiful red dawn on Sunday morning — Sunrise with Crepuscular Rays.  I commented on her blog that while she had a colorful dawn, we had all gray, overcast skies, and if there was even a hint of color, the trees on the south side of our property blocked the view.  

I was out well before sunrise this morning and with the clouds moving by rather quickly, I figured we would have a nice fiery sky around 6:30 AM. I walked out shortly after 6:30, and red skies were forming to the north and to the south, with gray clouds in the middle fanning up and out from the top of the Sandias. The three photos for the panorama below were taken at 6:36 AM and the last photo was taken at 6:38 AM.

This morning's dawn was a perfect example of how we can end up with a gray morning, while Susan just ten miles away can have a brilliant red sky at morning.

 

On the bottom of the Rio Grande Valley, we can easily end up stuck in the middle with gray.

 

There's a distinct line that separates the gray and red where the clouds cover the crest of the Sandias. The red sky gave the cottonwoods a nice, red background that outlined the trees.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias Susan art clouds dawn gray light lighting photography red sky at morning https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/stuck-in-the-middle-with-gray Tue, 28 Feb 2017 03:08:51 GMT
Tracks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/tracks

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque rail yards art light lighting photography railroad tracks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/tracks Mon, 27 Feb 2017 02:37:32 GMT
Flight of the Cinnamon Ducks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/flight-of-the-cinnamon-ducks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cinnamon ducks ducks flight light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/flight-of-the-cinnamon-ducks Sun, 26 Feb 2017 00:27:52 GMT
Orange on Black https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/orange-on-black

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art black cats chair light lighting orange photography string https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/orange-on-black Sat, 25 Feb 2017 02:05:17 GMT
Joy https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/joy

Bruski and I went out and made joy over Shia LaBeouf shutting down his camera. The JOY art project on Civic Plaza is much more fun and positive, and, as you can see, Bruski was overjoyed being a human "Y". Since orange is the new black, imagine Bruski's black being orange.

Since WCW retired, we don't have a reliable source for cigarettes when we go out on our photo shoots these days, so Bruski first asked a group of guys wearing Safway T-shirts for a cigarette — they told him they didn't smoke. I asked them what Safway was, and they explained that it's a scaffolding company. They were working on a project at the AT&T building and were out getting coffee after lunch. 

We noticed a couple smoking by the fountain, walked over to them and Bruski asked if he could borrow a cigarette. He said he didn't smoke, and they said "We don't either!" as the beautiful young woman put her cigarette between her bright red lips before she searched through her purse and pulled out a pack of Marlboros.  "We're from Russia..." the man said in an unmistakeable Russian accent. He explained that they don't smoke, but since they had been up for the past 22 hours making their way to Albuquerque for the International Camp Managers Convention, hosted by the American Camp Association at the Albuquerque Convention Center, they were smoking to help them stay awake. I asked if they were from Moscow, and commented that it's a long trip to Albuquerque. He said "Not a bad trip. Only 4 hours from Moscow to New York and few more hours to Albuquerque." I think it's a few more hours all the way around — but once in Albuquerque,  apparently coffee, cigarettes and New Mexico sunshine is enough to keep sleep deprived travelers alert at a camp convention.

While I was photographing Bruski making joy in my sunglasses while smoking the cigarette he got from the beautiful Russian woman, I noticed a guy was standing beside me with a cigarette in his hand watching us. I asked him if he wanted to make joy with his cigarette, and he said "No! I noticed you guys had a cigarette and assumed you would have a light?" We told him we were sorry that we didn't have a light because we didn't smoke, but pointed out another guy sitting by the fountain smoking and suggested he ask him for a light.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Brusky Russians art camp convention cigarettes joy light lighting orange photography smoking https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/joy Fri, 24 Feb 2017 03:16:02 GMT
It's Half the Poem it Used to Be https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/its-half-the-poem-it-used-to-be

You can see the complete poem by Hakim Bellamy of Albuquerque at Cycles & Sights on Route 66 fourth photo down.

 

Stuck

 

Civic Plaza off an Airstream

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Airstream Bruski Hakim Bellamy art basketball light lighting photography poem https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/its-half-the-poem-it-used-to-be Thu, 23 Feb 2017 03:41:37 GMT
Wait https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/wait

Sometimes 
Wait
You  
Wait
Just have to
Wait
sit and
Wait
For
Wait
A light
Wait
To come on
Wait
For
Wait
An idea
Wait
To form
Wait

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bruski graffiti light lighting photography wait https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/wait Wed, 22 Feb 2017 04:05:54 GMT
LaBeouf & the Back Side of Route 66 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/labeouf-the-back-side-of-route-66

Shia LaBeouf installed a live feed video on the west side of the El Rey Theater at Central Ave (Old Route 66) and 7th Street in Downtown Albuquerque as part of his anti-Trump campaign. Bruce and I walked down to see what was happening around 3:00 PM. Eleven young people where hanging around on the sidewalk and curb talking, messing with cameras and devices, while a young man held two signs in front of the camera that he changed every 30 seconds or so. I walked up and asked him what the signs had on them, he silently turned the signs toward me so I could read the first one. He then swapped the front sign with the back sign so I could read the second one. I thanked him and went around to the back of the building a photographed the latest street art on the backside on the El Rey Theater building. Since you are probably wondering what the signs were all about, they were protesting police and security. If you want more information on LaBeouf's installation, the Albuquerque Journal posted Actor Shia LaBeouf brings anti-Trump protest piece to Duke City by Ryan Boetel, Journal Staff Writer on Saturday, February 18th.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) El Rey Theater Old Route 66 Shia LaBeouf art central installation light lighting live feed video photography street art https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/labeouf-the-back-side-of-route-66 Tue, 21 Feb 2017 03:06:40 GMT
Fetch https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/fetch

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art cats fetch light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/fetch Mon, 20 Feb 2017 02:05:21 GMT
A Saturday in a Life https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/a-saturday-in-a-life

 

I saw the dawn today oh boy
A ring of fire filled morning sky
Yellows push reds purples into gray
Sunlight fought 
Clouds refused to give

I saw crows flying north today
South winds pushed them on their way
From the bank I listened quite in vain
Nothing
Silence of the cranes

I saw some ducks today oh boy
Cinnamon colored behind the reeds
Beaver’s felled trees lay on banks
Dam broken 
Breached by man

I saw the first flower bloomed today
Opened when sunlight slipped through gray
Yellow pushed through leaves dried brown
Closed up early 
Before sun went down

I saw the dusk today oh boy
Pink in the east slipped through cloudy gray
Winds died darkness all round 
Hoot owls call 
Night back to life

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beaver dams crocus crows dawn ducks dusk flowers hoot owl light lighting owl photography sandias sunrise sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/a-saturday-in-a-life Sun, 19 Feb 2017 02:41:06 GMT
A Touch of Color https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/a-touch-of-color

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art car doors doors light lighting parking photography rail yards railroad railroad crossing tracks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/a-touch-of-color Sat, 18 Feb 2017 02:54:37 GMT
Off Center & Not Even https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/off-center-not-even

A really good example of being "off center and not even".

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) architecture art building church light lighting not even off center photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/off-center-not-even Fri, 17 Feb 2017 02:37:43 GMT
Shelby Cobra on Route 66 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/shelby-cobra-on-route-66

I photographed this car parked on Central Ave (Old Route 66) in Downtown Albuquerque from across the street. I didn't bother to cross the street and get closeups of details. I figured I could find out what kind of car it was by searching the web, but after not finding matches, I asked WCW, retired architect and car aficionado, and he came up with a Shelby Cobra. I looked up information on Shelby Cobras and this model, with the hard top, under body pipes and no scoop on the hood, most likely does not have the 427 cubic inch engine that they are famous for; therefore, it is still difficult to identify the type without the owner telling us what the year, series and engine size is.  We are guessing it is a very good replica or possibly a "Continuation car" with a 289 cubic inch engine produced by one of the Shelby licensed companies. Shelby started producing "Continuation cars" in the early 1980's. As of 2008 there had been 720 or so 427 CSX4000 series Continuation Cobras produced, according to a Cobra club discussion board I came across while looking up information on Shelby Cobras.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) CSX4000 series Cobras Continuation cars Shelby Cobra art cars light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/shelby-cobra-on-route-66 Thu, 16 Feb 2017 03:19:02 GMT
Valentine's Day Downtown https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/valentines-day-downtown

ESP

 

First Plaza

 

A three point play

 

Love in the twilight

 

Sunset

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Valentine's Day art downtown light. lighting photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/valentines-day-downtown Wed, 15 Feb 2017 04:27:07 GMT
History Corner https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/history-corner

 

This bronze plaque on the old Sears Building on the corner of 5th Street and Central Ave (Old Route 66) in Downtown Albuquerque gives a brief history of Albuquerque from 1946 when the photo on the plaque was taken to 1950. Notice there is a small sign on the Kimo Theater that reads "KGGM CBS". I assume KGGM's radio studios were in the offices on the west side of the Kimo Theater in 1946. At that time KGGM was a CBS radio affiliate at 1260 on the AM dial. In the early 1950's, KGGM became a Channel 13 CBS affiliate television station, KGGM-TV. Today it is still Channel 13, but the call letters have changed to KRQE-TV.

 

Closeup of the photo taken in 1946.

 

I took this photo from the same corner this afternoon at 2:47 PM. Most of the same buildings still line Central Ave in 2017 — some have had minor changes to their exteriors, others major changes, and a few buildings have been replaced since 1946. The "KRESS" sign at the top of the the KRESS building (mostly covered by the traffic light in today's view) looks to have endured the years, and the "KIMO" sign was redone to be close to the original. Otherwise, all the signs have changed and the buildings have been modernized. Yet there is still a sense of the old Route 66 from the days when KGGM was 1260 on the AM dial and Central would be a traffic jam of cars and trucks at three o'clock on a Monday afternoon.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Central Downtown Albuquerque Kimo Kress Old Route 66 art history light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/history-corner Tue, 14 Feb 2017 03:35:44 GMT
Surreal Sunrise https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/surreal-sunrise

I was awakened by colors brewing in the eastern sky. I extracted myself from the furry purrs snuggled in from head to toe, slipped on a pair of shoes, and grabbed my camera as I walked outside into a cool stillness at sunrise.  I walked only a few steps from the deck to face the misty purple mountains, behind lacy cottonwoods, under pastel colored clouds, softened by the winds blowing from the heavens above. I stood in the calm morning light and watched clouds erupt over the crest before they spilled down the face of the mountains where they turned into a soft purple mist. Tristan called to ask if I had seen the clouds on the Sandias. She said it was too cold and windy to ride her motorcycle. Not a dry leaf stirred or blade of yellow grass twitched in the stillness of the colorful early morning quickly turning gray — we were spared the strong easterly winds that blew in town.

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art clouds cottonwoods light lighting photography sunrise wind https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/surreal-sunrise Mon, 13 Feb 2017 04:11:14 GMT
Cycles & Sights on Route 66 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/cycles-sights-on-route-66

Chopper and beer

 

Renovation

 

@#%&!#© paparazzo!

 

Whoa! Street poetry.

 

Get your kicks, Asian food, massage and indian jewelry on Route 66

 

Beer and more behind the green door

 

Beer and bike

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Central Downtown Albuquerque Route 66 art beer chopper light lighting motorcycles photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/cycles-sights-on-route-66 Sun, 12 Feb 2017 02:39:39 GMT
Snow Moon Eclipse https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/snow-moon-eclipse

Waiting for the moon to rise, we watched the Sandias as crows flew by.

 

Crows fly off into the sunset over cranes settled in to roost for the night.

 

The Snow Moon was supposed to be mostly eclipsed when it rose, but it was bright and white as snow once it cleared the Sandias.

 

Laurie and my camera lit up by the snow moon as they watched it rise.

 

Snow moon behind clouds through the trees.

 

Moon just after it cleared the Sandias. The moon in the middle is a reflection off the UV filter on the lens.

 

Snow moon behind a thin veil of clouds.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Full Moon Grande Rio Sandias Snow Moon art crows eclipse light lighting moon photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/snow-moon-eclipse Sat, 11 Feb 2017 03:58:22 GMT
Today, 6:01:09 PM https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/today-6-01-09-pm

On my way home today at 6:01:09 PM.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) I-40 afternoon art light lighting photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/today-6-01-09-pm Fri, 10 Feb 2017 02:25:45 GMT
Walk That Funky Staircase / Average White Boys https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/walk-that-funky-staircase-/-average-white-boys

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art funky light lighting photography staircase https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/walk-that-funky-staircase-/-average-white-boys Thu, 09 Feb 2017 03:29:44 GMT
As The Cranes Dwindle https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/as-the-cranes-dwindle

 

We see and hear fewer and fewer cranes these days as they are starting to make their way northward to Canada where they will breed and spend the summer months before flying south again. We typically start seeing Sandhill Cranes around mid to late October and they are normally all gone by the end of February.
 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rio Grande Sandhill Cranes art birds bosque cottonwoods cranes light lighting photography trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/as-the-cranes-dwindle Wed, 08 Feb 2017 02:22:53 GMT
Find the Bunny https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/find-the-bunny

 

There's a bunny in plain view in each of these photos. Can you find the bunny?

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bunny camouflage light lighting photography rabbit https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/find-the-bunny Tue, 07 Feb 2017 01:57:12 GMT
After Sundown https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/after-sundown

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art light lighting moon owls photography sunset trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/after-sundown Mon, 06 Feb 2017 02:03:21 GMT
R 1200 R https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/r-1200-r

 

Tristan's friend asked her to take a motorcycle course with him a couple of weeks ago. Tristan took to motorcycles like she had grown up with them, but the truth is, I had stopped riding motorcycles long before she was born, and she had never sat on one before taking the class. I grew up on motorcycles, so her ability to pick up riding so quickly may just be hereditary or heretical depending on how one feels about motorcycles. I started riding when I was around 10 years old, and got a motorcycle license when I was 13, so I've had a motorcycle license for 45 years.

A few days after finishing her motorcycle course, she found a great deal on a BMW R 1200 R. She rode it out to the house late this afternoon giving me a chance to photograph it. The bike is beautiful, very quiet and smooth. The saddle bags make room to carry her purse, computer and extra clothing, plus she can lock her helmet in a saddle bag when she parks the bike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) BMW R 1200 R art light lighting motorcycles photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/r-1200-r Sun, 05 Feb 2017 02:33:01 GMT
Taking It Higher https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/taking-it-higher

 

As the sewer saga continues, the pipes connecting from the east were full of dirt, so they were most likely old floor drains. After the plumbers cut and pulled out the old cast iron pipe, we flushed the upstairs toilet a few times, and dirt came out with the water, which meant the cast iron pipe that runs under the furnace room and workroom are rusting out. Instead of sawing up the floor and tunneling under the furnace room and walls in the work room, the plumber suggested rerouting the drain pipe along the ceiling and bring it down in the library close to the new double clean we had installed two weeks ago. The plumbers got the pipes hung and ready to connect next week.

 

New 4" PVC replaced the old cast iron grain pipe.

 

The plumber will cut the black pipe behind the electrical conduit and rebar to make a connection to the new 4" PVC. I don't envy the poor guy. That is going to be a difficult cut and connection to make. He carefully explained to me how he is going to do it in Spanish and English to make sure I understood how difficult to task is. I told him I really appreciated the fact that he was doing it and not me.

 

The long run

 

Le long pipe

 

The back walls is 12" solid concrete. The plumber went through several big concrete bits making the hole in the wall.

 

The pipe runs through the wall in to the ceiling above our IT area, takes a turn over one of the workstations and runs under some ductwork and then comes out from the drop ceiling and down the wall where I had a book shelf. We printed the map of Albuquerque and pinned it to the wall 20 years ago. One of the plumbers asked me what the bright yellow divisions are. I explained the divisions are where we taped that four sections of the map together, and while the rest of the map's sections faded, the color under the tape didn't fade.

 

The pipe dropping out of the ceiling, down the wall.

 

The plumbers will make a diagonal cut in the floor from the new clean out to the corner of the wall where the drain pipes will be connected to the clean out.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) PVC art light lighting photography pip pluming https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/taking-it-higher Sat, 04 Feb 2017 03:12:21 GMT
Perfect PET https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/perfect-pet

Spunk with the coasters Susan Graham created. I had Spunk's coasters looking over me the whole time I was in the hospital.

 

The doctor said my PET scan was completely clear, with no questionable lymph nodes. This is really significant, because all prior PET scans over the past 7 years had questionable lymph nodes. In 2013 I had two biopsies of questionable lymph nodes that came out as inconclusive. And just a year ago there was no question about a relapse of lymphoma . To have a clear PET scan is a sign that the stem cell transplant was a complete success. I will have another PET scan in six months, and in April I will start getting all my childhood vaccinations. My white counts are still in the tank (I'll get a Neupogen shot tomorrow), but I've managed to stay healthy despite my stubborn immune system. The problem is I had to miss the indoor motocross this year, and now I'll have to miss the Super Nationals this weekend, so no motocross or cool car photos this year. 

 

All clear

 

Spunk and all the kitties did their jobs purrrfectly!

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) PET Scan Spunk art cats kitties light lighting perfect PET Scan photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/perfect-pet Fri, 03 Feb 2017 03:41:50 GMT
Cat Scan https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/cat-scan

 

I had a PET scan this morning for a three month check after the stem cell transplant.  A CAT scan was originally scheduled with the PET scan, but the nurse who gave me the radioactive injection told me my insurance denied the CAT scan. I told her that's because I get daily cat scans at home. She looked confused for a moment and then started laughing and asked how many cats I had. When I told her six, she thought that was plenty of cat scanning. I'll get the results of the PET scan tomorrow.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) CAT scan Lola PET Scan Rosencrantz Spunk art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/2/cat-scan Thu, 02 Feb 2017 04:08:23 GMT
Cat Lovers On Board https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/cat-lovers-on-board

I do believe the people who drive this car like cats.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art car cats light lighting photography stickers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/cat-lovers-on-board Wed, 01 Feb 2017 04:17:12 GMT
Cone Head Style https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/cone-head-style

 

The dried echinaceas, with the help of the finches and other critters, come up with some pretty creative cone head styles.

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Echinacea art cone head light lighting photography style https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/cone-head-style Tue, 31 Jan 2017 03:37:23 GMT
Amoeba & Sliver Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/amoeba-sliver-moon

 

Amoeba suspended 
Floats in space
simple life form 
Plasma bound
Moon tugs 
At the earth
Pulls against the spin
One day 
Earth stops
Oceans slosh 
Sudden halt
All scattered 
Floats in space
Lifeform suspended
All is bound 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) amoeba art light lighting magnifying glass moon photography sliver moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/amoeba-sliver-moon Mon, 30 Jan 2017 03:42:37 GMT
Crows https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/crows

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art crows light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/crows Sun, 29 Jan 2017 02:47:13 GMT
¿Qué Pedo Guey? https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/-qu-pedo-guey

 

"¡Fuchi capesta! My eyes are burning!"* And thus the sewer saga continues.  Less than a week after digging up the sewer line, roto-rootering out the clog, we re-scoped the line and there was a new clog forming in the same spot as the clog we had just dislodged, but we could not see if there was a "T" at that place in the line. With only one restroom feeding the line above the clog, there should not be enough usage to create a new clog, so we assumed there must be another source for the clog. The technician was able to push the scope through the clogged area and we discovered a "T" on the east side of the sewer line about 15 feet from the new clean out (the other "T" for the two restrooms south of the clean out on the west side of the sewer line, and south of the "T" connecting on the east side of the drain). Given the newly forming clog and the "T" on the east we decided we needed to dig up the line from the new clean outs south 15 feet.

We discovered a sewer line dropping from under the slab and connecting to the main line at the place the scope indicated the clog was forming. Under the slab, the sewer line runs north to a "p-trap" and then we don't know where it goes from the "p-trap".  The plumber will cut a hole in the top of the pipe on Monday so we can see if water is running through it. There is a possibility that the line runs to the restaurant and they accidentally connected to that line when they were redoing plumbing last summer. Until we cut the pipe it's a mystery where the pipe runs to.

 

The floor cut and hammered.

 

Still dusty

 

The mystery pipe

 

"P-trap" on left, what we presume is a clogged vent in the middle, and the pipe starts its slope to the main sewer line on the right.

 

Pipes, pipes and more pipes.

 

A 3" pipe from a floor drain in the bathroom under the slab that will tie into the main drain where we saw the "T" on the east side on the main drain.

 

Dirt from the hole.

 

A 15 foot long trench exposing lots of pipes and the sewer line.

 

*From Cheech and Chong's "Pedro and Mann at the Drive-Inn"

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography pipes sewer sewer lines https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/-qu-pedo-guey Sat, 28 Jan 2017 04:01:20 GMT
Red White & Blue https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/red-white-blue

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) San Mateo Sandias Spunk art bra cats clouds light lighting lights photography underwear women https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/red-white-blue Fri, 27 Jan 2017 02:58:13 GMT
It's Alive! https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/its-alive

A box of old 3.5" floppy diskettes. We have boxes and boxes of floppies.

 

After painting the office, and between sewer sleuthing, we have been going through 40 years of old file boxes that we've had stored offsite for the past 30 years. The file boxes include 25 plus years of old computer components and archiving technologies long gone obsolete. After Dolores dumped a box of 3.5" floppy disks and a box with old Syquest 40 Mb removable hard drive cartridges and a Syquest drive on my desk, the company's president wanted to know if we had any way of reading the old, obsolete, archived data. Not with anything that's been around for the past 20 years, that's for sure, so I dug out an old Macintosh SE/30 and tried to fire it up. It showed the drive was bad, and it wouldn't read any of the boot diskettes I tried. Then I pulled another SE/30 out of storage and the screen wouldn't come on. So, I took both computers apart and swapped drives, and after several shocks of turning the Macinstein SE/30 on, off and back on it came alive and booted up, launching QuickMail Pro  as it started up — we have like ten million diskettes for QuickMail Pro from over something like 20 years of using it as our mail client before Mail became available with Mac OS X. I connected the Syquest drive, rebooted the Macinstein and mounted a removable hard drive cartridge from an old project. I opened Microsoft Excel 5.0 and Word 6.0 and Ready Set Go and they all worked. I don't know how many people know that Microsoft developed MS Office for the Macintosh long before Windows existed.  After getting everything running and digging out an old SCSI external hard drive to test moving files via external SCSI hard drive, I asked the company's president if he wanted me to do anything with the old archived files I could access. The answer was no not at the moment. He just wanted me to see if we could still access the obsolete media in case we needed to retrieve some of it one day. I have have had to retrieve ancient files from old projects in years past, but it's been a while.  It's good to know we can still access some of the old files, and, besides, it was a fun exercise dinking around with old hardware, and taking a walk down obsolete cyberware memory lane.

 

1989 Macintosh SE/30 — it cost us $5,000 with a 40 MB HD and 8 MB RAM in 1989.

 

Two SE/30's I took apart to swap the drives. Apple had not intended users to work on these Macs. Fortunately I still had the tools to get to the screws and crack open the case.

 

An SE/30's logic board.

 

It's Alive!

 

QuickMail Pro

 

Microsoft Excel 5.0

 

MS Word 6.0.1

 

This Macintosh SE/30 was very generous as it was sharing the removable hard disk with cyber phantoms when I tried to eject it.

 

Lobo Louie volunteered to shred diskettes for us. Shredding diskettes is better use of his energy than attacking people.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Excel Lobo Louie Macintosh QuickMail SE/30 Word art computers deskette hard drive light lighting obsolete photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/its-alive Thu, 26 Jan 2017 06:03:10 GMT
CSI https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/csi

 

People who have been flying off the handle over Trump are sissies compared to Lobo Louie, who flew into a rage after he heard we are having to break out more of the floor in the library and dig up the sewer line again. His reaction was to go medieval on the first person who walked by his shelf, jumping on him and biting him on the neck, bringing him down in the library near the newly poured concrete covering the hole in the floor from when we dug up the floor only a week ago. It's not completely clear why Lobo Louie lost it and went looney over breaking up the floor and digging out the sewer line again, but he kept mumbling about having a bad hair day and not taking that stinking noise, stinking dust and stinking stink after he was pulled of the neck of his unsuspecting victim. Lobo Louie was booked, mug shot and then arraigned by Lobo Lucy and his alter ego Lobo Louie the head bobber and charged with assault with teeth, tongue and bad hair. Bail was set at $1. If convicted he will be sentenced to the office with the sewer smell until we figure out the source and get it fixed.

 

Taken down for the count by Lobo Louie

 

 

 

Arraignment by Lobo Lucy and Lobo Louie the head bobber 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Lobo Louie Lobo Lucy art light lighting lobos photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/csi Wed, 25 Jan 2017 03:54:18 GMT
Pantera In The Wild https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/pantera-in-the-wild

I really liked the Pantera when I first saw one in the early 1970's. This one, that I photographed in a drive by leaving the parking lot from the vet's listening to squalling cats in stereo, is in really good shape — it's probably a 1972 or later model. Apparently the first Panteras imported from Italy by Ford in 1971 had no rust treatment, low quality paint, and lots of solder to fill in body flaws and so they didn't hold up well to the elements. Ford made De Tomaso tighten up quality control in 1972, including Ford Cleveland 351 cubic inch (5.8 liter) V8 engines. The 1972 Panteras were rated at 0 to 60 MPH in 5.5 seconds, about the same as Laurie's Mazda Speed 3, and the 1973 models did 0-60 MPH in 6.5 seconds, about the same as my Mazda RX-8.  Laurie's Speed 3 has a 2.6 liter engine, and my RX-8 has a 1.3 liter engine — speed has become much more efficient over the years.  Panteras in good condition like this one have asking prices of up to $175,000, but probably average around $40,000 from the listings I looked up. While I think Panteras are good looking cars, I'll stick to my RX-8.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Pantera art cars light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/pantera-in-the-wild Tue, 24 Jan 2017 04:34:05 GMT
Bench With A View https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/bench-with-a-view

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rosencrantz art bench cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/bench-with-a-view Mon, 23 Jan 2017 01:14:39 GMT
Color, B&W, Sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/color-b-w-sunset

 

Rain fell all night, turning from wet to icy to light hail that left a thin covering of white on the ground in the early morning hours, only to disappear as soon as the sun broke through the clouds. The sunlight was warm, yet frosty winds bit at the bare skin on my cheeks as I walked out to photograph the sunlight dancing on the face of the Sandias behind bare cottonwoods, their finger-like branches reaching for the sky.  White light turned yellow, chased by purple as colors climbed the mountains into the clouds, where they kissed the sky and turned to blue.

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art clouds cottonwoods light lighting photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/color-b-w-sunset Sun, 22 Jan 2017 02:54:38 GMT
Kaleidoscopic Rain https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/kaleidoscopic-rain

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art kaleidoscope light lighting photography rain https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/kaleidoscopic-rain Sat, 21 Jan 2017 01:56:25 GMT
How To Slice Irish Soda Bread https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/how-to-slice-irish-soda-bread

"Here, Laurie, take this knife,"

 

"How is this, Spunk?"  "Move it over just a little."

 

"Let get some of these crumbs out of the way..."

 

"Over just a little more."

 

"Alright. Now you're slicing it right."

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Irish soda bread Laurie Spunk art bread cats knife light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/how-to-slice-irish-soda-bread Fri, 20 Jan 2017 02:51:34 GMT
Great Blue Reflecting https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/great-blue-reflecting

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art great blue heron heron light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/great-blue-reflecting Thu, 19 Jan 2017 03:06:00 GMT
Find Your Strong https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/find-your-strong

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art box cats hotter light lighting photography strong https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/find-your-strong Wed, 18 Jan 2017 03:23:00 GMT
Cut The Crap / Average White Boys https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/cut-the-crap-/-average-white-boys

It was not an easy job, but the plumber finally cut a section a section of the sewer pipe out.

 

 

The clog was not in the section of the pipe he cut out as the scope had suggested, so he roto-rootered both sections of the pipe and was able to clear the drain, which saved us cutting more of the slab and digging another hole.

 

As an interesting archaeological aside, paving bricks were removed when the hole was dug out and what looks like a curb cut is in the upper left-hand corner of the above photo. The front part of the building was built in 1894, and the back part of the building at some time after 1894. It's possible they build the addition right over a street or alley, which would explain the pavers and what could be a curb cut.

 

Crappy foot prints out the back door.

 

A sample of tools used by a modern day plumber.

 

The solution — a double clean out.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art crap double clean out light lighting photography plumbing https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/cut-the-crap-/-average-white-boys Tue, 17 Jan 2017 04:58:48 GMT
Last Call, Saul https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/last-call-saul

 

Valliant Printing Company, a couple of blocks from our office on Gold in Downtown Albuquerque, and, from what I've heard, Saul's ("Better Call Saul" and "Breaking Bad") favorite place for copies. Valliant Printing got started back in 1918, and after nearly 100 years in business the owners decided it was better to close the business than deal with the cost of relocating and starting anew after the building was sold and they were told to vacate. Not only is the last call of Valliant Printing going to force Saul to find another copy place (easy enough for him), our editor now has to figure out how to get tabs printed (not an easy task). We have used Valliant Printing for various services over the years from offset printing, to tabs, to printing, labelling and mailing random address surveys. Valliant Printing Company will be missed by all, especially ARC and Saul.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Better Call Saul Saul Valliant Printing art last call light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/last-call-saul Mon, 16 Jan 2017 03:45:46 GMT
Sex Panther https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/sex-panther

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting panther photography reflections sex panther https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/sex-panther Sun, 15 Jan 2017 03:17:25 GMT
Cutting up on Friday the 13th https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/cutting-up-on-friday-the-13th

 

What do you do when you have to cut a hole in the floor to dig up the sewer line in the back of the office on Friday the 13th?  First you make like Cristo and wrap the library in plastic.

 

 

 

 

 

Then you create a lot of dust cutting up the slab and jack hammering the concrete out of the floor.

 

Since we are in New Mexico we had to stand and kneel around the hole like we were worshiping it. 

 

What's the chance of the same guy who sawed into the electrical conduit that no one knew ran under the deck on the roof cutting into two electrical conduits in the slab? 100% chance in a 123 year old building. I got out the meter and the wires in the box have 115 volts on them. There are probably various old floor plugs covered up under the floor all the way to the front of the building. Since we don't need unused, "hot" electrical wires under our feet, I called our electrician and he's going to come out Monday, trace the wires to the breaker box and disconnect them.

 

Laurie says the excavation work looks like old Roman ruins. It does in a way. The sewer line is under and between the water lines and an old gas line. The clog is between the two joints according to the guy who ran a scope through the sewer line. Since a roto rooter couldn't clear the pipe, we figured it had rusted out and collapsed, but the sewer pipe is not leaking, so the pipe has a mystery clog until the plumber cuts out a section of it to put in a clean out on Monday.

 

 

After all the cutting up and digging around, we got board and covered the hole with a piece of plywood until the plumber can come out on Monday.
 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Cristo art clog concrete cutting electrical hole light lighting photography pipes plastic plumbing saw shovel wrap https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/cutting-up-on-friday-the-13th Sat, 14 Jan 2017 05:08:54 GMT
You're welcome for the nightmare https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/youre-welcome-for-the-nightmare

 

I found a large brood of daddy longlegs under a computer desk I took apart to give away. After photographing the little darlings, I carefully brushed them off in safe places in different rooms, taking care not to hurt them, so they can continue catching various pests. Quite a few of them ended crawling around on me, but I'm sparing you the selfies — one nightmare at a time.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art daddy longlegs light lighting nightmares photography spiders https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/youre-welcome-for-the-nightmare Fri, 13 Jan 2017 02:48:28 GMT
Fire in the Sky https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/fire-in-the-sky

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting photography sunrise https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/fire-in-the-sky Thu, 12 Jan 2017 04:42:43 GMT
Looking Through Plastic Lightly https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/looking-through-plastic-lightly

 

 

Laurie brought home a new plastic box for organizing, but before anything could be organized, Spunk had to to do his whole routine of looks and expressions from inside the box, looking through the plastic lightly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art box light lighting photography plastic box https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/looking-through-plastic-lightly Wed, 11 Jan 2017 04:11:11 GMT
Silly Cranes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/silly-cranes

I don't know if these two cranes were drunk from eating fermented apples in the orchard or there are just a couple of jokers, because the lead crane has his legs tucked up under so he looks like he lost his legs, and the following crane looks like a spear aimed at the lead.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandhill Cranes art cranes light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/silly-cranes Tue, 10 Jan 2017 03:28:26 GMT
Cattitude https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/catitude

"Go ahead. Make my day!"

 

 

Spunk, Rosencrantz and "L'Italiano Medio" by Articolo 31.

 

 

"Got Cattitude?"

 

 

"Those Italian music videos are really wild." 

 

 

"Oh brother that stupid paparazzo is at it again."

 

 

"GRAARRRaarrrrr! Scared you didn't I?"

 

 

"Get that CAMERA out of my face before I break your face!  Understand STUPID paparazzo?

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Articolo 31 Italian Rosencrantz Spunk art cats light lighting music videos photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/catitude Mon, 09 Jan 2017 02:13:14 GMT
Spider in the Mist https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/spider-in-the-mist

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting mist photography spider https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/spider-in-the-mist Sun, 08 Jan 2017 02:24:58 GMT
First Snow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/first-snow

Rosencrantz making a triangle in the snow.

 

Los Reyes Magos and La Befana brought us snow for Epiphany. 

 

A dusting of snow shows how rugged the west face of the Sandias is.

 

Path in the bosque.

 

Rosencrantz with shadows, making a shadow.

 

Rio Grande, bosque, Sandias.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Bosque Grande Rio Rosencrantz Sandias art cats light lighting photography snow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/first-snow Fri, 06 Jan 2017 23:43:42 GMT
Roadkill https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/roadkill

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Cholula art hot sauce light lighting original photography roadkill https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/roadkill Fri, 06 Jan 2017 02:44:06 GMT
Treetops in Winter https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/treetops-in-winter

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) B&W art light lighting photography trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/treetops-in-winter Thu, 05 Jan 2017 05:27:19 GMT
Five F's https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/five-fs

STTT — Spunk testing the twine

 

 

Spunk does the five F's — Finally Finished Fixing Frail Falling apart winnowing basket. Spunk had a sixth F in there, but since this is a family oriented blog, I'm only posting five F's.  

 

Positioning pliers.

 

Alignment looks good.

 

Najar checking out Spunk's handy paw and tooth work.

 

Sasha Approves.

 

"Hey Rosencrantz! What do you think of my F'ert For Fixing Frail Falling apart basket?"

 

"You did a wonderful job Spunk. Here's a lick For Finishing Fixing Frail Falling apart winnowing basket"

 

 

 

Since I threw all the paper sacks in the recycling bin, Spunk had to take a nap in the basket after he Finally Finished Fixing Frail Falling apart winnowing basket.

