One of the better parts of country living is the night sky.  With minimal levels of light pollution, there is much to be seen in terms of stars and planets.  Ever since I was in High School, I have enjoyed observing the sky.  That means weather phenomena during the day and the heavens at night.

My goal for this summer was to capture an image of the Milky Way with my camera.  I like to do things like that.  Several years ago I bought a reflector telescope from a friend at work.  Within a few weeks, I was calculating the theoretical limits of a telescope of that type and size.  I then found double stars that would test the resolution limits.  It was an excellent ‘scope and was within a percent or two of the theoretical resolution limit.

What could I do with our point-and-shoot camera?  It’s a Panasonic that is now a few years old.  It has a “night sky” mode that seems to work well.  I’ve been waiting for a clear night when the Milky Way would be well above the horizon.

Monday was that night.  The sky was clear, I consulted the star chart and went out with tripod-mounted camera in hand.  I looked to the right and over the house I saw Ursa Major (the Big Dipper).

I noticed that the commercial air routes were particularly busy at that time.  I moved the camera to the left and up and caught a couple in the next long exposure.

Can you see the dim one on the lower right side of the image?  I never even noticed that dimmer trail until I was ready to post this image.

This was fun, but it was not the reason that I was standing outside under the night sky.    Finally, I pointed the camera toward the constellation Cygnus (the swan).  Then I pressed the shutter button.

I was not disappointed.  I had to come back inside and open the image file in PhotoShop Elements to see what I had.  I can’t say for certain, but I believe that there a couple of paths created by micro-meteors in this shot.

I had wanted to try to capture meteor images during the recent Perseid meteor shower.  Unfortunately, that was a cloudy and nasty couple of nights.  Perhaps I’ll try again next August.  It should be interesting.

Posting in cooperation with:

The help I’m referring today is with photos.  As I reported yesterday, we had a great time with blogging friends.  Unfortunately, we had a problem with photos.  Thanks to Lin, who shared some pics that she and Joe captured on Saturday.

One of my favorites is of Vanilla’s wife, JoAnn.  As soon she saw the garden she wasted no time checking it out.  Soon she found what she was looking for.

JoAnn shows off the prize tomato. (Photo by Lin)

The beaming smile, happy demeanor and her joy in finding that “perfect” tomato all serve to illustrate the bubbly personality of our friend’s lady.  Great job!  I’ll have to confess, I have a crush on Lin’s camera.

After a yummy lunch on Sunday, Vanilla and JoAnn left for home with a bag or two of veggies.  I never expected to see them again (the veggies that is), but I did.  Vanilla, he’s such a braggart you know, sent me this photo.

From Sylvia’s garden, to JoAnn’s kitchen and then on its way to Vanilla’s supper plate.     (Photo by Vanilla)

That looks very good to me, and I’m sure our friend enjoyed it.  That’s okay, Sylvia fixed me some nice veggies for Supper last night.  Yes, even before we saw this picture.

Hey.  Is anyone else hungry?

By now you have probably read the accounts of Shark, Lin and Vanilla.  If not, why not?  These are fabulous folks!  I should know I have met them.  They have been guests in my house and I can say that they are a delightful bunch.  Each of them has already posted about our meet at what Lin’s children call the Convention of Blog-Posting Murderers, which Sylvia and I hosted over the weekend.  Here I am the last to post about the fun and festivities, but more about that later.

Trying to arrange a meeting of a group of active individuals is probably a teeny bit easier than herding cats.  Lin managed to do that. We are as close to centrally located as one could hope for and the only available date involved a schedule conflict for Sylvia.  Her amateur radio club for women operators had their annual picnic scheduled on that same day.  She didn’t want to miss meeting the bloggers, but she couldn’t miss the picnic.  The easy solution was to invite the bloggers to the picnic.  It worked and worked well.

After lunch, we bloggers adjourned to the house.  We nearly lost one couple, but we did arrive there without [significant] incident.  Everyone agreed that outside the house is better than inside.  In an effort to bribe them so they would say nice things nothing about the inside, we sent each home with some produce from our garden.

Of course, there were the obligatory group shots.  There was the predicable camera envy going on at that time.  It only became worse on Sunday when I couldn’t retrieve pictures from Sylvia’s camera.  Eventually, I worked past that problem only to find that I had technical problems in the pictures.  Truth is that I didn’t want to post a picture of me standing in a group of smiling bloggers with a “What am I doing here?” look all over my face.  Would you?  Lin and Joe to the rescue.

Vanilla (David), Shark (Joan), Lin and Chuck.        — Joe Kautz photo

As we were taking photos, Vanilla asked Shark, “Who do you always move to the front in photos?”  She replied, “I’m short, so I always stand in front.”  That was all the cue the class clowns needed.  The next shot looked like this:

Guess which are the “goofs?” — Joe Kautz photo

We had a great time sharing stories, answering questions and making each other laugh.  My ribs are still a bit sore from all the laughter that we all shared.

All too soon, our time together was over and the band of friends had separated.  What a pleasant group of people to be with.  It was like family.  How could it not be when we’ve been reading each others posts for years?

Is this a group that I’d want to get “snowed-in” with for a weekend?  My goofy mind thinks of things like that.  I soon realized that Lin would be looking out the window for the city snow plow to come and get us out.  Shark would strap on her snow shoes and would go out for a stroll.  I would head for the barn to start the tractor and clear the driveway.  Vanilla would be laughing at us–from Texas.  He’s not going to have anything to do with the snow.

What do you think?  Would you want to be snowed in with a group like that?

