Camera Walk: Rest In Peace, Dad

 

The morning after dad's service I went for a walk in a wooded area just outside town. I hadn't been on a camera walk in a long time. The last time was when I found the green heron strutting around on the bridge at a different park. 

It's not the greatest time for outdoor photography in Michigan - most of the fall colors are gone now, or they're attached to the leaves on the ground. Some green foliage is still around, and it might stay green all winter - those plants forget to change, or no one told them they were supposed to. 

There had been a light snow the night before my walk, and the water on the ground had a very thin layer of ice, as did the small ponds. My hands got cold but it felt good, and breathing the outdoor air after spending so much time indoors in the prior weeks was refreshing. 

Football Saturday Roundup

Read This Book

Many people know about Bletchley Park and Alan Turing, but did you know about the United States' similar successes in codebreaking during WWII? 

This book about a female codebreaker, Elizebeth Friedman, is well-written and exciting. Her husband is also a codebreaker for the US government, and as you might expect from the time, he usually receives recognition, while his equally-capable wife remains in the shadows.

Miscellaneous Links and Information

Pickles tells us about being happy,

Follow Anthony Bourdain through a day at his New York restaurant - a classic from New Yorker magazine.

I need to try this punctuation map on my whole blog someday...

Does your country have a wizard? Why not? 

Down the Path

 

Now Playing

The road well-traveled

When I woke today, suddenly nothing happened. 

But in my dream, I slew the dragon. 

And down this beaten path, up this cobbled lane, 

Walking in my old footsteps once again.

- "Waiting for My Real Life to Begin" by Colin Hay 

Source: https://xkcd.com/2492/

Some Links

This car is very cool and the closest I'll come to owning an Aston Martin. "Bond. Don Bond."

If this speaker sounds as good as it looks, it sounds pretty weird.

Spartan Marching Band

 

M leads the alto saxes during warm-ups before the first home game

Football has returned to Michigan State's campus, and that means the marching band is up and running! M is a co-section leader this year for the alto saxes, and he and Rachel led the alto saxes through fall practices. 

After a year off due to COVID-19, everyone was more than ready to go. 

The band marches from the practice field to the stadium before the game.

Football Saturday Link-O-Rama

 

A carboat to drive to your houseboat (c) Floating Motors

Now there's a good reason to move near a lake - Floating Motors makes these fun boats shaped like cars. If the earth's water levels keep rising, you're going to need one. 

Next time you're on Michigan State University's campus, and you've had your fill of the natural beauty, academic excellence, and athletic dominance, stop by the Planetarium building and marvel at the Moist Towelette Museum. It's number one in the Big 10! Go Green!

Browse the funny wildlife photos at the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards site. Don't forget to vote. 

Wondering who owns that house or building in Jackson, MI? Go to the tax parcel viewer, and click on a property to see the details. 

 

Argus Cameras and Macro Photography

 

Parts of two different Argus cameras, both made in Ann Arbor, MI, USA

This photo is my cluttered and humble entry in a local camera shop's macro photography contest. I tried a number of different shots and angles and lights and I submitted this one. My primary motivation for making a decision about what shot to enter was the contest's August 31st entry deadline. 

Read a little more about the Argus Camera company here. When they were still operating, they donated the planetarium inside Pioneer High School, which the Washtenaw Elementary Science Olympiad uses on tournament day for the "To Infinity and Beyond" astronomy event. 

Bird is the Word

 

Why did this bird cross the bridge?

At Lillie Park South in Ann Arbor, I took the new camera out for a walk. I met some runners on the paths, mosquitos nibbled on my elbow, and I met a bird that I could not identify. Soon after the original post here, bird lovers J and Amy both identified it as a green heron.

Based on the picture above, I'd bet this bird was in a marching band. Upright posture, ankle properly flexed, eyes forward. All it's missing is an instrument. 

A green heron getting some sun.

I'm out of here...

Twigs everywhere and the roof is leaking. This is why birds can't have nice things.

A Sandhill Crane. I don't know if it's a boy or girl, and I'm not about to look. 

There is a pair of cranes that lives in the farmland/wetlands near my Ann Arbor office. They wander around all day, and they're not afraid of people. I always give them plenty of room, though, because of those long, pointy beaks. Besides being good for catching fish and toasting marshmallows, they could also do some damage to my soft tissue.