 

Laurie put the last of the top stitching around the edge after Spunk Finally Finished Fixing the no longer Frail Falling apart winnowing basket.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Najar Rosencrantz Sasha Spunk art basket cats light lighting photography winnowing basket https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/five-fs Wed, 04 Jan 2017 04:38:39 GMT
Great Blue Heron On White https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/great-blue-heron-on-white

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds cottonwoods great blue heron heron light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/great-blue-heron-on-white Tue, 03 Jan 2017 01:50:39 GMT
The Things We Do For Luck https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/the-things-we-do-for-luck

Spunk checking out the original sewing on the winnowing basket

 

I notice a lot of people do photo challenges on their blogs. I don't quite understand photo challenges, and I have never done a photo challenge. I started thinking if I did a photo challenge what would I do. After some thought, I decided the most challenging photo challenge I could do is to stop doing photos. So I thought maybe a good challenge for the new year would be to do a no photos photo challenge. But I was told that would be too much of a challenge for me and I couldn't do it.  So I guess I have to press on doing photos sin photo challenges.

While I don't do photo challenges, I seem to do the same thing the first of the year every year which is to help make black eyed peas, eat black eyed peas, and post photos of cats on January 1st (at least for the past three years: 2016 —  http://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/more-spunk-in-the-new-year, 2015 — https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2015/01/01/2014-in-review/, 2014 — https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2014/01/01/new-year-nyuu-kitty/). Well 2017 isn't much different except for the process of making black eyed peas started with repairing the winnowing basket  we use to sort the peas. The basket has been coming apart for awhile, but it recently really started to come apart. We believe we got the basket as a wedding gift 34 1/2 years ago, and it has been really useful all those years for harvesting fruits and vegetables and sorting beans before washing them. After the stitching on the basket started coming apart, I started looking for a winnowing basket in a similar size and shape. While winnowing baskets are readily available, finding one as large as this one in any shape is almost impossible. All I have found that is similar are vintage winnowing baskets that are supposed to be displayed as fine art, and they are priced like fine art.  So Laurie found some hemp thread, soaked the basket in water, we clamped it back together, and Laurie and Spunk sewed it back together with the hemp thread.

Spunk then supervised as we filled a stock pot of black eyed peas with water, Spunk was outside the pot this time, to soak the black eyed peas before cooking them. Spunk was a really good help, and worked so hard that he hit the sack early.  Several people came over this afternoon and we all ate black eyed peas for good luck in 2017. Spunk was sacked out and didn't get up until after everyone had left.

 

Making sure the clamps are in place

 

Threading the needle

 

Pulling the thread tight

 

Pondering another spit in the basket

 

Watching the water level on the black eyed peas

 

Checking out some peas floating around on top

 

Testing the wetness

 

Tired after all the work on the winnowing basket and preparing the black eyed peas, Spunk hit the sack.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art basket black eyed peas cats light lighting photography winnowing basket https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/1/the-things-we-do-for-luck Mon, 02 Jan 2017 05:47:25 GMT
New Year https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/new-year

 

The year of our Lord two-thousand sixteen was a strange year with many celebrity deaths, increased violence all over the globe, politics turned on its head in most of the free world, and a lot of people struggling simply to survive.  Two-thousand sixteen is the only year in the 21st Century that has 36 positive divisors: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 24, 28, 32, 36, 42, 48, 56, 63, 72, 84, 96, 112, 126, 144, 168, 224, 252, 288, 336, 504, 672, 1008, 2016, and it didn’t seem that much good came out of a year with so many divisions. 

The average positive divisors for all the years in the 21st Century is 8.6, with the only year that will come close to 2016 will be 2040 with 32 positive divisors. The world will have to wait 83 years until the beginning of the 22nd Century before it sees another year with 36 positive divisors in 2100.

Fortunately, the year of our Lord two-thousand seventeen is prime, with only two odd divisors 1 and 2017. I’m looking forward to a year with no real divisions to be a positive and prosperous year for everyone.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 2016 2017 Chien Lunatique Las Meninas art light lighting new year photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/new-year Sun, 01 Jan 2017 01:25:05 GMT
Spunk Stew https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/spunk-stew

Spunk stew is very easy. Just set out a large stock pot and wait for Spunk to jump in.

 

 

He WILL jump in (guaranteed) and act cute about it.

 

Poor Sasha has allergies. I'm having to stuff pills down her at great risk to life and limb. We are hoping she's not allergic to cats.

 

Spunk and Rosencrantz being an infestation of cats by my computer.

 

Najar thinking about what kind of mischief she can get up to.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Najar Rosencrantz Sasha Spunk art cats light lighting photography stew stock pot https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/spunk-stew Sat, 31 Dec 2016 01:06:58 GMT
What I Did On My Christmas Break https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/what-i-did-on-my-christmas-break

Reception area before

 

One of the advantages to closing the office between Christmas and New Years is I can do things like have the office painted without disrupting and displacing staff.  The disadvantage is I don't get much of a Christmas break.  The last time the office was painted was 1995 when we remodeled and moved into the downstairs after the symphony moved out. To save money, Bob and I varnished all the oak, and Dolores, Bob, and few other staff members and I did the painting. Twenty years later, Bob is retired, and the rest of us are older and tired, so I hired professional painters.

Tristan and I were at the office at 7:00 am Tuesday morning and started boxing staff's stuff, moving computers and taking out built-in desktops. The painters arrived at 7:30 and started prepping for painting behind us as we emptied each space. We got everything taken down and the walls opened up so the painters could paint by around noon.  To add to the excitement, the plumbers came in to do a smoke test to see if any of the sewer or vent pipes in the building were cracked, causing the sewer smell in one of our offices. The smoke test took up the afternoon because they pulled the toilets and plugged all the drains. We didn't get smoke coming out of any strange places, but the building smelled like smoke from the breeze blowing the smoke they were blowing out the back door back inside. We believe the sewer smell is originating from the building next door, but we still need to do more testing on our sewer lines.

Wednesday, I worked on project work between answering the painters' questions and moving some things around for them. Since the painters didn't have to move much stuff, and had clear spaces close to the walls, they completed the painting in two days instead of three days they had originally estimated; therefore, Tristan and I spent Thursday cleaning up work areas, building the desks back in, setting up computers and monitors, moving staff's stuff back to their spaces, and putting the conference room back together. We left a lot of old equipment out so we can sort through it and see what we can recycle. We have lots and lots of old stuff in the office.

Since the painters finished a day early, at least I get to take Friday off so I will have a four day weekend before everyone is back at the office to start the new year.

 

Newly painted reception area.

 

Cubicles and hallway before.

 

Conference room, cubicles and hallway with new paint.

 

Cubicles waiting to be painted.

 

Cubicles with fresh paint, desktops rebuilt and computers back in place.

 

Cubicles, hall and outside walls of offices before.

 

Cubicles and offices with fresh paint on the outside walls.

 

Back area ready to paint.

 

Four color scheme seen all together in the back area.

 

Another view of the back area before.

 

The back area after.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cubicles desktops light lighting office paint painting photography smoke test https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/what-i-did-on-my-christmas-break Fri, 30 Dec 2016 04:32:18 GMT
"America Needs You Harry Truman" https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/-america-needs-you-harry-truman

 

I can't imagine a bumper sticker surviving 70 years in the New Mexico sun and being at all legible, but the faded and cracked "America Needs You Harry Truman" bumper sticker on a 1946 Ford pickup that was parked on 3rd Street in Downtown Albuquerque could be original.  On the other hand, and on the other side of the license plate, the bumper sticker for Walt Longmire, the Sheriff of the fictional Absaroka County, Wyoming in Craig Johnson's mystery novels, is quite contemporary and in great condition by contrast.  The truck is an interesting mosaic of old paint, rust and sanded edges sitting on a new set of tires mounted on bright green, spoked rims. It was truck number 407 in the Navajo Freight Line's fleet of vehicles sometime in the the past 70 years. The truck has only one bullet hole I could see in the rear window, which is quite remarkable for a 70 year old truck with a New Mexico license plate (we have a 40 year of VW Sun Bug that has several bullet holes in the hood). Just sitting on the street, this old truck tells you a lot about its early history, and has a rather colorful character in its minimally restored condition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 1946 Ford Absaroka County Ford Harry Truman Walt Longmire art bumper stickers light lighting photography pickup truck https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/-america-needs-you-harry-truman Thu, 29 Dec 2016 05:03:42 GMT
Abstraction https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/abstraction

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) abstract art candle glass light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/abstraction Wed, 28 Dec 2016 07:06:48 GMT
Winter Black & White https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/winter-black-white

 

X marks the spot
Cold winter light
Trees, mountains, towers
Reflections 
Black and white
Thin clouds hang
Pull on the sky
Whites on grays
Winter cold and dry

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) B&W Sandias art clouds light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/winter-black-white Tue, 27 Dec 2016 03:17:55 GMT
Cat—Opoly https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/cat-opoly

We got Cat—Opoly for Christmas. Playing the game with six players was long and drawn out, going on past midnight.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Cat-Opoly art games light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/cat-opoly Mon, 26 Dec 2016 08:51:31 GMT
Christmas Season Cats — Meowy Christmas https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/christmas-season-cats-meowy-christmas

Sasha's Christmas Card

 

Twas the night before Christmas... 

 

 

 

 

 

Spunk's Christmas card

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sasha Spunk art cards cats gifts light lighting photography presents wrapping https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/christmas-season-cats-meowy-christmas Sun, 25 Dec 2016 02:02:59 GMT
Christmas Season Cats — Cooking With Kitties https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/christmas-season-cats-cooking-with-kitties

Sasha: "Ahhh! It smells like Heaven."

 

Spunk: "Whoa! Look! I think I see Santa."

 

Sasha: "Did you see Santa?"  Najar: "I didn't see Santa!"  Sasha: "Is Spunk crazy?"   Najar: "Absolutely!"

 

Sasha: "Oh! Oh! Oh! My finch-n-mouse mocha macchiato!"

 

Sasha: "Grrrr... Get your filthy paws off my macchiato"

 

Najar: "To pounce or not to pounce? That is the ponderance."

 

The cat with no name (Lola) stares down the notorious "Black Pepper" — the fastest grind in the west.

 

Spunk: "You wanna wear that carne adovada, paparazzo?"

 

Rosencrantz: "Would you all quit jabbering and start serving?"

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Lola Najar Rosencrantz Sasha Spunk art cats food light lighting pepper photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/christmas-season-cats-cooking-with-kitties Sat, 24 Dec 2016 01:44:55 GMT
Christmas Season Cats — Spunk Helps Decorate https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/christmas-season-cats-spunk-helps-decorate

 

We hadn't put up any Christmas decorations this year, so Spunk made himself useful and decorated our gnarly bonsai.  I got him putting the finishing touches on the tree.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art bonsai cats decorations ficus light lighting lights photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/christmas-season-cats-spunk-helps-decorate Fri, 23 Dec 2016 01:50:27 GMT
Bikes in Paris — Chained https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/bikes-in-paris-chained

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) France Paris art bikes chained light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/bikes-in-paris-chained Thu, 22 Dec 2016 00:43:07 GMT
Bikes in Paris — Locked https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/bikes-in-paris-locked

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) France Paris art bikes light lighting locked photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/bikes-in-paris-locked Tue, 20 Dec 2016 22:31:37 GMT
Bikes in Paris — Skirts https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/bikes-in-paris-skirts

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) France Paris art bikes light lighting photography skirts https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/bikes-in-paris-skirts Tue, 20 Dec 2016 00:05:39 GMT
Bikes in Paris — Blue https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/bikes-in-paris-blue

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) France Paris art bikes blue light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/bikes-in-paris-blue Sun, 18 Dec 2016 23:34:00 GMT
Bikes in Paris — White https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/bikes-in-paris-white

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) France Paris art bikes light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/bikes-in-paris-white Sun, 18 Dec 2016 00:21:45 GMT
A Closer Look https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/a-closer-look

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cars light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/a-closer-look Sat, 17 Dec 2016 02:12:10 GMT
Fly-by https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/fly-by

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Reindeer Santa art light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/fly-by Fri, 16 Dec 2016 03:50:27 GMT
Camera Shelf Cats https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/camera-shelf-cats

Spunk with Spunk, Spunk, Spunk and Spunk

 

Najar trying to stare down the camera

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Canon Najar Spunk art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/camera-shelf-cats Thu, 15 Dec 2016 02:28:12 GMT
Sunsets & Super Moons https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/sunsets-super-moons

 

Patti called last night on her way home to tell me the Sandias were pink and the moon was rising between the mountains and the clouds. Since I was still at the office, I knew the only place I could see the Sandias was from the top of the parking structure where I am banned for life. I thought "the hell with it" and Bruce and I ran over to the parking structure, hoofed it up the 10 flights of stairs to the 5th level, and out to the east edge of the parking structure. The moon had been swallowed by the clouds and the pink had faded away, but turning to the south, the sky was a brilliant mixture of yellows, oranges and tinted grays.

Tonight, Laurie texted me that the moon looked like it was starting to show through the clouds. When I walked out to my car, the heavy clouds were clearing and the super moon was rising between the Sunshine Building and the Data Center, peeking through a misty layer of thin clouds.

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art light lighting moon night photography sunsets super moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/sunsets-super-moons Wed, 14 Dec 2016 03:49:24 GMT
Fire Rainbow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/fire-rainbow
 

There was a really nice fire rainbow on my way to work this morning. These colorful clouds probably fall into the category of a circumbhorizontal arc, in which the rainbow colors are formed by refraction of the sunlight off of disc-shaped ice crystals in the clouds.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art circumbhorizontal arc clouds fire rainbow ice light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/fire-rainbow Tue, 13 Dec 2016 04:26:15 GMT
Lola Loves Limp Celery https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/lola-loves-limp-celery

It's hard to disturb Rosencrantz when he's having a good catnap.

 

 

Never ask a twisted photographer like me if he thinks the celery is too limp to cook with the stew meat — he will probably make a photo project out of it —which is exactly what I did by putting the limp celery on the cats, all of whom happened to be napping, to see how they would react.  

Rosencrantz was the first victim of my "Limp Celery on Napping Cats" (original title) photo project, and, as expected, he didn't react at all.  

Lola was next, and she was a whole different story. As it turned out Lola loves limp celery, which made for a new title. Almost immediately after I laid the limp celery on her, she grabbed the end, pulled it under her chin and stared at me. When I tried to take in from her, she put both a hind and front paws on it and gave my hand a rather aggressive look. Once she saw that I wasn't going to take the limp celery from her, she held the top with her hind paws while she groomed herself before pulling the limp celery up to her chin and hugging it with her front paws.  She napped while hugging the limp celery for over an hour before she changed position, which allowed me to recover the stalk of limp celery from her. 

Spunk was the next victim, and he reacted with his usual excess of personality. Sasha just looked at the limp celery, knocked it off and went back to napping. Najar's reaction was much like Rosencrantz's, and Diné thought I was being silly to bother her under the bed with that stupid piece of limp celery.

 

"Sweet dreams are made of this"

 

Spunk: "I'm done! Please get this thing off of me you stupid paparazzo!"

 

Sasha: "What are you up to now? Can't a kitty get her beauty sleep around here?"

 

Naja was wide-eyed but didn't move.

 

Diné: "This ain't St. Louis under here Mr. Paparazzo!"

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Dine Lola Najar Rosencrantz Sasha Spunk art cats celery light lighting limp celery photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/lola-loves-limp-celery Mon, 12 Dec 2016 02:16:48 GMT
Gnarly Trail To Nowhere https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/gnarly-trail-to-nowhere

 

I stepped onto a gnarly path to nowhere — like being swallowed by the valley of death, its briars and brambles cut and sliced and tore my shadow as we passed through the narrow walls where barbed branches grabbed my clothes with their spiky claws, and scratched at my skin as I hurried along trying not to lose sight of my shadow. 

 

 

A chilled wind bit the skin on my face, while the sun felt like the fires from hell licking at my back. The path cleared from time to time only to be swallowed up again. I could see my shadow stretched out a little longer with each clearing before it got chopped up again in the undergrowth.

 

 

I tripped and stumbled on roots and branches growing into the path, which seemed to narrow into a dark tunnel with each twist and turn. Then, as quickly as we were covered in shadowy gloom, light burst forth as the trail opened up, and I found myself standing on the edge of the river. 

 

 

I stood still and looked at the water, trying to focus, feeling free for the moment from the oppressive overgrowth, and my unrelenting shadow — had the path finely come to an end? After my eyes adjusted to the light, I looked up to see the moon rising over the mountains.

 

 

 

After watching to moon rise for some time, I slowly turned to the right to see the sun behind cattails towering over me. I turned slowly to my left and there was my shadow, waiting, looking like a straw man, on a gnarly path that ran along side the river and disappeared to nowhere, somewhere over the horizon.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art light lighting path photography shadow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/gnarly-trail-to-nowhere Sun, 11 Dec 2016 05:32:01 GMT
Cat Check https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/cat-check  

Spunk reading about the Mazda 787B rotary engine race car that won at Le Mans in 1991. Spunk learned that Mazda remains the only Japanese auto maker to have won the 24 hour race. The 787B's engine has 4 rotors (654cc each) for a total displacement of 2.6 liters. My Mazda RX-8's engine has 2 rotors at 1.3 liters.

 

Sasha: "What? You woke me up to tell me about some Roto Rooter 'has been' race car?"

 

Najar: "Japanese? Isn't that like what's on the book thingie in front of me? How many rotors does that scooter on the cup have?"

 

Najar and Sasha: "Do we look like we really care?"

 

Lola: "Wow! Like that's really surprising a car with such a small engine could win at La Mans."

 

Diné: "I could care less about CCs, liters, cubic inches, '1066 and All That'. What do you think? Do I look like a glamorous kitty model?"

 

Rosencrantz: "I say, I say there. You bothering me with that pesky camera there boy!" 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Diné Le Mans Lola Mazda Mazda 787B Najar Rosencrantz Sasha Spunk art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/cat-check Sat, 10 Dec 2016 04:35:11 GMT
Pipes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/pipes

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/pipes Fri, 09 Dec 2016 03:05:34 GMT
Fate & Love In The Digital Age https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/fate-love-in-the-digital-age

Photo by D1

 

 

Who could blame them. Neither one had any control over their situations. Adopting simple names of D1 and D2, both have always worked in imaging, and were brought together by their current boss only six months ago. In this digital age, one is bought and sold and traded from one company to another, taken up by one boss and handed off to another as quickly as what’s trending finds new directions. Fate may have played a role in bringing D1 and D2 together, but as they were seen as good opportunities by their current boss, they have ended up together because of trends that have come and gone. 

D1 has been working for the current man for almost a year now. Prior to his current job, D1 had worked in fashion, architecture, sports and product imaging. Since he is older, he had been replaced more than once by younger workers, so he became available to his current boss who uses him mostly for nature photography, but he gets to do a lot of special events and various random assignments, as well.  

D2 had worked in architecture, fashion and the portrait industry. Younger than D1, D2 has an impressive set of features that makes her very attractive. D1 is no slouch on what he has to offer, and is himself quite attractive, and produces great work, but being older, D1 has more narrow views and he doesn’t do video; whereas, the younger D2 has a much broader perspective, and she does video.

As it happened, soon after D2 joined the team, not only were D1 and D2 rarely separated from each other, both working on nature gigs, special events and and various random gigs, their boss started making them share the same camera bag. Since they were spending a lot of time in the sack together, digital nature took its course, and they produced a little one named Rebel. Rebel has all the fine attributes of D1 and D2 in a small package. He has already been adopted, and is producing fine work for his boss.

 

Photo by D2

 

D1, Rebel and D2 posing with a whiny Cubs Fan

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Canon Canon Ds 1 Mark II Canon Ds 1 Mark III Canon Rebel SL1 art light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/fate-love-in-the-digital-age Thu, 08 Dec 2016 04:35:29 GMT
Flash Fiction https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/flash-fiction

 

Jake was high as a kite when he walked into the convenience store. After looking around nervously to assure himself there was no one there, other than the clerk, he walked up to the counter, pulled out a pistol, and demanded all the cash in the drawer.  Before the clerk could react, Jake heard a voice to his right ask “Are you sure you want to do this?” He turned and saw a rather nondescript man standing about six feet from him. “What did you say?” Jake asked. The man didn’t answer Jake, but addressing the clerk he asked “How much cash do they let you keep in the till?”  “Less than one hundred dollars” the clerk answered. The man turned back to Jake and asked “You want to commit a felony and possibly murder for less than a hundred bucks?” Jake stood there dumbstruck trying to think of something to say.

The man continued “I’ll tell you what. I’ll give you two hundred dollars if you put your gun away and walk with me to the coffee shop across the street. There you can tell me your story over a cup of coffee, on me, of course, and if I find you suitable, I might just offer you a job.” Jake, thoroughly confused by the man and his offer, looked back and forth between the clerk and the man before he pointed his pistol at the man and said “You’re messing with my head man! Are you like a cop man? Or maybe the Devil? Or what? Well it’s like it doesn’t matter man…” 

Jake started to squeeze the trigger when he felt his finger breaking against the trigger guard as the pistol was ripped from his hand, moments before he felt the back of his pistol tearing at his face. He only heard the first of three shots that sent bullets ripping through his heart. He hovered with a birds-eye view of his body slumped on the floor at the feet of the man holding his pistol before he heard a voice say “never turn down an invitation from the Devil.” Darkness fell all around. 

The man ejected the magazine from Jake’s pistol, racked the slide which sent the chambered round tumbling through the air before it bounced off Jake and splashed into his blood pooling on the floor around him. The man stepped over jake’s body as he set the magazine and pistol on the counter in front of the clerk, who stood like a statue in shock from the scene that had unfolded before him . “The police will want these for evidence.” The man told the clerk as he turned and walked out of the store disappearing into the street.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art fiction flash fiction light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/flash-fiction Wed, 07 Dec 2016 05:11:53 GMT
One, Two, Three Red-Tailed Hawks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/one-two-three-red-tailed-hawks

This hawk circled off by itself most of the time they where circling

 

Three red-tailed hawks circled high above the field next to the orchard where the cranes forage other day.

 

These two hawks stayed together

 

All three hawks joined up before they flew off together

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds hawks light lighting photography red-tailed hawks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/one-two-three-red-tailed-hawks Tue, 06 Dec 2016 02:55:37 GMT
Beaker Takes A Bath https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/beaker-takes-a-bath

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Beaker art birds conure gold cap conure light lighting parrots photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/beaker-takes-a-bath Mon, 05 Dec 2016 00:38:53 GMT
Kitties, Coyotes and Cranes Oh My https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/kitties-coyotes-and-cranes-oh-my

A black kitty in the shade of an apple tree

 

Black kitty with cranes in the background

 

A coyote ran by me on the ditch

 

The coyote crossed the ditch, stopped, turned and looked at me from the other side of the ditch.

 

Crane choreography

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandhill Crane art black cat cats coyote crane light lighting orchard photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/kitties-coyotes-and-cranes-oh-my Sun, 04 Dec 2016 03:32:46 GMT
Heat Hog https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/heat-hog

 

With outside temperatures dropping into the low teens this week, the morning temps in our bedroom have been down around fifty. Laurie puts a pink sweatshirt over the heater vent to warm it up while she does some of her morning stretches on the floor with the heat blowing on her feet. The problem is Lola is a heat hog and stretches across the the bottom of the sweatshirt to soak up as much heat as she can while the furnace is running.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Lola art cats coffee heat light lighting photography pink sweatshirt https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/heat-hog Sat, 03 Dec 2016 04:00:23 GMT
I'm On A Bike https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/im-on-a-bike

I'm on a bike*
Hey look at me cause I'm sitting on a bike
I'm on a bike
Take a real good look at the hairball-chuckin bike

 

I'm on a bike hairball-chucker take a look at me
Sitting on a bike in the bright sun, see
Baskin in the rays, I’m getting really psyched
Can't stop me now cause I'm sitting on a bike

 

Take a picture, click, I'm on a bike, which
WD-40, sick, it has a nice pitch
I got my fur fluffed, look at all these sticks
I'm sitting cool, you in the hallway taking pics

 

I'm on a bike and, sitting still, and
A cactus looking over a WD-40 can
I'm the king of the world, on a bike like Lance
If you're not out here, then you’ve really missed your chance

 

To be on a bike take a look and see
I’m sitting on a bike, you can see that’s me 
With the tools there, other stuff and the like
I’m still really cool cause I'm sitting on a bike

 

Hey man, if you could see me now
Sitting on the seat you would say like wow
I wanna ride this bike to the moon somehow
Like good old Neil… go take a giant leap

 


 

*Inspired by "I'm On A Boat" by The Lonely Island (look it up at your own risk, it has explicit language, if you are not familiar with the video).

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sasha WD-40 art bike cactus cats light lighting photography tools https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/12/im-on-a-bike Fri, 02 Dec 2016 04:33:35 GMT
Mural on Second Street https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/mural-on-second-street

 

With a portable heater blasting in the shadow a few feet away from the cold sun shining on Second Street, women worked pasting a mural on the east side of the Imperial Building in temperatures below forty degrees. At the same time a man painted the shady side of the Silver Street Market a bright green — possibly to extend the illusion of the non-existant green fields portrayed in the mural.  I didn't ask if the mismatched sections of the mural would be somehow corrected or simply "be" part of the art. Update 12-01-2016: I talked to the artist, Jessica Angel, and she has painted in the areas that did not match. She is a mural artist and has Jessica Angel Arts. You can learn more about her work at http://www.jessicaangelarts.com.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Imperial Building art cold sun light lighting mural photography second street https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/mural-on-second-street Thu, 01 Dec 2016 03:35:55 GMT
Inside & Out https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/inside-out

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sasha Spunk art cats light lighting photography sack sprouts https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/inside-out Wed, 30 Nov 2016 03:06:02 GMT
Last Call for Suavecito https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/last-call-for-suavecito

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Suavecito art last call light lighting mask photography wrestling https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/last-call-for-suavecito Tue, 29 Nov 2016 02:56:02 GMT
Shelved https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/shelved

Spunk looking "Beastly"

 

 

We got a new hand me down bookcase today, and Spunk and Najar were quick to check it out. They both went through the same routine on how they inspected the bookshelves and the books.

 

Najar trying to look "Beastly"

 

Spunk eyeing our "Inspector Erlendur" series by Arnaldur Indriðason.

 

Najar found our "Inspector Erlendur" series to be of interest, as well.

 

Spunk thought the space by "The Book of Beasts" offered a good vantage point.

 

Najar also liked the vantage point the shelf with "The Book of Beasts" offered.

 

Spunk wanted to know if there were any mice recipes in our collection of Fine Cooking magazines.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Arnaldur Indriðason Inspector Erlendur Najar Spunk art books bookshelf cats light lighting magazines photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/shelved Mon, 28 Nov 2016 01:34:11 GMT
Suavecito https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/suavecito

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art barber light lighting photography suavecito wrestling https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/suavecito Sun, 27 Nov 2016 02:10:03 GMT
Thanksgiving https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/thanksgiving

We started Thanksgiving day by letting the kitties sleep in.

 

We snuck the anchovies in with the other ingredients for grandma's crispy potatoes while the kitties were sleeping in.

 

Laurie grinding up the paste.

 

The kitties weren't interested in the paste for granny's crispy taters, but we kept sneaking the paste and eating it on crackers.

 

Granny's crispy taters.

 

A field of Yorkshire pudding.

 

Greens with pine nuts, fresh herbs and chile peppers.

 

Prime rib with fresh herbs.

 

All made for a tasty Thanksgiving dinner.

 

Chocolate angel food cake with whipped cream for desert.

 

Raspberry sauce variation.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Lola Rosencrantz Yorkshire pudding art cats crispy potatoes greens light lighting photography prime rib whipped cream https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/thanksgiving Sat, 26 Nov 2016 04:04:42 GMT
Cows & Cranes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/cows-cranes

 

Last weekend was the Festival of the Cranes at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, about a 100 miles south of Albuquerque, where they celebrate the Sandhill Cranes that congregate by the thousands in the refuge. While we don't have thousands of cranes that hang out near by, there are 50 to 100 in the apple orchard next door at any given time, and hundreds more that fly in to roost on the river every evening. Instead of driving a hundred miles to see the cranes, all we have to do is walk a hundred yards down the ditch bank to the orchard or several hundred yards out to the river to watch cranes forage and play. Today I got the added bonus of cows running around the orchard among the cranes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cows cranes light lighting orchard photography sandhill cranes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/cows-cranes Fri, 25 Nov 2016 04:27:07 GMT
What? No Coffee? https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/what-no-coffee

"What's up paparazzo? I thought you were making coffee?"

 

Coffee is almost ready

 

"Wait a minute. I don't see any coffee in there."

 

"Let me see here?"

 

"Just what I thought — dry as a bone!"

 

"Coffee's not good for cats? What do you know? Stupid paparazzo!"

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art cats coffee light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/what-no-coffee Thu, 24 Nov 2016 04:29:13 GMT
The Girls Next Door https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/the-girls-next-door

Around the carrousel horse

 

The display on my buzzing cell phone showed Patrician Design calling — "This is Patti. Are you in the office?"  I answered "Yes" and Patti asked if I could come over and do group photos of her and her staff. I grabbed by cameras, headed next door, and we mapped out the shots. Patti wanted photos with the library and her storefront in the background, and then we decided to get a couple of shots by the carrousel horse.  Patrician Design has a lot of interesting and unique art, handcrafted jewelry and designs for living that make great gifts if you are in the Albuquerque area. You can learn more about Patrician Design at http://patriciandesign.com.

 

Straight on shot in the library

 

Test shot with Patti measuring out the space

 

Corner of the library

 

Another test shot

 

The storefront

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Patrician Design art beauty fashion interior design light lighting photography women https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/the-girls-next-door Wed, 23 Nov 2016 04:24:52 GMT
Finches https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/finches

 

Watched finches 
Through the fence
They frolicked in the vines
Cracked pods
In drizzling rain
A prized seed
Fly

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds fence finches light lighting photography pods vines https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/finches Tue, 22 Nov 2016 04:09:01 GMT
The Last Rose https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/the-last-rose

The last rose in an unprotected area of the garden to keep its beautiful form after the first really cold mornings last week, stood as a shining pilar of beauty and strength basking in the cold, blue morning light. The temperatures at sunrise dropped to 17ºF (-8.33ºC) almost every morning, and this rose endured the biting frost, defying the deep freezes that withered other roses.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cold freezing frost garden light lighting photography rose roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/the-last-rose Mon, 21 Nov 2016 02:33:13 GMT
Barking Spider Haiku https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/barking-spider-haiku

 


Oh my what delight
Barking spiders in the night
holding sheets down tight

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art barking light lighting photography spiders https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/barking-spider-haiku Sun, 20 Nov 2016 00:26:17 GMT
Wazzup? https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/wazzup

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) alpaca art light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/wazzup Sat, 19 Nov 2016 03:34:50 GMT
Stem Cells Don't Multitask https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/stem-cells-dont-multitask

In the nearly three weeks that I have been out of the hospital, my white counts and red counts have been like rollercoasters going up and down. I had a doctor appointment on Wednesday and while my red counts were fairly normal, my white counts had tanked. Two weeks before my white counts had fallen dangerously low, but I was feeling fine, did a lot of walking that weekend and 3 days later my white counts had recovered to the low end of normal on their own. Since I was showing some cold-like symptoms on Wednesday, the doctor ordered a Neupogen shot to help boost my white counts so they could better fight the cold-like symptoms. He explained that the stem cells tend to concentrate on either red cells or white cells at any given time, so my counts go up and down as the stem cells work to remember what they are supposed to be doing. While they do have memory, they are apparently not very good at allocating their memory between more than one task at a time.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art counts" light lighting multitasking photography red stem cells white counts https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/stem-cells-dont-multitask Fri, 18 Nov 2016 03:28:11 GMT
All Wet https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/all-wet

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art ducks light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/all-wet Thu, 17 Nov 2016 03:15:22 GMT
Spider Hanging on the Wall https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/spider-hanging-on-the-wall

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art green light lighting photography pink spider wall yellow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/spider-hanging-on-the-wall Wed, 16 Nov 2016 04:21:29 GMT
Super Moon Parking Lot https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/super-moon-parking-lot

 

I hadn't planned on photographing the super moon today.  From our house the sky would be too dark to get any detail around the moon, other than the moon by itself surrounded by black sky. A bright moon hanging in a black void certainly doesn't give any sense-of-scale for how large the moon appears when it first rises above its surroundings.  But then I found myself having to stop by the store on my way home from work. When I pulled into the parking lot, there was the moon, front and center, staring me in the face as it rose above the north end of the Sandias.  With all the lights in the parking lot, I was able to get a shot of the full moon rising, looking very large over the lightly illuminated surroundings in its super luminous state.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art full moon light lighting moon parking lot photography super moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/super-moon-parking-lot Tue, 15 Nov 2016 03:21:04 GMT
The Seed https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/the-seed

 


A seed floats
Aimlessly on fall’s cool breeze
Above tall grasses
Of basketweave walls
Searching 
Searching for bare ground
A place in the soil
To lie down and rest
Sleep through winter
And wait 
Wait the wet kiss
Tears of happiness
Shed in spring
To wake
Wake embraced by
A warm summer sun
And grow
Grow strong and tall
To send out seeds
On breezes
Fall’s cool winds
Floating aimlessly 
Searching

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography seed https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/the-seed Mon, 14 Nov 2016 04:27:11 GMT
Almost Full https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/almost-full

 

The super moon will be full on Monday; however, the sky will be dark when it rises on Monday. The moon will rise after sunset on Sunday, so I went out to the river late in the afternoon to photograph the super moon as it rose a little before sundown, giving me the opportunity to get it rising over pink Sandias at sunset.  I also captured canes flying in front of the moon in the twilight.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rio Grande Sandias art bosque cranes full moon light lighting moon photography super moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/almost-full Sun, 13 Nov 2016 02:45:55 GMT
Prehistory as it was https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/prehistory-as-it-was

 

A long time ago after the great iBang created cyberspace and time, prehistoric devices that once filled rooms evolved into the dinosaurs that sat on desktops. Laptops were coming of age as iMolucules coalesced from the accelerating iMatter predicted by Moore’s Law. Handheld devices where still only a twinkle in Apple’s eye, with the exception of the Palm Pilot which was brought to market in 1996, five cyber millennia before the iPod was introduced in 2001. In 1999, 2000 cyber years before the iPod, and 11,000 cyber years before Apple released the iPad, the Palm Pilot came of age with the introduction of the Palm V. 