Thursday is trash day.  Rain was headed our way.  I could see it on the online radar loop.  I had collected our trash from various wastebaskets and left the collection in the kitchen.  Sylvia then added the garbage, closed the bag and sat it by my car.  We usually meet our son for lunch on Thursdays, and so all of that is just part of the routine.

After checking my favorite blogs, I went into the kitchen.  The trash was gone and Sylvia was outside.  We would not be meeting our son, because he was out of state on business.  I retrieved the trash and carried it down to the roadside for the trash hauler to take away.  On that errand I saw signs in the driveway–signs of life, and [perhaps] death.

For those of you who do know scat, perhaps you can confirm that this was left by a raccoon.  This “sign” has been there for a couple of days.

This is newer and has some other stuff in it.  At times like this, I realize that I don’t really know scat.  Perhaps I know enough to spot this as emanations from a raccoon.  Signs of life and well fed critters by the looks of things.

What does this wad of fur mean?  Was there a fight in the driveway the previous night?  Did a vulture burp this out as he flew over.  I don’t know–not very good at sign language.

This was my favorite sign in the driveway.  These blossoms are growing in a nearly invisible crack in the edge of the pavement.  It brightened my day and improved my outlook.  What makes you feel better?

After more than eight years with my former Internet hosting company, today I cancelled my hosting contract with them.  Four weeks ago, I signed up with HostGator.  Thanks Rebecca.  Your are a very special friend.  Your advice and insight were very helpful.  😀

I left my former hosting company over frustrations with their inflexibility.  Three times I was told “We can’t do that.”  Each time it was from a different department.  All I wanted to do was drop a domain out of the package.  That’s when I decided to bear the pain and fire them.  Okay, I’ll admit to frustrations with technical support being provided from a different continent by people with strange accents.  I could have dealt with that, but why?

I went with HostGator after checking out various options.  They are based in the USA.  Their sales and tech support staff are in the USA.  I like that.  They have been very responsive to my inquiries and requests.  I give them two thumbs way up!  Click the link in the right-hand column and check them out for yourself.

Blog Update

In March, I made the move from Blogger to this self-hosted WordPress site.  At times, I have questioned my sanity in making that move, but I’m convinced that it was a good move for me.  I recently found myself posting on a non-public Blogger site.  It only took a few minutes to realize how nice WordPress is for me.

When I made the hosting move, I considered moving back to blogger.  It is an excellent option for the hobby blogger.  You have a lot of options open to you and hosting takes nothing from your pocket.  I do miss the “Follow” function in blogger.  For a variety of reasons, I have decided to continue using the WordPress platform on this self-hosted site.  Your mileage may vary. 😉

In cooperation with:

You’ve no doubt seen reports on TV or read them online about the drought that has hit our nation’s mid-section.  On the maps, even this area is shown as being in a state of moderate drought.  We were, but the rains have returned and in this neighborhood the corn and soy bean crops are looking good.

As you can see, this corn field behind our house is looking great.  The farmer’s dairy cattle will eat well this winter and next spring when this fine crop is chopped up and fed to them.

Perhaps this second shot will give you a better of idea of how tall and strong this corn is.  The bunnies don’t seem at all interested.  They have that beautiful grass to nibble on.  And nibble is exactly what they do.  If the weather cooperates, I want to mow tomorrow.

In any case, it’s going to be a busy week for Sylvia and me.  We have special meetings this week and company coming for the weekend.  I’ll tell you more about that later.

Sightings

I never did get a picture of the mute swans.  A pair of them made a nest and spent most of the spring on a natural pond a quarter-mile from here.  Evidently when the cygnets were ready to fly, they all left the area.  That left me without the photo. 🙁

It’s been over a year since I’ve seen an eagle.  There was a pair of bald eagles that were nesting about a half-mile from here, and I would see them from time to time.  In the winter I have seen a golden eagle, which is the most awesome and impressive bird I have ever seen.  (Once, one flew between our house and the barn, banking as he made a turn.  Wow!)  I keep looking and hoping.

The vulture don’t disappoint.  There is a hollow tree about an eighth-mile from here where vultures nest.  It’s an oak tree with a hole in it that’s bigger than my waist, which is not tiny by any stretch of the imagination.

What kinds of critters do you see near your home?

It’s a rainy Monday morning here in west Michigan.  We had nearly four inches of rain last week, and the grass has responded and grown like crazy.  Earlier this year, I went five weeks without mowing parts of the lawn.  Now it is all overgrown in just over a week.  A person could almost get lost in it already.

If you’re like me, you enjoy a bit of humor to start the week.  Especially on a gloomy gray day like today.  Here’s something from my e-mail diary.  Thanks to our friend and former pastor Theron.

Places I Have (and Have Not) Been

I have been in many places, but I’ve never been in Cahoots.
Apparently, you can’t go alone.
You have to be in Cahoots with someone.

I’ve also never been in Cognito.
I hear no one recognizes you there.

I have, however, been in Sane.
They don’t have an airport; you have to be driven there.
I have made several trips there, thanks to my friends, family, and work.

I would like to go to Conclusions,
but you have to jump, and I’m not too much on physical activity anymore.

I have also been in Doubt.
That is a sad place to go, and I try not to visit there too often.

I’ve been in Flexible,
but only when it was very important to stand firm.

Sometimes I’m in Capable,
and I go there more often as I’m getting older.

One of my favorite places to be is in Suspense!
It really gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart!
At my age I need all the stimulus I can get!

Your friend and mine, Rebecca Mecomber, posted this yesterday.  If you read no other blog follow the link and read this eye-opening post.  Click here.

Thanks for your visit.  See you next week.