Reflections

We went from a dreary rainy weekend with some breezes to bring on a chill to a bright sunny day with just enough pillowy clouds with some magenta reflecting from the sun to paint this on the pond behind our home.

Moon Shots From 12/03/12

Sky shots of any kind need definition and clouds are pretty much the only thing that works. I use to fly radio control airplanes and the best time to fly was with a back drop of clouds to help keep your orientation. After all, you aren't in the cockpit unless you have one of the newer cameras mounted and know how to view what you are seeing....ie drones.

There was just a whisper of clouds in the sky last night. I couldn't leave well enough alone, the original pictures came out pretty good right from the camera. Night shots can be bit to get right. The first picture has some HDR (High Definition Resolution) with some Levels tweaking, color control as well and changing from color to black and white. Image was taken through a window.

This shot I call Reflections. You could all it a vertical panorama.

You can enlarge if you desire.

The Wooden Car Project Progresses With Innovation

 

 Cut and sanded. Staining and gluing to be done.

Approx. 7 x 2.5" before mounting of wheels.

Prepping the lathe. Wheels cut on band saw, then rough centers are found. Next, drill 1/8" pilot to insert large nail into for work as shaft. As I tightened the chuck on drill I tapped the nail head to set it tightly into the chuck.

With the drill locked on I proceeded to even out the wheels to the same size. Instead of getting chips of wood you get a lot of very fine dust. Next set will have a vac running nearby.

Results of the home grown lathe. I will also wear a mask when doing the second car.

Nail (shaft) hole will be covered by some sort of super glued hubcap since these are for two boys younger than 3. 

Same Photo, Three Ways of Editing

You choose which one you like. 

Nearly the same shot if you notice the fence line in the foreground.

Click to fill your screen.

Same Window...Just Playing Around

It's so easy to play around with stainless glass windows.

Stainless Glass Windows and Shadows on the Wall

 Non stained glass picking its color from the other side.

Light coming through the blinds of a
picture window as the sun goes down leaving shadows on the wall.

All He Wanted

This little guy just wanted his house back. He was a perfect host for the family Thanksgiving but he just wanted everyone to leave so he could go to bed.

Wooden Toys

We recently had a neighbor move out. They were a nice young couple but were outgrowing their home. They had one little boy and just had another. I have decided to surprise them by making a couple of cars out of wood. There are no moving parts and nothing can be broke off.

Two fenders a body and 6 wheels roughed out, all with the use of a coping saw.

 You can see the roughed out wheels and two more drawn out behind them. The Dremel tool has an endmill type of tool that I used to start the shape of the wheels by plunging it into the wood and holding it as steady as possible to keep everything square.

Great tool. Keeps cutting and sanding down to an acceptable level. 

Keeping the wheels round and all the same size with the tools at hand is the biggest task. A lathe would have been real nice. I once had a boss that would tell me anyone can do it with the right tool, takes a real craftsman to figure out how to do it with what he has to work with. I'm sitll trying to get to know that craftsman. Simple thing is, I just enjoy it. Oh, and the Thin Cut disc on top of the wheels is my template.

Fall Comfort

And there's cornbread to go with this.........YUM!  Home made soup in the fall is such a comforting thing.

Chrome

Bright 

   Shiny

      

Chrome

                                                                                                                   

Mirrors

Reflections of ones self......multiple times.

Simple Question...Simple Answer

To the pond.......to the pond.

A Man I Never Met, My Grandfather

I never got to meet or know my grandfather on my moms side of the family as he died shortly after I was born. This is a reason why photos are so important. Just as important is putting information on them or, if digital, you keep the real metadata file.

My grandfather in his early days as a railroad worker.

My grandfather on the left. The guy on the right may have been some sort of conductor. He's wearing a watch and looks like he's carrying papers, maybe train routes and times in a terminal or yard.

 This is my grandfather with his youngest daughter, my aunt Zoe. This was taken in front of their house in Knoxville, TN. Looks like they had a pretty heavy snowfall that year.The house had a wood cooking stove in the kitchen and one in a front room for heating. I was only in the house one time before my step grandmother died but I remember it well. Very plain with little furnishings. My grandfather had moved  up to conductor by this time of his career. He 7 kids of which 3 were sons. One was a full time railroad man. The other two were part time conductors making weekend runs.

Hanging On with Bright Colors and Some Out of the Norm

This tree is hanging in there. It doesn't want to let go of its beauty but is showing signs of weakening, given into the inevitable....its winter look.

The Burning Bush is staying tough. Of course it is somewhat protected from the winds and cold but its days too are numbered.

A color that is not normally considered a fall color so much. This bush gets lots of little white flowers on each branch which turn into a small berry. The purple berry stays through the winter and then in March the berries start to turn dark brown to black. The birds feast on them, many are Robins, and by mid to late April all is gone and it is time to trim the plant back to about six inches above the ground.

Thanks for the Redirection

This is what happens when you get redirected on a detour due to a presidential speech. The previous post showed where we ended up on this outing but this will show the historical town of Lebanon, OH. It's noted for its antiques as well as The Golden Lamb restaurant. Lots of churches of various designs, lots of old buildings dating back over 100 yrs. and lots of majestic old trees. Next door, just up the road a few miles is Waynesville, OH. It is considered the midwest capital of antiquing but the town is not nearly as cool as Lebanon. The last picture is of a house, formerly a local winery, just north of Lebanon. All the pictures were taken from a moving vehicle. Click to enlarge the photos.

Irons Fruit Farm for Apples

The wife and I went to Irons Fruit Farm yesterday to get apples and cider. I had been there before but not at this time of the year. I knew they had stuff for kids like hayrides but not the animals.

Entrance

Apple Store

Farm House

Decorations

Donkeys

Donkey

Donkey

Emu

Horse and Implements

Barn