Not long after Y2K failed to wipe out humankind, my boss bought his first Palm V. Not long after he got it he forgot it was in his pocket, sat on it and crack the glass. He ordered a new Palm V, gave me the broken one and told me to figure out what to do with it. I called Palm’s help desk to see what it would cost to get the cracked Palm V repaired, and discovered they had a program where I could send the broken one back and they would exchange it for a refurbished Palm V for $100, which was a super deal at that time. Needless to say, my boss kept forgetting he had his Palm in his pocket, so I ended up with a half a dozen or so refurbished Palm V’s.

One of the many services our office provides is facility evaluation. We have evaluation forms for different facilities which are ±40 pages long, and the evaluators had to take the forms into the field on clipboards, along with measuring devices, cameras, film (before 2004), ADA sticks, floor plans, site plans, etc. and walk through every space in each facility marking off the items on the forms, assigning scores for the condition of the spaces, and writing notes about each space. Then they would have to add up the scores by hand on each page to come up with total scores for the building, the site, and the adequacy for how the buildings were used and occupied. It was a cumbersome process that persisted on paper for many years.

However, with scads of Palm V’s at my disposal, I found a database called TinyDB in 2002 that ran on the Palm V, and I proceeded to recreate the evaluation forms for the Palm V using TinyDB as the base. TinyDB worked amazingly well and I was abled to get all the questions, scoring and comments into an app that added up the scores, and filled them into the summary sheets and stored it all in TinyDB. Then I was able to download, store and print the forms by connecting the Palm V to my desktop computer. I thought I had come up with a great way to reduce the amount of stuff the evaluators had to carry, by giving each of them a Palm V with the evaluation froms app that even added up the scores for them. 

I loaded the app on several Palm V’s, and started giving them to the evaluators.  You would have thought I had given them a device with the plague on it, as every evaluator in 2002 refused to use the Palm V, opting for their trusty papers and pencils instead.  So much for the future. I simply gave up after that, and let the dinosaurs suffer and laughed as we gave them back their paper forms to re-add each page, as many of them were arithmetically challenged.

The evaluators continued to carry paper evaluation forms on clipboards in the field for the next 12 years, until 2014, when we were preparing to evaluate a school district with over 200 facilities, the client told me he wasn’t going to pay for the printing of all those evaluation forms, which would come to around 10,000 pages. He wanted everything to be paperless and was willing to pay for us to develop an evaluation forms app for the iPad and Android devices. 

We developed an app for the iPad using FileMaker Pro as the database, because we needed a stand alone app since we couldn’t get internet in every school, and, therefore, a web based app wouldn’t work. In the process of developing the app for the iPad, I discovered just what a little miracle TinyDB was on the Palm V way back then, because iPads struggle with the size and complexity of the evaluation forms, and we have never been able to develop a version of the evaluation forms app for Android devices because the Android OS simply can’t handle the complexity of the evaluation forms. 

Now, 14,000 cyber years after my initial move to make electronic evaluation forms, the evaluators finally have their evaluation forms, floor plans and site plans for each facility on their iPads, and the process is now almost paperless.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Palm Pilot Palm V TinyDB art cyber space iPad iPod light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/prehistory-as-it-was Sat, 12 Nov 2016 04:31:14 GMT
Moonrise Over Greyhound Station https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/moonrise-over-greyhound-station

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque art greyhound light lighting moon photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/moonrise-over-greyhound-station Fri, 11 Nov 2016 04:23:41 GMT
Danglies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/danglies

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beads dangles light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/danglies Thu, 10 Nov 2016 03:13:29 GMT
The Match Haiku https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/the-match-haiku

 

Brontosaurus fight
Fighting pink yellow mask blue
Who will win the match

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Brontosaurus Bruski art fight light lighting mask match photography pink wrestler wrestling https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/the-match-haiku Wed, 09 Nov 2016 03:12:37 GMT
Go Storm https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/go-storm

 

No poem today. Only a storm behind the traffic lights.  However, I do want to point out that I added two dropdown menus to the menu bar across the top of the page: "Cat Blogs" and "Tales From My Youth". People ask me about these blogs, but they are hard to find if you don't know what to search for. By adding them to their own dropdown menus, they are now easy to get to, especially for people who are new to the blog and hadn't seen the cats in action or read about some of the rather strange things that happened when I was young.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting photography storm traffic lights https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/go-storm Tue, 08 Nov 2016 03:41:55 GMT
Squirrel https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/squirrel

 

A squirrel came to my window today
I asked him what he had to say
A silent look of slight dismay
Frozen he stood like a statue of clay
Once he determined I was okay 
He licked and groomed as I clicked away
And sat up straight like he was ready to pray
Then he bounded off on his merry way
A squirrel dropped by my window today

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography squirrel window https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/squirrel Mon, 07 Nov 2016 01:14:56 GMT
Amid The Fall https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/amid-the-fall

 

They scavenge the foliage 
Laid waste by old Jack Frost
Surviving frozen mornings
They search 
Freeze dried blossoms, hardened pods, and barren stalks

A dragonfly lands 
On one dried branch after another
A bee finds a surviving cosmos
Finches scour sunflower heads
Cracking seed after seed

Downy Woodpeckers scurry round cottonwood trunks 
Like feathered rats 
They pause to drum out rhythms 
As they drill into the bark
Rata tat tat rata tat tat

Sandhill Cranes clatter in distant fields, unseen
Then appear as silhouettes against the clouds
High above the yellow leaves that cling to branches 
Hanging on until forced to fall
And blanket the ground below

The sun hangs low
Days are quickly swallowed by darkness
While the cold nights linger
Stars circle in dark, gelid skies
Winter will soon be upon us

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bees birds clouds cold cranes day dragonfly landscape light lighting night photography stars woodpecker https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/amid-the-fall Sun, 06 Nov 2016 01:20:23 GMT
In Art We Trust https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/in-art-we-trust

 

It's late. Oh so late. In art we trust.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 66 Nuevo 66 Nuevo Contemporary Route architecture art gallery light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/in-art-we-trust Sat, 05 Nov 2016 05:44:46 GMT
A Leaf https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/a-leaf

 

A leaf fell in my path today.
It floated, spun and tumbled to earth.
Where it settled on the black asphalt under foot.
I kneeled down and observed the beautiful leaf, reflecting sunlight off the thin, dried skin clinging to bony, skeletal remains.
“You have done your part to provide air, shade, shelter and a place to rest for many of God’s creatures.” I whispered.
“Now that you have come to the end of your life, 
you will provide angst for an army of leaf blowers. 
They will blow you from one place to another, wherever the wind chooses not to.
You might settle with other leaves to provide shelter, bedding and protection for a variety of creatures. 
You might be crushed, piled and burnt, shredded, sacked and dumped, discarded again and again.
Whatever fate befalls you, you will eventually provide food for the soil, and turn back into the earth from whence you came.”
I stood up and went on my way thinking about how a leaf fell in my path today.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art leaf light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/a-leaf Fri, 04 Nov 2016 04:11:27 GMT
The Diner https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/the-diner

 

Chairs 
Turned over on tables
Cola signs 
Tell us what is good and real
Dreams 
Broken and fulfilled
Push 
Their colors through black and white
Alternate reality 
Made to order
Served
Up fresh
At the Diner

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cola diner dreams light lighting photography posters https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/the-diner Thu, 03 Nov 2016 03:36:20 GMT
Weather Change https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/weather-change

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art clouds landscape light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/11/weather-change Wed, 02 Nov 2016 04:17:15 GMT
The Undertaker and the Cranes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/the-undertaker-and-the-cranes OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

“What’s that?” Sandy asked Hilly as they walked in the frozen wasteland that had set upon the river at sunrise on all hallows' eve. “Looks like a ‘Great Blue H’ to me.” Hilly answered as they slowly advanced on Harry Blue as he stood like a frozen undertaker, hoarfrost clinging to his beard like the frosty foliage frozen around him. Sandy stopped with the icy water tickling her ankles and asked “A Great Blue H? Can you be more specific?” Hilly thinking for a few seconds said “I know Great Blue H’s are kind of like us, but they are known to be shape shifters.” “Shape shifters?” Sandy was skeptical. “Oh yes. It looks much smaller than us right?” Sandy agreed. “But you can’t judge it by how it stands there like a small statue frozen by the morning sun, because when it flies it makes a complete transformation…” “Really?” interrupted Sandy. “Yes!” continued Hilly. “When it flies its wings expand to be much larger than ours, its body stretches out and its neck becomes longer and more sinuous than ours.” Sandy stood in place looking at the icicle clad form standing in front of her and said “Wow! That’s unbelievable.”  Hilly surveying Harry Blue continued “There’s more. See how long and large its beak is?” Sandy nodded. “They say that on all hallows' eve they fly around using their large beaks to collect lost and wandering souls that have been haunting all kinds of beings in this realm, and then the Great Blue H’s turn the souls they collect on all hallows' eve over to the proper authorities in the next realm on the day of the dead.” “The proper authorities?” Sandy questioned. Hilly looked at Sandy “You know. Whichever of the gods will claim them.” A shiver ran down Sandy’s back and she said “Oh! So that’s why it looks like an undertaker.”

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds great blue heron halloween light lighting photography sandhill crane https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/the-undertaker-and-the-cranes Tue, 01 Nov 2016 03:43:19 GMT
I'M FREE https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/im-free OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

After different people were having trouble counting days to schedule a Pentamadine treatment I have to have 15 days the stem cell transplant, my doctor decided to send me home this afternoon. There was a lot of back and forth about whether or not the treatment was scheduled on Monday at the hospital or not. Otherwise, the doctor wanted to send me home and let me get the treatment as an out patient on Tuesday, which is 15 days after my stem cell transplant, because October 17th was day zero. If the treatment was scheduled on Monday, I would have stayed at the hospital, but it turned out not to be scheduled on Monday, so I got to go home.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds eagle light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/im-free Mon, 31 Oct 2016 02:08:13 GMT
Hospital Day Twenty — White Counts Gone Wild https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-twenty-white-counts-gone-wild

Rosencrantz

 

I went back to 2010 to find photos of Rosencrantz playing in the snow, and Guildenstern and Diné pussyfooting around in it. I thought they made nice depictions of bodies in a white wilderness. The last Nupogen shot worked well, so I had white counts double the normal this morning, so I didn't get a Nuopegen shot today. My doctor wants to see how much my white counts drop without Nupogen. My red counts are slowing pushing their way upward. I have 12,700 steps today so far.

 

Rosencrantz leaping through the snow

 

Rosencrantz leaping onto the deck

 

Guildenstern

 

Diné

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Diné Guildenstern Rosencrantz art cats light lighting photography snow white counts https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-twenty-white-counts-gone-wild Sun, 30 Oct 2016 00:19:29 GMT
Hospital Day Nineteen — Mounted Patrol https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-nineteen-mounted-patrol

 

The balloons that inflate and launch in the wee hours before sunrise at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta are called the "Dawn Patrol".  They go up and test the winds above ground level, before the rest of the balloons inflate and take off.  The Balloon Fiesta also has mounted patrol on horseback and motorcycles.

My white blood cells and neutrophils came up to normal today, while my red counts stayed low.  It's looking pretty sure that I will be able to go home on Tuesday.


]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art horses light lighting motorcycles photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-nineteen-mounted-patrol Sat, 29 Oct 2016 01:29:20 GMT
Hospital Day Eighteen — Rising https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-eighteen-rising

 

All the important counts were whole numbers this morning, rising as much as 10 times from yesterday; but my counts are still really low. However, the doctor did make noises about possibly letting me going home on Tuesday if everything continues at the same rate. Let's keep our fingers crossed! I easily got in 12,000 steps today.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art balloons glow light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-eighteen-rising Fri, 28 Oct 2016 01:46:07 GMT
Hospital Day Seventeen — We Have Takeoff https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-seventeen-we-have-takeoff

"Cranes in the Mist"  one of Susan's favorite photos that I've done. Happy Birthday, Susan!

 

 

On this date 58 years ago I was born in this hospital. I was a blue baby and required a blood transfusion. That was the start of some major health issues over the years, but I am very thankful that modern medicine at the time of each issue was aways a positive contributor to help me overcome each problem, and enable me to live a normal, active life when I could have easily been crippled from a very young age.  I'm also the product of the nuclear age. My dad was exposed to radioactive fallout from hydrogen bomb testing in the early and mid 1950's. My mom told me that they were not supposed to have a third child because of the "RH" factor. My dad was possibly more surprised to discover they were having me, than he was by the power of those H-bombs.

I spent my 58 birthday in the hospital, where I started life. I would have preferred to be home with family and friends, but again I'm relying on modern medicine to help make things straight again, and give me a new life.  I got in lots of steps today — 12,500 so far.  The nurses got me a chocolate cake, and several nurses, techs and my doctor came in and sang happy birthday to me in the early afternoon. After they all made off with a piece of cake, I sat back down and finished "Beowulf".  But the best birthday present I had today is when I got the email to go to MyPres, and after logging in and getting to the reports, I opened the "CDC with Differentials" and for the first time in a week I didn't see all zeros for the immune system. 

 

The remainder of the birthday cake.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rio Grande art birthday cranes history light lighting mist photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-seventeen-we-have-takeoff Thu, 27 Oct 2016 00:30:00 GMT
Hospital Day Sixteen — Ducks Staring at the Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-sixteen-ducks-staring-at-the-moon

 

When I found this photo searching around my archives, I somehow identified with the ducks.  All counts still zero and I had to have another transfusion of platelets because they have been taking a real hit. We are also stepping up the vigilance on infections since this is the sixth day I've been without an immune system. Otherwise, I'm hanging in there.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art ceramic moon duck status ducks light lighting moon photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-sixteen-ducks-staring-at-the-moon Wed, 26 Oct 2016 00:32:28 GMT
Hospital Day Fifteen — Not so Spunky https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-fifteen-not-so-spunky

Spunk taking advantage of a west facing window

 

All counts are still zero for my immune system, and my red blood cells are really taking a beating, so I don't have nearly as much spunk today. I felt like laying around like Spunk in these photos.  Cats don't need zero counts to take advantage of laying about the house.  I ended up with 10,000 steps yesterday, but I don't think I will make it today.

 

View from the inside

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art cats counts light lighting low photography tired https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-fifteen-not-so-spunky Mon, 24 Oct 2016 23:43:00 GMT
Hospital Day Fourteen — Reflecting https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-fourteen-reflecting

Sasha in the glove basket reflecting against the big screen.

 

My counts are still at zero, and my red blood cells have really taken a hit, also. Therefore, I'm feeling a lot more fatigue, and moving more slowly. Between walking (only 7500 steps so far today), drinking, peeing, answering email, doing a little work for the office, visiting, vitals, doctor visits, a visit from the vampires to draw blood, and working on my blog, I sit and reflect on things.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sasha art cats counts light lighting photography reflections https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-fourteen-reflecting Sun, 23 Oct 2016 23:35:29 GMT
Hospital Day Thirteen — Mississippi Kite https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-thirteen-mississippi-kite

 

We have a few Mississippi Kites that spend the the summer months in the Rio Grande Valley. They like to perch high on a bare cottonwood branch where they can scout for insects. They fly out, catch an insect, fly back to the same branch and eat their catch. They do this over and over again. Often there is an adult and a juvenile making catches from the same branch, but this Kite was alone when I saw it at the end of August.  She was doing more perching than hunting when I photographed her.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Mississippi Kite art birds kite light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-thirteen-mississippi-kite Sun, 23 Oct 2016 00:17:40 GMT
Hospital Day Twelve — Strange https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-twelve-strange

Another found image I had forgotten about.​

 

 

This was a rather strange Friday with some drugs out of stock, so I had to keep reminding people what the routine was — the pharmacy finally had to make substitutions. But that was not nearly as strange as an email exchange I had earlier in the day. I received an email that said the person had waited to contact me until I was more “coherent”.  When I read the statement I thought what a strange preconception of me, chemo and stem cell transplants.  I’ve been in the hospital for 12 days now, and apparently the person assumed I have been in a semi-comatose state of incoherency, floating around in the ether, unable to communicate rationally until today?  

I replied, and assured the person I have been “coherent” everyday I’ve been in the hospital, and that I’m active, doing work for the office, reading and blogging.  The replay was that I shouldn’t be working in my “state”. Another strange response, and I’m not really sure what type of “state” the person is imagining I’m in, but I assume it leans more toward the question of “coherency” than physical condition. Although one could certainly argue that the “state” of my condition is dire at the moment with dead bone marrow, no immune system and red counts near the border of requiring a transfusion.

The last words, which I would not normally find so strange, were the hope that I would feel better “sooner” than “later”. A general good wish, but after the previous exchanges, the person presumes that I don’t feel good, that I’m sick and having to wait in the hospital until I feel better — another strange presumption when actually I feel perfectly fine at the moment.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art coherent light lighting photography preconceptions spider state strange https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-twelve-strange Sat, 22 Oct 2016 01:51:12 GMT
Hospital Day Eleven — Zero https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-eleven-zero

 

My counts hit zero today, which was to be expected. I'm hanging in, a little tired, but still walking in circles. I'm a little over my daily goal of 10,000 steps for the day.

Susan and I were having an interesting discussion about reprocessing old raw files, finding photos that we had overlooked or simply forgot about, and then bringing them to life the other day. Today's photos are an interesting case in point. These photos are from a roll of B&W film given to me awhile back, but I couldn't process it myself. It's a B&W film designed for C-41 color negative processing. I shot the film, had it processed, the negs scanned to a CD, copied the images to my computer, and forgot about them.  I came across them this afternoon and noticed they had an interesting quality with the grainy, slightly muddy grays, and areas of contrasty blacks and whites punching through.

 

 

 

 

Spunk

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) B&W Spunk art bumblebees cats cosmos counts light lighting photography steps https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-eleven-zero Thu, 20 Oct 2016 23:59:52 GMT
Hospital Day Ten — Laser Lights https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-ten-laser-lights

 

There is nothing intended to be symbolic about today's photos — they are from the pre-dawn laser light show at the Balloon Fiesta.  Everything is pretty much the same as it ever was. My counts are really low, but I'm hanging in there. I'm at 12,000 steps again, which seems to be the standard for walking in circles.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art laser lights lasers light light show lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-ten-laser-lights Thu, 20 Oct 2016 01:33:20 GMT
Hospital Day Nine — Day One https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-nine-day-one

 

Today starts day one for counting days to recovery. The stem cell re-infusion was day zero they told me.  I have had no problems today, which was to be expected since my immune system is hanging in there by a thread; but the rest of the week, I'll go to zero on all counts and that's were problems can arise. We are trying to minimize problems as much as possible, working toward a quick, and uneventful recovery.  I have 12,000 steps today so far.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art full moon light lighting moon photography recovery stem cells trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-nine-day-one Wed, 19 Oct 2016 01:26:35 GMT
Hospital Day Eight — Out of the Ashes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-eight-out-of-the-ashes

 

 

The stem cell re-infusion went well with no adverse side effects so far. The actual re-infusion took about an hour, but with the time administering pre-meds before the re-infusion, and the time I took recovering from pre-meds after the re-infusion, I really couldn't do much for about 7 hours.  Therefore, I only got in 6500 steps today.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Phoenix art ashes bosque crane light lighting photography stem cells https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-eight-out-of-the-ashes Tue, 18 Oct 2016 02:25:55 GMT
Hospital Day Seven — Rest https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-seven-rest

 

Day seven has been a day off from treatment more than a day of rest, as I have over 16,000 steps so far today. Lots of walking in circles and thinking.

We have had the stem cell re-infusion process explained by several different professionals now, and while the fog is starting to clear, there remains much mystery and risk involved with a stem cell transplant.  It's like my bones are laid bare, dead to the world, to be collected and re-animated by the stem cells.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bones leaf light lighting photography rest treatment https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-seven-rest Mon, 17 Oct 2016 00:36:41 GMT
Hospital Day Six — The Point Of No Return https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-six-_-the-point-of-no-return

Mechanical building is prominent

 

I moved to the positive air-flow room (Positive ISO Only) in the afternoon after I completed my last Chemo, which gave me a new view. The stem cell re-infusion will take place in this room on Monday, because I have to wait at least 24 hours after the last treatment so I can get all the active chemo flushed out of my system. Now that the last chemo is completed, all my bone marrow will be killed, and now I have no choice but to have the stem cells re-infused, wait for them to take hold and rebuild my immune system.

 

Wider view looking south.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art chemo light lighting new view photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-six-_-the-point-of-no-return Sun, 16 Oct 2016 02:05:32 GMT
Hospital Day Five — A Few Balloons https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-five-a-few-balloons

Since I still have lots of photos from the Balloon Fiesta, I decided I put of a few that seem to go with my situation — a bit perilous.  

I am racking up the steps wandering around the corridors. Yesterday I got 11,800 steps, and today I'm at 12,650, plus I'm in second place in the weekly challenge at 45,300 steps, almost 15,000 steps ahead of 3rd place. Tomorrow I have my last chemo treatment, which is the really nasty stuff that kills the bone marrow. Then Sunday is a rest day, and Monday I will get the stem cell transplant that starts a whole new cycle.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art balloons chemo light lighting photography steps https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-five-a-few-balloons Sat, 15 Oct 2016 03:52:55 GMT
Hospital Day Four — Call Me The Wiz https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-four-call-me-the-wiz

Spunk is a fitting image for today since he is a Master Wiz himself.  One of the peculiar things they have me do while I'm in the hospital is to pee in a bottle so they can record the output to see that I am drinking enough fluids and not getting dehydrated.  There are no wasted days or wasted nights as I fill the jug many times and day and night, so that the techs and nurses have to empty it a lot. If I could write like a pee, I'd put out volumes. They finally gave me a second jug, and the techs always inquire about how much water I drink, which is about 4 to 6 quarts a day. I'm not going to go through all this chemo and stem cell transplant and end up with kidney damage. It's hard enough treating a couple of cats for kidney damage. So I drink and pee, and to humor myself, I sing "peeing in a bottle" to the tune of "Message in a Bottle" by the Police — I gotta do something to entertain myself. Since I've been called the Timinator in the past, the Urinator seems most fitting, but the "Wiz" is more PC, I assume.  But then again, in good Urinator fashion, every time I walk out of the bathroom, I turn back to the jugs and tell them "I'll be back!"

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art cats light lighting pee bottles photography wiz https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-four-call-me-the-wiz Fri, 14 Oct 2016 01:59:53 GMT
Hospital Day Three — Sunrise & Sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-three-sunrise-sunset

Sunrise looking south out of the window of my hospital room

 

This marks the halfway point through my intensive chemo regimen before the stem cell transplant on Monday. I got in several hours of work for the office, and am over my step goal, but I not sure I can get to 8000 steps today like I did yesterday. They are leaving me hooked up to the I.V. to minimize connecting and disconnecting the access points on my PICC line, which will lesson the risk of infection. So now I have to unplug the IV tree and roll it around with me everywhere. I may walk the corridors of broken dreams by myself, but I'm never alone as I always have my shadow and the I.V. tree beside me.

 

Senset looking south-southwest.

 

View of the roof mimicking the mountains in the distance at sunrise.

 

View of the roof mimicking the mountains in the distance at sunset.

 

Attempt to get the color and clouds wispiness and changing textures with my phone.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art chemo landscape light lighting panorama photography sunrise sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-three-sunrise-sunset Thu, 13 Oct 2016 03:27:07 GMT
Hospital Day Two — Hanging In There https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-two-hanging-in-there

 

Chemo ran long today with a little over three hours of Cytarabine and what was supposed to be fours hours of Etoposide ended up taking 6 hours, so I didn't finish chemo until after 8:00 pm.  The upside is a got over 7 hours of work in for the office and walked over 8000 steps in the corridors on the floor I'm on. I also have a good view of Milne Stadium and watched high school football teams run around on the field. I couldn't tell if it was a game or practice as they spent most of their time running around on the far end of the field. There were a handful of some people in the stands. All in all, Im hanging in there pretty well at the end of day two.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Cytarabine Etoposide art chemo damselflies football light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-two-hanging-in-there Wed, 12 Oct 2016 04:19:59 GMT
Hospital Day One https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-one

 

I was admitted to the hospital this morning to start the 6 days of intensive chemo in preparation for my stem cell transplant on October 17th. I thought these clouds from yesterday's storm were good images for a first day of chemo. The WIFI here is slow and challenging. This blog connects pretty well, but I had to process today's photos as tiny jpegs in order to get them uploaded.  I may have to start using my phone as a hotspot when I do my blog.  The Wordpress side of the blog is hit and miss if it will load pages at all, and still slow with the phone as a hotspot, so I may not be able to create teaser posts on the Wordpress side of my blog while I'm in the hospital.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art chemo clouds hospital light lighting photography storm clouds https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/hospital-day-one Tue, 11 Oct 2016 04:24:54 GMT
Catnap https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/catnap

Lola, Rosencrantz and Spunk.

 

 

I had three cats napping and grooming on my legs while I was stretched out on the couch. Spunk was very creative in his napping positions, but then, so was Najar when she was on my lap at the counter.

 

Spunk

 

Aerial view of Spunk

 

Najar

 

Spunk and Rosencrantz

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Lola Najar Rosencrantz Spunk art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/catnap Mon, 10 Oct 2016 04:01:57 GMT
All Hands https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/all-hands

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art games light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/all-hands Sun, 09 Oct 2016 04:42:05 GMT
Shadow Cat https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/shadow-cat

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/shadow-cat Sat, 08 Oct 2016 05:41:58 GMT
Artificial Intelligence https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/artificial-intelligence

I started to throw out a cup of coffee a repairman left in one of the offices he was working in, but when I took the lid off and saw it was developing a brain, I couldn't throw out a perfectly good brain culture, so I kept the smart coffee to use for experiments with artificial intelligence. So far, when I ask it a question like you would SIRI or an Echo, no matter what the question is, it only gives one answer: "One cup at a time!" It may not be the right answer, but it's kind of inspiring, so I pour myself another cup of coffee, and get back to work.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art artificial intelligence brain coffee light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/artificial-intelligence Fri, 07 Oct 2016 04:26:00 GMT
More Cow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/more-cow

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Creamland art cow cow balloon light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/more-cow Thu, 06 Oct 2016 03:28:15 GMT
T.Dashfield en El Camino de los Caminos https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/t-dashfield-en-el-camino-de-los-caminos

It's a bird! It's a plane! No it's...

 

Blogging buddy, photographer, and all around cool person Teri Dashfield of Images by T.Dashfield  (https://imagesbytdashfield.wordpress.com) is in town for the balloon fiesta. She dropped by the office and we wandered around downtown along Old Route 66 this afternoon.

 

...udderly ridiculous

 

Smirking with Bronti on Route 66

 

Getting her kicks on Route 66

 

Behind Route 66

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Images by Dashfield Mother Road Route 66 art lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/t-dashfield-en-el-camino-de-los-caminos Wed, 05 Oct 2016 03:24:25 GMT
Cats & Canon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/cats-canon

Spunk and Rosencrantz

 

 

Rosencrantz

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Canon Rosencrantz Spunk art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/cats-canon Tue, 04 Oct 2016 03:02:31 GMT
Damselflies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/damselflies

 

 

 

 

Aspens turning yellow on the Sandias

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandia art damselflies fall colors light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/damselflies Mon, 03 Oct 2016 01:17:51 GMT
2016 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta From The Field https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/2016-albuquerque-international-balloon-fiesta-from-the-field

The crowd was already thick by 5:30 am as I made my way over to the media tent.

 

Crowd waiting for the glow to start are lit up by a truck trying to make it's way through the crowd.

 

The balloon glow.

 

The dawn patrol.

 

 

 

All the balloons from the glow up in the air.

 

There were lots of people with selfie sticks.

 

Balloons firing up to launch among the crowd.

 

Balloons inflating.

 

The balloons are as packed in as the people.

 

I'm not sure what the guy on the right is doing.

 

The referees making space for the balloon to launch.

 

The sunrise.

 

 

 

 

Special shapes started inflating later than most of the other balloons.

 

This young woman said "Wait! I want to show you something" and proceeded to lift her shirt. She was proud to be silicone free.

 

She was also proud to be a crew member for TTT. They had a pink balloon.

 

Lots of balloons in the air and lots of balloons inflating on the ground.

 

Smiley Face makes up the top of the balloon.

 

A view inside the Smiley balloon.

 

 

 

 

 

This shot gives you an idea of the sea of people on the field.

 

The crown was thick in places along the vendor strip I couldn't get through and had to go into the launch field to make my way around.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta art balloons light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/10/2016-albuquerque-international-balloon-fiesta-from-the-field Sat, 01 Oct 2016 23:23:48 GMT
Black Moon: Another End Of The World Has Come And Gone https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/black-moon-another-end-of-the-world-has-come-and-gone

The Black Moon rising between the clouds, marking yet another "end of the world". Of course, we can't see the dark side of the moon.

 

Spunk, Rosencrantz and the sheep waiting for the world to end.

 

Osric was all shook up over the thought of the world ending again. His world ended when Sayre brought home a new puppy, so he's been hanging out at our house.

 

As part of the pre-Balloon Fiesta activities, balloonists celebrated the end of the world by launching from 50 school sites around the city. 

 

New Mexico Zia between the cottonwoods

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Black Moon Osric Rosencrantz Spunk art balloons cats light lighting moon photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/black-moon-another-end-of-the-world-has-come-and-gone Sat, 01 Oct 2016 03:08:11 GMT
Old Stuff https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/old-stuff

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography pully reel rod window https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/old-stuff Fri, 30 Sep 2016 02:43:58 GMT
Old Film and a Macro Lens https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/old-film-and-a-macro-lens

 

"Develop before 10/2004" is printed on the box of Kodak Max 400 film I used to create these images. There is probably a post processing effect to get the grainy, slightly foggy look in these photos if I had made them with a digital camera, but all I did was use old, outdated film in a 35mm camera with a macro lens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Kodak Max 400 art bee film flowers light lighting photography roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/old-film-and-a-macro-lens Thu, 29 Sep 2016 02:48:47 GMT
Black Cats & Photo Mags https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/black-cats-photo-mags

I found four photo mags at Barnes & Nobles that looked worthy — a French magazine called Photo, Black+White Photography from the UK, Black & White and Shutterbug.  Rosencrantz and Lola approved of my selection of photo mags.  The four coasters on the wall are a fun processing of Spunk by Susan Graham from photos she did with her iPhone when Spunk was on her lap. We really liked the images, but since she used her iPhone, the files were not big enough to make quality larger prints, but they were perfect for coasters.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Black & White Black+While Photography Photo Shutterbug art cats light lighting photo mags photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/black-cats-photo-mags Wed, 28 Sep 2016 03:10:11 GMT
We don't sell no stinking photo magazines https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/we-dont-sell-no-stinking-photo-magazines

While I was waiting to see the doctor last week, someone had left a Popular Photography magazine in the mix of the usual People, Good Housekeeping, New Yorker, and various medical pamphlets. I picked up the Popular Photography, flipped through it, and read a couple of short reviews before I was called into to see the doctor. I had a gift subscription to Outdoor Photographer a few years ago, but other than that I hadn't read photo magazines in years. Flipping through Popular Photography at the doctor's office reminded me of how many years ago I used to get various photo magazines like Shutter Bug, Aperture, and various other photo rags, and I started thinking that I should subscribe to a photo magazine again.  

When I was at the store today, I walked past the magazine rack, and suddenly remembered that I wanted to get a photo magazine. I stopped dead in my tracks, put my shopping cart in reverse, backed up to the magazine display, and started looking through all the magazines for a Shutter Bug, Popular Photography or anything with "Photography" in the title;  but much to my dismay, there were no photography magazines in the rack. I looked on the end displays, in the book rack, around the instore-photo lab — NOTHING — Not a photo rag to be seen. So I ended up wasting a lot of time looking for something that I would think they would carry along with rags like UTV Action, Sedona Monthly, Catster, Cowboy, Cowgirl, Golf, Sports Fantasy, etc. The least the store could do would be to put up a sign that reads "We don't sell no stinking photo magazines!" so photographers don't have to bother to look through the magazine rack for magazines that are not there.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting magazines photo magazines photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/we-dont-sell-no-stinking-photo-magazines Tue, 27 Sep 2016 04:23:21 GMT
Vistas & Volcanos in B&W https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/vistas-volcanos-in-b-w

 

Views of the Sandias and the volcanos from Petroglyph National Monument.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Petroglyph National Monument Sandias art light lighting photography vistas volcanoes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/vistas-volcanos-in-b-w Mon, 26 Sep 2016 02:11:53 GMT
A Nice Pair Of Hooters https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/a-nice-pair-of-hooters

 

This pair of Great Horned owls have been serenading us every night for the past several weeks. I was out just before sunrise this morning and they were still hooting up a storm. I followed the hoots and finally found them high in a cottonwood. At first they were perched apart from one another, but as I photographed them the larger owl on the right moved closer to the smaller owl on the left. The larger owl (likely a female) was much more curious about me photographing them and looked at me when I talked to them. The smaller owl ignored me for the most part.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Great Horned Owls art birds cottonwoods light lighting owls photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/a-nice-pair-of-hooters Sun, 25 Sep 2016 03:49:07 GMT
Surprise https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/surprise

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art flowers light lighting mantis photography praying mantis https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/surprise Sat, 24 Sep 2016 02:49:35 GMT
Driving Home in the Twilight Zone https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/driving-home-in-the-twilight-zone

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Twilight Zone art light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/driving-home-in-the-twilight-zone Fri, 23 Sep 2016 01:43:18 GMT
Full Coverage https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/full-coverage

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) #ThisBody Full Coverage Intuition art bra light lighting photography underwear women https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/full-coverage Thu, 22 Sep 2016 02:56:37 GMT
Orange is the New B&W https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/orange-is-the-new-b-w

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art cars clouds light lighting orange barrels photography trucks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/orange-is-the-new-b-w Wed, 21 Sep 2016 02:22:01 GMT
Truck, Truck, Everywhere a Truck https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/truck-truck-everywhere-a-truck

As I squinted beneath the eyes of the sun at the shimmering rooftops forming lines into the distance before me, there were trucks and more trucks as far as I could see.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cars light. lighting photography trucks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/truck-truck-everywhere-a-truck Tue, 20 Sep 2016 01:37:42 GMT
Søren & Lola https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/s-ren-lola

Søren

 

Lola at the Vet

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) African Gray Lola Søren art birds cats light lighting parrot photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/s-ren-lola Mon, 19 Sep 2016 00:50:26 GMT
Small World https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/small-world

I got out my macro lens and took a walk through the garden with it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bees bumblebees cosmos flies flowers light lighting macro photography roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/small-world Sun, 18 Sep 2016 03:51:13 GMT
Thirty-Eight https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/thirty-eight

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 38 Chevy Truck art light lighting photography trucks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/thirty-eight Sat, 17 Sep 2016 01:23:05 GMT
Cubs Fan https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/cubs-fan

While John was in our office in the late afternoon, he asked what the fan assembly sitting on our desk was. I told him it was a whiny fan I replaced in Bruce's old computer. John said "Like all Cubs fans?"  Bruce said "Good one!" and put his Cubs cap on the fan. We cleared the junk from around the fan, set Bruce's model of Wrigley Field behind it, and I got a photo of a "whiny Cubs fan."

However, the Cubs became the champions of the National League Central Division last night even though they lost their game against the Brewers, because the Cardinals also lost to the Giants; therefore two losses made the Cubs a winner and the Division Champions, if I have it all straight. So even though the Cubs lost, the fans have nothing to whine about, because they are now the division champs, which is deserving of the simple title — "Cubs Fan".

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Brewers Cardinals Cubs Cubs fan art baseball fan light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/cubs-fan Fri, 16 Sep 2016 05:37:25 GMT
A Few More Butterflies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/a-few-more-butterflies

Monarch

 

Pearl Crescent

 

Buckeye

 

Buckeye

 

Buckeye

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art buckeye butterflies light lighting monarch pearl crescent photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/a-few-more-butterflies Thu, 15 Sep 2016 03:51:49 GMT
Guerciotti & Leo https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/guerciotti-leo

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Guerciotti Leo art bicycle cats chainring light lighting photography shadow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/guerciotti-leo Wed, 14 Sep 2016 02:46:35 GMT
Route 66 After Dark — 1st Street to Coors Boulevard https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/route-66-after-dark-1st-street-to-coors-boulevard

 

This series of photos finishes out the stretch of Central Ave. from 1st Street and Central in Downtown Albuquerque to Coors Boulevard and Central on the west side of town I photographed in 2010 as part of a small photo book I put together titled Route 66 Albuquerque’s Central Avenue After Dark. You can see the first series of photos from Nob Hill to Central and I-40 at Route 66 After Dark — Satellite Coffee to the Route 66 Diner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Dog House Downtown Albuquerque Kimo Rio Grande Route 66 Westside art light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/route-66-after-dark-1st-street-to-coors-boulevard Tue, 13 Sep 2016 02:26:50 GMT
Route 66 After Dark — Satellite Coffee to the Route 66 Diner https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/route-66-after-dark-satellite-coffee-to-the-route-66-diner

 

Six years ago, I dropped Laurie off at her book group on a Sunday evening, drove over to Nob Hill on Central Ave (Old Route 66), parked and walked the mostly abandoned sidewalks the length of Nob Hill photographing the shop windows and neon signs from the Satellite Coffee shop to Girard Blvd. at UNM. Then I walked back to my car, drove to UNM, photographed the Frontier Restaurant and the school of Architecture, and then I drove several blocks down to the 66 Diner, and photographed the last neon clad restaurant before you cross under I-25 and head into Downtown Albuquerque. By the time I finished up at the 66 Diner, I had to pick up Laurie, but over the next few nights I photographed downtown and then out to West Central  and Coors Blvd, eventually putting a small photo book together titled Route 66 Albuquerque’s Central Avenue After Dark that contains 26 photos from Nob Hill to West Central at Coors Blvd.

Teagan Geneviene, who is a faithful follower of this blog, has a current series titled The Guitar Mancer on Teagan's Books. Her story has a lot of references to Route 66, and it reminded me that while I had posted some photos over the years from my original series of photos I selected to go into the picture book, I had never posted the complete series of photos on my blog.  

Today Old Route 66 on a Sunday evening reminds me of Edward Hopper's painting Nighthawks, and the spoof of the painting by Gottfried Hemnwein's titled Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Like Green Day's song of the same title, I walked alone along the lonely street on a Sunday evening. I walked alone along "the boulevard of broken dreams." 

This series of 32 photographs is a snapshot from 2010 starting at the Satellite Coffee Shop on the eastern edge of Nob Hill, running past UNM to the 66 Diner near Central Ave. and I-25. Some of the businesses have closed their doors, the shops have long changed their window displays, yet much of the architecture and neon lights remain the same, unchanged over the years as symbols to the durability of Old Route 66 in a world of uncertainty and constant change.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Boulevard of Broken Dreams Route 66 UNM art light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/route-66-after-dark-satellite-coffee-to-the-route-66-diner Mon, 12 Sep 2016 03:22:18 GMT
Basil https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/basil

 

Basil is one of Laurie's parent's cats. I got a few good shots of him before he decided the camera was too intimidating and scary.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art basil cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/basil Sun, 11 Sep 2016 05:42:04 GMT
J'aime Le Chat au Chapeau https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/jaime-le-chat-au-chapue

 

I could have been in a weird dream.  As we followed the nurse into the prep-area of Interventional Radiology, we passed the hall lined with curtains, concealing beds used to prep patents and then roll them into surgery we normally went to. Instead we headed down a hallway with a right turn then a left turn to the last room on the right — a wildly painted room, the walls lined with toys. "I get the children's suite today?" I asked the nurse. "Yes! You can sit on the bed or in the chair while we wait for the surgeon" she replied. "I'll be prepping you in here."  She left and I sat down next to the book bin on the wall and noticed "The Cat In The Hat" in French, pulled it out and started reading it. I had not read "The Cat In The Hat" in many years, and this was the first time in French. The French was long and didn't have the same meter or rhyme as the English, but it was fun to read in French, all the same.

The surgeon came in and looked at my port. He took one look and said "Man! They said it was a little red, that is a really red. We need to get that port out of there!"  We had a discussion about the risks, and just how infected in might be. He was afraid there was pus along the line, and that the redness was advancing toward my neck. Since the port goes into the heart, if the infection got into the vein, my heart would pump the infection all through my body and I would become septic very quickly. So the port had to go. But he said we have to get the infection cleared up before he will put in another port. After our brief consultation, the surgeon left to do another surgery while the nurse prepped me to be deported.

As it turns out, I stayed in the kid's room for the deportation, so while I waited for the nurse to gather up all the necessary prep material, I photographed the room, and then settled back into a chair and read "The Cat In The Hat" until she was ready for me to lie on the gurney so she could start the prep. Not long after she finished the prep, the surgeon came in, took off a lead filled gown he used for an x-ray guided surgery, threw it on the chair I was sitting on, complained about incompetent people in ER, and started giving me shots of 1% lidocaine with epinephrine to numb the area around my port. 

The surgeon had warned me that infected tissue didn't numb as well because the acidity of the infection cancelled out the base of the lidocaine, making it less effective in the area with infected tissue. While the deportation was not very painful, per se, I felt most everything he did through dulled sensations. Fortunately, he did not find any signs of pus where the line had been, so he felt the infection had not become as advanced as the redness might have indicated. The surgeon drew and circle around the infected area on my chest, so I could monitor the redness, and call in if the redness advanced outside the lines. The surgeon and nurse gave me instructions and numbers to call if I had any problems, and the surgeon was off to perform another surgery. We are very short on doctors in New Mexico, and he told me that I was in the kid's room because that was the only space they had to fit me between surgeries. 

I put my shirt on, photographed the table of surgical tools and bloodied swabs used to deport me, walked out to where Laurie was waiting for me, and we walked to the car — the weird dream ended with me deported, and memories of reading "The Cat In The Hat" in French in a blue room.

As a newly deported man, I was feeling pretty well, so after the surgery, I dropped Laurie off at UNM to go to class while I drove over to Camera & Darkroom to pick up some color film I had developed. After picking up the film, talking to Art for a few minutes, and checking out some of the cool equipment I would like to have, I drove back to UNM, picked up Laurie and drove home. I went to the bank in the late afternoon to take care of some business, and then we went to an art opening. While I can do most anything that doesn't involve manual labor, or much exertion, the things I really need to do require both. Therefore, I'm not very excited about having to spend another weekend recovering from surgery when I have lots of yard work to do, and I would also like to get out and photograph the beautiful New Mexico landscapes and sites outside our property.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) French The Cat In The Hat art deportation deported infection light lighting photography port surgery https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/jaime-le-chat-au-chapue Sat, 10 Sep 2016 05:08:19 GMT
Like Blowing in the Wind https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/like-blowing-in-the-wind

I'm feeling a bit rattled and out of sorts — I will probably be deported tomorrow. I thought I was going to have a month of no doctors, Cancer Center or surgeries before I go in for the stem cell transplant in October. But no. My port had to act up, become infected, so they will probably have to remove it. But then they will need to put in another port for the chemo they will give me before the stem cell transplant. I hoping they can put a new port in on the left side of my chest tomorrow if they take out the problem port, but I don't know what they are going to do — It's like I'm blowing in the wind.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting photography sunflowers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/like-blowing-in-the-wind Fri, 09 Sep 2016 02:23:25 GMT
How's it Hanging? https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/hows-it-hanging

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art damselflies light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/hows-it-hanging Thu, 08 Sep 2016 02:26:40 GMT
Buzzed by Buzzards https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/buzzed-by-buzzards

 

As I photographed the turkey vultures circling over the bosque and Rio Grande, they flew a little closer to me, which gave me a little better view.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds buzzards light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/buzzed-by-buzzards Wed, 07 Sep 2016 02:12:24 GMT
Bonsai Spunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/bonsai-spunk

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rosencrantz Spunk art bonsai cats light lighting photography window https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/bonsai-spunk Tue, 06 Sep 2016 00:34:20 GMT
Forest of Sunflowers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/forest-of-sunflowers

 

We've allowed the sunflowers to grow into a forest and kept the pathways through the garden cleared. Now that the blooms have finally gotten ahead of the evil little moths that chew through the stalks below the buds at night, it's like walking though a maze of sunflowers and morning glories.

 

Laurie on the path.

 

Mermaid

 

A new gladiola.

 

We've also allowed the cosmos the make their own colorful forest in and around the sunflowers.

 

Laurie painted each nail in a different shade of green. The greens are pretty true to color against the red of Veteran's Honor.

 

A view of the garden from the corner of my darkroom showing layers of roses, vinca, bamboo and cottonwoods. Altisimo is in the foreground on the left.

 

Standing in the forest of sunflowers.
 

Sunset colors behind the peach tree.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cosmos gladiola light lighting painted nails peach tree photography roses sunflowers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/forest-of-sunflowers Mon, 05 Sep 2016 02:40:54 GMT
Garden Miscellany https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/garden-miscellany

Dream Come True

 

Dahlia

 

Altisimo

 

Cooper's Hawk

 

Cosmos

 

Cooper's Hawk taking flight

 

Altisimo

 

Mermaid

 

Mermaid

 

Finch

 

Pearl Crescent

 

Pillow Fight

 

Bella Roma

 

Brown Eyed Susan

 

Rosencrantz

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Coopers Hawk Cosmos Finch Rosencrantz art birds cats flowers light lighting photography roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/garden-miscellany Sun, 04 Sep 2016 02:44:27 GMT
Puff https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/puff

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Jemez art clouds light lighting photography trees wildflowers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/puff Sat, 03 Sep 2016 02:34:01 GMT
Who Knew? https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/who-knew

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) B&W Hooters Sandias art light lighting photography thunderheads https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/9/who-knew Fri, 02 Sep 2016 02:48:15 GMT
Plugged-in, Unplugged https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/plugged-in-unplugged

Laurie got a decent photo of me plugged into the stem cell harvester with the VASCATH they stuck in my neck only 15 minutes before they plugged me into the machine. I think I look a lot like my father with my fuzzy head.

 

 

As I laid on the couch last night after finding a position that gave me temporary relief from the pain, I wondered how I would ever get anything done again. I couldn't face the computer to read and answer email, let alone even think about posting a blog — two days of stem cell harvesting while dealing with intense pain had taken its toll, and I couldn't do anything but try to get comfortable.

They had harvested half the stem cells they needed to do the transplant on Monday, so Tuesday morning a surgeon placed a VASCATH in my neck. After I saw the VASCATH in my neck, I figured "VAS" must stand for "Vampire Access Straw", and this model had two straws so vampires could share their victim with friends and family, kind of like a double-straw malt from an old-fashioned diner.  I was awake while the surgeon placed the VASCATH and I felt most of the procedure because the local anesthesia was very localized. Right after the surgeon "tacked down" the cath with a couple of sutures, and the nurses got me disconnected and cleaned up, a couple of guys rolled me from surgery to the infusion room on the other side of the hospital, where I was hooked up to the Optia harvester and my blood was circulating through the machine within 15 minutes of being wheeled out of surgery. Being hooked up using the VASCATH for 7 hours was so much better than having to lay on my back as still as possible without moving my arms for 7 hours — even with no pain, 7 hours in one position would be pretty unbearable.

I had gotten my pain pretty well under control by the time I reported for surgery, but as the day wore on it grew worse and seemed to stop responding to pain meds. The problem with doing procedures as an outpatient is that the doctors will not prescribe the really good narcotics that really kill pain because of liability, so when the strongest thing they can legally prescribe doesn't work, you have to grimace and bear it.  

After a really rough night, I managed to get the pain under control, and we went back the hospital this morning to see if they had harvested enough stem cells, and have the VASCATH removed.  Out of the two days, they got 5.7 million, 100% viable stem cells — they needed to get 5 million stem cells for the transplant.  The doctor decided they could pull the VASCATH without doing labs, because my platelets were 55 on Tuesday afternoon, and they only need to be a 20 to pull the cath, so there was little chance they had fallen below 20 in less than 16 hours. Not having to doing labs saved us a couple hours of waiting around, so we were able to make it to a class Laurie and Tristan are taking called The History of  the English Language after we were done with removing the VASCATH and taking my vitals.

 

The Optia harvester made chugging noises as my blood flowed through various mechanisms into it and out of it, and the dials spun at different speeds like a Steampunk inspired concoction of old-world machine mixed with modern, high-tech assemblies. My stem cells (orange-red) were collected in the large bag in the center.

 

Laurie got me doing my best "Squint like Clint" look. This is a good close up of the VASCATH with a good view of the "double-straws" for the vampires.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Optia VASCATH art light lighting photography stem cells surgery https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/plugged-in-unplugged Thu, 01 Sep 2016 02:59:20 GMT
Harvest https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/harvest

When I asked the nurse at the Cancer Center what I would be doing when I met with the transplant coordinator at Presbyterian Hospital on Monday morning, August 29th, she said the coordinator would go over my labs from Sunday, explain the process for harvesting stem cells, go over the schedule for having the VAS CATH installed, and look at a probable schedule for harvesting stem cells based my labs, then I would be done.  It all sounded so reasonable, and my nurse at the Cancer Center must simply had forgotten to mention that I would be having labs done and getting another high dose Nuepogen shot to begin with. She hadn't said anything about all the paperwork we'd be going over, and signing more papers acknowledging the risks of a stem cells transplant. Or that I would meet with the Social Worker offering lots of support services, but since I didn't look to be on my last legs like many of the patients she said she meets with, she didn't think I looked particularly in need of social services.  Or that I would have to go see a doctor, to show him the scars from the shingles I had developed about 3 weeks ago, and the Cancer Center treated immediately, but failed to mention to the transplant coordinator.  So much for a quick orientation.

It was nearly noon when they were finally done with me, or so I thought. I was getting ready to leave when the transplant coordinator came in a said "your absolute CD34 count is 40! It only needs to be 15 to harvest, so you are at an optimum level to start harvesting. I'm waiting to see what the doctor wants to do!"  The problem was the VAS CATH is scheduled for tomorrow, so they would have to draw my blood from one arm, run it through the machine to extract the stem cells, and then put my blood back using my other arm, forcing me to lay still for up to six hours without moving my arms.  The only real problem with the scenario was that I have intense bone pain from 10 days of high dose Nuepogen shots that are forcing my bone marrow to create white blood cells and stem cells — the pain is a necessary indicator the Nuepogen is working, but pain nevertheless.

I told the transplant coordinator that I would do whatever I needed for them to harvest the stem cells, so I spent four hours on my back, huge needles in both arms, with very restricted movement while the machine harvested my stem cells.  Unfortunately, I had intense pain and was very uncomfortable for the first two and a half hours until they finally gave me an injection of a potent anti-inflamatory that cut the pain level, after the other pain killers failed to work.

They took a mid-session sample of stem cells and sent them off for analysis. From that sample, they may have harvested a sufficient number for the transplant in today's 4 hour session, since the new machines are more efficient and my absolute CD34 count was so high. However, I have to wait until after 8:00 am tomorrow before we know whether we need to harvest more stem cells or not.  In the meantime, the transplant coordinator juggled the schedule for my VAS CATH until after we get the total counts from today's harvest. If they are good we will cancel the VAS CATH. If they need more stem cells, they will install the VAS CATH, and we will do another session.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Nuepogen art harvest light lighting photography stem cells https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/harvest Tue, 30 Aug 2016 04:28:09 GMT
Route 66 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/route-66

Old Route 66 (Central Ave) looking west from 4th Street in Downtown Albuquerque on Sunday afternoon, August 28, 2016.

 

Route 66 (Central Ave), Downtown Albuquerque, 1950 looking west from the railroad bridge. 1st Street is the first cross street. This photo is in a transportation plan for Albuquerque published in 1950. I got a copy of the plan several years ago when the YWCA moved out of their building in Downtown Albuquerque.

 

I-40 (new Route 66) westbound on Sunday afternoon, August 28, 2016.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Central Ave Downtown Albuquerque I-40 Route 66 art light. lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/route-66 Mon, 29 Aug 2016 03:01:16 GMT
Sunflowers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/sunflowers

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography sunflowers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/sunflowers Sun, 28 Aug 2016 01:11:35 GMT
Spider in the Wind https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/spider-in-the-wind

 

I was trying to get the spider on its web in the dark, but the wind kept blowing the web around. The spider finally got tired of the light, ran under a leaf, the wind let up, and I got a clear shot of the web sans spider.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography spider spider web wind https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/spider-in-the-wind Sat, 27 Aug 2016 01:39:43 GMT
Chargers & Melons https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/chargers-melons

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art chargers light lighting melons photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/chargers-melons Fri, 26 Aug 2016 03:10:19 GMT
KISS https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/kiss

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) KISS art light lighting painting photography pickup truck https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/kiss Thu, 25 Aug 2016 01:40:13 GMT
Easy Rider https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/easy-rider

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Easy Rider Harley art chopper light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/easy-rider Wed, 24 Aug 2016 03:10:30 GMT
Broken Rainbow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/broken-rainbow

Although rainbows look pretty much the same, there is something irresistible about rainbows — the simple arc, the primary colors, no real beginning or no real end, like an anti-alpha-omega offering assurances of a world without end. But sometimes all the pressures of our world are simply too much and they can break a rainbow.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art landscape light lighting photography rainbows https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/broken-rainbow Tue, 23 Aug 2016 04:03:16 GMT
Banged-up Buzzards https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/banged-up-buzzards

 

 

A couple of buzzards circling over the bosque seemed pretty banged up and slightly feather bare. 

 

Looks rough even as a silhouette.

 

Spread eagle.

 

Looks as much like elk horns as it does a buzzard.

 

Banzai!

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds buzzards light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/banged-up-buzzards Mon, 22 Aug 2016 01:44:54 GMT
Clouds https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/clouds

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/clouds Sun, 21 Aug 2016 02:23:28 GMT
Roses & Rose https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/roses-rose

Mini Pearl

 

Rosencrantz

 

Rio Samba

 

 

Radiant Perfume

 

 

Princess de Monaco

 

 

Bella Roma

 

 

Simply Marvelous

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rosencrantz art cats light lighting photography roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/roses-rose Sat, 20 Aug 2016 02:32:23 GMT
Critters & Roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/critters-roses

 

From my walk in the garden this afternoon.

 

Rainbow Sorbet

 

 

 

Veteran's Honor

 

 

Leaf Hopper on Veteran's Honor. It's either a female laying eggs or a very well endowed male.

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rainbow Sorbet Veteran's Honor art birds bumblebee dragonfly flowers hummingbirds insects leaf hopper light lighting photography roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/critters-roses Fri, 19 Aug 2016 02:33:39 GMT
Out to Lunch https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/out-to-lunch

 

I started my third round of chemo today, so I'm feeling like I'm out to lunch.  I'm actually entering photos in some local photo shows. One of them is B&W only, so I've been looking back for photos that I already did in B&W or look good in B&W as candidates. I don't know if I'll enter any of these, but I like them in B&W.

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) B&W PBR Puck Red Top Diner art blacksmith bull cats koi light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/out-to-lunch Thu, 18 Aug 2016 02:48:59 GMT
Fruity https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/fruity

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art box cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/fruity Wed, 17 Aug 2016 01:40:27 GMT
Brown Eyed Susans https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/brown-eyed-susans

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art flowers light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/brown-eyed-susans Tue, 16 Aug 2016 02:04:56 GMT
Roadrunner https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/roadrunner

 

A roadrunner ran across the parking lot in front of me and gave me a silly look as I photographed him running by.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds light lighting photography roadrunner https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/roadrunner Mon, 15 Aug 2016 02:35:37 GMT
Whacky https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/whacky

Brocken 30 year old weed whacker. The metal eyelet that held the blade onto the frame broke making it unrepairable.

 

 

My 30 year old weed whacker that I had repaired multiple times over the years finally broke beyond repair last week while I was attempting to whack some giant weeds.  I have a newer weed whacker, but the wooden handle had broken a few years ago, and I was not able to find a new handle, so it sat, broken, while I kept the old weed whacker in service. Now that I was out of usable week whackers, I started looking around stuff I have laying around to see if I could find something suitable to make a handle out of.

While I was rummaging around in the shed, I remembered I had a shovel with a broken spade and metal handle in a pile of metal to be recycled at some point. I cut the handle off of the shovel and fit it onto the weed whacker that had the broken wooden handle. The metal handle added weight to the weed whacker which gave it more momentum with each swing, so it cut right through giant, 7 to 8 foot tall, weeds that my 30 year old weed whacker simply bounced off of.

Under a pleasantly cloudy sky, I attacked a small forest of giant weeds that had grown out of control with the recent rains. After a break to let a thunderstorm pass through, I got the weed forest whacked down, and opened up views of the cottonwoods and tall grasses growing on the property.

 

Broken shovel I cut the handle off of.

 

I drilled the metal handle so I could bolt it onto the weed whacker's frame.

 

Weed whacker's blade, frame and new handle in the process of being drilled.

 

The newly rebuilt weed whacker on a large pile of mulch with the forest of weeds behind it.

 

Weed whacker on the mulch pile after helping me make short work of the forest of weeds.

 

Me holding the stalk of a giant weed with Rosencrantz, and the weed whacker.

 

The weed forest whacked down and ready to be moved to a weed pile.

 

Victory over the weed forest.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rosencrantz art cats drill light lighting photography shovel weed forest weed whacker weeds https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/whacky Sun, 14 Aug 2016 02:45:43 GMT
Weedy https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/weedy

This weed's flowers open at night

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography weed https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/weedy Sat, 13 Aug 2016 03:24:04 GMT
Crabby https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/crabby

Crab Spider

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art crab spider light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/crabby Fri, 12 Aug 2016 02:23:50 GMT
On Route 66 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/on-route-66

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Dog House Route 66 art hotdogs light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/on-route-66 Thu, 11 Aug 2016 02:38:29 GMT
Funeral for a Friend https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/funeral-for-a-friend

 

With great sadness I have to report that we lost Guildenstern today. Guildenstern was 16 years old. He had an episode of some type (a stroke or blood clot — we don't know for sure) over the weekend that left him unable to walk. We didn't think he would last through the weekend, but we treated him and nursed him along best we could, and he showed some improvement, so Laurie took him to the vet Monday morning. The vet said he was doing much better, but then he had another episode, suddenly passed out, and the vet was unable to revive him.  Guildenstern was a good friend to everyone and we will miss him greatly. Rosencrantz was with us when we buried Guildenstern in the afternoon, and then he sat by Guildenstern's grave until I went out and got him after dark.

 

 

He loved to roll in the dirt and bring loads of dirt into the house

 

A very young Guildenstern

 

black on black

 

Power lounging with Rosencrantz

 

Guildenstern liked pretty girls even in magazines
 

Catzilla

 

He was an expert napper

 

He liked to sit like a person

 

Pondering medieval

 

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

 

pondering freedom

 

He loved to sit with Laurie

 

He was always good about modeling

 

Checking himself out on the computer

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Guildenstern art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/funeral-for-a-friend Wed, 10 Aug 2016 05:45:21 GMT
Kissy Kats https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/kissy-kats

 

Sasha and Spunk like to rough and tumble all over the house on fight nights. Then they take a break and get all kitty kissy faced with each other.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sasha Spunk art cats kitty kisses light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/kissy-kats Tue, 09 Aug 2016 02:39:43 GMT
Hill and Rainbow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/hill-and-rainbow

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art flowers garden hill light lighting photography rainbow trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/hill-and-rainbow Mon, 08 Aug 2016 02:50:23 GMT
Burned Out https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/burned-out

 

We drove the loop up through the Jemez, by Valle Grande, around Los Alamos and Santa Fe, and back to Corrales, which was a little over 200 miles. The photos are from the edge of Valle Grande, a large caldera in the Jemez Mountains. The caldera is 13.7 miles (22 Km) across and has lava domes, natural gas vents, and various wildlife, including cattle that graze in the large meadows. The highest point in the caldera is Redondo Peak at 11,253 feet (3,430 m) above sea level. A  fire in 2011 has left large areas of burned out forest full of bare, skeleton-like trees covering the hills. Rain started falling not long after we got to Valle Grande, but the sun continued to shine through breaks in the clouds giving us stripes of sunshine through the rain. As we drove east on Highway 4 past Bandelier National Monument, the rain came down so hard we had zero visibility, and nowhere to pull of the road to wait out the rain. Fortunately, the blinding rain didn't last long, but we had rain for nearly 100 miles from Valle Grande to Corrales.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking at the southern edge of the caldera through the rain from the entrance to the visitor's center with it near the base of the lava dome near the center of the photo.  

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Valle Grande art burned landscapes light lighting photography trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/burned-out Sun, 07 Aug 2016 05:57:10 GMT
Cite Des Baux De Provence, France https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/cite-des-baux-de-provence-france

 

Baux is built on a rock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Restaurant inside the narrow building

 

 

 

 

 

Different interior for an old church

 

Vineyard on the out skits of Baux de Provence

 

Laurie with the local kitties at the end of a long day

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Baux de Provence architecture art cats landscapes light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/cite-des-baux-de-provence-france Sat, 06 Aug 2016 04:05:07 GMT
Arles, France https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/arles-france

While I was looking through my photo archives, I realized there are a lot of photos from when we were in France in 2013 that I never processed, let alone posted. Here are a few photos from Arles, France.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Arles France architecture art light. lighting photography ruins https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/arles-france Fri, 05 Aug 2016 02:45:45 GMT
Fight Night https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/fight-night

 

One of the many aspects of kitty entertainment at our house is fight night with Sasha and Spunk.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sasha Spunk art cat fight cats fight night light lighting photography wrestling https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/fight-night Thu, 04 Aug 2016 03:09:26 GMT
Sunbeams https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/sunbeams

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography rainbow sunbeams https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/sunbeams Wed, 03 Aug 2016 03:42:33 GMT
Clouded Sulphur https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/clouded-sulphur

 

I was watching a pair of Clouded Sulphur butterflies (Colias philodice) whirling, rolling and fluttering around together in a frenzy in the echinacea, and noticed the yellow/green butterfly would often sit on a flower with its tail pointed upward for a short moment, while the orange butterfly would flutter around it, before they both began fluttering and tumbling around together to the next flower. I bumped up my ISO to 400 so my shutter speeds were 1/1000 to 1/1250 of a second in the bright sunlight, and then went about capturing the fast-paced action of the amorous couple in our forest of echinacea. I assume the yellow/green butterfly is a female and the orange one is a male.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Clouded Sulphur butterflies Colias philodice art butterflies echinacea light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/8/clouded-sulphur Tue, 02 Aug 2016 04:03:33 GMT
A Praying Mantis In The Hand... https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/a-praying-mantis-in-the-hand

 

A Praying Mantis climbed up on me while I was sitting on the deck in the afternoon. She was very friendly, and posed for a few shots. I put her on the pink butterfly bush on the edge of the deck behind me, where she instantly spotted something that I couldn't see, and started stalking it — she caught a grasshopper and had in mostly eaten not more than 10 minutes after I put her on the butterfly bush.

 

Looking coy in my hand

 

"Do you mind if I crawl up your arm?"

 

 

She was not camera shy

 

She sees her prey

 

Finishing off the grasshopper she caught soon after I put her on the butterfly bush

 

Enjoying the late afternoon light after a fine meal

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art butterfly bush grasshopper hand light lighting photography praying mantis https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/a-praying-mantis-in-the-hand Mon, 01 Aug 2016 00:41:17 GMT
Spunk, Hummingbird, Crow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/spunk-hummingbird-crow

 

A hummingbird teased Spunk early in the morning while a crow cawed and pecked about in a cottonwood. You can see an animated gif of the hummingbird teasing Spunk at https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2016/07/30/spunk-hummingbird-crow/

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art birds catio cats cottonwood crow hummingbird light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/spunk-hummingbird-crow Sun, 31 Jul 2016 01:20:35 GMT
Lively Meadow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/lively-meadow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bees bumblebee butterflies dragonfly insects light lighting meadow photography wasp https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/lively-meadow Sat, 30 Jul 2016 01:58:24 GMT
Monarch Mimic https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/monarch-mimic

I spotted this butterfly out in the meadow playing with a monarch butterfly. I noticed it has a similar structure in the wings to the monarch, and the body markings are the same as the monarch, but the coloration and spot patterns on the wings are different from the monarch. Turns out it's a Queen Butterfly that is a monarch look alike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art butterflies light lighting monarch photography queen https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/monarch-mimic Fri, 29 Jul 2016 03:58:05 GMT
More Critters https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/more-critters

Three times four calling birds

 

Incoming

 

Skinny Praying Mantis

 

Two times four calling birds

 

Peek-a-boo

 

Seven legged spider

 

Meditation

 

Reticulated

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art calling birds finches light lighting monarch butterfly photography praying mantis spider https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/more-critters Thu, 28 Jul 2016 03:39:25 GMT
Spider & Snake https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/spider-snake

This spider had spun its web across the path just outside our front door.

 

Laurie came across this garter snake on the path while she was out running.

 

Close up of the spider feeding on the bees it had caught.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bees garter snake light lighting paths photography snake spider https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/spider-snake Wed, 27 Jul 2016 02:39:44 GMT
Monarch in the Wind https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/monarch-in-the-wind

This Monarch Butterfly was very determined to feed on our white and pink butterfly bushes growing on the edge of our deck. It held on best it could, and then kept coming back after getting blown off the bushes several times by gusts of wind from a thunderstorm that rolled through in the afternoon. I used high shutter speeds, and waited for when the wind was not whipping the bushes around so violently to get these shots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art butterflies butterfly bushes light lighting monarch butterfly photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/monarch-in-the-wind Tue, 26 Jul 2016 02:46:04 GMT
Colors at Sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/colors-at-sunset

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bench echinacea light lighting photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/colors-at-sunset Mon, 25 Jul 2016 01:12:16 GMT
Black on Yellow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/black-on-yellow

A rusty black butterfly was feeding on our yellow butterfly bush, and a dragonfly with tiger stripes was hanging out under the chitalpa. 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art butterfly butterfly bush chitalpa dragonfly light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/black-on-yellow Sun, 24 Jul 2016 00:41:33 GMT
It's a Hot One https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/its-a-hot-one

109º F (42.8º C) @ 5:59 pm

 

My car registered 109º F (42.8º C) outside in the late afternoon. When I got home, the kitties were making the best of it between the water bottles. We started buying bottled water when I started treatment so I wouldn't have to be washing out glasses and thermoses all the time.

 

Najar in the water bottle tunnel

 

 

Najar in the water bottles with Sasha hanging out in a box (photo by Laurie)

 

 

Spunk in among the bottles

 

Sasha standing by the water bottles to check for any cooling factor

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Najar Sasha Spunk art bottles cats hot light lighting photography water https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/its-a-hot-one Sat, 23 Jul 2016 02:35:06 GMT
First Zipper https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/first-zipper

Our first zipper spider of the season is small and thin.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography spider zipper spider https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/first-zipper Fri, 22 Jul 2016 04:26:29 GMT
Colorful Lilies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/colorful-lilies

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art flowers light lighting lilies photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/colorful-lilies Thu, 21 Jul 2016 02:01:05 GMT
A 1 Sasha https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/a-1-sasha

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sasha art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/a-1-sasha Wed, 20 Jul 2016 02:28:06 GMT
Sun Rays https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/sun-rays

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds landscape light lighting photography sun rays https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/sun-rays Tue, 19 Jul 2016 02:38:09 GMT
White, Orange and a Finch https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/white-orange-and-a-finch

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds butterfly finch flowers light lighting lily photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/white-orange-and-a-finch Mon, 18 Jul 2016 02:20:24 GMT
Toad-n-crantz https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/toad-n-crantz

Rosencrantz checking out the newly mulched path

 

In the morning I chopped and pulled weeds in the path the runs through the meadow on the way to the ditch along with chopping and pulling other weeds around the property. I spread new mulch on the path in the evening and Rosencrantz walked the path to see how well he could walk on it with the new mulch. The mulch is thick, but he didn't have any trouble walking on it. Friends dropped by in the afternoon, and while we were sitting on the deck talking a toad joined us. First place he checked out is the area by one set of steps that has vines growing, and a bed of rose petals that have fallen off America. Then he made several laps around the deck, over our feet and around our chairs before he hopped off into the flowers, vines and grasses growing around the edge of the deck.

 

Mr. Toad trying to blend into the vines and rose petals

 

Rosencrantz on the path looking at the sunset

 

Mr. Toad hanging out on the deck with us

 

 

 

 

The moon is almost full

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rosencrantz art cats light lighting moon mulch path photography toad https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/toad-n-crantz Sun, 17 Jul 2016 04:10:56 GMT
Dandelion https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/dandelion

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art dandelion light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/dandelion Sat, 16 Jul 2016 04:53:15 GMT
Three Cat Night https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/three-cat-night

 

 

Rosencrantz, Spunk and Sasha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rosencrantz Sasha Spunk art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/three-cat-night Fri, 15 Jul 2016 04:09:19 GMT
Common Nighthawk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/common-nighthawk

Common Nighthawks are fast, and change direction constantly as they fly after insects, making it very difficult to get clear shots of them in flight.  I took these photos using a 35-350mm lens, handheld, no stabilization.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds light lighting nighthawk photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/common-nighthawk Thu, 14 Jul 2016 04:12:18 GMT
All the Buzz https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/all-the-buzz

Bees wrestling

 

The bees are all a buzz about our first sunflower to bloom.

 

Blue dragonfly illuminated by my flashlight

 

Six bees a buzzing in the sunflower

 

Damselfly

 

backlit wildflowers

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bees damselfly dragonfly light lighting photography sunflowers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/all-the-buzz Wed, 13 Jul 2016 03:08:47 GMT
PET Scans https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/pet-scans

Injecting radioactive sugar into my system

 

I had a follow up PET scan on Friday, July 8th to see where I stand after two rounds of intensive chemo. The last image shows comparative PET scans from 2010, 2013, February 2016 and last Friday. Friday's PET scan is very good with almost all the lymphoma gone, but the radiologist reported there is a tiny bit remaining so I will have to go through a third round of intensive chemo before they start harvesting stem cells, but the doctor is going to wait until all the tests I have to go through before I can do the stem cell transplant are completed, I'm cleared to go and my insurance approves the transplant before he orders the third chemo session. I have a test almost everyday over the next two weeks, and them I'm scheduled for a follow up on all the results the end of July. Maybe we will be able to start the process to harvest stem cells the first week in August.

 

Going totally tubular for about 25 minutes while they slowly chug me through the tube to get images of the full length of my body

 

PET scans from my first bout with lymphoma in 2010, a checkup in 2013, February 2016 when I suspected lymphoma my be recurring, and last Friday, July 8th after two rounds of intensive chemo. I added the cottonwood leaves to avoid pulling a www (world-wide weenie) on everyone.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) PET scan art light lighting lymphoma photography radioactive sugar tubular https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/pet-scans Tue, 12 Jul 2016 04:37:57 GMT
The Latest Sit / Stand Desktop https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/the-latest-sit-/-stand-desktop

 

My latest sit / stand desk has been much more of a challenge than the enlarger based desktops I've built recently, because it only needs to raise up six to eight inches for the staff member who asked for it, but it still needed to have a motorized lift. She couldn't use a pull-up type desktop because it would put too much stress on her back, and she couldn't use a manual turn to wind it up and down because of hand issues. The  enlarger frame model I've been making would be overkill, and nothing in a reasonable price-range is available that is motorized.  So, I modified a pair of scissor jacks to be the lifts, and originally rigged up an extra motor I had from an enlarger chassis to power the jacks, but it couldn't lift the weight, so I had to rethink my motorized lift.

I remembered a Youtube video of Red Green making automatic power windows for his van using an electric mixer, the light bulb came on, and I figured a drill would work. Check out the Red Green video Red Green Handyman Tip - "Power Windows" (1999) it's great. I attached a drill to the arbor I had rigged on one of the scissor jacks, and it ran the rig up and down with ease. I set a board across the jacks, set 70 pounds of kitty litter on the board, and the drill easily lifted the kitty litter. That solved the problem of the motor, but I needed a close quarter reversible drill, because it is more compact than a normal drill. My drills are powerful, 7.5 amp drills, and 6 amp reversible close quarter drills were in the $250 to $300 range — more than all the materials in the desktop. I searched around on the web and found a 3.5 amp reversible close quarter drill on sale at Harbor Freight for $30, and, low and behold, the local HF had them in stock. I figured $30 was worth a try. It turned out that 3.5 amps is plenty of power, because the drill had no problem providing enough power to lift 70 pounds of kitty litter.

As I was finishing up the last few details on the desktop before taking it out to sand and varnish the oak, I put my hand on the top to stand up and the piece of oak on the right hand side split. That was unexpected, but I was glad it happened before I had taken the desktop to the office and got it all set up. I glued and clamped the side piece, and now I need to make brackets for each side to keep the sides from splitting again since both sides are from the same piece of oak. While I had the desktop in a lifted position while the clamp was on it, Lola and Spunk gave it the kitty test, and checked it out to make sure it was kitty worthy before I finish the desktop and take it to the office.

 

Lola giving it the lounge test

 

Spunk checking it out while Lola watches

 

Spunk test

 

A wild wide-angle view of the desktop

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Lola Red Green Spunk art cats clamp drill handyman light lighting oak photography sit / stand desktop https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/the-latest-sit-/-stand-desktop Mon, 11 Jul 2016 04:09:22 GMT
Ratatouille https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/ratatouille

Laurie made ratatouille and potato wedges this afternoon while I worked on a sit / stand desk. 

Ingredients weighed, counted, ready to be cleaned and chopped

 

Tomatoes sliced and ready for the grill

 

Bell peppers waiting for the eggplant to come off the grill

 

Onions and zucchini off the grill ready for the pan

 

Potato wedges roasted with lemon zest and fresh ground black pepper

 

Ratatouille: all the grilled vegetables cooking in a 16 inch cast iron skillet

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bell peppers eggplant light lighting onions photography ratatouille tomatoes zucchini https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/ratatouille Sun, 10 Jul 2016 04:03:24 GMT
High Desert Forests https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/high-desert-forests

Pearl Crescent butterfly in a forest of wild flowers

 

 

 

Wild flowers with bee

 

Hummingbird feeding at the top of a mimosa tree

 

Looking south from the west bank of the Rio Grande through the sandbar willow

 

Clouds over the bosque (cottonwood forest)

 

The crescent moon floating in front of the clouds

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bees bosque butterflies flowers forest hummingbirds landscape light lighting mimosa moon photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/high-desert-forests Sat, 09 Jul 2016 05:00:42 GMT
Sunset and the Sliver Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/sunset-and-the-sliver-moon

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography sliver moon" spider lily sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/sunset-and-the-sliver-moon Fri, 08 Jul 2016 03:57:47 GMT
Spunk High on the Grid at Dusk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/spunk-high-on-the-grid-at-dusk

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spider Lilies Spunk art catio cats flowers grid light lighting lilies photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/spunk-high-on-the-grid-at-dusk Thu, 07 Jul 2016 04:37:51 GMT
Parking No Parking https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/parking-no-parking

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cactus light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/parking-no-parking Wed, 06 Jul 2016 03:36:54 GMT
Fireworks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/fireworks

Albuquerque's 2016 4th of July Fireworks Show as seen from Corrales on the west bank of the Rio Grande.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque Fireworks art fireworks light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/fireworks Tue, 05 Jul 2016 06:08:51 GMT
2016 Corrales 4th of July Parade https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/2016-corrales-4th-of-july-parade

The Sandoval County Princess, Sweetheart and their lovely friend welcome you to the 2016 Corrales 4th of July Parade

 

All the classic cars were queueing up along Target Road because the school parking lot wasn't available this year

 

Queued up all the way down to Price Lane

 

A fast Farmall came by...

 

...and went into warp speed

 

Waiting

 

The beginning

 

The 1776er's

 

Real men wear skirts

 

The Village Fire Department

 

Lots of horses

 

Lots more horses

 

Ninety-nine horses' buns marking time on Corrales Road

 

Uppity Book Nerd

 

Rock and Roll

 

Sandoval County Princess

 

Miss Duke City

 

Miss Duke City's Teen

 

Line of Thunderbirds

 

A real mustang

 

A Ford Mustang

 

Rebel Charleston band

 

A literal float

 

Lawrence

 

Americana

 

Paper skirt

 

gimme three stars, gimme three stars miss...

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 4th of July art bagpipes classic cars flags horses light lighting marching parade photography tractors https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/2016-corrales-4th-of-july-parade Tue, 05 Jul 2016 01:50:14 GMT
Wet Paint https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/wet-paint

 

I put a little "WET PAINT" sign on the board I painted out in the catio the first thing this morning to see if it would help keep the mosquitos from landing on it and getting stuck in the paint. One skeeter was not a reader, and ended up in the paint. Not bad for the hundreds of mosquitos that were swarming around after I finished the can of spray paint. The spray can probably has a C02 propellent that attracted the attention of so many mosquitos.

I go out and walk the garden every morning, and there has been a lot of dew on the roses after our evening thunderstorms.  The bees have been working the wild flowers, especially the mini sunflowers. As many of our roses have faded, the various lilies are starting to bloom, and I caught sight of movement in the darkness on the ditch at the end of our walk this evening. I got out my flashlight to discover a tiny toad hopping across the ditch bank in front of us.

 

Touch of Class

 

Lynn Anderson

 

A bee on every flower. They have so much pollen on their legs they look like spiders

 

Two bees working the same flower

 

Delphinium

 

Backlit spider lily

 

Tiny toad with its back to us

 

Sideview of the tiny toad.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art baby toad bees delphinium dew light lighting mosquitos paint photography roses spider lily sunflowers toad https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/wet-paint Mon, 04 Jul 2016 05:35:30 GMT
Dark Shadows https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/dark-shadows

Hummingbird in the dark shadows of the trumpet vine.  Another busy day. I am getting a post in between what will be late night goings on.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds hummingbird light lighting photography trumpet vine https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/dark-shadows Sat, 02 Jul 2016 23:47:33 GMT
Staying Alive: Wales Wins https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/staying-alive-wales-wins

Spunk and Sasha practicing their kitty soccer moves

 

If you haven't seen the music video Ready to Monday: The Band Of The Bold (part 2) w/ Splack JoJoe Tyrone Chauncey Stubbs set to "Staying Alive" by the Bee Gee's it's wonderful.

I've never really followed soccer at all, but after Iceland beat Austria and Britain, I started following it a little because we are into all things Icelandic these days. Then I noticed that Wales played Belgium (the Red Devils) today so we watched the end of that game. While I have Welsh ancestry, I was welching on my ancestry and rooting for the Red Devils in support of Herman and Mr. Bowie. Unfortunately, the Red Devils lost, which after a little research, turns out to be a huge upset, as the Red Devils were placed something like 5th in the Euro Cup, and Wales wasn't even on the radar (correct me if I'm wrong, Herman). So Wales is staying alive along with Iceland.

In celebration of Wales' win, I thought The Band Of The Bold's music video especially appropriate, and then Spunk and Sasha wanted to play some kitty soccer, so we set up a make-shift goal: I put a backdrop over the mirror and they went at it.

 

Spunk tries a long shot and misses the goal

 

Spunk practices his surprise move from behind the goal

 

Sasha tries a side kick and Spunk actually blocks it

 

After a block by Spunk, Sasha dribbles the ball around and scores a goal while the goalie Spunk watches

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Netherlands Sasha Spunk Staying Alive Wales art cats light lighting music video photography soccer https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/staying-alive-wales-wins Sat, 02 Jul 2016 03:24:37 GMT
A Busy Day https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/a-busy-day

Spunk: "Didn't you get me anything?"

 

After all the care from Laurie and the kitties, all your well wishes and positive thoughts, gargling douche every four hours, going through the complicated process of taking a brutal antibiotic, and Laurie's mom making a special trip to get us primordial yogurt, I woke up with a normal temperature of 97.3º F and started a busy day. By 7:00 am I was on the roof getting the specs on the cooler motor that had gone out. I drove to Lowe's under dark, threatening clouds to get a new motor and belt, got back from Lowe's at 7:45 am in a light rain. I put the pulley on the motor, gathered up tools and was back up on the roof in a slightly heavier rain to replace the motor by 8:00 am. Thirty minutes later and only 4 trips back down the ladder to get the more tools, lubrication, and the new belt (duh), I had the motor changed. After I got all the tools back in place, I showered, dressed and was ready for work. I got in the car and the low tire light reminded me I needed to put air the right rear tire. I backed the car near the power, got the compressor, plugged it in and waited for it to get up to pressure. After I got the tire aired up, I put the compressor away, and was finally off to work.

I got to the office at 10:00 am, left at 5:30 pm and was back home by a little after 6:00 pm.  I helped Laurie unload her car from her trip to Costco, and after we unloaded all the bags Spunk searched them thoroughly and was disappointed Laurie hadn't brought home anything that was specifically for him.  At 6:20 pm I took my third round of anti-biotics and started the routine for making them work.  After organizing a little, I went out and lowered the gate to irrigate, got all the plugs and water routing set, and then walked the garden to get photos for today's post.  The ditch rider was thoughtful enough to text me to ask if I wanted water since I hadn't texted him on Tuesday asking for water like I usually do, and he made water available for me this evening. Once water got going, I had to go out and plug a few holes, beat back some gophers and play with the baby skunks.

We have a couple of baby skunks who play this game with me that when I'm on the walk, taking out compost, or turning off drippers in the the dark, they run up right up to my feet, like "surprise", run off and then do it again. The other night when I walked out to turn off the drippers, they followed me and I about stepped on one when I turned around to go back in. They are so cute and seem to have a lot of fun with their little game. Unfortunately, my carry camera is out for repair, so don't have photos of the little skunks.

It will be midnight by the time I'm finished watering and get everything shutdown and the gate lifted, ending a very busy day.

 

Banzai

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art backlit beetle birds cats flowers light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/a-busy-day Fri, 01 Jul 2016 05:03:37 GMT
Fever https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/fever

One of the side effects of chemo is that it messes up the probiotics in my system, and I ended up with a yeast infection in my throat, which is very painful making it really difficult to swallow. Since I figured that my sore throat was most likely a yeast infection, I went right in and they turned me over to Willow, a rather forceful, straight talking nurse practitioner who was rather impressed when I told her I thought I had a yeast infection, which turned out to be the case. My temperature was only 99.5, which is a degree below the temperature I was supposed to have before going in, but I figured I should go in before I hit 100.5.

Willow and the doctor figured my mild fever would continue to rise, so they gave me a prescription of Levofloxacin, which I was only to start if my temperature got to 100.4 or higher.  She also prescribed a bottle of "Magic Mouthwash", a name given it to make the douche concoction seem more palatable. I have to "swish and swallow" the Magic Mouthwash every four hours as a topical solution to treat the sores in my throat and esophagus. I had already taken a couple of doses of Magic Mouthwash, and then my fever hit 100.6 at 6:30 pm.  

I started the Levofloxacin, but I can't simply take Levofloxacin, as it came with a complex set of instructions, which included not taking any of several meds or foods for two hours on either side of it, because they would bond to the Levofloxacin, making it less effective, but after an hour or two of taking it, I need to eat yogurt and take probiotics.  Levofloxacin is brutal. The first dose gave me a headache, and seemed to intensify the pain from the fever and Neulasta®.  The instructions did not recommend ibuprofen, but since they did not mention problems with acetaminophen, I took Tylenol® to help deal with the pain when I went to bed. I also have to drink a lot of water with Levofloxacin, so between the pain and getting up to go to the bathroom every 30 to 45 minutes through the night, I didn't get much sleep, although my fever had gone down by morning and the various pains had subsided into the background.

The easy part was the yogurt. We have been getting an Icelandic yogurt that is very high in probiotics and protein. Icelandic yogurt is special because Icelandic cows are descendants of the primordial cow that created the universe.

After the first dose of Levofloxacin, continued use the Magic Mouthwash, and eating Icelandic yogurt through the day, my fever finally subsided and I'm back in the "normal" temperature range, but it's still much higher than I normally run. I'm on my second round of Levofloxacin, and I'm thinking I should have a better time with it tonight since I don't have a fever.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Icelandic yogart Levofloxacin fever light lighting photography primordial cow probiotics yeast infection https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/fever Thu, 30 Jun 2016 02:47:18 GMT
Dicy Engines https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/dicy-engines

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Fuzzy Dice art cars engines light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/dicy-engines Wed, 29 Jun 2016 03:28:22 GMT
Checkered Beetle and Bees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/checkered-beetle-and-bees

Checkered Beetle on wildflowers

 

Bee on a carrot bloom

 

Bee on cosmos

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bee beetle cosmos flowers light lighting photography wild https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/checkered-beetle-and-bees Tue, 28 Jun 2016 02:34:50 GMT
Art Cats https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/art-cats

Spunk making dramatic lines in his "sculptural cat" project

 

Sasha working on her "Conceptual Box" project

 

Najar on a hammer as part of her "Construction Cat" project

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Najar Sasha Spunk art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/art-cats Mon, 27 Jun 2016 05:06:12 GMT
Barbecue, Butterflies, Cars, and a Colorful Dusk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/barbecue-butterflies-cars-and-a-colorful-dusk

Tiger Swallowtail

 

I lit the grill at 7:30 am, rubbed the meat with seasoning and had it on the grill by 8:00 am. I went in and grabbed my camera, popped back outside to round up hoses, pull them to the various connections and start the weekend watering. I made the rounds through the garden and got photos of a Tiger Swallow tail checking out some wildflowers and a Pearl Crescent frolicking in the cosmos. After breakfast, I worked in the garden and pulled sunflowers and weeds growing in a couple of the main paths through the garden. I made a trip to Lowe's, stopped by and photographed a car show and the Hooters across the parking lot from Lowe's, and then went to the grocery store to get a few more barbecue ingredients. Photographing the cars at Hooters was as close as I have been to a Hooters in my life. I have never been inside a Hooters. There patio was packed with people taking lunch breaks, it seems to be a popular place. 

Back home I laid on the couch with the cats and read a novel to cool off, and then I got up and helped Laurie prep chicken, sausage and vegetables to grill on the "hot" side of the grill while the brisket was finishing its slow cooking. We spent the rest of the afternoon prepping and grilling, and got everything done and off the grill by 7:30 pm. The brisket is the best Laurie has done to date, very tender, spicy and tasty.  We went for our evening walk a little after 8:00 pm and the light was strange and magnificent. The glow at dusk was intense to the west and it made an interesting set of mottled pinks with purple stripes on the Sandias. I had never seen colors displayed like that on the Sandias before tonight. It was a really nice wrap up to a long day, and needless to say, I ended up with over 15,000 steps on my Fitbit® by the the time the day was over.

 

Happy Pearl Crescent on a Cosmos

 

 

'57 Chevy with a mohawk of '57 Chevys

 

For One Man, his Mustang, and Mustang Maniacs in London, England

 

Early Ford with that comes with the original owner

 

Cooked to perfection barbecued brisket

 

Zucchini and squash
 

Some of our pots and pans dangling on their hangers

 

Zucchini and squash, grilled chicken thighs, barbecued brisket and ingredients for more cooking

 

Glow at dusk long after the sun had set

 

Mottled pinks and purple stripes on the Sandias

 

Close up of colors on the Sandias

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art barbecue butterflies cars light lighting photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/barbecue-butterflies-cars-and-a-colorful-dusk Sun, 26 Jun 2016 05:41:04 GMT
Hummingbird Dance https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/hummingbird-dance

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds hummingbirds light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/hummingbird-dance Sat, 25 Jun 2016 02:22:24 GMT
After the Storm https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/after-the-storm

We had a nice thunderstorm in the afternoon while I laid on the couch with Spunk and Rosencrantz during my Neulasta® injection.  Laurie and I went out on our evening walk about 8:00 pm and the sky was magical about 8:40 pm as we where walking back to the house.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/after-the-storm Fri, 24 Jun 2016 04:01:55 GMT
Photographic Maneuvers in the Dark https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/photographic-maneuvers-in-the-dark

Horse riding by in very low light

 

I finished my second round of intensive chemo today which only took three days instead of four, because they were able to double up on some of the treatments and push them through much more quickly since I didn't react to any of the drugs they gave me. At the end of the treatment, the nurse attached a Neulasta® delivery system to my stomach that will inject the drug tomorrow afternoon 27 hours after the chemo was finished. Nuelasta® is a long-term immune system enhancer that will make my bones create extra white blood cells over the next 14 days to help keep my counts up.  I will have another PET scan on the 8th of July and then go in on the 11th to see the results. If I'm in remission on the 11th we'll start the process to harvest stem cells, if not, I will have to do another round of chemo like I did this week. We're looking forward to remission, though.

 

Well after sunset you can see the insects the hummingbird is eating.

 

A beetle scurrying along in the time between dusk and dark.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beetle dark horse hummingbird light lighting photography rider https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/photographic-maneuvers-in-the-dark Thu, 23 Jun 2016 04:20:05 GMT
From Blue to Bald https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/from-blue-to-bald

Hey Spunk! What do you think?

 

I have now joined the rank of my favorite local celebrity "The Hoff", co-anchor on the "Erica Viking and The Hoff" morning show on KIOT 102.5 FM. I get a lot of entertainment on my commute to work from the morning show. The Hoff and I have also crossed paths at a few events I photographed and while they were doing remote shows — The Hoff was part of the fashion show at Gears and Glamour

One of my favorite Italian celebrities is J-AX, and I got the idea of tattooing my head while I'm bald from J-AX. Check out his music video J-AX feat. IL CILE - MARIA SALVADOR (OFFICIAL VIDEO) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yrtpl9aDDrk.

 

Look Spunk no hair

 

Like what happened dude?

 

What do you think of this tattoo?

 

You're killing man!

 

How about a smoking kitty?

 

Please STOP!

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Jay-X KIOT 102.5 Spunk art bald cats light lighting photography tattoos https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/from-blue-to-bald Wed, 22 Jun 2016 01:01:20 GMT
Strawberry Honey Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/strawberry-honey-moon

Strawberry Moon rising over the Sandias and reflecting on the Rio Grande

 

A Strawberry Moon is full moon on Solstice, a rare event that happened today, June 20, 2016. A Honey Moon is a full moon on the longest day there is a full moon, which happens in June, rarely on Solstice but more often on a Friday the 13th in June.

I started my second round of chemo today, and after I got home I noticed my face felt like it had a thousand little spiders crawling on it. When I felt for the spiders, I realized crawling feeling was associated with my beard, and if I pulled on my beard, the hair would simply come out. I shaved off my beard, but the razor didn't cut the hair, it pulled it out, which made for weird shaving, and I ended up with a very close shave, and soft, smooth face.  My blue hair is starting to come out as well.

The new schedule for chemo is to finish this week, get a PET scan the week of July 4th to see if I'm in remission. If I am they will start the process to harvest stem cells, if not, I do another round of chemo starting the July 11th. The process to harvest stem cells is to get a catheter with stem cell collector installed in my chest. Get 5 days of Neupogen® shots to stimulate the bone marrow, and collect almost all of my stem cells, which is really the same volume of my stem cells. They will freeze my stem cells the preserve them while I continue the process.  

After recovering for a couple of weeks, I'll be admitted into the hospital, have another round of intensive chemo to kill my bone marrow, and then have them replace dead bone marrow with the stem cells they took a few weeks before. I will be in the hospital two or three weeks, depending on how I react to the treatment. I'm calculating the stem cell replacement will be about six weeks from start to finish.

 

The glow

 

The tip of the Strawberry Moon

 

Strawberry Moon rising

 

Strawberry Moon

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) . Honey Moon Strawberry Moon art full moon light lighting moon photography solstice https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/strawberry-honey-moon Tue, 21 Jun 2016 05:02:54 GMT
Rorschach Hummingbirds https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/rorschach-hummingbirds

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rorschach Inkblot Test art high contrast hummingbirds light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/rorschach-hummingbirds Mon, 20 Jun 2016 05:55:29 GMT
One Hundred Five and Snow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/one-hundred-five-and-snow

It was 105º when I left for the Cancer Center to get a Neupogen® shot

 

Summer snow under an almost full moon

 

It was 99º in the shade of a tree when I left the Cancer Center to go by the office

 

Grasshopper on a black hollyhock

 

It was 100º in the alley behind the office when I headed home

 

Bee working a columbine

 

It was 102º when I drove up on our mulched driveway

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art cotton heat light lighting moon photography temperature https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/one-hundred-five-and-snow Sun, 19 Jun 2016 06:17:17 GMT
HDR https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/hdr  

Herzogii — Floral forest of Cosmos herzogii

 

I've been Holding Da Reins all week long while working, cat herding, blogging and helping Laurie and Tristan get ready to present papers at the 48th Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Medieval & Renaissance Association held at UNM this year. In the meantime, my immune system went south and my health insurance had a bout of temporary insanity putting the approval of Neupogen® shots to help rebuild my immune system under consideration for approval, which put off my first shot for a half a day while we spent time tracking down an insurance rep who could help expedite the "consideration" process. As I told the insurance rep that finally called back, of all the procedures and medications I have received and will receive, Neupogen® shots should never be put "under consideration" for approval. Other than that, I got a full week in at the office, and have had plenty of energy.

I will start the second round of chemo on 06/20/16, which is Solstice, the Strawberry Moon (full moon), 42†, and yet another day for the world to end.  In case you missed it, the world was supposed to heat up and spontaneously combust on 06/06/16 from global warming. 06/06/16 was also the day of the Antichrist. I thought 06/16/16 would be another "end of the world" date, but I didn't find anything catastrophic mentioned; however, the number sequence also fits the sign of the beast — the square root of 38 (6+16+16) is 6.16, and 616 is another sign for the beast depending on how one translates Revelations. I was disappointed that 06/16/16 seemed to have no more relevance to apocalypticism than my imagination.

 

†6+20+16=42. 42 is the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything.

 

 

Dove —  what's left of a lonesome dove

 

 

Rosencrantz emerging from a catnip forest

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) HDR Neupogen® Rosencrantz apocalypticism art catnip cosmos end of the world flowers light lighting photography strawberry moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/hdr Sat, 18 Jun 2016 04:16:05 GMT
White https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/white

 

Ladybugs on white, white lilies and hummingbird gymnastics.

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art ladybug light lighting lilies photography white https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/white Fri, 17 Jun 2016 02:29:32 GMT
Smoke n' Gnats https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/smoke-n-gnats

Gnats and smoke in the low sun

 

There is a large fire burning in the Manzanos south and east of Albuquerque. The smoke blew in and hung in the sky above us making an interesting night sky lit up by the moon above and the city below.

I've worked three full days at the office this week so far, and had pretty good energy each day. I go in first thing in the morning for labs to see how my immune system is holding up. The doctor is afraid it will tank before Monday, making it so I can't start round two of chemo. So I will probably get a booster tomorrow just to make sure I have an immune system on Monday.

I've designed a new sit/stand desk for one of our staff who doesn't need the large changes in height between sitting and standing, so I'm using an extra motor from an enlarger chassis, and scissor jacks to make a different style of motorized desktop. The problem is I've had a terrible time finding the parts I need in town. I wanted to build it without ordering parts on-line, but local stores just don't carry the things I need, so type of pulleys I want (the main components in the design) are all special order at local stores — it's so impossible to buy local!

I was able to irrigate but I had to be out in the smoke (smoke really bothers me), but then, since I had to be out in the smoke anyway to irrigate, I figured I might as well do double duty and get smoke photos at sunset and after dark.

 

Soft pink on the Sandias before the smoke got thicker

 

Thick plume of smoke to the east over the Sandias after sunset

 

Waves of smoke in the moonlight. Mars on the left side of the moon, Jupiter on the right of the smoke (camera is handheld).

 

Panorama of the moonlit smoke in the sky (camera is handheld).

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Jupiter Manzanos Mars art fire gnats light lighting moon night photography smoke stars https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/smoke-n-gnats Thu, 16 Jun 2016 04:51:04 GMT
The Decisive Moment https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/the-decisive-moment Parc de sceaux bride by Marina Peters-Newell, Ph.D.Parc de sceaux bride by Marina Peters-Newell, Ph.D.Marina Peters-Newell, Ph.D.

Parc de sceaux bride by Marina Peters-Newell, Ph.D. ©2016

 

Anyone who studied photography and art during the last third of the 20th Century has probably heard of Henri Cartier Bresson and most likely familiar with some, if not all, of the photographs from his book “Images à la sauvette” fist published in 1952. The English version is titled “The Decisive Moment”, which became an artist movement to capture photographs in the moment (normally on 35mmm film) that were aesthetically well beyond “snapshots” but generally less formal than images produced with large and medium format cameras. Snapping photos in “The Decisive Moment” still produced studied, technically proficient and well composed images that had something to say either as pure art, social commentary or both.

In a series of emails about the bridge photo I posted the other night, Marina included today’s photo in one of the emails with the following explanation: 

“I have attached a pic I took in the park across the street from where we lived in Paris (the parc de Sceaux).  I was returning through the park from a shopping trip in Sceaux, when I saw this bride having her photo taken in one of the gardens.  So I snapped this pic.”

My response to the photo started an interesting exchange.

Timothy:  
“Wow! Just Wow! That is a fantastic photo on all levels of subject, art, artistry, composition, color, repeating forms, layers. Keep close tabs on this one, Marina, there are lots of people who would steel it, and call it their own.”

Marina:  
“Ha!  methinks the compliments aboundeth beyond what the photographer deserveth.  But I like it too :)”

Timothy:
“Seriously, Marina, not at all beyond what you deserve. It really is a fantastic photo. You saw it and you got it. Cartier Bresson’s “Decisive Moment” perfectly executed.”

Marina saw the image was worth photographing, photographed it and produced a superb image that meets all the requirements of art, composition and commentary. The white tulips repeat the color and shape of the bride’s dress; there are layers of repeating colors, shapes and forms; the composition is almost a perfect “rule of thirds”, with the bride’s triangular form falling square inside the “golden rectangle”. A bride, as well groomed and traditional as the Parisian garden, posing for wedding pictures seems so counterculture to the modern tastes that often look askance at marriage — Marina has perfectly executed “The Decisive Moment”. 

 

Marina Peters-Newell, Ph.D. is the Lower-division Language Coordinator for the Department of Foreign Languages & Literatures
at the University of New Mexico. Marina is a long-time friend. She and Laurie are members of a book group (the group met at our house last week), and we have participated in cultural events she has hosted as part of Language Department at UNM for many years.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) France Henri Cartier Bresson Images à la sauvette Marina Peters-Newell, Ph.D. Parc de sceaux Paris The Decisive Moment art light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/the-decisive-moment Wed, 15 Jun 2016 00:53:58 GMT
Under A Half Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/under-a-half-moon

 

Watching the sunset

 

Frolicking in the pollen

 

Whispering in a lamb's ear

 

Carrying babies on her abdomen

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bumblebee dragonfly grasshopper half moon light lighting moon photography spider sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/under-a-half-moon Tue, 14 Jun 2016 04:34:42 GMT
Stop! Listen to the Bird! https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/stop-listen-to-the-bird

"Stop!"

 

After a rather short night with lots of trips to the bathroom, I finally woke up, dragged myself out of bed, fluffed the blue hair upon on my head, walked out to the kitchen and made a cup, then finally got around to pulling on a pair of combat boots in anticipation of continuing my weekend warring on weeds.  

I uncovered the birds to feed and water them, and when Søren saw me in combat boots he yelled “STOP!” and Beaker yelled “Squawk!” After I finished with the birds, Rosencrantz started ragging on me and said as much as “Listen to the bird!”  Apparently, they thought I was doing too much and needed to take it easy. 

I had fully planned to crash on Saturday, even planning a post called “Feeling Kinda Sleepy Now!” with photos of a Tse Tse Fly biting me for when I crashed — however, I never really crashed. On the other hand, I couldn’t resist laying around with Rosencrantz between dragging hoses around, a little organizing here and there, photographing the garden and helping Laurie prepare dinner for her book group. I did leave the weeds to add to their ranks — I’ll have to see how battle ready I will be next weekend.

 

"Squawk!"

 

"Listen to the bird!"

 

Lounging in combat boots with Rosencrantz on my lap.

 

Tse Tes Fly

"My energy is draining
Touching down on my arm
I'm feeling kinda sleepy now

I was bitten by a tse-tse fly"

"Tse Tse Fly" by Wall of Voodoo

 

 

 

 

 

The double hollyhock (above) looks a lot like Camisole (below)

 

 

 

 

Veteran's Honor

 

Betty Boop as a bleach blonde

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Beaker Fly Rosencrantz Søren Tse art birds bridge cats flowers light lighting parrots photography roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/stop-listen-to-the-bird Mon, 13 Jun 2016 04:26:35 GMT
Tiger Lilies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/tiger-lilies

 

I was supposed to crash today, but it didn't happen; therefore, we worked on food prep, the yard, watering, cat herding and visiting all day and late into the night. The Tiger Lilies are blooming.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Tiger Lilies art flowers light lighting lilies photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/tiger-lilies Sun, 12 Jun 2016 06:40:22 GMT
I'm Blue https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/im-blue

 

Tristan and Jamie have been pestering me for months to let them dye my hair blue. Since my hair will surely fall out from the chemo, I agreed to let them dye it blue. It doesn't look too bad, as you can see from the selfies I did in different states of blueness. Check out Eiffel 65 Blue video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68ugkg9RePc

After Tristan and Jaimie finished making me blue, I had to go out and get cat food, I ran through the grocery store to pick up a few things, and then I stopped by the post office and got mail. Most mail these days are statements of benefits and bills from medical providers. With all the different providers, I noticed the insurance is having a hard time keeping everything straight according to my bookkeeping. I noticed the last big bill I paid put me over what is supposed to be the max I pay out-of-pocket. But then I got another huge bill in the mail today that would now put my out-of-pocket almost $4k over the max. I spent a lot of time on the phone trying to get my accounting and the insurance's accounting to match, but we were not able to reconcile our accounts, and the insurance agent said he showed no record of then bill I was holding in my hand as a claim. The agent finally told me the provider must have billed me directly and I needed to call the provider. The person I had on the phone had no idea who I needed to call, so I told him I'd figure it out, hung up, and found another number to try.  I finally got to a person who seemed vaguely familiar with the large bill I was holding in my hand, and after several "hold on a minutes" she came back and told me it looked like I was right, I'd already over paid my out-of-pocket and that I should get a refund. A Refund? Now that's more like it!

 

Spunky chicken mohawk

 

Electric blue in the sunshine

 

Tin foil cap 

 

 

Still wet and wild

 

 

Prep for the second round of dye

 

Jamie, Tristan and me — three shades of blue

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art blue blue hair chemo dye insurance light lighting photography selfies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/im-blue Sat, 11 Jun 2016 00:34:36 GMT
Dragonflies — Happiness, Change and New Beginnings https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/dragonflies-happiness-change-and-new-beginnings

Dragonflies are so much fun and so happy all the time, that it makes me happy to see them. No wonder they are a symbol of happiness, change and new beginnings.

I got through day four of the first round of chemo. They pumped the stuff in at a good rate today as I was out of the Cancer Center at 3:00 pm, which was especially nice because we missed rush hour traffic on the way home today.  So far no real bad side effects as I follow all their guidelines to the letter. I will go in first thing Monday morning for labs, and we expect my immune system will be taking a hit after the chemo really kicks in, and I'll probably have to get a Nuepogen® shot to boost my immune system.  For the next three days I'm loose in the world to see how I react to the 4 days of intense chemo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art change dragonflies happiness light lighting new beginnings photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/dragonflies-happiness-change-and-new-beginnings Fri, 10 Jun 2016 00:52:40 GMT
Feeling Kinda Spunky Now https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/feeling-kinda-spunky-now

 

One of the short-term benefits of treatment is they add steroids as part of the regimen, so they give me a little more energy, kinda of like Spunk in these photos.  They got the infusion down to six and a half hours today, which is much better than the eight hours they were predicting. So far no bad side effects other than lots and lots of trips to the bathroom. Before going out for my evening walk, I've racked up 4000 steps (mostly going back and forth to the bathroom) — not bad for sitting in a recliner most of the day.  The Internet connection was really slow at the Cancer Center today, so I kept losing my connection to the server, then the Internet service went out all together.  Therefore, I only got in 3 hours of work in out of the 7 hours I was at the Cancer Center today.

 

 

What it takes to get us through the day.

 

Between Laurie and I, we spread out. Laurie got this photo while I was working.

 

When I look up to my right I see bags of meds.

 

Bags of meds and drip regulators.

 

Sunset while on a walk last night.

 

Contentious sky

 

Thunderheads

 

 

 

 

We actually got some heavy rain out of this storm about 9:00 pm the other night

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk apparatus art cats chemo clouds fluids light lighting photography storm thunderheads treatment https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/feeling-kinda-spunky-now Thu, 09 Jun 2016 00:53:27 GMT
A Stallion Stands In Need Of Company https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/a-stallion-stands-in-need-of-company

One of the horses on the 2016 Corrales Garden Tour struck some nice poses for me

 

I can really relate to the first seven lines of Procol Harum's "Conquistador" during this current battle with lymphoma.

Conquistador your stallion stands in need of company
And like some angel's haloed brow
You reek of purity
I see your armor plated breast
Has long since lost its sheen
And in your death mask face
There are no signs which can be seen

Day two chemo has gone very well so far. They give me a lot of fluids, plus I've been drinking lots and lots of water, so I've racked up a couple thousand steps hitting the porcelain every 30 minutes.  No immediate side effects. But I'll have to see how things progress. They pushed everything through in 6.5 hours today, although I was at the Cancer Center for 7 hours total.

I managed to get in 5 hours of telecommuting for the office updating reports to comply with various changes in Department of Labor rules in what I call our Office Automation program we use for time sheets, accounts receivables and billing among other things. I originally wrote the Office Automation system between 2000 and 2002, and then we update it as needed for security, input from users and changes in rules over the years, but the most recent changes are quite challenging, as I'm discovering I didn't design the system to make it easy to adapt to the changes in some cases.  One advantage to working from the Cancer Center is I don't have all the distractions of building maintenance, hardware breaking and software issues. But then I have time to discover all the issues with my old code. Argh!

 

Aw some company

 

Beautiful Arabian face

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Arabian Conquistador Procol Harum art chemo horses light lighting lymphoma photography stallion https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/a-stallion-stands-in-need-of-company Wed, 08 Jun 2016 01:23:38 GMT
Chicken Haze All Through My Brain https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/chicken-haze-all-through-my-brain

 

Three of the properties on the 2016 Corrales Garden Tour had chickens, so what better way to mix a discussion of cancer treatment with the garden tour than with photos of funky garden chickens?

We got to the Cancer Center bright and early as scheduled and they took my vitals and did labs (blood work) first thing. Then I went in to see the oncologist and we had a discussion about the first diagnoses versus the current diagnoses, and while they are different, he believes that since we never really got a 100% clear diagnoses the first time - what they thought was one type of lymphoma, was probably the same thing that I have now.  However, getting the precise variety didn't really matter because the treatment in 2010 was the correct treatment for the advanced stage of lymphoma I had at the time. They went for an easy to remove lymph node in my groin in 2010, but he said the problem with lymph nodes in the groin is that they are always "hot" because they process so much waste. Thus lymph nodes from the groin are not as reliable as indicators of the type of lymphoma as lymph nodes from the chest and neck; but lymph nodes from the chest and neck are much more risky to remove, so they go for the easiest and safest lymph nodes to remove when possible.

After our discussion of diagnoses', he checked my chemo schedule and discovered it was not what he was expecting. They decided since it had been six years since I had Retuxan, they wanted to only do Retuxan® (Rituximab) today (7 hours) to see how I would react, but they also had to reschedule the chemo sessions, because the timing wasn't going to work out for using Neulasta for the immune system therapy between chemo treatments. Instead of 21 days between chemo treatments, it will now be 10 to 11 days and they will use Neupogen to force white blood cell production instead. This schedule accelerates the chemo to get me into remission several weeks early than I originally thought. Since I took to the Retuxan® like a hamster on a running wheel, they will "push" the Retuxan® in round two and three of the treaments, reducing the time to administer it from 7 hours to 1.5 hours, which will reduce the over all time for each treatment from 9 hours to 7 or 8 hours.  But then the nurse told me if I don't react too adversely to the ICE (Ifosfamide, Carboplatin, Etopiside) chemo treatments, they will be able to push them and possibly reduce treatment times to 5 or 6 hours each day. On the other hand, there are all kinds of side effects I can get from the treatments, so we'll see how my body reacts.

Even though I didn't have an adverse reaction to Retuxan®, it makes me feel hot, causes a good amount of pain as it works and makes me feel a little hazy. I also have to drink a lot of water to flush the chemicals out of my system, so I'm racking up steps on my Fitbit® running to the bathroom.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Corrales Retuxan art cancer chemo chickens garden tour haze light lighting photography treatment https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/chicken-haze-all-through-my-brain Tue, 07 Jun 2016 03:55:16 GMT
Coy Koi https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/coy-koi

Koi from the 2016 Corrales Garden Tour.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Corrales Garden Tour art fish koi light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/coy-koi Mon, 06 Jun 2016 04:24:30 GMT
Babies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/babies

A turkey hen had her newly hatched poults taking cover under the trees and bushes in our orchard and garden.

 

The poults are so cute.

 

 

The neighbors dogs were barking and barking. When I went over to see what they were barking at, a baby porcupine crawled under our fence and headed for the roses. It was a really cute ball of quills.

 

The baby porcupine finally got fed up with us pestering it and made a speedy break for Dr Huey who gave the little guy refuge.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art chicks light lighting photography porcupine poults turkeys https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/babies Sun, 05 Jun 2016 08:53:32 GMT
ƒ-Stop It Already https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/--stop-it-already

Black Hollyhock — our first almost truly black flower

 

I'm a sucker for photo quizzes, but I always seem to get a big fat ƒ-stop on them because 1) I've never been much of an acronymphomaniac (can't remember what those letters and numbers mean), and 2) the establishment doesn't agree with me about what I think are perfectly reasonable definitions of photographic terms. After taking a recent photo term quiz, I looked back at earlier blogs and noticed I had done the same quiz in 2011 and came up with mostly the same answers, and the same failing ƒ-stop score of 0:

1. F Stop: — The metro stop between E and G on the Red Line.

2. Depth of Field: — How far you sink in the mud when it rains.

3. Matrix: — The green numbers that fall from the top of my computer screen.

4. Resolution: — Beatles songs on iTunes.

5. Flash: — A partial wardrobe malfunction.

6. Exposure: — A complete wardrobe malfunction.

7. Exposure Compensation: — The settlement over a wardrobe malfunction.

8. Rule of Thirds: — 3.33333333333333333333333333.

9. Diaphragm: — A contraceptive device.

10. ISO: — The opposite of ISNOT.

11. Chromatic aberration: — A white guy.

12. APO: — Abnormal performance option (special effects).

13. Sunny-16 Rule: — Always check ID, she may only look 21.

14. SLR:  — Sharp Looking Rectangle.

15. Golden Rectangle: — An expensive SLR.

 

The third sit/stand desk I've built using a Beseler 45 MXT enlarger chassis for the motorized lift.

 

You can see the first sit/stand desktop I built at https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2016/03/07/diy-sitstand-desktop/

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) acronymphomania art hollyhock light lighting photo terms photography quiz sit/stand desk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/--stop-it-already Sat, 04 Jun 2016 01:24:52 GMT
The Mix https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/the-mix

Marmalade Skies

 

Kitty cat eyes

 

Strawberry fields forever

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Marmalade Skies Rosencrantz art cats kitty eyes light lighting photography roses strawberries https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/the-mix Fri, 03 Jun 2016 03:22:18 GMT
Quatro Gotas https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/quatro-gotas

Besides all the thunder, lighting, wind, threatening clouds and rainbows, we got four drops of rain at our house.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds cottonwoods light lighting photography rainbow storm thunder wind https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/6/quatro-gotas Thu, 02 Jun 2016 03:11:08 GMT
Sunrise Sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/sunrise-sunset

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography sunrise sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/sunrise-sunset Wed, 01 Jun 2016 03:17:26 GMT
Life in the Salvia https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/life-in-the-salvia

 

The butterflies and honey bees love our salvia.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bees butterflies honey bees light lighting photography salvia https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/life-in-the-salvia Tue, 31 May 2016 02:25:17 GMT
Veteran's Honor and America https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/veterans-honor-and-america

Veteran's Honor with perfect form in appreciation of the service to our country our veterans have provided. 

 

Veteran's Honor is a beautiful red rose to honor our men and women who have served our country and in many cases given all so we can be free.

 

And yet our veterans suffer under stifling regulations, indifference from government officials, and often outright hostility from the very people who should be most appreciative of them. Our veterans have fought and died for everyone.

 

Veteran's Honor

 

America

 

America

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) America Memorial Day Veteran's Honor art light lighting photography roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/veterans-honor-and-america Mon, 30 May 2016 17:20:33 GMT
In the Garden https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/in-the-garden

 

 

Laurie and I celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary in the garden.  All those years together is reflected in our garden and our deck.

 

Our garden is beautifully wild

 

Our deck, lighting up our "moon lit" garden surrounding it

 

This is what we call "the circle" garden

 

The north side of the deck with a view of the outdoor kitchen

 

The catio with Pink Iceberg on the left and Carefree Spirit on the right

 

The south and east side of the deck

 

Tristan's "secret garden" with a collection of pink roses

 

Looking west from the circle garden over the grapes at 4th of July, Betty Boop and Marmalade Skies against the wall and the David Austin roses in front of the secret garden

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art catio deck flowers garden grapes light lighting moonlit garden photography roses secret garden https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/in-the-garden Mon, 30 May 2016 04:56:37 GMT
Cat Tails https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/cat-tails

Lola, Sasha and Spunk

 

I got the kitties some new toys to play with including a kitty tunnel. Spunk got his first foray into the world outside the catio on a leash — the world outside the catio is not ready to have Spunk unleashed on it.

 

Spunk in the great out doors

 

Spunk eyes

 

Spunk tiptoes through the vinca

 

Najar thinks this new contraption is like totally tubular

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Lola Najar Sasha Spunk art cat leash cat toys cats light lighting outdoors photography vinca https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/cat-tails Sun, 29 May 2016 03:33:32 GMT
Bad Cells & Stem Cells https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/bad-cells-stem-cells

In February I went to the doctor about some tell tale symptoms I’d been having for a couple of months. I’d had these same symptoms in 2008, two years before my first bout with cancer, but I didn’t know then they were anything more than muscle, back and joint pain for exercise and getting old. All my blood work and vitals were normal, but after the GP told the oncologist about my symptoms, they ordered a PET scan. I got the images from the PET scan the next day, and when I compared them to the last PET scan I had in January 2013, I was “hot”, but nothing like the PET scan from June 2010, when I was starting stage 4 lymphoma.  

After my oncologist reviewed the PET scan and radiologist’s report, he ordered two needle biopsies, one from a lymph node, the other from a bone, and they both came back indicating two different types of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. At that point the doctor decided I needed to have a lymph node removed and biopsied to get a complete and definitive diagnoses. The most logical “hot” lymph node to go after was under my clavicle, so I went to visit a surgeon to see about getting the lymph node under the clavicle removed. 

The surgeon reviewed the scans, felt around my clavicle and said he couldn’t feel any swollen lymph nodes, and it was too risky to try and remove a lymph node from under my clavicle. He told me he wouldn’t do it, and sent me back to my oncologist. My oncologist ordered a CT scan, and send me back to the surgeon after they got the images and radiologist’s report from the CT scan.  The surgeon told the radiologist thought he could get at the lymph node from above the clavicle and after poking and prodding around the surgeon decided that it was a less risky route, and we scheduled surgery to have the lymph node removed on June 18th. That surgery was successful, and the surgeon removed a large lymph node for the pathologist to biopsy.

I got the results on May 27th, and I have a Hodgkin’s type lymphoma that is slow but aggressive, and while it will respond to a treatment like I had in 2010, my doctor does not want to do a treatment like I had before, because he said the cancer will just come back again in 3 to 5 years. Instead he is going to do a very aggressive chemo with stem sell replacement that will begin on June 6th. 

The treatment is outlined as follows:

1) Chemo will be administered every day for four days in a row over a period of nine hours each day.

2) Twenty-one day recovery period

3) Another round of chemo like the first round.

4) Check to see that I am in remission

5) Start the process to extract stem cells from my body

6) Extract stem cells, process them and freeze the stem cells

7) Another round of intensive chemo

8) Whatever tests to see that I’m ready for the stem cell replacement

9) Replace the stem cells they removed before the last chemo

10) Twenty-one day recovery while the reintroduced stem cells take hold

If the treatment works has planned, I should be completely cured at the end of my stem cell recovery.  In a normal population, the chance of being cured is 50/50. Since I am otherwise healthy, active and determined, we are hoping my chances of being cured are even higher.

I had not told many people about the recurrence of cancer before this post, because I wanted to have a definitive diagnoses and a treatment in place before I broke the news to everyone.  It has taken over four months since my first visit to the doctor, until we got a diagnoses and treatment scheduled. In the time between biopsies, I got all kinds of tests and preparation for treatment including “re-ported”, so that once we got a diagnoses I would be ready to go. So all the prep, testing, and extra surgery to have the new port installed were time well spent while working on how to get a lymph node out.

For anyone who’s noticed that I don’t comment on your blog as much as I used to, you now know why. After I start treatment, I’ll have to see how I feel each day — while I might not post anything at all or look at other blogs some days, I might just be so bored that I comment on everything and put up lots of pesky posts on other days. Until I see how I will react to the treatment, the amount of posting, reading and commenting I will do with blogs will remain a mystery.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Hodgkin's lymphoma art cancer light lighting lymphoma photography stem cells https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/bad-cells-stem-cells Sat, 28 May 2016 04:32:01 GMT
Cat Four Friday https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/cat-four-friday

Laurie, Lola, Guildenstern, Spunk and Diné

 

Spunk having happy dreams

 

Rosencrantz looking sleek and feisty

 

Spunk stretching

 

Rosencrantz

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Diné Guildenstern Laurie Lola Rosencrantz Spunk art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/cat-four-friday Fri, 27 May 2016 03:20:54 GMT
Mother Never Rests https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/mother-never-rests

 

 

Mama Fly Catcher decided I wasn't much of a bother, and continued feeder her bottomless pits.

 

 

 

Double Delight

 

Copper Iris

 

Bunny

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Double Delight Fly Catcher art birds bunny iris light lighting photography roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/mother-never-rests Thu, 26 May 2016 03:36:46 GMT
Tiny Spider Above My Head https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/tiny-spider-above-my-head

Every time I go out into the catio I walk into this tiny spider's web. I step out the door, get tangled in her web, look up and there she is either disgusted because I keep messing up her web, or laughing at me because I keep doing the same thing.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography spider https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/tiny-spider-above-my-head Wed, 25 May 2016 02:32:02 GMT
Sky Lines https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/sky-lines

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting photography power lines skyline sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/sky-lines Tue, 24 May 2016 02:45:22 GMT
Orton Hatches an Effect https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/orton-hatches-an-effect

I put together three different photos to make this photo.

 

Teri Dashfield brought up the "Orton Effect" on her blog today which reminded me that while I rarely use the technique the way most photographers use it, I do use a similar technique on occasion the deal with high variations in exposure — today's photo is one of those occasions.  

"Orton Imagery" was developed by Michael Orton in the 1980's by making different exposures, varying the focus, and zoom of the same subject on slide film and then sandwiching the film together to create images that imitated watercolor paintings, as he explains on his website. Creating the "Orton Effect" is a much simpler process with digital photography and image processing software like Photoshop, and the "Orton Effect" is used quite often these days, especially with landscape photography — if you have spent any time looking a photos on sites like Fotoblur and 500px you will have seen photos with the "Orton Effect".

To create the image of the blue moon behind a thin layer of clouds with Mars peaking between the clouds on the the far right side of the photo, I put together three separate photos in Photoshop with different exposures and clarity, aligned the layers, set different opacities for each layer, and finally merged the layers together into a single image. Two of the images are underexposed so they show the clouds, but the moon is overexposed and shows up as a bright disk like the sun, the third image is the moon photographed at the correct exposure, which gives the moon detail, but the clouds disappear in the blackness. I put the brightest image on the bottom layer, the moon with detail as the middle layer, and I slightly darker photo that still shows the clouds as the top layer; when the tree layers are put together, aligned and adjusted I get a moon that has some detail in the middle of glowing clouds with Mars showing up as a bright spot between the clouds on the far right side of the photo. There are a few faint dots in the photo that might be stars, but they are more likely hot spots on my camera's sensor.

I normally think of the process I used to create today's photo more as creating a manual version of "HDR" or "Image Stacking" than the "Orton Effect", but after Teri reminded me of the "Orton Effect" and I reviewed Mr. Orton's process, I see I am using a process similar to his original process, but for different reasons.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Mars Michael Orton Orton Orton Effect Orton Imagery art blue moon clouds full moon light lighting moon photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/orton-hatches-an-effect Mon, 23 May 2016 03:25:05 GMT
Once in a Blue Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/once-in-a-blue-moon

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art blue moon full moon hummingbird light lighting moon photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/once-in-a-blue-moon Sun, 22 May 2016 03:16:43 GMT
Cute Young Chicks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/cute-young-chicks

stretching and watching

 

These chicks were in a tree waiting for mama bird to feed them. Mama bird had given each of them an insect she caught, but once I stood close by with my lens trained on the chicks, she just flew by and landed in the vicinity while the chicks waited patiently for her to bring them food. The chicks were big and fat compared to the poor mama bird who was flying back and forth catching insects to feed her chicks.

 

 

There she goes

 

This one tried opening its beak, but mama flew on by

 

A third chick flew in and they were getting a little impatient waiting to be served

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds fly catchers light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/cute-young-chicks Sat, 21 May 2016 03:20:54 GMT
Four Roses and a Landscape https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/four-roses-and-a-landscape

Graham Thomas

 

Pink Iceberg

 

Handel

 

About Face

 

Iris, Dr Huey, bamboo, cottonwoods, and the moon

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) About Face Graham Thomas Handel Pink Iceberg art cottonwoods iris light lighting moon photography roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/four-roses-and-a-landscape Fri, 20 May 2016 03:01:59 GMT
Feels Like I Have One Foot In The Twilight Zone https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/feels-like-i-have-one-foot-in-the-twilight-zone

 

I've been feeling like I have one foot in the Twilight Zone† for most of 2016 between the primary elections, politics and life in general, but I really felt like I as slipping into the Twilight Zone when I walked into Walmart to get a prescription filled with a bloody drain tube coming out of my collar into a test tube in my shirt pocket and not a single soul on my way in or out took notice.

a line I borrowed from a song by the Fools

 

 

 

 

 

 

Selfie done while Laurie is getting gas before going by Walmart to fill a prescription on the way home

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) American Flag Twilight Zone Walmart art drain tube grave yard headstones light lighting photography politics prescription primaries https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/feels-like-i-have-one-foot-in-the-twilight-zone Thu, 19 May 2016 04:38:12 GMT
Spunk Magic https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/spunk-magic

Abracadabra, whiskers and paw. Go now tail and stick to Lola!

 

How'd he do that?

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art cats light lighting lola magic photography tale https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/spunk-magic Wed, 18 May 2016 03:36:26 GMT
A Persistence of Dr. Huey https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/a-persistance-of-dr-huey

 

Not too unlike Salvador Dali's floppy clock faces, Dr. Huey flows over, around and under walls, fences, landscape features and gets mixed up with whatever is near him. In Corrales there is a persistence of Dr. Huey where he makes his presence known and has become quite unforgettable.

 

 

 

Laurie checking out other roses under the Dr. Huey that has climbed of the tree in the center of the photo.

 

 

Susan photographing Dr Huey way up in the tree.

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Corrales Dr. Huey art light lighting photography root stock roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/a-persistance-of-dr-huey Tue, 17 May 2016 03:03:56 GMT
Corrales Cows https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/corrales-cows

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art corrales cows light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/corrales-cows Mon, 16 May 2016 04:46:05 GMT
Third Annual Corrales Rose Society Dr Huey Tour https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/third-annual-corrales-rose-society-dr-huey-tour

Our giant Dr Huey back lit by the early morning sunshine

 

We are doing our 3rd Annual Corrales Rose Society Dr. Huey Tour today.  Dr Huey is the root stock used for most roses in the Southwestern US, and when the rose that is grafted to Dr Huey dies, Dr Huey often thrives. Corrales has an abundance of Dr Hueys because of our cold winters and late frosts. While most rosarians don't care for the sight of Dr Huey, we and the Corrales Rose Society love him.

 

The entrance to the walkway that leads to our front door along the west side of the house. The arch is covered by red roses we got for free, but we don't know their names.

 

These are a bed of iris I planted all together after I dug them up to run new underground wiring when we got an electrical upgrade in 2012. There is a Dr Huey in the middle of the iris.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Dr Huey Red Roses arch art iris light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/third-annual-corrales-rose-society-dr-huey-tour Sun, 15 May 2016 04:19:37 GMT
Airstream Expressionism https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/airstream-expressionism

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Airstream abstract art expressionism light lighting mini mini cooper photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/airstream-expressionism Sat, 14 May 2016 02:44:50 GMT
13 Fotos For Friday The 13th https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/13-fotos-on-friday-the-13th

Iris and Dr Huey

 

Lady Banks

 

Hopper on a Huey

 

Cherry Parfait

 

Tuscan Sun

 

Crab Spider

 

Stars & Stripes

 

Tradescant

 

Fourth of July

 

Another Crab Spider

 

Betty Prior

 

Dr Huey

 

Rio Samba

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Dr Huey art flowers iris light lighting photography roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/13-fotos-on-friday-the-13th Fri, 13 May 2016 03:44:01 GMT
I Wake Up In The Morning To... https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/i-wake-up-in-the-morning-to

Lola's smiling face

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Lola art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/i-wake-up-in-the-morning-to Thu, 12 May 2016 04:12:05 GMT
Cécile Brünner https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/c-cile-br-nner

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Cécile Brünner art flowers light lighting photography roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/c-cile-br-nner Wed, 11 May 2016 03:01:07 GMT
Transit of Mercury https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/transit-of-mercury

6:42 AM MDT. The sun poked through the clouds momentarily, but the clouds were too thick to see Mercury.

 

The sky was overcast at sunrise. I walked out to the river to see if the clouds would clear, but the sun poked through the clouds for only a few seconds, and then was lost behind the clouds until 8:14 AM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT), which allowed me to get the first photo that shows Mercury traipsing across the surface of the sun. The clouds had various openings in them until 9:00 AM, so I was able to get a photo of the sun through the layer of clouds at 8:59 AM, the mid-point in Mercury's journey across the sun. Then we had overcast skies until late morning, so there is a long time-gap between the photos until I was able to get more shots from 10:59 AM up until 12:15 PM when clouds again covered the sun until after well after the transit of Mercury ended at 12:41 PM.  You can see and animated gif of Mercury's transit made from the photos below at https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2016/05/09/transit-of-mercury/.

 

8:14 AM MDT. The sun finally found a hole in the clouds so I could get a shot. Mercury is the dot a 1/3 from the bottom slightly off center. The larger dot is a sun spot.

 

8:26 AM MDT. The clouds cleared enough for Mercury to show as a more distinct dot.

 

8:51 AM MDT. Light Cloud cover again.

 

8:59 AM MDT. Thicker clouds now. This is the mid-point through the transit according to a website on times and locations of the transit of Mercury as seen from Albuquerque.

 

10:59 AM MDT. There's a large time gap because of the cloud cover. Mercury is now on the far right center of the sun.

 

11:38 AM MDT. Clear sky where the sun is so Mercury is a very distinct dot on the far center right side of the sun.

 

12:02 PM MDT.

 

12:15 PM MDT. Mercury is almost to the edge of the sun. This is the last photo I got before the sun was covered by clouds again. The Transit ended at 12:41 PM MDT, under cloud cover in Albuquerque.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Mercury Transit of Mercury art clouds light lighting photography sun https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/transit-of-mercury Tue, 10 May 2016 03:40:52 GMT
Preparations to Photograph the End of the World https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/preparations-to-photograph-the-end-of-the-world

The first test exposure with the lens wide open gave an interesting result. The sunspot is reflected in the octagon.

 

The last time I photographed the "end of the world" was the Transit of Venus back in June of 2012 (https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2012/06/06/transit-of-venus/). I had a different camera and a 600mm lens back then, and while I don't have a 600mm lens anymore, I still have the Neutral Density (ND) filters I used to photograph the sun in 2012. Tristan reminded me on Sunday that the Transit of Mercury was occurring on Monday, May 9, 2016, and told me I had to photograph it. I dug around my filter box and found the three NDX8 filters. The problem is the NDX8 filters are 58mm, but my 70-200mm zoom lens takes 67mm filters. I did more digging around in my photo stuff, trying to come up with a way to attach 58mm filters to a lens that takes 67mm filters. Tristan and Laurie were quite entertained, and I was about to Duck Tape the filters to the lens when I remembered I had various sized step-down rings for my macro flash. The solution to the filter problem was to tape a 67mm and a 58mm step down ring back to back and screw the three NDX8 filters on the side with the 58mm threads, and then screw the side with the 67mm threads onto the lens. Since the lens hood for the 70-200mm lens didn't fit with the step-down rings on the lens, I adapted the adjustable lens hood off my Bronica 6X7 to marginally fit on the lens.

Next, I walked out into the mid-day sun and tested various exposures. Then I added a polarizing filter to the stack of filters and did some more tests, including exposures through clouds that were passing under the sun. The results are interesting and I did manage to capture a sunspot during the test exposures.

 

Stack of filters on my make-shift adapter

 

Test shot with only NDX8 filters

 

Bronica lens hood precariously attached to the lens

 

Test shot with the polarizing filter added to the stack of filters

 

Test shot with NDX8 and polarizing filters and sun covered by a thin cloud

 

Test shot with the NDX8 and polarizing filters and sun partially covered by a thicker cloud

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Mercury Transit of Venus art clouds filters light lighting photography sun sun spot transit of Mercury https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/preparations-to-photograph-the-end-of-the-world Mon, 09 May 2016 02:55:40 GMT
Pretty Fly (For a White Butterfly) https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/pretty-fly-for-a-white-butterfly

 

A touch of blue

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art butterfly fly light lighting photography touch of blue white butterfly https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/pretty-fly-for-a-white-butterfly Sun, 08 May 2016 02:54:25 GMT
Mad-Dogs https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/mad-dogs

Najar giving Sasha mad-dogs

 

Slap fight

 

Double dog dare mad-dogs

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Najar Sasha art cats light lighting mad dogs photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/mad-dogs Sat, 07 May 2016 03:25:05 GMT
Abstract Reflectionism https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/abstract-reflectionism

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) UNM abstract art light lighting men people photography reflecting reflectionism women https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/abstract-reflectionism Fri, 06 May 2016 02:18:17 GMT
Reflections on Route 66 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/reflections-on-route-66

 

The Kimo Theater, old Sears Building and the tallest building in New Mexico, formerly known as the Bank of America Tower, reflected in one of the curved glass windows on the Kress Building on Old Route 66 (Central Ave) in Downtown Albuquerque.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque Central Kimo Kress Building Route 66 art downtown light lighting photography reflections https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/reflections-on-route-66 Thu, 05 May 2016 04:13:56 GMT
Western Tanager https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/western-tanager

 

I got these photos through the blinds in the bay windows in the kitchen. I'm not sure if he could see me, but he sensed I was there.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art birds light lighting photography tanager western tanager https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/western-tanager Wed, 04 May 2016 02:47:50 GMT
Keep Your Paws Off My Speaker https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/keep-your-paws-off-my-speaker

Lola enjoying Techno music on her Bluetooth speaker

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Bluetooth Lola art cats light lighting photography speaker https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/keep-your-paws-off-my-speaker Tue, 03 May 2016 04:13:49 GMT
Imperial Building Interiors https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/imperial-building-interiors

Star chandelier in the entrance to the apartments

 

Residents begin moving into the Imperial building today.  I got access to photograph a sample of the apartments on Friday. There are three floors of apartments that include studio apartments, one bedroom, and two bedroom apartments. One of the apartments in the photo series is a two bedroom apartment designed for handicapped residents.

 

Hallway

 

Studio apartment kitchen

 

Bathroom in the studio apartment

 

Studio apartment main room

 

Island kitchen in a one bedroom apartment. There is plenty of light without the lights on.

 

 

Bedroom

 

Bathroom

 

Kitchen in the handicap accessible apartment. Note the sink is lower.

 

The bathroom in the handicap accessible apartment has plenty of grab bars.

 

The vanity is open under the sink for wheelchair access.

 

Bedroom

 

The closets in the handicap accessible apartments do not have doors

 

The shelf and clothes hangers are low for wheelchair access.

 

Island kitchen in a two bedroom unit with the lights on.

 

 

Hallway to the bathroom and two bedrooms.

 

Bathroom

 

Bedroom

 

bedroom

 

View looking south onto the apartments across Silver Ave.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque Downtown Imperial Building apartments art cats construction interiors light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/imperial-building-interiors Mon, 02 May 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Sculpture n' Sky https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/sculpture-n-sky

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art clouds jettis light lighting photography sculpture sky https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/5/sculpture-n-sky Sun, 01 May 2016 07:45:53 GMT
Animal Crackers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/animal-crackers

 

 

 

 

'

]]]

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Animal Crackers art installation light lighting photography sculpture https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/animal-crackers Sat, 30 Apr 2016 03:14:03 GMT
Cute Corn Snake https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/cute-corn-snake

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art corn snake light lighting photography snake https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/cute-corn-snake Fri, 29 Apr 2016 04:30:17 GMT
Love Bugs & Iris https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/love-bugs-iris

Ladybugs having fun in the early morning sun

 

This iris has the blues

 

 

 

sunny side up

 

backlit

 

Austrian Copper finally bloomed. It's taken a real beating from the wind.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Austrian Copper art flowers iris ladybugs light lighting love bugs photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/love-bugs-iris Thu, 28 Apr 2016 03:34:39 GMT
Stop and Smell the Flowers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/stop-and-smell-the-flowers

We got a variety of flowers that Laurie planted in a flower bowl on the deck. She put a couple of branches that broke off of a Columbine into a vase on the counter. Sasha and Spunk even stopped their reign of terror and destruction long enough to smell the flowers.

 

 


 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Columbine Sasha Spunk art cats flowers light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/stop-and-smell-the-flowers Wed, 27 Apr 2016 03:00:01 GMT
Atmospheric https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/atmospheric

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art clouds light lighting photography storm storm clouds https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/atmospheric Tue, 26 Apr 2016 03:00:50 GMT
Full Moon @ Medieval Lectures https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/full-moon-medieval-lectures

The full moon was like the sun shining through the clouds when we were walking to the car after the last lecture in this year's Medieval Studies Lecture Series.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art full moon lecture series light lighting medieval moon photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/full-moon-medieval-lectures Mon, 25 Apr 2016 03:45:37 GMT
Tesla & the Yellow Balloon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/tesla-the-yellow-balloon

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Tesla art balloons cats light lighting photography yellow balloon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/tesla-the-yellow-balloon Sun, 24 Apr 2016 08:52:18 GMT
Huginn ok Muninn https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/huginn-ok-muninn

Tristan's Tattoo​ (Tattoo artist Truett Deezy. Facebook.com/truett.deezy)

 

Hugin and Munin
Fly every day
Over all the world;
I worry for Hugin
That he might not return,
But I worry more for Munin

 

The Poetic Edda. Grímnismál, verse 20. The original Old Norse verse reads:

Huginn ok Muninn
fljúga hverjan dag
Jörmungrund yfir;
óumk ek of Hugin,
at hann aftr né komi-t,
þó sjámk meir of Munin.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Hugin Munin Odin The Poetic Edda. Grímnismál, verse 20 art light lighting photography raven https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/huginn-ok-muninn Sat, 23 Apr 2016 02:41:29 GMT
Have Cat Will Travel https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/have-cat-will-travel

Laurie and Najar off to the gym.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Najar art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/have-cat-will-travel Fri, 22 Apr 2016 07:38:17 GMT
Mr Cool https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/mr-cool

Spunk

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/mr-cool Thu, 21 Apr 2016 05:45:24 GMT
Medieval Morning https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/medieval-morning
 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art fog light lighting medieval mist morning photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/medieval-morning Wed, 20 Apr 2016 07:02:11 GMT
Pouring https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/pouring

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Imperial Building alley art cement cement truck concrete light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/pouring Tue, 19 Apr 2016 01:21:52 GMT
The Project https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/the-project

 

You can read about the project at https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2016/04/17/the-project/

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography power pole shade structure weight lifting equipment weights https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/the-project Mon, 18 Apr 2016 03:08:07 GMT
Fade to Pink https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/fade-to-pink

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art fading tulips flowers light lighting photography rain rain drops tulips https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/fade-to-pink Sun, 17 Apr 2016 02:22:44 GMT
Kress Building https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/kress-building

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Central Kress Building Route 66 architecture art light lighting photography reflections https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/kress-building Sat, 16 Apr 2016 06:01:00 GMT
On the Cover of Albuquerque Business First https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/on-the-cover-of-albuquerque-business-first
 

It's not the cover of the Rolling Stone, but having one of my photos published on the cover of Albuquerque Business First is the next best thing. Stephanie Guzman published an excellent article on the Imperial Building using the series of photos from the animated gif I published in January. The animated gif shows a time lapse sequence of a year of the construction progress of the Imperial building . You can see the animated gif at The End’s in Sight — A Year After A Ground Breaking Experience, which is on the WordPress side of my blog at Off Center and Not Even POTDE Archives.

You can get more information on Albuquerque Business First at http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque, and you can also purchase a PDF version of this issue of Albuquerque Business First 04/15/2016 for $4.99 at http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/promo/albuquerquesi if you would like.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque Business First Downtown Albuquerque Imperial Building Rolling Stone Stephanie Guzman art cover. light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/on-the-cover-of-albuquerque-business-first Sat, 16 Apr 2016 03:55:11 GMT
First Bloom, Turkey & The Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/first-bloom-turkey-the-moon

Lady Banks is our first rose to bloom in 2016, beating out Austrian Copper

 

Tom Turkey roosting under a half moon near the top of one our large cottonwoods 

 

Peter Rabbit sitting in the mustard weed watching the sunset, his ears illuminated by the afterglow

 

The sunset at 70mm

 

The sunset at 200mm

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bunny light lighting moon photography sunset turkey https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/first-bloom-turkey-the-moon Fri, 15 Apr 2016 03:04:56 GMT
Parrot Tulip https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/parrot-tulip

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Parrot Tulip art light lighting photography tulips https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/parrot-tulip Thu, 14 Apr 2016 02:46:13 GMT
Turkey Dawn https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/turkey-dawn

I was awakened at 6:00 am by the sound of gobbling outside the window, and Spunk running in from the catio, bounding across my chest, leaping through the mini-blinds to look out the window onto the drive. After looking out the window for a moment, he stomped across my chest again and ran back out to the catio. I got up, peeked out the window through the mini blinds and saw a group of turkeys strolling through the parking area. By the time I got sweats and shoes on, grabbed my camera and got outside, they were heading down the road towards our neighbor's yard where the Tom turkey strutted is stuff for me.

 

Eight turkeys strolling down the road...

 

One fly, flies away...

 

Seven turkeys strolling down the road.

 

Having a turkey talk about the paparazzo pestering them before the sun is even up.

 

Tom turkey giving me a feathery turkey moon.

 

Turkey trot.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Tom turkey Turkey trot art light lighting photography strut turkeys https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/turkey-dawn Wed, 13 Apr 2016 03:19:51 GMT
The Black Cats https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/the-black-cats

Lola, Rosencrantz and Najar

 

Rosencrantz

 

Najar

 

Lola

 

Guildenstern

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Guildenstern Lola Najar Rosencrantz art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/the-black-cats Tue, 12 Apr 2016 02:30:08 GMT
Tulips by Design https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/tulips-by-design

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art design light lighting photography tulips https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/tulips-by-design Mon, 11 Apr 2016 01:59:08 GMT
Wealhþeow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/wealhtheow

Laurie named her Black Widow Wealhþeow after the Queen of the Danes in Beowulf.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Beowulf Black Widow Old English Wealhþeow art light lighting photography spiders https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/wealhtheow Sun, 10 Apr 2016 02:13:55 GMT
Thorny Thursday https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/thorny-thursday

Cary Grant is a thorny rosebush that produces beautiful roses. Grant had a difficult childhood, and while he had a handsomeness that appealed to both women and men, he was said to have been a '..."mass of contradictions" whose life was "painful, even tortured"...' The thorns on his namesake's canes are fitting.

 

Rosencrantz watching out for monsters while I photograph thorns after sundown.

 

It was 2:00 am and Spunk watched the monsters while I battled leaves in my ditches and gophers geysers while irrigating.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rosencrantz Spunk art cats light lighting photography roses thorns https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/thorny-thursday Thu, 07 Apr 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Weedy Wednesday https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/weedy-wednesday

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art flowers light lighting photography weeds https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/weedy-wednesday Wed, 06 Apr 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Tuesday's Tulip https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/tuesdays-tulip

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art flowers light lighting photography tulip https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/tuesdays-tulip Tue, 05 Apr 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Car Wash https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/car-wash

 

I dropped by a local car wash today on my way home from getting materials for two more sit / stand desktops I'm working on. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, with no clouds to be seen through the air still air and wiggles of warm drafts rising off the pavement. After I rolled into the car wash, and the stop light  turned red, I got an unworldly display of abstract images as what I presume was water, soap, wax and brushes seemed to be spraying and beating a year's worth of dusty roads, muddy rains and windstorms off my car, but then again I could have been in the twilight zone.

 

The battle begins.

 

Deeper into the red zone.

 

Fire and water are a strange pair.

 

A quick check in the rearview mirror showed some semblance of civilization beyond the wash.

 

The last thing I remember was ball lighting bouncing off the sideview mirrors and smashing against the windows.

 

Strangely enough, I woke up in the middle of Corrales on the ditch bank with a clean car.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Mazda RX-8 Twilight Zone abstract art car wash cars light lighting photography wash https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/car-wash Mon, 04 Apr 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Do You See What I See? https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/do-you-see-what-i-see

Many years ago, when I was racing bicycles, in a race through Jemez Springs to Los Alamos, NM, one of my teammates, Joe Green, broke away, and had a pretty good gap on the peloton. A few of us were up front blocking for Joe, when all off a sudden Rich, another one of our teammates, came flying around us from off-the-back with riders from other teams on his wheel, and they started chasing down Joe Green. We yelled for him to stop chasing, but Rich had blasted by so fast he couldn't hear us, so he pulled the whole peloton up to Joe Green. We were racing for Nunzio's Pizza at that time and we wore red, white and green striped team jerseys. At the end of the race, Joe Green came up to me and asked "What's the deal with Rich? Is he colorblind or what?" Rich is colorblind with a red and green deficiency, and he told me many times that the Nunzio's jersey looked pretty much the same as any other jersey to him.

If you have ever wondered how the 1% to 2% of the population who are "colorblind" see color, my good friend and fellow photographer, Susan Graham, has just published Seeing Color Colorblind: Protanopia Part I on Kindle books available from Amazon at http://smile.amazon.com/Seeing-Color-Colorblind-Protanopia-Part-ebook/dp/B01CUVBB86/. Susan is working on a print edition, as well. Since you need to view the photographs in color to see how "colorblind" people see them, you will need to use a Kindle Fire, a Kindle reader on your color hand held device or computer, or open it in Amazon's Cloud Reader to see the book in color.

Seeing Color Colorblind: Protanopia Part I is an excellent introduction for people who see color to see how "colorblind" people see the world. Susan's father was colorblind and her son is colorblind, also, but she said she never really understood the impact that color blindness had on them until recently. Through her photography and the many tools available for digital image processing, she has created a series of diptychs, with a normal color photo and the same photo processed to the colors that a person with protanopia (severe red deficiency) sees set side by side. Her son has helped her with the images so when he looks at the pair they look the same to him (if you look at the photos on a regular or paper white Kindle, both photos look the same). YOu can see samples of the diptychs on Susan's blog at http://susanbgraham.com/blog/2016/04/02/colorblindness/.

It's really amazing what Susan has accomplished by putting this book together and showing us what people with protanopia see when they look at color photographs. I had the common misconception that people with severe colorblindness see the world in more of a black and white or gray scale, when it turns out that they see color in black and white because they are not seeing the colors of the spectrum blended together that make black and white as I see it. Seeing Color Colorblind: Protanopia Part I is a fascinating view into another world, and is uniquely Susan because it is 100% art on the one hand, and 100% science on the other blended together into a single source.

Susan always wondered how her father and son could watch a football game on their black and white TV and talk about the "blue team" and the "yellow team". She thought it was a joke, until she finally realized they were seeing the teams in blue and yellow. Susan writes:

On March 15, 2015 I saw the first in a series of videos made by EnChroma, a company that makes glasses that help many people with color deficiencies see a broader range of colors. I must have watched the video at least twenty times that day, and cried throughout. I thought of the times my son had said, "I wish just once, even if just for a minute, I could see the world the way other people do." Finally, here was a chance, I thought." My mother saw the video, and immediately ordered some of the EnChroma glasses for her grandson.

It turned out that the glasses didn't really do a lot for her son, but they helped a little. Since the technology is not to the point that it can help her son see color more like the most people, she started to wonder if there was a way that she "could see the would through his eyes." And the answer was "yes" and the result is Seeing Color Colorblind: Protanopia Part I.

About Susan:
Susan Brandt Graham, an award winning photographer, is a photographic artist offering a unique view into the creative feminine mind. By training, a social anthropologist (PhD University of Arizona), and board certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist (MD University of Kansas, and Ob-Gyn Internship and Residency University of New Mexico), she has taught Anthropology at the university level and had a private Ob-Gyn practice until retiring. Living in the "Land of Enchantment," she is never at a loss for photographic subjects. Currently her main interest lies in conceptual photography and photo essays.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) EnChroma Susan Graham art colorblind colorblindness light lighting photography protanopia https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/do-you-see-what-i-see Sun, 03 Apr 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Black Sky https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/black-sky

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art black sky clouds landscape light lighting photography sky https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/black-sky Sat, 02 Apr 2016 06:01:00 GMT
VOTE https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/vote

Vote early! Vote often!

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography stairs vote https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/4/vote Fri, 01 Apr 2016 06:01:00 GMT
The Fly https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/the-fly

I chased this giant fly all over the yard trying to get a decent closeup photo of it. It would not let me get close enough to do a real macro photo, but it was so big, I got pretty good detail with a normal 50mm lens. I think this fly could identify with Miley Cyrus about being pestered by pesky paparazzi in her music video Fly On The Wall after I chased it around with my camera all afternoon.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art fly fly on the wall giant fly housefly light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/the-fly Thu, 31 Mar 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Dial AL6 996 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/dial-al6-996

Home Hardware would have been on the eastern edge of Albuquerque at 4607 Menual N.E. in the late 1940's. Home Hardware is long gone along with the 2 letters + 4 digit local numbers like the one used to "Dial AL" that where replaced by the standard 7 digit phone numbers in the 1950's. Yet like a ghost from the post war past, Al's old truck keeps on truckin' around the streets of Albuquerque.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 1948 Dodge Albuquerque Gallup I-40 Menaul Panel Truck Route 66 art light lighting old tuck photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/dial-al6-996 Wed, 30 Mar 2016 06:01:00 GMT
White Daffs Dreaming https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/white-daffs-dreaming

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art daffodils dreaming flowers light lighting photography white https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/white-daffs-dreaming Tue, 29 Mar 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Dusty Moonrise https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/dusty-moonrise

 

The wind blew hard all day the night before the full moon came up, and dust filled the air creating a soft veil over the Sandias as the moon rose behind the towers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art dust full moon light lighting moon photography towers wind https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/dusty-moonrise Mon, 28 Mar 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Easter Blooms https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/easter-blooms

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Easter art flowers hyacinths light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/easter-blooms Sun, 27 Mar 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Perspectives on a Pile of Cats https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/perspectives-on-a-pile-of-cats

From Spunk's Perspective

 

While I was laying around on the couch this afternoon, I got a pile of cats on me. They had nice perspective, and were persistently comfortable in managing to keep me on the couch for a long time.

 

Laurie got this shot bringing me a camera.

 

Spunk does have moments of cute and calm.

 

Spunk with his tongue our a little. You can see the birthmark on his nose.

 

Spunk, Rosencrantz, Sasha on me and Najar on a cabinet thinking about joining the other kitties.

 

Radiohead Rosencrantz "Transmitter. Oh! picking up something good. Hey radio head. The sound of a brand-new world"†

 

 

 

Lola looking over the pile, while "picking up something good"

 

All ears

 

†From Radio Head by David Byrne 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rosencrantz Sasha Spunk art cats couch light lighting napping photography pile https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/perspectives-on-a-pile-of-cats Sat, 26 Mar 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Horse Balls https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/horse-balls

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art balls coral fence horse balls light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/horse-balls Fri, 25 Mar 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Give Us Sunshine https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/give-us-sunshine

 

In these times of trouble, when the dark clouds of terror descent on the civilized world, we need a little sunshine to see clearly, and light our way in the darkness.

 

 

 

 

Jive Aces Bring Me Sunshine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXvJ8UquYoo

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Najar art blinds cats clouds darkness light lighting moonlight photography sunshine https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/give-us-sunshine Wed, 23 Mar 2016 06:01:00 GMT
X Moon Rising https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/x-moon-rising

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds contrails light lighting moon photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/x-moon-rising Tue, 22 Mar 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Three Little Daffies Don Peach https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/three-little-daffies-don-peach

 

These are the same "Three Little Daffies" that were yellow when I posted them on March 16th. The daffodils are named "Pink Wonder" and are available from Breck's.  They start out yellow in our alkaline soil and then turn peachy orange a day or two after they bloom.

 

The Three Little Daffies turned peach, joined by a forth that is still yellow.

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art backlit daffodils flowers leaf light lighting photography tulips https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/three-little-daffies-don-peach Mon, 21 Mar 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Free Style https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/free-style

 

At the end of the Kicker Arena Cross Competition there was a Free Style demonstration by two riders. Some of the signs that happened to be on as the riders flew by seem rather appropriate.

 

 

They used the ramp to launch themselves into the air where they did various stunts, and landed on the dirt mound. You can see an animated gif of the rider making the jump at https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2016/03/20/free-style/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The finale involved lighting one rider on fire.

 

 

 

He did a flaming flip. Unfortunately, a very bright sign came on and messed up my exposure.

 

 

Safely on the ground, and still burning.

 

He rides a fiery victory lap.

 

The rider gets covered with a wet towel to put out the fire.

 

Still Smoking

 

A smoking wave to the cheering crowd.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Arena Cross Free Style aerial stunts art jumps light lighting motocross motorcycles photography stunts https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/free-style Sun, 20 Mar 2016 23:28:36 GMT
Kicker Arena Cross https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/kicker-arena-cross

 

I went to the Kicker Arena Cross indoor motocross racing at the Santa Ana Star Center last night.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

You can see an animated gif of a race at https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2016/03/20/kicker-arena-cross/

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Arena Cross Kicker art light lighting motocross motorcycles photography racing https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/kicker-arena-cross Sun, 20 Mar 2016 07:15:51 GMT
Comic Relief https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/comic-relief

Lola letting her tongue warm up after licking ice cream.

 

Diné giving us "Mad Dogs" after we put her in the bag to waterboard her (give her subcue fluids).

 

The cat in the bag is not happy!

 

Diné reads a "Tin Tin" comic book in French as comic relief from waterboarding.

 

Najar

 

Rosencrantz looking at Spunk who's standing on his head.

 

Sasha looking at Spunk who's checking out the water in the pan from the clogged drain.

 

Guildenstern

 

Spunk winding up to give the stupid paparazzo a right hook!

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Diné Guildenstern Lola Najar Rosencrantz Sasha Spunk Tin Tin art cats comics light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/comic-relief Sat, 19 Mar 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Three Little Daffies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/three-little-daffies

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art daffodils flowers light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/three-little-daffies Fri, 18 Mar 2016 06:01:00 GMT
The New Yorker https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/the-new-yorker

1962 Chrysler New Yorker

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Chrysler New Yorker art car classic car light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/the-new-yorker Thu, 17 Mar 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Almost Half https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/almost-half

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting moon night photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/almost-half Wed, 16 Mar 2016 06:05:59 GMT
Up Close and Crocus https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/up-close-and-crocus

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art crocus flies flowers light lighting macro photography white https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/up-close-and-crocus Tue, 15 Mar 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Melting Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/melting-moon

Can you see images in the clouds?

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds light lighting moon photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/melting-moon Mon, 14 Mar 2016 06:01:00 GMT
Red, White & Wet https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/red-white-wet

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art flowers light lighting photography red tulips wet white https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/red-white-wet Sun, 13 Mar 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Spray https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/spray

 

When I started watering with the warmer weather, I discovered all the little cracks in the hoses and connections from freezing over the winter.

 

 

Another month gone by. Another sliver moon in the western sky.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting moon photography spray water https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/spray Sat, 12 Mar 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Light in the Storm https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/light-in-the-storm

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds cottonwoods light lighting photography storm https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/light-in-the-storm Fri, 11 Mar 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Red Blue Green https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/red-blue-green

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) architecture art blue green grid landscape light lighting photography red unm https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/red-blue-green Thu, 10 Mar 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Old Stomping Ground https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/old-stomping-ground

 

While I was at UNM the other day, I stopped in the Art Building to see what was happening. The photo department was open, so I walked in to see how it looked 30 years after I was a photography student in the Art Department. I wasn't too surprised the see that the prep area and gang darkroom had changed little since I was there, and it warmed my heart to see they still offered classes in black and white film photography. What had changed were the areas that had lighting studios and other darkrooms now had scanners, color printers, larger format plotters and computer labs for digital processing and printing. I spent four years of my life in this area taking photography classes, processing film and making prints, and as I stood there in the familiar surroundings, it felt like only yesterday that I was a student, but a yesterday that was oh so long ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Art and Art history UNM architecture art darkroom film light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/old-stomping-ground Wed, 09 Mar 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Happy Together https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/happy-together

 

 

Music video: THE TURTLES - Happy Together (1967

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art ducks happy together light lighting photography pond rocks turtles https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/happy-together Tue, 08 Mar 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Balance https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/balance

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art balance heans laptop light lighting outdoors photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/balance Mon, 07 Mar 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Abstractions https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/abstractions

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) UNM art duck pond ducks fish light lighting photography turtles https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/abstractions Sun, 06 Mar 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Gray & White https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/gray-white

Sasha's intense stare.

 

Spunk think about tearing through the wire.

 

Spunk looks before he leaps.

 

Spank makes a spectacular leap. I wasn't fast enough to get the landing.

 

Paw Lee doing his imitation of Charlie Chaplain.

Although Paw Lee could get in trouble doing Charlie Chaplain like Felix the Cat in the movie Felix in Hollywood (1923).

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Charlie Chaplain Felix the Cat Lee Paw Sasha Spunk art cats jump light lighting photography stare https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/gray-white Sat, 05 Mar 2016 07:01:00 GMT
White Rabbit https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/white-rabbit

Go ask Alice, when she's ten feet tall…
And call Alice, when she was just small…
Go ask Alice, I think she'll know…​

Grace Slick, 1966

Jefferson Airplane -White Rabbit- Official Music Video​

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Q White Rabbit art light lighting night photography rabbit sculpture tower https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/white-rabbit Fri, 04 Mar 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Orchard https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/orchard

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) apple trees art cottonwoods ladders light lighting photography trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/orchard Thu, 03 Mar 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Lola https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/lola

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Lola art cats light lighting photography roses window https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/lola Wed, 02 Mar 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Winter Interest https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/winter-interest

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art dried plants light lighting photography plants winter interest https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/3/winter-interest Tue, 01 Mar 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Last Cranes First Bloom https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/last-cranes-first-bloom

Sandhill Cranes hanging out in the field next door

 

There are a handful of Sandhill Cranes hanging around in the neighbor's field thinking that migrating is for the birds. But I'll bet those magnets in their little brains that the polar vortex tugs at will soon be pulling them northward. Temps in the 70's and Leap Year has so far only produced one lonely bloom from a yellow crocus along the walk to our front door. The other crocus, daffodils and tulips are not buying into this window of warm weather since morning temperatures have been around 20º F every morning despite highs in the 60's to 70 degrees during the day.

We took advantage of the warm weather to work on the garden. Laurie cut and cleaned up a lot of the dry foliage we leave for the birds and winter interest. I worked on the drip systems and soaker hoses, then I started moving a pile of bamboo I had cut out of the black bamboo grove to make the labyrinth last summer. I got frustrated with the elm trees blocking my path to the limb, started cutting elm trees out to clear the path, and ended up cutting a few hundred elm trees out of a 12 feet by 100 feet section along the south side of the property. The elm trees I cut down ranged in size from twigs to trees with 4 inch trunks that were 20 feet tall. Most of the trees had 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inch diameter trunks and were 8 to 12 feet tall. Since I cut down all the trees by hand with lopping sheers, a bow saw or an axe, I left the big trees with 6 inch to 15 inch trunks that are up to 50 feet tall for another day. I have to use a chainsaw, get a ladder, climb up into the trees and cut them down in sections so they don't crush other parts of the garden when they fall over. I was thinking I needed to hire the beavers to take out all the trees I removed — that would give them plenty of material for their dams.

 

Yellow crocus

 

Laurie brandishing sheers.

 

Laurie cutting dead foliage off a peony.

 

The beavers are still winning the war the Conservancy has been waging against them and their dams. I would willingly donate the fruits of my labor from clearing out all those elm trees to the beavers for their dam.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Laurie Sandhill Cranes art birds bow saw elm trees flowers light lighting loppers peony photography trees yellow crocus https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/last-cranes-first-bloom Mon, 29 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Crows https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/crows

 

I turn to my old friend the Bestiary (Book of Beasts) MS Bodley 764 from the 13th Century for a discussion on crows. What the original author of the Bestiary tells us about crows is that little has changed in the nearly 800 years after he created his manuscripts.

The Crow
“The crow is a bird which lives to great age. Its name is the same in Greek as in latin; ‘cornix’. They say it can reveal the purposes of men’s actions: it can disclose the whereabouts of an ambush, and predict the future. This is a great offense, to believe that God entrusts His counsels to crows. Among other omens they are credited with foretelling rain with their cries. Hence the poet’s words: ’The crow loudly cries for rain’ [Virgil, Georgics i.388]. Men should teach themselves to love their children from the crow’s example. When their young are learning to fly, they follow them assiduously, and in case they should weaken, they bring them food. They do not give up the task of feeding for a long while. By contrast, our women wean human children as soon as they can, even if they love them; and if the children are troublesome, they show a real aversion to breastfeeding them. If they are poor they throw out their babies and expose them, and if they are found, deny all knowledge of them. Even the rich would rather kill the child in the womb for fear that their lands should be divided into many parts, and use murderous juices to extinguish the concealed pledges of their love; they are more ready to take life away than to give it. Who apart from mankind denies their offspring? What other creature has such harsh treatment from its father? Who made brothers unequal in their brotherhood? The sons of the same rich man with have very different fates; one will be entrusted with all his estates, the other will inherit a poor and worked-out corner of his father’s lands. Did nature divide the merits of the sons so unevenly? She divides equally for all, giving them enough to be born and to live. Nature should teach you not to make any distinction in dividing an inheritance between those who are equal by brotherhood of blood.”†

†Excerpt from Bestiary MS Bodley 764. Pages 160 and 161. “Bestiary being an English version of the Bodleian Library, Oxford M.S. Bodley 764 with all the original miniatures reproduced in Facsimile. Translated and introduced by Richard Barber. The Boydell Press. Woodrifge. 1999”

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rio Grande Sandias art cottonwoods crows dusk light lighting photography sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/crows Sun, 28 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Dusk on Dixon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/dusk-on-dixon

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Dixon art cars dusk dust light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/dusk-on-dixon Sat, 27 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Bite a Stand https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/bite-a-stand

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art bite bookstand cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/bite-a-stand Fri, 26 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Drive By Morning Drive By Evening https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/drive-by-morning-drive-by-evening

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art clouds light lighting morning photography road sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/drive-by-morning-drive-by-evening Thu, 25 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Pruned https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/pruned

Stark and bare against the cottonwoods.

 

I took advantage of the the beautiful weather over the weekend to prune the fruit trees.

 

Dwarf Pear Tree stands alone surrounded by black bamboo

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art black bamboo fruit trees light lighting pear tree photography pruning trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/pruned Tue, 23 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Hello Yellow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/hello-yellow

How's this for the "cool cat" look?

 

This yellow kitty has been coming around to visit for almost a year now. I did a blog about him at the end of April last year called "Le chat d'orange" (he looks more orange in daylight). Normally when he shows up he has a spat with Spunk through the wire on the catio, then comes to the sunroom door and looks in for a minute, then runs into the labyrinth I cut in the bamboo and disappears if I open the door to talk to him. But last night he just sat at the sunroom door and meowed and meowed. The first time I went out to see what he wanted, he ran off into the labyrinth like normal, but no sooner had I sat back down than he was at the door meowing again. The next time I opened the door he let me pet him and talk to him. When I asked him what he wanted he gave me a look like "Are you dense or what?" I told him there were no free meal tickets around our house, and after a few good photos through the glass in the door (Spunk was not going to let Yellow come inside), he earned a bowl of food, which he promptly devoured.

 

"Have I earned a meal yet?"

 

Spunk and Yellow facing off through the glass in the door.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art cats light lighting photography yellow kitty https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/hello-yellow Mon, 22 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Stanley on the Bailey No. 4 https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/stanley-on-the-bailey-no-4

Shavings from planing down the door to the Catio.

 

Stanley is old (1940's), rough around the edges, and a bit rusty, but very patient — he has been waiting in the shed for years for me to find a job for him and put him to work. Yesterday Stanley, the hard plane who sits in a Bailey No. 4 base, was put to use planing down the French door and frame that leads to the catio.  Last summer with all the rain, the door swelled and wouldn't shut properly. Months later, after all the other doors had dried up and went back to their normal size, the catio door still wouldn't shut properly. On further investigation, I discovered the problem is the trunk of the trumpet vine growing up and over the arch we have over the doorway in the catio has grown large enough to push on the trim around the outside of the door and has pushed the door frame in about 1/8 of an inch so the door could not close properly. I really need to take the trim off the outside of the door, but in order to do that I need to take down the arch, which is overgrown with the trumpet vine, so I would have to remove the trumpet vine canopy that we use for shade. If I remove the trumpet vine canopy, all that will be left is the trunk causing the problem, so at that point I could take out the trunk, which would do away the trumpet vine.  I really don't want to kill the trumpet vine which provides good shade, and flowers that the honey bees and hummingbirds love. Until I can see if I find a better permanent solution to the problem, I put Stanley to work and planed down the door and the door jamb so it closes properly again.

 

Stanley where he has sat patiently for years in the shed for me to put him to work.

 

Stanley sizing up the edge of the door, helping me decide if we could plane  the door in on its hinges.

 

Stanley making shavings as we plane the edge of the door.

 

Stanley sits happily among the wood shavings from our labor.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Bailey No 4 Stanley art chisel door hammer hard plane light lighting photography wood shavings https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/stanley-on-the-bailey-no-4 Sun, 21 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Bite! Perfect Bra https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/bite-perfect-bra

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bite bra light lighting perfect bra photography woman https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/bite-perfect-bra Sat, 20 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
The Mother Road Motel https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/the-mother-road-motel

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) alley art downtown light lighting motel painted wall photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/the-mother-road-motel Fri, 19 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Views From Days Gone By https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/views-from-days-gone-by

Dawn from the parking lot where the Imperial Building now stands taken Tuesday morning February 14, 2012.

 

Moonrise over the parking structure with Orion's belt peaking through the clouds taken from the parking lot where the Imperial Building now stands on Monday evening February 6, 2012.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art clouds dawn downtown Albuquerque light lighting moon night parking lot parking structure photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/views-from-days-gone-by Thu, 18 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Lighted Lilies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/lighted-lilies

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art flowers light lighting lilies photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/lighted-lilies Wed, 17 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
STOP in the Name of Cat https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/stop-in-the-name-of-cat

Lola

 

Lola

 

Najar

 

Najar

 

Sasha

 

 

 

Spunk

 

Spunk: "This is what I think of your stinking STOP! Stupid paparazzo"

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Najar Sasha Spunk art cats light lighting photography stop https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/stop-in-the-name-of-cat Tue, 16 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
V-Day Dinner https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/v-day-dinner

I baked Laurie a dark chocolate heart cake for V-Day

 

The cake came out black from the dark chocolate so the candy hearts contrasted nicely.

 

Laurie made a batch of vanilla bean gelato.

 

Spunk argued the bread basket was too small. He proved his point..

 

We had grilled steak, green beans and garlic toast for dinner, followed by the deserts we worked on all day.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art cake candy cats chocolate cake gelato green beans hearts light lighting photography steak toast https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/v-day-dinner Mon, 15 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Kissy Nails and Kitty Cats https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/kissy-nails-and-kitty-cats

 

Happy Valentine's Day!  I gave Laurie various nail polishes and stickers for Christmas. She saved what I call the "kissy nails" for Valentine's day, as they are most appropriate for the occasion. We went to a dinner party last night, and I got four cats to pose for me.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Valentine's Day art cats kissy nails light lighting nails photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/kissy-nails-and-kitty-cats Sun, 14 Feb 2016 08:44:05 GMT
McLaren https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/mclaren

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Espresso Fino McLaren art cars coffee light lighting photography sports cars https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/mclaren Sat, 13 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Bollards https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/bollards

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bollards light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/bollards Fri, 12 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Under a Sliver Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/under-a-sliver-moon

 

The sliver moon setting through a very light cloud cover.

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting moon night photography sliver moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/under-a-sliver-moon Thu, 11 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Behind the Gray Door https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/behind-the-gray-door

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art construction ditch witch door gray door grinder ladder light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/behind-the-gray-door Wed, 10 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
The Passage https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/the-passage

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art block cider cmu construction light lighting night photography scaffolding wall https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/the-passage Tue, 09 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Lick the Bowl Sunday https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/lick-the-bowl-sunday

Few people were at Costo during the Super Bowl, so the shopping cart storage was filled to capacity.

 

I started to go by Costo on my way home Friday evening, but decided against it for fear of large crowds stocking up for Super Bowl Sunday. I decided I would wait and go to Costo during the Super Bowl on Sunday instead, and as I had anticipated, Costo had few shoppers. I got everything on my shopping list, then I got through the checkout and was out of the store in record time.

Laurie made vanilla bean Gelato Stracciatella with slivered orange chocolate bars, fresh orange, and orange zest from her Come fare in case Gelati e Sorbetti cook book we got in Rome. With whipped cream as part of the makings, Sasha had a "Lick the Bowl" Sunday party, and started by licking the whipped cream off the whipper. I got Søren out and we listened to "Lola" by the Kinks so he could get a better sense of the tune — I taught him to sing "Lola" and he does a pretty fair job singing it. We partied, listened to a few more songs, drank coffee and tested the gelato as it turned in the ice cream freezer. After the gelato was done, and we had put it in single serving containers that we put in the freezer, Sasha wanted to lick the leftover gelato out of the ice cream freezer. I told her her tongue would stick to it, and then promptly grabbled a plastic spoon and rubber spatula, and used them to "lick" the remaining gelato out of the ice cream freezer — it was delightful (sorry Sasha).  In the end, Sasha seemed content licking the wire whip and any other bowls waiting to be washed.

 

 

 

Najar waiting for me to pour her a cup of coffee.

 

Sasha celebrating "Lick the Bowl" Sunday.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Costco Najar Sasha Sunday Super Bowl art cats gelato light lighting photography shopping carts whipped cream https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/lick-the-bowl-sunday Mon, 08 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
One for the Birds https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/one-for-the-birds

 

 

While Søren and Beaker are as much a part of our family as the kitties, they don't get as much blog time. Beaker, our 24 year old Gold Cap Conure, doesn't really like me photographing him. He gets defensive and then cowers when his defensive posturing doesn't make that pesky camera go away. Søren doesn't mind the camera, but he doesn't come out in the kitchen with us as much as Beaker. Søren likes to hang out in his room where he talks back and forth with us, sings, laughs and imitates the cats, appliances, and other noises, which keeps us and himself very entertained. Søren decided to come out with me yesterday, and hung out at the kitchen counter with us all afternoon. We shared an apple and orange, and Søren enjoyed corn chips (imitating the sound I make when I eat chips — kind of pesky), and puffed rice while Laurie put together ingredients for gelato, and I worked on the computer.  As far as Spunk, Sasha and Najar were concerned, Søren was a new, free-range bird who was fair game for hunting. Rosencrantz and Lola paid little attention to him, but we had to keep the troublesome trio at bay by spraying them with water from a spray bottle. Najar sat innocently on the edge of the counter giving Soren sideways glances (Najar is the black blob in the background in the photos of Soren), while Søren kept one eye on her while posing for the camera.

 

Søren

 

Beaker

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) African Grey Beaker Conure Soren art birds light lighting parrots photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/one-for-the-birds Sun, 07 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Boomer the Flying Bull https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/boomer-the-flying-bull

 

Boomer the Flying Bull didn't touch down until he got Cody Jesus from Window Rock, AZ off his back. You can see an animated gif of this series of photos at https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2016/02/06/boomer-the-flying-bull/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art boomer bull riding bulls championship bull riding cody jesus flying bull light lighting photography rio rancho santa ana star center https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/boomer-the-flying-bull Sat, 06 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Adventures with my Wankel https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/adventures-with-my-wankel

Tools gathered for the job - floor jack, light, socket set, coffee cup with a classic Renault R5 on it, thermos, torque wrench and black cat.

 

I decided to get really adventurous and change the sparks plugs in my RX-8's Wankel rotary engine myself. Wankel engines burn oil as part of the lubrication process, so the spark plugs need to be changed every 25,000 to 30,000 miles. While changing spark plugs normally isn't a big deal in most piston engines, changing spark plugs in a Wankel is a major undertaking, so much so, that mechanics charge $300 to $400 to change spark plugs in a Mazda RX-8. The plugs are Laser Iridium, and even at discounted prices cost $20 each, so changing the plugs myself still cost me $100 for the plugs, anti-seize paste and taxes on the lot.

Since I haven't done any real work on a car in years, finding all the tools was like a scavenger hunt. I had to remove the left front wheel to get to the spark plugs on the engine, so the first thing I had to find was the floor jack, which after quite a bit of searching, I found buried under several seasons of cottonwood leaves. Then I had to get my cup of coffee with a photo of a classic Renault R5 I took in France, my thermos of coffee, gathered up the rest of the tools, and let Rosencrantz out so he could help me. With coffee on the floor jack and Rosencrantz for an assistant, I was ready to start my adventure with my Wankel.

 

There are two sets of plugs in a Wankel engine. Each set has a "Leading" plug and a 'Trailing" plug.

 

Leading plug on the left and Trailing plug on the right.

 

Rosencrantz gave his approval to remove the front tire and then moved on the see what he could find that was more interesting.

 

Wheel off and Rosencrantz making the rounds.

 

The spark plugs are in behind the mudflap behind the brake caliper.

 

Close up of the spark plugs in the engine. The Leading plug is on the bottom and the Trailing plug is the one on top with the cap removed.

 

i needed a longer extension on the ratchet to reach the plugs in the front rotor. 

 

The ratchet with the two extension and socket on the Trailing plug.

 

Carbon buildup on the first Trailing plug I removed that has between 25,000 and 30,000 miles on it, with the new plug next to it.

 

Rosnecrantz disappeared on me, and I found him taking a break to enjoy the clouds over the Sandias.

 

The view that distracted Rosencrantz.

 

I removed one plug, put a new matching plug back in, used a torque wrench to tighten to between 10 and 15 foot pounds, replaced the spark plug cap and then, moved on to the next plug. By changing the plugs one at a time, I couldn't get the spark plug wires crossed.

 

The first leading plug i removed with a lot of carbon build up on it compared to the new plug.

 

The two plugs in the back rotor proved to be much more difficult to get to and remove. There was not a straight shot through and opening in the wheel well, so I had to use the ratchet inside the engine compartment, working through the hole in the wheel well. I had little room to move or get leverage to loosen the plug, so it took all hand strength to get the plug loose, and a lot of micro turns to get it to a point i could finish unscrewing it with my hand. I had to use a knuckle wrench to get the bottom, Leading old plug out of the back rotor and the new one back in.

 

Fortunately I had the short torque wrench that fit into the available space in the engine compartment for tightening the new plugs in the back rotor.

 

After I got all the tools together, it took me two and a half hours to change the sparks plugs in my Wankel. After cleaning up the mess of tools and boxes, I started the car and took it for a test drive. It's running great, smooth and quick. The change in performance from fowled plugs is gradual, so I hadn't noticed the difference until I felt how much better the car performs with new plugs in it.

 

All four fowled plugs.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Mazda RX-8 Wankel art jack laser iridium spark plugs light lighting photography rotary engine tire iron torque wrench https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/adventures-with-my-wankel Fri, 05 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Tote Bags & Laundry Baskets https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/tot-bags-luandry-baskets

It's not only boxes, Spunk, Najar and Sasha love tot bags and laundry baskets as well.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Najar Sasha Spunk art bags baskets cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/tot-bags-luandry-baskets Thu, 04 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Foghorn in the Car https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/foghorn-in-the-car

More photos from the Super Nationals Car Show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Classic cars Harley Davidson Super Nationals Car Show art beauty cars fashion light lighting models motorcycles photography women https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/foghorn-in-the-car Wed, 03 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Southwestern Beauty https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/southwestern-beauty

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art beauty cowboy-hat fashion hair hat light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/southwestern-beauty Tue, 02 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Everyone Bites the Dust https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/everyone-bites-the-dust

Dirt on the floor of the Santa Ana Star Center for the CBR.

 

I'm always surprised when people tell me they want to get out of Albuquerque because there is "nothing" to do here. I never really get from them what they define as "nothing" to do, but I find there are usually too many things I want to do, but because of conflicts in schedule, laziness or not wanting to spend the money, I don't do most of the things there are to do in Albuquerque on any given day. Saturday, January 30th was one of the days with lots of things to do — I went to the Super Nationals Car Show on Saturday afternoon, and then Saturday evening, I went to the Championship Bull Riding (CBR) "Bucking on the Rio Grande" presented by the Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho (you can watch CBR on the Fox Sports Channel). There was also a swing dance Saturday night, but I couldn't turn down a media pass, and the opportunity to photograph the CBR.

Bull riding is a very American sport that is extremely exciting to watch, and quite brutal for the riders. It's one of those sports where every competitor bites the dust after a bone jarring ride on a ton of bull (the bulls generally weigh around 1,000 pounds, but the big ones can weigh over 2000 pounds). There were 29 competitors who competed in three elimination rounds with four riders competing in the third round to determine the winner.  Each rider earns a score up to 100 points for a perfect ride on a perfect bull, which means riders rarely, if ever, score 100 points on a ride. The rider has to stay on the bull for 8 seconds, and if the the riders free hand touches the bull at anytime for any reason the clock is stopped. Each round the bulls are more difficult to ride, and in the final round only one rider stayed on his bull for the full 8 seconds and won the competition.

 

The even started with pyrotechnics.

 

Then riders were introduced.

 

One of the Reigning Champions.

 

 

Corey Bailey from Paris, TN was the fourth competitor out of the chutes riding General Lee.

 

 

General Lee didn't take long to throw Mr. Bailey.

 

General Lee gives a final kick to the crowd before heading back stage.

 

Jeffrey Ramagos from Zachary, LA lasted only a couple of bucks on No Dry Country before hitting the ground.

 

No Dry Country was an especially ornery bull who refused to leave the arena.

 

The house cowboy finally roped No Dry Country, but that didn't impress NDC, he just ran around the Fox Sports Channel camera stand in the middle of the arena, and pulled down the camera man, and his equipment with the rope.

 

No Cry County was not giving in easily.

 

He put one of the bull handlers on the rails.

 

No Dry Country stopped in front of me and posed for a photo before he finally decide to run back stage.

 

Cody Strite from McIntosh, NM had a hard time with Hard Times.

 

 

Hard Times doing a happy dance after throwing Mr. Strite.

 

Jacob O'Mara from Baton Rouge, LA out of the chute in the final round on Yellowhair.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. O'Mara dives to the ground after riding the full 8 seconds.

 

 

Mr. O'Mara throws his hat and raises his arms in celebration after staying on Yellowhair for 8 seconds. There was one more rider after him, but I think he knew he had won.

 

Jacob O'mara receiving his winning check and belt buckle for the press, before the official ceremony.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 8-seconds art bull-riding bulls cbr championship-bull-riding competition light lighting navajo-nation photography santa-ana-star-center https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/2/everyone-bites-the-dust Mon, 01 Feb 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Crazy Cars, Hot Wheels & Henry Winkler https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/crazy-cars-hot-wheels-henry-winkler

The 25th annual Super Nationals car show is January 29-31, 2016  at the Lujan Complex @ Expo NM in Albuquerque. There are a lot of crazy custom cars, just plain nicely restored cars, classic cars, concept cars, trucks, race cars, custom motorcycles and a few bicycles. The kids really like the HotWheels track between the buildings, and Henry Winkler is a featured guest selling his books, signing photos and taking photos with people.  Anyone in the Albuquerque area can go today between 10:00 am and 7:00 pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Henry Winkler art cars crazy-cars custom-cars hot-wheels light lighting photography super-national https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/crazy-cars-hot-wheels-henry-winkler Sun, 31 Jan 2016 08:06:16 GMT
Jack it up! Jack it up! Now they've shut the alley down https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/jack-it-up-jack-it-up-now-theyve-shut-the-ally-down

When I went out to check on the progress on the new wall for Patrician Design yesterday morning, the rebar was pulled out of the trench for the new footing and a construction worker was digging in the trench. I asked him if he had run into problems with the footings, and he said he was having to dig out under the floor because he had to jack up the building. I went back out at 3:00 pm and he was still working on it, and while I was talking to him, another guy pulled up with a few new tools to help them to jack up the building. Meanwhile, they shut down the alley behind the office to rebuild it. They were out with a backhoe breaking up the old asphalt and concrete at our back door bright and early.

 

Digging out the original foundation which is made of the large rocks along the inside of the rebar.

 

A wider view of the trench, rebar and rocks from the foundation.

 

Closer view of the floor they were preparing to jack up. You can see a large granite boulder leaning against the rebar he dug out from the original foundation.

 

Working on the alley behind the office. The parking garage in the background is where I had been taking photos of the construction of the Imperial Building over the past year.

 

The back (north side) of the Imperial Building taken from the roof of our office. 

 

The alley looking straight down from the roof of our office through a super wide-angel lens. The concrete step in the bottom center of the photo is the step up to the back door to the office. My desk is about 15 feet from where the guy closest to the step is standing.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) alley art boulders construction footings foundation light lighting photography rebar trench https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/jack-it-up-jack-it-up-now-theyve-shut-the-ally-down Sat, 30 Jan 2016 07:48:25 GMT
Cats & Fashion Friday — Rosencrantz Sez https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/cats-fashion-friday-rosencrantz-sez

Rosencrantz sez the black, leopard-like spots, flowers and roses are fine, but he's not sure about all that pink.

 

A pink and black outfit with a touch of yellow Laurie spread out on the table to see how it all looks together.

 

Rosencrantz sez he'll think about it.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Friday Rosencrantz art cats dress fashion light lighting photography pink shoes socks sweater tights https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/cats-fashion-friday-rosencrantz-sez Fri, 29 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
New Box https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/new-box

No sooner than I got the new kettle out of the box than Sasha got in the box.

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sasha art box cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/new-box Thu, 28 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Beyond Infinity https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/beyond-infinity

Venus and Medusa at Prime

 

One thing I really liked about old, manual focus lenses is that when you set the lenses on Infinity = ∞ you got ∞ = Infinity. That is not the case with modern, auto-focus lenses. Often when I set my auto-focus lenses to manual focus, and then turn the focusing ring until the indicator is on ∞, and point my camera at the stars, which are infinitely far from the focal plane on my camera, the infinity at ∞ I have manually set the focus to is not the same infinity as the stars, and the photos are slightly out of focus. If the photo matters (not all photos matter), then I will make sure that I get the right infinity, so the image is in focus, but general fly-by-night photos like these that I took at Prime, Vespers and Compline, I set the lenses to infinity and they focused somewhere either short of or beyond infinity.

 

Orion's belt and saucers at Vespers

 

Moon, clouds and contrails at Compline.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Medusa Venus art compline infinity light lighting moon photography prime vespers https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/beyond-infinity Wed, 27 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Shine https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/shine

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting photography shine torch https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/shine Tue, 26 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
It's a New Dawn, It's a New Day, It's a New Dam https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/its-a-new-dawn-it-s-a-new-day-it-s-a-new-dam

 

The Conservancy staff tore out the beaver dam I photographed last week, and here "it's a new dawn, it's a new day" and the beavers have already built a new dam. Unless the Conservancy staff trap and relocate the beaver, I believe the destruction of the beaver dams and their subsequent rebuilding will be a Battle of Evermore. And while I'm on a roll of relating songs to beaver dams:

 

Beavers don’t need no extra harassing 
We don't need no dam control 
No dark diggers in the ditch now 
Workers leave those dams alone 
Hey! workers! leave those dams alone! 
All in all they're just another stick in the falls.
All in all they're just another stick in the falls.

 

But then again, all this destroy and rebuild could be a Works Project partnership between the Conservancy District and the beavers to create jobs for both man and beast.

 

A lone crane flying across an explosion of clouds and sunshine.

 

The new day beaver dam from under the bridge.

 

A Copper's Hawk flying along the Rio Grande

 

A triad of Sandhill Cranes with the sun setting behind clouds.

 

Cooper's Hawk treading air

 

Super-wide view of the clearwater ditch and the new day beaver dam

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Coppers-Hawk art beaver-dam beavers birds cranes dam hawk light lighting photography sandhill-cranes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/its-a-new-dawn-it-s-a-new-day-it-s-a-new-dam Mon, 25 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Predator https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/predator

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art cat-eye cats eyes light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/predator Sun, 24 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
And the Wall Comes Tumbling Down https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/and-the-wall-comes-tumbling-down

 

Just over 2 years after the two buildings on the end of our block burned, https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2013/12/19/burning-down-the-block/, and  over a year and a half after demolition of the burned buildings, https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2014/03/31/now-you-see-it-now-you-dont/, that left the east facing wall of Patrician Design exposed, all the messy issues with the fire and property lines have been resolved to the point that Patrician Design can finally get the exposed and damaged exterior wall replaced. Construction has begun, and the wall comes tumbling down.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Patrician-Design art demolition light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/and-the-wall-comes-tumbling-down Sat, 23 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
The Challenger https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/the-challenger

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Challenger Dodge architecture art light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/the-challenger Fri, 22 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Castor canadensis https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/castor-canadensis

Looking at the beaver dam from under the bridge.

 

The Bestiary, or Book of Beasts, written between 1220 and 1250, describes the beaver as fallows:

 

“There is an animal called the beaver, which is quite tame, whose testicles are excellent as medicine. The naturalists say of it that when it realizes that hunters are pursuing it, it bites off its testicles and throws them down in front of the hunters, and thus takes flight and escapes. If it so happens that another hunter follows it, it stands up on its hind legs and shows its sexual organs. When the second hunter sees that it has no testicles, he goes away. …The beaver (castor) is so called because it castrates itself.”†

 

The Castor canadensi in our clear water ditch seem to have given up castrating themselves, as they have the balls to keep building dams after Conservancy staff tear the beavers’ dams out. So far the beavers have built their third dam in the same place after the first two were torn out over the past couple months.

 

†Excerpt from Bestiary MS Bodley 764. Pages 43 and 44. “Bestiary being an English version of the Bodleian Library, Oxford M.S. Bodley 764 with all the original miniatures reproduced in Facsimile. Translated and introduced by Richard Barber. The Boydell Press. Woodrifge. 1999”

 

Beaver dam from under the bridge on the bank of the clearwater ditch, The debris from the previous dams the Conservancy tore out is piled up on the other side of the ditch.

 

A little elm tree the beavers have been gnawing on.

 

Piles of debris from previous dams with the latest dam rebuilt in the same place as the other dams.

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Bestirary Conservancy art beaver clearwater dam ditch light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/castor-canadensis Thu, 21 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
CompuSpunk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/compuspunk

Spunk waiting for me to sit down at the computer so he can get on lap. You can see an animated gif of CompuSpunk on my WordPress blog at https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2016/01/20/compuspunk/​

 

Sasha and Najar napping on a throw rug in the bathroom sink.

 

Najar looking pretty on the rug in the sink.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Najar Sasha Spunk art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/compuspunk Wed, 20 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Hoodie on a Heater Vent https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/hoodie-on-a-heater-vent

Laurie's warm-up hoodie on the heater vent waiting for the heater to come on and warm it up.

 

Christmas nails and berries.

 

The furnace comes on the the hoodie comes to life.

 

Spunk helping break down the container the blueberries came in for recycling.

 

Najar taking advantage of the hoodie heating up to get warm.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Najar Spunk art berries cats heater hoodie light lighting nails photography vent https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/hoodie-on-a-heater-vent Tue, 19 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
A Fence for Julie https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/a-fence-for-julie A fence for Julie.

 

Julie, who has Frog Pond Farm in New Zealand, loves wood fences. While I was out photographing the cranes and Sandias yesterday, I walked by this fence and thought to myself "Now that's a fence Julie would love."

 

 

         

 


 Sasha

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Corrales John-Deere Sasha Tractor Wagner Wagner-Farm art cats fence light lighting photography roses https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/a-fence-for-julie Mon, 18 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Sunflower with a Mohawk https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/sunflower-with-a-mohawk

 

While we were out on the river bank waiting for the Sandias to turn pink, which didn't happen, I noticed a sunflower with a mohawk and an attitude — sunflower to punkflower proudly showing off its do.

 

Earlier in the day I was out test driving Laurie's car after I finished some maintenance and repairs on it. As I was driving back into Corrales from Rio Rancho, I noticed the Sandias were looking really gnarly in the strong winter sunshine. I stopped on the bank of the drainage canal along River's Edge above Corrales Road, and got this shot of the rugged Sandias behind the "Road Closed" sign.

 

 

Laurie standing on the edge of the Rio Grande in subfreezing temperatures waiting for the Pink.

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art dusk jetties light lighting mohawk photography sunflower https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/sunflower-with-a-mohawk Sun, 17 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Windmill in the Window https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/windmill-in-the-window

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Albuquerque architecture art concrete downtown light lighting parking-garage photography wind-generator windmill https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/windmill-in-the-window Sat, 16 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
A Year of Climbing Dangerously https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/a-year-of-climbing-dangerously Stick caricatures of Jay, me and Bruce with our various records, and daily tic-marks recording each day's climb.

 

A year ago today, Friday, January 16, 2015, I got the bright idea to climb the stairs in the New Mexico Bank and Trust Building in the next block west of our office. Bruce and I walked over and climbed the 36 flights of stairs to the roof access on the 16th floor. We suffered for our effort, hacking and coughing for 30 minutes or more afterward. The next week Jay joined us and we three have climbed the steps almost every week day since, racking up around 250 ascents. There were a few times we climbed twice in a day, but that was rare. After a few months of climbing we started timing ourselves and constantly tried to better our previous records. That's where it got dangerous, and we realized after a couple of months of record setting, it was pretty easy to strain muscles and injure ourselves pushing really hard up 36 flights stairs. Of late we climb at a pretty good clip that makes me breath hard, but not hard enough to strain muscles.

 

My best time on the left, Jay's best time on the right.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art climbing light lighting photography stairs year https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/a-year-of-climbing-dangerously Fri, 15 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Police Under Sliver Moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/police-under-sliver-moon

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art light lighting moon photography police sliver-moon https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/police-under-sliver-moon Thu, 14 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
The End's in Sight — A Year After A Ground Breaking Experience https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/the-ends-in-sight-a-year-after-a-ground-breaking-experience

The corner of 3rd Street and Silver.

 

A year ago today I stood among the small crowd who had gathered to witness a ground breaking experience on the eve of construction of the Imperial Building in Downtown Albuquerque. After the local politicians spoke, they donned hard hats, stuck their silver shovels into the soil and broke ground. A year later the color coat is almost complete and within another 3 months the Imperial Building should be finished. I photographed the progress of the construction almost every week until the building got to the point where there was less visible changes on the exterior each week. You can see an animated gif of the building going up at over the past year at https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/the-ends-in-sight-a-year-after-a-ground-breaking-experience/.

 

The east side of the building on 2nd Street. The building is distorted from my super-wide-ange lens.

 

The front of the building on Silver distorted by my super-wide-angle lens.

 

The west side of the building on 3rd Street with a little less distortion.

 

The west and north side of the building from 3rd Street. The workers applying the color coat.

 

Below are links to the progress I posted of the past year:

The Eve Of Construction: A Groundbreaking Experience

Progress

More Progress

Construction Progress

Hole-eee, Hole-eeE, Hole-eEE

25K Gallons

Iron Grid

Continuing Construction

As the Building Rises

Three Weeks and a Third Story

View from the Ground Level

Three to Four

Seven Photos Four Stories

Scratch Coat

Brown Coat

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) anniversary art construction imperial-building light lighting photography year https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/the-ends-in-sight-a-year-after-a-ground-breaking-experience Wed, 13 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Behind Bars https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/behind-bars

Smoke break

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) architecture art bars downtown light lighting photography woman https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/behind-bars Tue, 12 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Minutes after Sundown https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/minutes-after-sundown

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Sandias art cold cottonwoods dusk fence light lighting photography snow trees https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/minutes-after-sundown Mon, 11 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Spunk Paints His Nails https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/spunk-paints-his-nails

Spunk thinking about painting his nails.

 

Spunk heard Laurie talking about how gel nails make her nails really strong and durable, so he decided that even though he's a Tom Cat, he was "Cat" enough to paint his nails. I told him that I paint my nails when I play guitar.  There is an animated gif of Spunk searching through the nail polish at https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2016/01/10/spunk-paints-his-nails/.

 

Checking out the colors.

 

Trying to get the colors he wanted to take a closer look at out of the box.

 

Deciding between orange, red or blue.

 

He finally chose "Camera Ready" red.

 

Using Laurie's Sensationail UV LED lamp to set the nail polish.

 

Spunk: "What do you think of my painted nails, Guildenstern?"  Guildenstern: "They look bloody dangerous!"

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Guildenstern LED Sensationail Spunk UV art cats light lighting nails photo-ready-red photography polish https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/spunk-paints-his-nails Sun, 10 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Spunk Discovers Fire https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/spunk-discovers-fire

 

Curiosity burned the paw as spunk got interested in the candle in the centerpiece Laurie had put together, and decided he wanted to se what the flame felt like. Go to https://photoofthedayetc.wordpress.com/2016/01/09/spunk-discovers-fire/​ to see an animated gif of the last three photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Spunk art cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/spunk-discovers-fire Sat, 09 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Snow Daze https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/snow-daze

Laurie did this photo of the undisturbed snow in the labyrinth I cut in the black bamboo last summer before she took her daily walk through it.

 

The snow keeps coming and hanging around even after a day of rain.

 

Field of snow

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Bamboo Sandias art field light lighting photography snow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/snow-daze Fri, 08 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Rainy Days and Reyes https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/rainy-days-and-reyes

A view of the west side of downtown from the 16th floor of the bank building

 

It rained most of the day on Día de los Reyes Magos. The rain stopped and the clouds cleared around 4:00 pm so I was able to light torches that lit the way to the house for the pilgrims who joined our celebration with tapas, coffee and Spanish Chocolate. 

 

Sasha checking out a cup of Spanish Chocolate

 

Rosencrantz listening to us tell stories about life, the universe and everything. 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Reyes Rosencrantz. Sasha art cats chocolate coffee light lighting photography rain stories https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/rainy-days-and-reyes Thu, 07 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Día de los Reyes Magos https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/dia-de-los-reyes-magos

Tapas: olives, Spanish tortilla, chorizo, bread

 

On January 6th each year we celebrate Día de los Reyes Magos (Epiphany) with tapas and Spanish Chocolate.

 

Thick hot Spanish Chocolate

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Epiphany art bread chocolate chorizo light lighting olives photography tapas https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/dia-de-los-reyes-magos Wed, 06 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Paparazzo en Bici https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/paparazzo-en-bici

Believe it or not, back in my racing days, this Z jersey actually fit me. Can anyone name the American who was riding for Team Z the same year he won the World Championships and the Tour de France in the same year?

 

Several years ago I got the idea I could be a paparazzo en bici and photograph races from the middle of the pack. It took practice,  several spills, and the right jersey and sunglasses before I got the hang of it.

 

Tying out my skills at the double barreled "ride by" shooting. Although the skill was as much in getting into position before the timer ran out on the camera I had set on self-timer on a tripod — remember my fotoplanking?

 

OK I didn't quite make that "ride by" work. You can see from my knee this was not the first time I went down doing these silly selfies.

 

I decided the Z jersey was cutting off my blood flow, so I changed to my Tarantula jersey, put on my cool Harley Davidson brand sunglasses, I a started to get down how to be a paparazzo en bici.

 

Got the ride by down.

 

My racing skills regained!

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art bici bicycle light lighting paparazzo photography racing ride-by selfies https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/paparazzo-en-bici Tue, 05 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
Light for the New Year https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/light-for-the-new-year

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) New-Year art candles light lighting photography reflections https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/light-for-the-new-year Mon, 04 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
On Catnip https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/on-catnip

 

I went outside and found some fresh, green catnip under the dried catnip, brought it inside and divided it up among the kitties. Sasha and Lola were in kitty ecstasy, rolling around in the catnip and then rubbing on keyboard and chair.  The other kitties enjoyed the catnip without as much exuberance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spunk doesn't inhale!

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Lola Sasha Spunk art catnip cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/on-catnip Sun, 03 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
We Sprung for a Springy Faucet https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/we-sprung-for-a-springy-faucet

Laurie's photo of Sasha and Spunk unpacking the new faucet.

 

Laurie and Sasha with the new faucet.

 

Laurie, Lola, Spunk, Sasha and the new faucet.

 

Laurie surprised  by how good the new faucet looks on the new sink.

 

Laurie braising the pork to go into the black eyed peas.

 

Laurie celebrating the new year while preparing pork for the black eyed peas.

 

Najar likes the new black sink.

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Laurie Najar Sasha Spunk art cats faucet light lighting photography sink spring sprung https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/we-sprung-for-a-springy-faucet Sat, 02 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
More Spunk in the New Year https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/more-spunk-in-the-new-year HAPPY NEW YEAR!

New year, new name, the same old place

Spunk looking out for the New Year.

 

Spunk helping sort through the black eyed peas looking for bad peas. Having black eyed peas on New Year's Day is thought to bring you good luck in the new year. It's more of a Southern tradition not very common in the Southwest, but we do it every year.

 

Taking a closer look

 

Spunk filling a stockpot with water in preparation to soak the black eyed peas over night. 

 

Laurie under the lights when we went out to dinner party on Tuesday.

 

You can read my first installment of Letters from Madrid at Off Center & Not Even POTDE Archives on WordPress if you are interested.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Laurie New-Year Spunk art black-eye-peas cats light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/1/more-spunk-in-the-new-year Fri, 01 Jan 2016 07:01:00 GMT
The end that starts a new beginning T – 1 Day https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/the-end-that-starts-a-new-beginning-t-1-day

Cranes playing in the orchard

 

As 2015 closes, so does Photo of the Day, Etc. as it’s been done for the past 2000 consecutive days. With the start of 2016, I’m not going to necessarily do a blog a day, but then I’m not going to limit myself to only one post per day either. After I moved the photo blog for WordPress to T and L Photos in February, I’ve been generally posting a link to my daily photo blogs on WordPress. The main reason I moved the photo blog from WordPress is that I didn’t like the changes they made for creating new blog posts. I already had to spend a lot of time reducing photos and putting my name on them to minimize what people who were copying photos from my posts could do with them — but then the changes WordPress made to creating posts made it even more difficult to work with photos. My T & L Photos site works well for the photo blog because it’s easy to post photos and the security is really good so people can no longer copy photos off my blog.

I am going to continue to use T & L Photos for my photo blog, but I am going to start using WordPress more for written content that does not have images or is not based on images. While searching through archives for images and content to go with first the “Tales From My Youth…” and most recently the last 25 posts of 2015, I found letters I’d written and my journals from when we lived in Spain, images from when we studied and performed flamenco, artwork and photos from when I was a student in the Art Department, etc. All of this is good blog material, but the photo a day, blog post a day had become too restrictive and inflexible for all the material I’ve been finding, the things I’ve been thinking about doing, and the projects I want to work on. So between the two blogging platforms, I’ll be taking a new approach to art, photography and writing in 2016.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) 2016 New-Blog New-Year art birds cranes light lighting photography https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/the-end-that-starts-a-new-beginning-t-1-day Thu, 31 Dec 2015 07:01:00 GMT
The Day the Film Died T – 2 Days https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/the-day-the-film-died-t-2-days

Our property in Corrales not long after my parents moved here around December 1958. This style of slide mount in this photo was used by Kodak from 1955-1959.

 

Five years ago, on December 30, 2010, the last roll of Kodachrome film that came off of Kodak's assembly line when they stopped production of the film in 2009 was developed by Dwayne's Photo in Parsons, Kansas. Freelance photographer Steve McCurry, who is probably best know for his work for National Geographic, asked Kodak for the last roll of Kodachrome film they produced, shot the film in NYC and then, with no other choice, he had that last roll of film processed at Dwayne's Photo, because it was the last photo lab left in the world that processed Kodachrome film. December 30, 2010 was the last day for commercial processing of Kodachrome. The very last run that used up the remaining supply of chemicals was on January 18, 2011 when Dwayne's Photo processed more than 100 rolls of Kodachrome taken over the previous year by photography students at Webster University. But the processing of the last roll of Kodachrome taken by Steve McCurry on December 30, 2010 marks the day the film died.

 

This is me taken probably in early 1959. Kodak first used this style of slide mount in 1958/1959, and phased out the slide mount in the first photo during the same period.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Kodachrome Steve-McCurry art film light lighting photography slides transparency https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/the-day-the-film-died-t-2-days Wed, 30 Dec 2015 07:01:00 GMT
The Devil's in the Plumbing T – 3 Days https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/the-devils-in-the-plumbing-t-3-days

The start of looking for the source of water coming up under the floor in one of our offices

 

Some say that "the Devil's in the details", which seems to be the case for legislation that our congress men and women believed they had to pass so they could find out what's in it, but I think the Devil is especially in the plumbing. I can consider myself lucky that I only had a couple of tiny leaks during the installation of the new kitchen sink I got for Laurie after yesterday's round of plumbing at the office. It all begain last month when water started coming up under the floor in Andy's office again.

About 6 months ago, water was coming up under Andy's desk near the wall. After tearing up the floor we found an uncapped drain and capped it. So it was even more mysterious that water was coming up under the floor in a different place last month. We assumed it was another uncapped floor drain that overflowed from what we discovered was a collapsed sewer pipe in the alley behind the office. Once the pipe in the alley was replaced, the wet spot subsided in the office, so we got the carpet cleaned and scheduled capping the offending drain for this week between Christmas and New Year's when the office is closed.

After breaking up the floor, we discovered the sewer lines inside the chase wall that connect the plumbing upstairs, connect to a larger cast iron pipe that run under the floor in the office, and that old cast iron pipe had rusted out and is leaking, but as long as the sewer lines were clear, the leaks were not bad enough saturate the soil and soak up through the floor. So now instead of simply capping an old floor drain, the old cast iron pipe has to be replaced.

 

Following the pipes back from where the water came up under the floor, the hole got bigger and bigger.

 

The workers were still breaking up concrete and digging out around the cast iron pipe to expose it when I left in the afternoon.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) art concrete dirt light lighting photography plumbing repair https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/the-devils-in-the-plumbing-t-3-days Tue, 29 Dec 2015 07:01:00 GMT
Crows in the Snow T – 4 Days https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/crows-in-the-snow-t-4-days

Crows in the trees during the snow storm.

 

Sandhill Cranes Getting ready to land in the Rio Grande with snow covered Sandias in the background

 

Snow Geese Flying J

 

99% full moon at 1:00 AM Christmas Morning.

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Grande Rio art birds bosque clouds cranes crows light lighting night photography sandias snow https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/crows-in-the-snow-t-4-days Mon, 28 Dec 2015 07:01:00 GMT
That Sinking Feeling T – 5 Days https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/that-sinking-feeling-t-5-days

Spunk helped me illustrate the problem with our old kitchen sink — a large stock pot did not fit well, and when we had a standard faucet, we couldn't fill a large stock pot directly.

 

I gave Laurie a new, black kitchen sink for Christmas. We had been looking at large sinks for the past 3 years, but we had put off getting a new sink to go to Paris, and then vet and dental bills have been cutting into our sink budget more recently. The sink we liked the best was well over $1000, but now it is not available, and similar sinks cost even more. I'd stopped by the Habitat for Humanity's Restore occasionally to look for sinks over the past couple of years, but I hadn't found any I liked until last week. They had the black sink I gave Laurie for Christmas, which is not as wide as the sink we were originally looking at, but it had large enough bowls to fit our 16 and 22 quart stock pots, 16 inch skillet, and large mixing bowls, so it was a good compromise at an unbeatable price.

Installing the new sink was fraught with problems, as always seems to be the case with DIY plumbing. The first issue was there were no shut-offs for the water to the kitchen sink. I was thinking there was, but the only shut-off was in the water line for a dishwasher. My first trip to Lowe's was to get shut-offs, and maybe a new faucet that we looked up on Lowe's website and it reported the one we liked was "in-stock". I headed out under mostly sunny skies, but very cold temperatures. Lowe's didn't have the standard in-line shut-offs like I installed in the water lines in the bathroom when I remodeled it back in 2012. They didn't have the faucet either. I got what I thought would be good solution, but then while messing around with the water lines under the sink, I cracked a joint and a light stream of water was spraying in the cabinet, so now I had to cut the pipe much lower than anticipated, so the shut-offs I got wouldn't work. 

I ordered the faucet Lowe's didn't really have "in-stock" from Amazon because it was $30 less and with prime shipping I'll get it much sooner than if I had ordered it from Lowe's website. I then left for my second trip to Lowe's to return the shut-offs, and get parts to replace the cracked joint. The sky had become overcast and threatening to snow, and by the time I got back with the parts, a light snow had started falling. I put the new lines together with shut-offs on one end and elbow joints on the other, walked out to the pump house and turned off the water to the house. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground.

I sawed through the water lines under the sink, connected the new lines with shut offs, and secured them to the wall under the sink. I walked back out to the pump house through a quarter inch of snow and turned the water on. I walked back in and discovered a leak around the threads of one of the shut-offs. After tightening it down as far as I could, it was still dripping, so I yelled about the sorry quality of parts, and trudged back out to the pump house, turned off the water, trudged back in and found a rubber washer to put in the sorry shut-off. After tightening the shut-off back on with the rubber washer, I trudged back out to the pump house through about a half inch of snow, turned the water back on, and trudged back inside — success! No leaks.

Next I removed the old sink. When I pushed in the plastic clips to remove the sprayer hose where it was connected to the faucet, the plastic clips broke. I removed the faucet and set it aside while I cut out the countertop to enlarge the hole for the new sink, installed the baskets and drain pipes on the new sink, and put the new sink into the enlarged hole in the countertop and lined up the drain pipes.  Now I had to figure out how to secure the sprayer hose onto the faucet or plug the connection. With faucet and sprayer hose in hand, I made my third trip to Lowe's on slushy streets that were starting to freeze to see if, by chance, they had the part I needed or a new sprayer hose that would clip onto the faucet.  Of course they had neither, but the plumbing associate who was helping me took a close look at the connection and he suggested a zip-tie might hold it in place. I looked at it, agreed with his assessment, and headed back home.

The zip-tie did indeed secure the sprayer hose to the faucet after I put the faucet in the sink. I set the sink into the hole in the countertop, connected the drains and water, turned on the shut-offs, checked for leaks (none), turned on the hot and cold water, ran water through the drain and checked for leaks (none), grabbed the 22 quart stock pot, called Spunk, and photographed the solution to the dilemma of filling and washing large stock pots and other large pots and pans — a big, black kitchen sink.

 

Washing large stock pots, 16 inch skillets, large mixing bowls, etc. was difficult in the old sink and we usually ended up as wet as the things we washed.

 

Laurie got this photo of me cutting out the hole in the countertop so the new sink would fit.

 

Spunk helping demonstrate the solution to the dilemma of washing large pots and pans — a sink with larger and deeper bowls.

 

Now we can wash our large pots and pans without getting ourselves as wet.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) DIY Najar Spunk art cats construction faucet kitchen light lighting photography plumbing pot sinks https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/that-sinking-feeling-t-5-days Sun, 27 Dec 2015 07:01:00 GMT
Christmas Day The Day After T – 6 Days https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/christmas-day-the-day-after-t-6-days

Sasha found Christmas!

 

Tristan snapped this photo of Laurie's reaction to opening yet another piece of plumbing.

 

All the pieces of plumbing Laurie unwrapped made sense when I brought out the new kitchen sink.

 

Lola watching Spunk doing a quality control inspection on the new sink.

 

Spunk could hardly wait to unwrap packages Christmas morning. We had been making him leave the decorations and packages alone all week.

 

Tristan working in the adult coloring book she got for Christmas. 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Christmas Laurie Sasha Spunk Tristan art cats kitchen-sink light lighting photography pipes sink https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/christmas-day-the-day-after-t-6-days Sat, 26 Dec 2015 07:01:00 GMT
Merry Christmas T – 7 Days https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/merry-christmas-t-7-days

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Christ-Child Christmas architecture art light lighting masters paintings photography stained-glass https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/merry-christmas-t-7-days Fri, 25 Dec 2015 07:01:00 GMT
The Day Before Christmas T – 8 Days https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/the-day-before-christmas-t-8-days

 

Twas the morning before Christmas and geese flew through the mist rising off the Rio Grande at sunrise. The Sandias had a dusting of snow with the bosque's fall colors frozen in the grip of winter's cold. Jetties stood like giant jacks tossed into the bosque, tangled under the winter's white sky. The sunset shown through the cottonwoods and made them stretch their tired shadows on the Rio's sandy beach as it cast yellow rays that turned into Sandia's pinks. The light faded to blue and gray as it turned the day into the night before Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (T & L Photos) Rio-Grande Sandias art bosque jetties light lighting photography river sunrise sunset https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/the-day-before-christmas-t-8-days Thu, 24 Dec 2015 07:01:00 GMT
Catwalk T – 9 Days https://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/12/catwalk-t-9-days OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

The Catwalk National Scenic Trail is located in the Gila National Forest in Western New Mexico, north of Silver City. In the late 1800's a 3 mile long pipeline was built in the canyon suspended up to 20 feet above the whitewater Creek that flows through the canyon. The pipeline supplied water to a mining mill and the town called both Graham and Whitewater. There was a wood plank walkway built over the pipeline that the men who maintained the pipeline called the Catwalk. The mining operations were closed in the 1940's, and the catwalk was rebuilt years later by th